Looking at single/fixed options...
 

So I build up a fix back in university out of an old 10 speed and it was good times. I've since sold it and now have a mountain bike (older SC Nomad) and a carbon road bike (Eddy Merckx EMX-3), but the n+1 rule has been nagging away at me and am looking at possibly picking up a single speed/fixed bike for coffee/grocery runs. I also live two blocks away from an outdoor velodrome and it's piqued my interest.

So... I've been browsing kijiji/craigslist/pinkbike to see what's out there. I'm thinking around $500 (cdn) and have found some State bikes (a bit more at around $700), some Purefix (don't know anything about them, but imagine the price reflect the quality. $200-$300) and a Bianchi Pista ($600). I know State seems to have a bit of presence in the Red Hook circuit, but don't know much else about them.

My thought is to spend the extra bit on the Bianchi, but would spending the extra, extra be worth it for a State, and if I'm doing that, should I just order a new one? Any other recommendations?

fixed gear
 

Hi,

Where do you expect to do most of your riding, on the track or on the road? That will dictate what type of bike you will want. If you will do mostly track, a track bike is the obvious choice. If more road riding, you may want to go with something with a more upright geometry, which will also give you more tire clearance for installing wider tires and a more comfy ride.

Dave

Yeah. Definitely more road/street riding than track. I just figured with a track so close, it would be fun to check it out. That said, I think they have demo bikes for 'try the track' days.

When you look at State Bikes website, they advertise all their bikes based on the color of the components... They are a fashion company, not a bike company. Finding a bianchi pista for less money is a no-brainer. What part of Canada are you from?

Some of State's frames look fairly decent, though I've never ridden one. PureFix is pretty bottom of the barrel. The Pista is a decent bike, but whether it's worth the price will depend on condition, build, etc. And you should definitely try riding track -- it's tons of fun.

While some of State's hipster marketing is questionable and I'd stay away from their budget line I wouldn't toss them to the side as a fashion brand. Their contendor frame looks to be quite nice actually, 520 reynolds double butted steel, CF fork, built in chain adjuster, and nice finishing. The geometry also looks like a good balance for the road if it's not going to be a pure track bike. I don't own one but it seems like a solid choice.

As a fellow Canadian, you're probably aware that you'll get nailed on import duty charges, shipping and currency conversion if you order a new bike from the US.

Others have already noted--State's reputation isn't strong around here, but the Bianchi Pista has a loyal following.

Is the Pista your size? For context, there's a guy here in Halifax that sold his used Pista for around the same price (maybe more), so $600 CDN for a fully built bike is reasonable.

It might be worth checking with your velodrome, before you buy, to make sure you're getting something they will actually let your ride on their track, if you intend to ride it there.

For sure. Just looking at options out there.

The Pista is a 61cm frame, but I'm 6'4 so should be decent.

So... I ended up going with a Volume Cutter that just came up on the used market. A touch cheaper than the Bianchi, but was loaded up with Thompson stem/post, Fizik saddle, Sugino cranks AND Velocity Rims laced to Phil Woods hubs.

The frame is a touch small, but I'm pretty stoked on it. I'll be using it for coffee/grocery runs far, far more than any kind of track action, so went that direction instead of looking for a track-ish frame.

I'll post some pictures before long.