Quick!!! Giant Bowery or Langster?
 

I have been looking at getting a new frame, and have found a Giant Bowery and Specialized Langster both in my price range. Which is a better frame? Different Characteristics? I have to decide in the next couple days...soo....Please HELP!!!!!!!!

kilo tt!

A lot of people here don't like the look of the Langster so I have a feeling no one will recommend that. There was also a dude who had an issue with a crack on the rear triangle. Not sure how that panned out.

The Bowery looks like it has an integrated headset? Not a big fan. Neither frame looks like a winner to me.

Post your budget mr. smarty pantzzz dick

+1

well given the two choices I would personally choose the langster ( dont like either really ). I'd puke all over the bowery, it's a piece. Just buy a surly steamroller complete and you'll be sooooooooooooo much happier, should be about the same price.

+1 for fixedup...steamroller seems much more....better

I hate these threads. Should we be wiping his nose for him too?

mooommmm, i need a wiiiipppe!

Pake Frame.
Bulletproof Crankset.
Weinmann Deep-V's.
Nashbar toe-clips.
Pake straps.
soma bars.
generic pedals.
Nashbar 1inch headset.
If you can do it, go for a soma Fork.
For the love of all that's unholy, don't go near those bikes, they're rolling abortions.

OK, I guess I'll bite.
 

As a happy (gasp! But it's so ugly!) Langster owner. Not having really looked closely, nor ridden, a Giant Bowery, I cannot really many comments about it. Other than it would appear that the Giant Bowery doesn't have steel dropout protectors (the Langster does). In terms of geometry, the Bowery, Large size, has a .5 degree steeper head tube than a Langster, 56cm: 73.5 VS 73. Seat tube angles differ as well, etc, etc, etc, etc. I learned all this from comparing their specs on each bike's WEBSITE.

Giant Bowery: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/...le/1274/29363/
Specialized Langster: http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32824

I've read that the Bowery complete bike is heavier, by a fair bit, than a Langster complete bike. Then again, you're comparing FRAMES. I'm not sure whether it is because the frame of the Bowery is heavier, or whether it's the components in the build of the complete bike, that make the Giant heavier. However, the Langster frame/bike is known to be light. As far as I know, it's one of lightest bikes within its price range.

Have you ridden either? On paper, the Langster and the Bowery are quite similar. I think the only way you'll ever really find out which is actually "better", is to ride both. Or find somebody out there who has ridden each, to be able to offer an INFORMED opinion about either frame. In any event, what qualities/attributes are you looking for in a frame? Are you looking for a frame that handles a certain way, one that will make all those around your bike swoon in jealousy, durability, street cred, frame material, weight**********????

"Better" is subjective, and vague.

P.S.: It may be wise to disclose your budget, so alternatives can be listed/offered. Should you be open to alternatives, that is.

P.P.S: The Search function, and Google, are your friend.

Neither. IRO Jamie Roy. You won't be disappointed.
http://irofixedgear.com/index.asp?Pa...WPROD&ProdID=9

Just get a Steamroller.

i just bought a steamroller complete...absolutely love it
took some decals off to make it look sleeker

sexy machine indeed

of the two, i'd go with the langster. i like that bike more the bowery, but that's just me.

Isnt the bowery steel to begin with?

No, the Bowery is Aluminum w/steel fork

I rode both for a good bit of time, and went with the Bowery. The main reason I went that way is price (i have a buddy at the LBS w/ the bowery so i got a good deal) but it is a very nice solid frame, and contrary to popular opinion on here the aluminum is not too rigid to be a comfortable ride. Having said that I know both bikes are not too popular on this site, and I do agree that the sloping top tube is not great looking by any means. However, for the money they are both great bikes for the price. I have also heard online that the bowery is heavy, but they must have been weighing the biggest bowery made. I can say first hand that mine is very, very close to the weight of the Langster. If they were the same price i'd go Langster( if i could get the black frame). If the bowery is cheaper than go that way, I like the straight fork on the bowery better as well.

Penguins! Damn it, I'm no good under pressure.

I ride a langster and like it alot. I'm not really much help am i

I looked at the bowery and it certainly seeemed likea decent bike but i love my damn langster ny its garish but fast and the flat bar is uberhip

I have the Bowery and like it just fine. I bought the complete bike and shopped most of the bike stores in my town, and I weighed customer service from the dealer heavily in my decision.

Have a Langster, but looking at the frame specs, they seem similar and I would go w/ the langster just for the fact that it has dropout protectors. If you are running a nut, aluminum dropouts will get eaten up quickly.

Both have integrated headsets, are butted aluminum, have shaped oversized downtube, so I would not see much of a difference in feel. Langsters have the same geometry as an Allez, so if you like how that bike rides....

I am not sure of your priorities, but if weight is a concern, I would steer away from pakes as others have mentioned. Those are tanks. If you feel the bare langster frame and compare it to all but the nicest steel tubed frames, the Langster or Bowery will be lighter by an easy pound.

as an aside, I find it amusing when people take a frame they got because it was a pound or two lighter than other offerings, then put fairly heavy rim wheels on it...

both are heaps. I would ride a 15 dollar thrift store conversion before one of those. Put the money into decent components on a decent frame, not some over-priced load of isht.

:rolleyes:

yeah, heaps!

$250-$350
Alright...we're all friends here. Will one of the Aluminum haters out there (i know i'm speaking to the majority) explain why these steel frames you have all listed would be better than aluminum (lighter and stiffer). My price range is from $250 to $350 for frame only. Help out or hate....list me some frames!!!

Wow, There is alot of hate on here...
For those that dislike, have you ever riden either of these bikes? Or is it just not cool to have an aluminum/sloped top tube/intergrated headset newer style bike? It seems like some people only like the older conversion stuff, some only like the pistas, and other only like the kilo tt, but there are some that like the newwer style stuff. He obviously likes that style of bike, or he would have had listed more of a variety. Now, don't get me wrong I'm a firm believer in "to each his own", which is why when I see a post about kilo tt vs. winsor I don't comment. I let the people that are have/had those bikes take it.
If I could pick whatever I wanted I proboly wouldn't have gotten the Bowery, but funds were low and it rode great...Not everyone that like aluminum can afford a pista concept!
I don't want to piss anyone off, but just because it's not your style doesn't mean it's crap...

If you ask a question like the OP did, you're bound to get a range of responses.

I wouldn't say I have anything against aluminum, nor particularly care about the bikes' styling, and I can say nothing for the other bikes people have listed off. However, if a person is at all handy, which a person looking to purchase a frame likely is, I think you could do better than buying bikes that exist largely to take advantage of trends (note Giant's claim that the Bowery was designed for professional messengers: something tells me the marketing department cooked that up).

If the OP is willing to a little snooping on Ebay, etc... I think they'd find something that would serve them better in the long run. In many cases I suspect, if the rider will be riding it on the street, that taking a decent-to-nice steel road frame and slapping the appropriate parts on it would leave them happier.

i rode a singlespeed conversion for about a year which is steel and i wanted something similar that could withstand some abuse and just be an all around sturdy bike so i discovered the steamroller and i love it

not keen on the look of the bowery or the langster...aluminium is too stiff
for a complete bike the steamroller is an excellent deal and from reading all the posts about the kilo i started to become attracted to it but the geo was a bit aggressive for what i want to do