Langster or Langster Comp?
 

Hello there,

I've recently gotten the commuting bug and have been having a lot of fun riding to school and taking the subway. I am feeling healthier already. But anyway I've had my eye on fixie/ss's recently. I don't have the skills to build my own. Actually I more importantly don't mind paying someone else to build my bike. I rode a Cannondale Capo and Specialized Langster. They were a lot of fun. But given my past experiences with Specialized, I want to get a Langster.

Can the Comp be used as a commuter? Is it more fragile than the regular model? I would add a front brake on mine since this is my first fixed-gear. The LBS guy was raving that the Comp was way nicer and if I had the money I should just get it instead of the regular model. But I was wondering, would it be economical to just buy a regular Langster and build it up with sweet parts later?

At 600$ the Langster is really attractive. The Comp at 1000$ ... made me post this questionaire. Thanks in advance!

The langster has more of a road geometry and the comp has more of a track geometry. Component wise, the langster is decent and the comp seem to have pretty high end msrp wise, parts. The regular langster is also good to go with front/rear brakes and bottle cages while the comp has no brakes and even then you can only put a front brake on. There are also no bottle cages on the comp. It's really more of a track bike.

That said, I really like my comp and feel it's pretty beefy for every day commuting. The carbon fork is huge compared to the one on my road bike.

ride em bof

I can't ride em both cuz no LBS has the Comp. That's why I posted this here.

I ride the '07 Langster (not comp). I also ride single speed so I'm not sure if my opinion matters too much. Anyways, the Langster comes stocked with Alexrims 500. Friggin terrible! TERRIBLE I TELL YOU! Not sure what the comp has but it's gotta be a whole lot better. If you're looking for a project, get the Langster. If you want a complete bike out of the box, get the comp. Just understand that if you want to go to Single Speed at some point, you will not be able to with the comp. It doesn't have a bridge for a brake on the rear. But IMO, the comp is prettier than both the Langster's frames. And I've had both frames. You should be pretty happy either way. I friggin love my Langster.... and I'm on my second one of the year! (Broken frame after a crash)

the regular langster looks sweet, also check out he bianchi fremont

The Comp is QUITE an upgrade over the standard Langster.... if you can afford it and only if you feel comfortable riding with no brakes unless you replace the fork with another and add a front brake.

I believe I said this in my first post. The Comp has a front fork that accepts a front brake. The frame, however, can not accept a rear brake, nor can it accept any water bottle cages. The wheels are alex at-400, which has an aero profile and one helluva lot of spokes, I've slammed into tons of **** on nyc streets and they're still true. The components are top notch and my lbs let me have it for right around $800, which was an absolute steal.

Are you looking at the 2007 Langsters? According to the geometry charts for 06 & 07, the base model 07 Langster seems to be a new introduction set up for commuting. It comes with 42 x 16 drivetrain, slacker head angle, longer chain stays and shorter cranks than the 06 Langsters.

Specialized site doesn't say much about the 07 Comp but it looks exactly the same as the 06 Comp. The Comp is really set up for the track. Since the Comp has a 48 x 16 drive train, it may be a bit high of a ratio for folks that ride in hilly areas or are not a moderatly stronger riders.

The 2006 base Langster is the same frame as the 06 & 07 Comp according to the geometry chart.

Speaking to the LBS guy today, they'll let me have it for 900$ (the Comp). The '07 base model is an improved frame. The '07 Comp is the same frame from last year. I am expecting that I am going to need to add that front brake and shoren the gearing at first since I haven't raced competitively in over 10 years. In fact I've probably only done 100 miles in the past 10 years since my injury... but I'm just riding my recent craze (sold my car & motorcycles and started commuting to work on the train and bike YEAH!!!).

I have second thoughts whether or not this is even he right kind of bike for me. I want to get back into shape and I just want something fun to ride.

The Langster is a fun bike to ride an own. There was a frameset on fleabay recently and that is how I would recommend you purchase the Langster Standard. As others have said it is really more of a build up project. The ride quality and comfort is great. Good luck.

yeah, i don't know but it seems like the guy at the shop is trying to kinda upsell you. the comp is super rad, don't get me wrong. and if you want it, go for it. but if you just want something to tool around on, the regular langster is super fine. especially the '07. the parts are way better than the '06.

Get the bike you need, not the bike you want. Go with the regular Langster.

OK now the LBS guy said that the Comp has really aggressive track geometry that I might want to stay away from. What the hell. Same LBS different salesman. He said that I would hit my feet on the front wheel. I'm 6'1 and would ride a 58. My feet are size 12... is this going to be a problem? Boy am I confused.

