First Fixie - Start Simple or Save Up
 

Sorry if this topic has been brought up before. I tried to search as best I could.

I'm looking at getting my first fixed gear bike. I'm not sure if it's best to start simple and cheaper or save up and get something better. For example:

• I could find a bike around $200. From what I've read, don't expect much and plan on upgrades soon after the purchase.
• I could pickup a Kilo TT (or Kilo TT Pro). A bit more cash up front but some have still said plan on upgrades.
• Lastly, I could use the "upgrade money" from the Kilo TT and put it towards something like the Wabi Classic.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks for all the help!

Buy once, cry once. Don't throw a bunch of money at a $200 fixed gear in upgrades hoping it will be something better than it is. Save your money, get the bike you want and that doesn't need a bunch of upgrades.

The slow burn is far more expensive than the flash in the pan but it hurts less.

Save up, figure out what you really want.

Get a Capitol One card, then spend like there's no tomorrow.

The way I see it, the only real upside to starting out with something dirt cheap and upgrading it is the opportunity to learn some mechanical skills. If you plan to have someone else replace your components, I can't see the why you would want to ride something you weren't happy with in the first place.

It's also hard to tell what you will like and dislike in advance. I'm replacing the handlebars on my Wabi Classic after riding the hell out of it for a month, not because they're broken, but because they're not comfortable for my particular hands on longer rides.

If you don't need a bike right now, save up for a nice one.

^^^^^^^^^This.

Be really honest about what sort of riding you'll actually do, then look for the bike/frame that fits that criteria.

Do you have perfectly smooth roads where you live?

The geometry on these frames is extremely harsh and they probably won't fit wide tires either.
It's a track frame. It's gonna ride like a track frame on the road.
Hope you have a dental plan, you're fillings are going to be shaken out.

To be a little contrary: going fix gear is starting a different life. It is different enough that it may well take take the OP a couple of bikes to get it dialed in. He may well find that he is now riding different roads, weather and light conditions than he did before. And therefore, the bike that will suit him best is not what he would have bought starting out. If he spends $1000 at the start and finds he really wants fenders, a rack and lights, that sweet track bike might just be money poorly spent. A used whatever set up fixed might get him the same answer for far less money.

My first fixed was a tired UO-8. Replaced with a series of sportier Japanese road bikes, all of which were used as 12 month city/rain/winter workhorses. That finally became an old Trek sport bike and will stay that way as long as the Trek lasts. But I picked up a cheap and damaged light sport bike and set it up as a "racing" bike, as if gears never were invented. A blast! That bike gave birth of the idea of a high end custom pure road fix gear racing bike. It will never race, nor will I, but it has the feel, performance and pure fun of the real deal. Because I have ridden so many miles on so many fix gears, I knew what I wanted and this bike was right from the first ride. And not remotely anything anyone could have dreamed up for me 40 years ago. It took going through a lot of bikes to get there. And those bikes cost, in total, a lot less than this new good bike! I am grateful I didn't spend this dough earlier.

Ben

There are something like 115 days until Christmas. Start by being *nice* for the remainder of the year to get on Santa's good side. Then write a great letter and post it to the North Pole, outlining what you'd like in a FG.

While you wait, save your money for the bike that you described in the letter. When it's Yule, you'll be cool either way.

Winning.

Sorry but none of this is accurate.

No, I'm sorry, but you don't know what the hall you're talking about.

I have a steel track bike with similar 74/75 geometry very similar to the Kilo TT mentioned. Very short wheelbase.
Look at the wheel clearance under the down tube and behind the seat post. They are almost identical to the Kilo TT photos with regards to clearance. Look at the fork rake, very similar also.

I have ridden it on the road when I have done maintenance and even on medium coarse chip and seal roads in my neighborhood, it is quite uncomfortable to ride on the street. It would be completely uncomfortable to ride on city streets with ruts, potholes and road debris on a daily basis.


http://m8.i.pbase.com/o3/53/15653/1/...n.CRW_7080.jpg

HTFU. I'm pretty sure jlafitte does know what he's talking about and just because you have weird dental issues doesn't mean you should apply them to everyone else.

Then he shouldn't lie and tell people a bike with a track geo is going to be nice to ride on the road then.

It's not true unless you're a masochist. Why do you think so many people get a fixed and then dump it on Craig's List?

Because they made stupid purchasing decisions by listening to people like you two.

Kilo TT's are hardly ever on Craig's list. There are a lot of crappy fixed gears on Craig's List but the Kilo TT is not one of them. Make a better argument.

Get a Surly Steamroller and you'll never have to think about it again.

Haha ok boss.

I raced long races on a 74 seat, 75 head tube short wheelbase road bike in the 70s on New England back roads. Granted I built wheels to be less than stiff vertically but I was racing what, 21c tires and training on 23c? (We never knew. The sew-ups of the day didn't say what they were.) Did my training on the same roads on that bike. I rode that bike 5000 miles/year. I didn't lose any my fillings. I did put in several 160+ mile days on it.

I loved that bike and I loved riding those roads on it. The poster above may have a frame that is that uncomfortable on the road or perhaps he has gear or riding style that causes that discomfort. The Kilo's angles and geometry alone do not sentence the bike to be a killer on the road.

Ben

First fixed gear. I would go with craigslist road conversion if you can get it cheap or your first option. Certainly no point in spending money on something you might not even like. Do you know for sure you like to ride fixed? Do you know the geometry that you will be comfortable with? Some track frames have toe overlap, not a deal breaker but first time rider maybe not a good idea. Don't see a point in going with Killo tt pro, not that much better than the regular version. I say ride it, figure out what you want, sell it and get a better bike (Soma, Wabi, All-City, Surly) using your knowledge and experience.

I recently upgraded to a Wabi after riding a road conversion with semi track geometry for 4 years, its a solid light frame, kind of road geometry but still feels lively.

For the record,

- my KiloTT has 28c tires
- I ride it daily on the streets of New Orleans, which are sometimes compared to India
- no fillings have fallen out of my teeth

Have also done about 3000 miles of randonneuring on a Big Block (similar geo).

Loving all of it. :)

Lots of people been riding bikes with track geo on the street with no problems. As a general rule of thumb you should avoid ruts, potholes, and other debris in the road and if you must go over it there are techniques to make it a manageable.

Also OP, kiloTT is fine, don't waste money on a $200 walmart clunker

I have been a long time lurker on this forum myself, and I believe everyone will tell you "save and get what you want". However though it may cost more in the long run, sometimes its nice to be able to spend the 200, on a cheaper bike and see how you like riding fixed. I recently started this year with a $200 hi ten steel fixie, and really enjoyed it. Shortly after I decided to buy a pake frame and fork, and moved all the parts from the old bike to the new pake frame. Slowly you can try things out with the different contact point parts and see what you like. It may be kind of difficult at first trying to figure out what would be a first mod, but this forum is a wealth of knowledge and reviews about that kind of thing.

OP, I'd like to know what upgrades you are thinking about. That would settle a lot of things. Steamroller is a pretty nice choice. I've owned 2 surlys and loved the crap out of each of them. I still kinda want a TT just cause they are fun. I finally got myself a Bareknuckle and howtdamn this bad boy is fun.

Also for all your information, don't just blame the frame. I've run the vredestein tricomps, 23mm tires at 140-150psi and they were still nicer than many 28mm tires I've used. And this was on the crapy streets of seattle...