Retrospec
 

I have a Retrospec "Harpie" that I like that I have had for almost 10 years and it has held up very well. I haven't had to do a thing with it other than normal maintenance. I have the wheel/hub "flipped" so that it is basically a single speed. It is used for just cruising fairly short distances.

A lot of those low cost bikes aren't bad at all for casual riding around town or down the bike path. I've ridden a Retrospec and currently have two single-speeds...a Takara Kabuto and a Pure Fix Premium Series "Grant" both purchased used. The Pure Fix has much better specs, and weighs less, but the Takara is fine to just ride, and has been reliable for me. Buying it used, it had a damaged front rim (looked as if it had been ridden with a flat tire) so I relaced both hubs with Sun CR18 rims. I've ridden the Takara as far as 25 miles in a single afternoon with no issues.

I find this to be true as well. Three years ago I bought a new Harper for $100 off FB Marketplace from a young man who purchased the bike online, assembled it and found it to be too small for him. It has served me well for those occasional 15 -20 mile casual rides. I assumed I would be putting some money into it for wheel and brake upgrades but I never found the need to do that.

I'm happy to hear these good reports.

I had considered getting one. I had one other single I gifted out and miss it. A transit weaver.

I may look at the retrospec again after I unload a couple C&V's.

thanks folks.

As long as your intended use is not as a daily all-weather commuter you should be okay.

Thank you, sir. It would fit in with some of my riding.
Not a commuter or regular rain rider.

Ok cool story I guess.

I would buy a Retrospect if I was a very infrequent once and a blue moon rider. Say I said "that Kent Thruster is a little too cheap and not D2C" then a Retrospec would be a bike. Gas pipes are great for piping gas but for a frame they are heavy and not a great ride (though steel so potentially a little better than a similar quality aluminum frame). Glad it worked out for this person but it would be a hard pass for me. I would rather have a State 4130 but I am a little biased because they did release a Black Sabbath Master of Reality kit and a Wu-Tang kit and bike and I like both of those bands so they won me over a bit with that. (I don't own either just FYI)