If all people lived by that rule Americans would not be in debt. What you are suggesting is un-American!;)

My advice is always, buy the best you can afford or wait till you can afford it. In the end it is cheaper to buy things right the first time than it is to upgrade later. If you ultimately want X and buy Y.... it is only a matter of time before you sell Y for a loss and get X anyway.

I have toe overlap on every road and track bike I've been on. It's normal. What you have to ask yourself is, how much lock can you afford if you're gonna be locking the comp around? The regular langster is a lot less flashy if you plan to lock that thing up outside a lot.
The comp on the other hand, is insanely responsive but not so twitchy on the road that you'll fall over. It took me about a week but now I can go over potholes and make turns no handed. And if I can do it, any idiot can.

I have the '07 Langster (not the Comp), I use it as my Washington DC commuter, and I am perfectly happy with it. Like the OP, I also have a racing background from long ago, and with enough experience on road, mountain, cyclocross, and even track bikes, I can tell you that the Langster has a durable, comfortable, and snappy ride. It's easy to control, it's perfect for tooling around for fun, and it's also great for commutes that range anywhere from a leisurely spin to an all-out training ride. From what it sounds like, you won't be missing out by getting the standard Langster over the Comp.

One thing I would reccomend is using the freewheel side and the brakes before you think about riding fixed. Fixed is not for everyone, and it is not for every commute. Riding freewheel on the Langster is insane amounts of fun. Also, don't be discouraged by the wheels. An Alex R500 wheelset is not a Mavic Kyserium wheelset, but on a sub-$700 bike, they are light enough and strong enough to make the rides fun and make the rides last.

Yeah, I was a skeptic also, but now I can say without doubt that I am perfectly pleased with my Langster purchase.

has anyone seen the 08 langsters yet, i think the langster london is pretty hot,

donoman - what size are you? and where do you live? My LBS had both a 54cm 2006 and a 56cm 2005 base Langster in stock last time I was in there...I am sure I could get either and ship it to you...most likely for less than $600, probably closer to $500 but it would depend on what I can get the bike for.

As a commuter bike, I think I would prefer the base Langster over the Comp for a few reasons.

Brakes
- Jeez, I can’t tell you how many times they have saved me from certain doom. Even now that I’ve learned how to skid, I still use them more than pedal resistance to slow down/stop. P.S> Be careful skidding when good looking girls are around. I've launched myself into the air a couple times. :)
- I ride on the hoods ½ the time. It is nice to have one for each hand.

Fixed/SS
- The base Langster has a Flip/Flop hub so you can put a bigger cog on the SS side and use it as a bail out gear if your tired, have hills or riding into the wind. I’m not positive but I believe that the Comp is Fixed only.
- A back brake is needed to ride a SS safely IMO.

Bottle cages
- It’s nice to be able to simply reach down to grab a drink. You could attach bottle cages to the Comp with hose clamps but that would be fuggly.

I like the 2006 base Langster geometry because it is very close to my road bike. Handling is snappy but not twitchy. I love it. I have not toe overlap whatsoever. The wheels are great. At 180+ lbs loaded up, the 32 spoke double wall rims have been as true as the day I bought the bike after 600 km of rough commuting roads, rail road tracks & curb hopping.

Maybe you should look into Grasschopper’s generous offer. Although the 2007 Langster has some better components (carbon seat post, carbon fork) the geometry is too relaxed for my liking. I don't notice the difference in the ride quality between my 2006 Langster & my road bike that has a carbon fork & seat post. The drive train of the 2007 is geared too low. It is less expensive to get a bigger rear cog on a 2006 for the time being until you get stronger than to get a larger chain ring on the 2007. Besides, the2006 Langster looks badass in black.

Today I rode a few bikes:

Raleigh Rush Hour --- Great bike! Cheap too 460$
SE Lager --- wasn't feeling the bullhorns 500$
'07 Langster --- Great bike! Felt the most comfortable but also the most expensive $600

Decisions decisions!

Thanks for the offer Grasschopper but I won't inconvenience you to save myself 100$. Thanks again.

I also noticed an Allez Comp for just 1000$!!! That is cheap and has all the gears etc. I'm really wondering if fixed is for me and the only way I'll know (sadly) is to try it out for a hundred miles.

Note a: brake b: bottle cage. :p
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/6...ndsmalled4.jpg

The two fish cage is actually really nice because it lets me put the bottle anywhere and I can have it higher for a small bottle and lower for a larger bottle.

SPEALIZED?? Is that a new bike company? :D

The other side says SPECIAL ED.

1. Nice TV!
2. What size is that bike? Looks smaller than the 58 regular Langster I tried
3. Nice Bike!!!