noisebeam

I am buying a new fixed gear for use on the road - hence a desire for a road geometry.

Unless anyone has better suggestions it is going to be between the Jamis Sputnik or the 2007 Lemond Fillmore.

For both I will need to make some modifications:
-Replace handlebars with my already owned Profile bullhorns
-Will add front brake using my TT brake lever
-Change crank from stock 175mm to 170mm (will do factory trade for same crank if dealers can support it)
-Change chainring on Fillmore to 48t (Sputnik is already 48t)
-Use my Surly/Open Pro fixed/fixed hub as both bikes come stock with fixed/free hub
-Use my broken in Brooks B17

I checked with Lemond on the difference between the frameset on the 2007 vs. 2006 Fillmore, response:
"06 was a US made frame, OX Platinum butted, carbon fork
07 is made overseas, same frame material, but a lugged steel fork
Frame weight has not changed, fork is slightly heavier"
If I go with the Fillmore I'd rather have the 2006, but it looks like the dealer I work with can't find one.

Price is less of an issue, most important to me is getting the right frame. I have this 'sense' that the Sputnik frame is 'better' but not certain.

Al

popluhv

Wait, why don't you want the 06 instead?

noisebeam

Oooops, typo, I just corrected it.
Al

queerpunk

i'd lean toward favoring the sputnik's frame - some nice reynolds, right? of course, i don't know how this is manifested in ride, so i'd want to ride both if i had the opportunity. i'd also lean toward the sputnik b/c of formula hubs rather than something generic, but since you're using your own rear wheel with it, that's less of an issue.

see what you can test ride and what you like. if you can't do that, go with what's cheaper or better looking, depending on your priorities. i'd go with the sputnik if i were in your toesocks, but that's just me...

DerekRI

The sputnik is really nice, but if you're going for a road feel, I think the filmore would achieve that better.

legalize_it

the sputnik comes stock with a fix/fix.

3MTA3

the empire is killing lemond, as they already have to bonty & klein.

noisebeam

Thats great news if the case - I guess I misinterpreted this statement on Jamis site
"Formula track hubs with track cog one side, threaded for single FW on other"

Al

bonechilling

The Sputnik is cheaper than the Lemond as I recall, but the
Lemond really makes no bones about being a single-speed
road bike, and not some super slack fake track bike, which
I respect. Both are good choices, to be sure.

popluhv

You can't go wrong with either. Reynolds 631 is nice, so is OX. I personally like the looks of the Fillmore, but Jamis has a long standard producing high quality bikes for a good price.

noisebeam

That is ideally what I'd do and if I could would likely not ask this question here.
I've contacted all the Jamis and Lemond dealers within a 30mi radius of home and no one has my size or close to it in stock. Only one has a Jamis frame that is 6cm too small, so a test ride would not tell me much and not be comparative to the Lemond either.

So that is why I am asking for opinions since I can only go by specs and word of mouth.

Al

noisebeam

I thought the Jamis Sputnik was designed and marketed also as a road geometry fixed gear not a 'fake' track bike.

Al

DerekRI

bonechilling

You're totally right, and my statement was misleading, because I
didn't mean to imply that it was. I was talking more generally
about the glut of faux-track bikes on the market these days, of
which the Sputnik is not one.

popluhv

You can run a rear brake on the LeMond, which is what you are gonna want if you are using this for long road rides.

noisebeam

I can run a rear brake on both, I like the option to, but won't as I never had a need for one, even in hilly terrain or centuries on my old fixed gear. That said there are potential safety advantages for a rear brake which is why the option if I ever want to add one some day (or convert to freewheel) is nice.

Al

caloso

What are the stock wheels? Are you going to have mismatched front and back?

noisebeam

Yeah, I would if I used my silver Surly/Open Pro, but someday I could buy a matching front wheel. That is an aesthetic issue, one that is not desireable for a new bike, but one I can live with until my birthday.

Stock wheels on Sputnik: Alex DA22 rims, 32H, Formula alloy sealed track hubs, flip/flop rear
Stock wheels on 2007 Fillmore: High flange track alloy hubs/Alex AT450 rims
Stock wheels on non available 2006 Fillmore: Bontrager Select Track wheel system

What is not yet certain to me is if the Sputnik is fixed/fixed hub or not. Is the Surly/Open Pro a better wheel anyway?

Al

dirtyphotons

lemond's top tubes are gonna be ~2 cm longer than their seat tubes.

jamis' are ~<.5cm longer, pretty much square geometry.

angles are comparable.

if you've got longer legs i'd say jamis. longer torso i'd say lemond.

noisebeam

Interesting you bring this up.
I ride a 57cm Lemond Poprad. I am 6'2" with disproportinally longer torso than legs. (33.5" true 'inseam')

The 57cm Poprad has a 578mm TT.
The 57cm Fillmore has a 575mm TT. (The next size up is 61cm, too big)
The 59cm Sputnik has a 585mm TT. (A 57cm has a 570mm TT)

My old Centurion fixed gear is a 61cm with a 580mm TT & 120mm stem. I like the fit of this bike, the standover is zero (negative with shoes off) but that has never been an issue or concern of mine.

Al

dirtyphotons

sounds like you've thought about it then. the only other differences (a half a degree s/t angle and a half centimeter wheelbase) seem pretty insignificant. sounds like you're going to change out just about everything but the frame.

for what it's worth i've heard good things about both bikes, best off luck. sorry to hear about your last one btw.

noisebeam

Well, not really, I'll probably use the existing crankset unless I have to change to a different one to get the 170mm size or to change the chainring on the Fillmore from 44t to a 48t (which I can't see)
Front wheel I use for a while too, same with headset, stem, seatpost.

I'd buy Sputnik frameset, but it goes for $520 at the same place I can get the compete bike (sans breaks) for $655 which makes much more sense.

I really appreciate your and others advice. I know what I like to ride when I am on the bike, but am not versed in technical differences between different brands/models of components and not able to read frame geometry specs to know what the handling feel and fit differences will be.

You said it looks like I've thought it out - but does it makes sense what I am saying, a 57cm Lemond or a 59cm Jamis?

Al

dirtyphotons

that sounds right about as far as i can tell. i'm certainly no expert on frame sizing either, but with comparable angles and comparable top tubes it seems like the only difference will be 59cm jamis=less standover and fewer headset spacers.

baxtefer

you're exactly my size.

the 57cm Fillmore and 57cm Sputnik will fit essentially the same. The STA on the Sputnik is 0.5deg steeper which would make up for the 0.5cm difference in TT length for the two. The Lemond does have a slightly longer headtube if that matters to you.

noisebeam

So you are telling me or suggesting that a 59cm Sputnik is too big for me?

(The TT numbers I am quoting are effective, which is the same as actual for the Fillmore and may or may not be the same as actual for the Sputnik, probably same as not compact geo.)

Al