Tony from IRO?
What do you mean?
I actually re-checked this because the One Way has probably fallen through (so sad...); he can only get them in 55cm, and the 08 is 1) substantially more expensive and 2) practically covered in brooks leather which i want nothing to do with.
Do IRO make anything which accomodates the requirements discussed above?
incidentally, i've fallen in love with the idea of 700 x 35mm wheels.

Sorry I misunderstood your post. I thought you had settled on the IRO Rob Roy, which I think would suit your needs.

Why a fixed grocery getter?

i only live ~15 minutes from the grocery store(s) in my area. i have more fun riding fixed than free, and my girlfriend has only ever ridden fixed, so i figure why not.
plus with a front+rear brake, i have all kinds of stopping options. no reason not to, when it comes down to it.

I agree that the San Jose would be a good option. If you want a rack up front, but don't have the eyelets, check out CETMA racks. Have you thought about using an Xtracycle?

Cool. How about converting this? Both could ride as it is unisex. It has eyelets for fenders and a rear rack is easily secured by p-clamps.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/584306367.html

A stable rear rack which will carry weight more than 10kg should not be mounted by P-Clips. There are mounts for the axle which are strong enough to carry serious weight if one needs to mount a rack on a frame with no eyelets.

i'd rather start with something made for the job.
i'd have to replace too much on that bike for it to be worthwhile-- it'd just end up being a $120 heavy frame.

i'm specifically looking to buy a commuter/touring style singlespeed with a frame for the job and components to match. :)

*****************

seems i can get the one way for 650... much more than the initial 450, so i have motivation to look at other stuff, but it's still a strong contender. really a pretty good buy, even with the 200 price increase.

Spooki, something completely different you might want to consider is a BOB or other form of trailer. I know a couple of guys who use them to haul all kinds of stuff with fg bikes, and who did a fixed tour with them last summer. With a rubbermaid container you have a completely waterproof "trunk" you can use to even haul stuff like computers. And, brand new they're only around $300---a nice cheap way to get serious cargo capability.

I love the Kogswell Porteur - there is just one problem. I don't know if it's prevalent on all their forks but if you look at the Flickr stream of Adam's (Zugster Bags) bike you'll see that the bolts on the fork crown protrude enough that if the fork comes all the way around it'll nick the downtube, take off paint, and possible dent it.

Personally, I'd still get the bike and just put a TT/DT protector at that location.

Man, I would love to own a BOB.

anyone know anything about the trek soho s? here's some highlights:

- front and rear rack mounts
- 450mm chainstays
- front/rear brake
- $550 msrp (which means much less in real world prices)

it's not quite the "look" i was expecting (i'm hoping moustache bars and baskets will mask the ugly), but quite frankly it seems to fit the bill nicely and at a good price.
i'm curious about 1) fender clearance (there has to be, right? i mean, there's fender mounts...), 2) the width of tire it'll take (i'm hoping for 32+), and 3) how an aluminum frame will work with a load of groceries (i'm sure it'll be ok, but i don't know from touring).

True, I built a joint that extends out from the chainstays and mounts the rack out further from the bike.

How is the chain tensioned on the Trek Soho?

It has fork ends.

like any other fixed gear bicycle.
it has rear dropouts and track bolts...

(not sure i understand yr question)

while we're on the topic, the bike comes with:

Wheels Alloy flip flop high flange hubs; alloy rims
Tires Bontrager Race Lite, puncture resistant, 700x28c; 60 tpi

Anyone know if the frame will accomodate 30 or 32 mm setup?

I asked because I saw a picture of a Soho 4.0 with a Shimano Alfine 8 hub - which needs chain tensioning - but it had vertical dropouts.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...0-dropouts.png

Here it is

(you can mouseover the picture and get a magnified image on the right)

Urgh. http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...an/soho/sohos/

that's interesting.

but yeah, i'm looking to p/u the soho s, not the 4.0.

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/3980/dropoutse6.jpg

Ugh, that bike looks like it was welded with a tube of toothpaste. Maybe it's alright, but details like that make me wonder.

Well, those are definitely track ends.

I'm still wondering, from a technical POW about the tensioning in the case of the Soho 4.0.
Anyone? Could it have EBB? I checked the specs list, and nothing indicates it uses EBB.

http://antbikemike.com/images/Bikes/XO/redtirebig.jpg
Ant Bikes. Of course, they're crazy expensive, but dammit, they're pretty.