Hey there. Anybody got a recent Langster? I'm looking for a road bike to ride around town and maybe for longer rides and I'm thinking the Langster may be the bike for me. How does it ride? Would it be cool for long road rides?

Thanks!

-D

I have one, decent bike, flip-flop hub so you can ride singlespeed (one speed but you can coast) or fixed, I'd say it's a decent bike. Mine's an 05. I've done 40 miles or so on mine, the stock gearing is not good for hills (48x16) but you can do nicely on the flats. Put a black Brooks B17 on it and get some emo glasses and you're ready to roll.

Got the glasses. I'm ready to roll.

Serioulsy though, this would be my first road bike and I haven't ridden a single speed since I had a BMX in grammar school. I see all these cats tooling around SF on single speeds and I always wonder how in the hell they make it up those hills. I can take some hills in top gear on my old mountain bike, but not many and I usually have to drop a gear or four at the top to rest up. I suppose I would have to get stronger if I got a singlespeed. And gosh, I love the way they look. So simple and clean, the way a Bike's supposed to be.

Change your gear ratio, i'm running 40x15 in SF and the only hills i'm unable to make it up are those really steep ones in Chinatown. 40x15 is something like 73 gear inches. You'll also adapt to hills pretty quickly.

Beware of the langster

There are three 06 models, stock, comp, and the s-works frameset. (check out specialized.com ) The comp is a decent bike, but for the price, buy a bianchi pista concept instead, the componentry package is much better.

The s-works is a true track frameset, made from super light aluminium, wouldn't recomend it for street riding.

The stock langster is not a great bike. It may be suitable for running as a singlespeed with both a front and rear brake, but needs to be upgraded if its going to be used as a fixed gear. The main problem is the wheelset, the threading will not withstand brakeless riding (or tightening a lockring to tight). Other issues include a poor quality bottom bracket and headset.

I own an 04 langster and ride it fixed and brakeless. But, I've replaced every single component except the crankset. (the crankarm on the driveside snapped off of the spider once but specialized replaced it for free, but I will soon replace them, and get a new frame)

The langster has a poor reputation around this forum, There are plenty of single speed road bikes with a lot more class, take some time to seek them out, start with https://kogswell.com/ and https://www.surlybikes.com/

Thats why you find a Langster Pro its from 2004. Such a nice bike, Dura-Ace Hubs, Sugino 75 Crank and BB, Open Pro Wheels.

Acutally you might be better with a bike from IRO. They are really nice bikes and reasonly cheap.

As for climbing hills, with a 48x16. When i first started riding it was pretty much hell not that much fun was a complete struggle. AFter riding it for a month my legs got stronger and they became easier. It really depends on how hilly your area is, ATL isnt that bad so it works for me.

are those still around? i thought the emo's all traded them for the almighty haircut.

The Langster base is now $700?? Didn't this start out at $400 a few years ago?

yeah. a shop here in town had them for $599 for a minute but they are up to $699 now. no bueno.

Anyone look at the specs of the 06 Langster Comp on the Specialized site?

No brakes and a freewheel! Sweet!

https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkM...keTab=techspec

that's great!

I highly recomend this stock setup for street riding!

word

Milo

my lbs has langsters for $450

When I saw a Langstger in the window down at Valencia Cyclery (San Francisco) for $450 awhile back, I had to try it out. The bike lanes on Valencia are bumpy as hell and that thing was HARSH. It also made a weird pinging noise when I hit those bumps. It had no room for bigger tires to mitigate the ride, so I gave it a pass. I ended up building my own Surly Steamroller and it is sweeeeeet. The steel frame is much smoother and it has plenty of room for bigger tires (I'm running 28c right now). I run a 42x16 gear, which works for all but the most ridiculously steep hills that SF is famous for. I also run a front brake, which I highly recommend for descending hills and panic stops.

When you ask "would it be cool for long road rides" I assume you mean fixed gear bikes in general. The answer depends on you. In the city I prefer the Steamroller, but when I go on longer road rides in Marin County I take the geared bike. As much as I love riding fixed, gears and freewheels can be awfully nice sometimes.

I bought a Langster last year as an impulse purchase for 450 or so. I immediately sold the cheesy wheels and the entire drive train on Ebay and put on my own parts. Next thing to go was the fork. I found the bike unrideable with the stock aluminum fork, and put on a $60 Supergo carbon fiber one. Much better. So, now I'm into this bike for about $300 which is about right for the frame, brakes, HB, stem and seatpost. My original $450 might have been better spent on a nicer frame, but now the Langster is useable.

That's just about consensus in these parts.