I've just got a couple questions about fixed gears. I've been riding road bikes for a while, but I want to add another bike to the garage. I'm looking at an 06 (i think, if not, then it's an 05), Bianchi Pista for $400. I was wondering about the flip flop hubs, can you just pop the wheel off real quick and flip the wheel around? Or do you need a couple wrenches to do so? The guy says it has a flip flop hub but needs a cog for the freewheel side. Do you think this would be a good starter bike?

a single 15mm is needed. Its the best starter track bike you can buy in my opinion. If you just want an around town bike there are other options some people think are better.

I got an IRO Mark V for 'around town' things. If I was closer to atlanta, I would have bought a more trackish frame so I could actually use it at the velodrome.. Is the ATL velodrome any good?

This bike will be more for around town and joy riding, I might go to the velodrome for fun once in a while. It's about 2 miles away maybe.

I got my first fixed gear a couple of months ago. I would say that if you are not going to ride track, you should just find an old steel road frame on craigslist. Make sure that it has horizontal dropouts so you can adjust the chain tension. You can replace the wheelset or even just the back wheel with something nice from your lbs, iro, ebay, etc. Then take off all the stuff you don't need, like derailleurs, back brake, unused chainwheels. It's a fun project and it's not that hard even for someone as IQ challenged as myself. Just a warning though...the back wheel alone will cost quite a bit when you account for the wheel, cog, lockring and freewheel on the other side if you're going to run a flip flop. And to answer your question about the flip flop, you'll need a wrench to take the wheel off. Also, if you're going to run different speeds on each side, you have to get the chain length just right. When I first converted, I had a 13t fixed cog on one side and a 16t freewheel on the other. When I had the 13t spinning, the wheel went all the way back into the droput and when I had the 16t freewheel, the wheel sat pretty close to the front. You'll have to play with this on your bike if you run different sized cogs.

If you go with the conversion and you play your cards right, you'll be able to do it for less than the Pista you are looking at. However, if you just want to get into fixed as fast as possible, the Pista for $400 doesn't seem like a bad deal. Personally, I've never ridin a track bike. The geometry is different than a road bike and from what I understand will have you riding in a more aggressive posture. After all, it's made to race on a track! Good luck!

I don't really want to convert one myself, it just seems like it would cost me too much. Most of the bikes here go for about $200 bucks for a somewhat decent 80's bike. The bars look like they are about the same height as both my other bikes. I will probably put a bigger cog on the freewheel side. And I think he said it has a front brake with a mtn bike style brake lever. And then if I get tired of it, one of my friends is going to start velodrome racing so maybe he would want it, since he don't have his own yet.

i'm sure you'll love it. i haven't read anything about someone going fixed and not liking it. in fact, i read more often than not...people regretting not getting a fixed/fixed setup so they can run different sized fixed cogs. if i do another fixed project, that's what i'm going to do.

Option 1: buy an old frame, buy parts, order parts, try to assemble it, get frustrated, ask LOTS of questions, re-assemble it, ride after a few weeks/months after you started (with caution cuz you aren't 100% sure it's right).

Option 2: Buy a fixie/track bike from the bike shop. Ride today.

go for it... you'll have a blast. don't overthink this ****, you know what you want and you figured out how to get it.

400 is a pretty good deal, if it fitts, and you liek the ride, go for it.

Damnit, the guy who had the pista emailed me yesterday (early) and asked me if thursday was ok to come look at it. I said yes. Now he emails me about 5 minutes ago this morning (wed.) and it's sold! WTF!? I would have been happy to have looked at it tuesday or today! I hate it when people do that.

Yeah, that really sucks.

Don't sweat it. Think of it this way, $400 might not have been such a great deal anyway. That bike might have been trashed (who knows).

Hey man, I don't know what your financial situation is, but why not just go to the bike shop and get a new one for around $500-$550 (depending on the shop's markup) with a warranty, complimentary customer service, and all that?

$400 would be my max I think. I don't want to spend too much right now. I'm supposed to be saving for a house.

+1

Unfortunately in bicycles a lot of times you pay for what you get. Like Carleton said, $400 may not have actually been such a hot deal after all. The dude could have trashed it, cleaned it up, and almost made his money back. Fixed conversions are fun, and you can probably meet around your market. But also as suggested, the IRO only runs at $550. The guy does make a nice bike at a fair price. Save up for another three weeks and I'm sure you can afford that extra $150. Goodluck.

Well, the thing is, I could spend as much as I want on a bike but I'm not letting myself spend more than $400. I do easily have another $150, but I won't let myself spend anymore.

ok, you don't want to spend money so you can't get a new bike... but you don't want to do work so you can't convert another.

um... then don't take any of our advice and hop back on your road bike. sorry dude, either you have to do the work or you have to pay a little extra. you could always do what the bianchi person did. buy a new bike, wreck it learning to ride fixed, then sell it for almost as much as you payed for it. other than that i'm pretty much fresh out of ideas on how to get you on a fixed gear bicycle. maybe other people have an idea.

not neccessarily if he doesn't need a bike right now he can definitely get something for under $400.

If you've been saving for your house really well, then just go for the extra $150. So you're going to be paying $150k plus on a house probably...whats another $150 on bike. Plus, if your $400 used bike starts giving you problems when you are up to your eyeballs in a mortgage and home related expenses, you're going to hang that bike up real quick. It IS worth it to make a good investment on a fixie the first time around if you can swing it becuase you will enjoy it.

I saved my money to buy a house so hard and long,I said f-it time to treat myself, and I picked up an IRO Mark V. That was a few months ago, I'm in contract now to close on a property, and quite honestly, I can barely feel the dent that the bike put in my budget.

Take care, and good luck with the house/bike,

Kevin

Well I think $400 can cover it. I think I'm just going to pick up one of those Motobecane messenger bikes for now. I have to spend $300k at least around here to get something somewhat decent. I just have too many toys to waste more money.

if you don't want to convert a road bike yourself and don't want to spend all that money on a track bike why not just look for a conversion on ebay. i forget what the guy's name is who always has conversions up for auction.

I would go into your nearest Bianchi dealer if you can. If you can find an 05 Pista leftover you may be able to get it for $450 or so. The Pista is a nicer bike than the Moto.

Or... if you have too many toys, sell one or two and get the bike you want. That is what I do. Good luck with the house.

-1

Dude, if you've been riding road bikes for a while then:
A) You know the difference between bad, mediocre, good, and great bikes and components
B) Barring any unforseen SUPER DUPER LUCKY HOOKUPS, you know that you get what you pay for when it comes to bikes.
C) You won't enjoy riding a $400 conversion/beater like you would something else with higher quality parts.

Don't let the people who are estatic riding $400 conversions get it twisted for you. If you are riding roadies that cost the loot that good roadies cost, then you may not like their bikes.

I'm just sayin'.

hey dude. just do what you want. all sorts of folks will try to talk you into one thing versus the other. that being said, if you buy the motobecane, you may end up spending more in the long run on upgrades. most folks that have gone the motobecane route seem to be pretty happy with their bikes.