ProFail

Soup everyone.

I'm in the market for a new bike, and I want something very different from my current bikes, so I figure a track bike is a good option.

I'm posting this here becuase I'm don't intend to race track with it or anything, just fart around town and ride when it's rainy. Call me a poser/posuer/prozeur/poughzeur/prohzeughere whatever, but I want a track bike. As a side note, I also like track geometry.

Anyway, I have a budget of ~$1,200. I'm definitely not into the idea of brakeless, so I'd like a front brake (not rear). I know you guys HATE Langsters, but there's one down at my LBS. It's not a current model (I don't think, at least), maybe last year. Not in the Specialized catolouge (SP?) or on their website. It's little over a grand, and has a front brake, with the lever mounted on where one would normally put a bar plug. I test rode it, and it felt pretty good. Sharp handling, but held it's line well. What says you, SSFG?


Any other suggestions?

operator

If you're riding on the road ... why do you want track geometry again?

ProFail

Becuase it's different, and in some ways, more comfortable.

dayvan cowboy

Surly Steamroller
IRO anything

You could probably build something of pretty high quality with that budget.

Gyeswho

for a $200 more you could get a brand new Felt Tk2 and it comes with good parts and it has a brake hole too.

ProFail

Mounts for front brakes?

Y/N


EDIT- I fail at reading.

KAI.

ianjk

Don't call $1,200 inexpensive?

This isn't the roadie forum

ProFail

It just ocured to me that there's few parts on a track bike.

Let's call it "inexpensive relative to my taste".

Not that I own a bunch of super-expensive bikes.

mattface 

yeah inexpensive trackbikes tend to run $600 or $700. For $1200 you should be able to get something rather nice, but not exotic.

jlin

really? man i must be the cheapest mfer on this forum. inexpensive in my mind is about 2-400. for 6-700, you can find some sweet bikes. for 1200, you can really find some sweet bikes.

aarocycle

Word to that!
<----Plans on ordering a Mercier kilo tt this week.

NitroPye

$1,200 for "to fart around town when its rainy"

Get something from bikesdirect and give me the rest of the money so I can buy a bike to do more then riding around town when its rainy.

gehrkead

let me know how that goes. i think you might have a hard time.

EDIT: i just looked and HOLY SH.IT THERE ARE IN STOCK!!!!!!!

str8flexed

just get a kilo tt

Pfutz

Do you know what forum you are in? Like... do you understand how this works?

Maybe I just refuse to come to terms with the fact that there is something fundamental to riding a fixed gear that means you have to try to **** on everyone else.


anyways


If you are serious about getting a bike for bad weather I encourage you to look for frames that have fender mounts, unfortunately most track frames dont have these. I suggest, if you want a real all weather bike, look at the tricross singlespeed (its flip flop rear) the bianchi san jose, the steam roller, and bikes closer to those in application. These bikes have a lot more features that work for adverse conditions, specifically fender mounts and (excluding the steam roller) cantilever brake mounts for better clearance for fenders.

if your set on a track bike, then find whichever suits your fancy, I like the trek t1 a lot, as well as the felt, and pista concepts. Also the raleigh rush hour pro is an alright bike. All of these are around your price point and real track bikes.

xiaodidi

"Rainy" called for fat tires, fenders, and waterproof panniers in my book, but maybe the OP is on to something... I'll try some threadless 23s, a single brake, and some tapeless bars next time it pours.

Note to Self: Load up on pintos prior to storm for the "fart around".

JellyMeetsJam

do you ride only conversions?

supercub

Apparently the OP is very generous with his soup.

nocash

build one duder. thrift it up for an old 10 speed.

Cyclist0383

How do you find track geometry more comfortable than road geometry when riding on the road?

frankstoneline

Some people are built incredibly awkwardly, like myself. I dont see much difference in comfort from a track to road frame.

If you're up to the choice, you could build a very nice bike for 1200, I would suggest something like this:

Bareknuckle frame/fork
Chris King headset
Sugino 75's w/ bottom bracket and chainring
Formulas to Open-Pros
A nice dura ace cog and lockring
bars of choice, my call would be some nice nitto drops
threadless stem of choice
seatpost and saddle of choice
parts bin front brake and bmx lever
find a nice Izumi or other reliable chain,

and you are gold.
That might total to a little over 1200, though you would be close, especially if you shopped around a bit and/or used some parts you might happen to have.

Edit: If you think the langster is quick, ride something tighter and more track ish and you will realize that langster is a boat. I cant say I could recommend a Langster, especially not for close to a grand. You can do much much better.

mastershake916

No, milk is not $15 a carton.

frankstoneline

...?

mastershake916

Inexpensive fixed gear @ $1200.
Inexpensive milk @ $15

frankstoneline

ah ok, I thought you were relating that to the cost of the build i posted, and I was thinking "I'm buying parts at the wrong places..."