lets not forget the schwinn madison


srry, im in love

I'm new to fixed gear bikes, I do realize all the sub $600 bikes have their faults and compromised components, these bikes still seem like a reasonable place to start for many newcomers who don't have the time, tools or skills to build their own.
I went with a Pista, I haven't had as much fun on a bike in a long time, it's light, fast and handles great. I'd get out there and try a couple, you'll figure out what you like pretty quick.

Yeah, I might hunt around for a Mark V. If it's 18 lbs, it's a lot lighter than the Rush Hour. Went to a shop today to check out the Rush Hour - felt like maybe 21 lbs (Raleigh's website doesn't 'fess up on weight). I don't think bikes with chromo frames/forks at the same price point can have such a huge weight difference. And if they do, I want the Mark V!

$600 is not inexpensive most of the world.

especially people trying to drum up $30 for crack.

Very true. It's the trade-off between buying a bike I can use to train on (and have fun doing it) and one that I won't be crying about if it gets jacked (plus, I'm going to uglify it before using it for errands). If I can get a used fixie (like IRO, Bianchi or Raleigh) for ~$400, it might meet both criteria.

i got this for just under $500
track frame, rides nice, looks cool