or get the UNO.

Finally got my orange Messenger! Wasn't completely sold on the orange color when I bought it, but in person it's SO stinking good looking. Love it.

Hmm anyone keep their stock clip/straps around long enough to figure out how to adjust them well?

I don't know if I'm threading them wrong, I've tried different ways, but they're impossible to 'adjust on the fly'. I'd like to be able to get my feet in and perhaps cinch them a bit tighter, and then loosen them a bit if I'm going to stop.

I know I should get new pedals. But I got a $350 bike for a reason , eventually I most likely will, but for now I wanna try and get these to fit nice.

Nope. mine never got mounted to the bike- straight to the parts box and later given to a friend who got a pedal-less bike just to hold him over until he could get something better.

I can completely understand not wanting to spend a bunch more money, but I highly recommend saving up and looking into clipless pedals. You should be able to find some SPD's and shoes for about $100 and it will take your riding experience from a 6/10 to a 10/10. Best part about investing in pedals/shoes is that you can transfer then to any bike if your riding tastes change in the future.

We think alike Ryan!

I actually upgraded the bars, the wheels (shoudl be getting them today) and I got a carbon fork from Performance for $120, which I thought was too good to pass up. I also got a Brooks saddle! I'll post a pic when the wheels are mounted.

GoodEyeCycler: Congrats on your orange Messenger! I'm throughly enjoying mine and clock about +/- 100 miles a week on my lunchtime loop. I don't care about what people say about BD or their products... I'm having no issues at all with my red.

I see.

I might need to invest in a new saddle first, not sure though. I think I set it up too far back for some reason for my first test ride. And since I hadn't ridden a bike, let alone fixed gear, in quite some time I was too busy trying to not die riding around the streets that I didn't notice how bad the saddle was.

The next day my taint was stinking sore, and it's still a little sore today, 2 days later. haha. I have since then fudged with saddle fitment. But haven't got a real ride in, since I've been working late and live on very poorly lit roads.

If it's not pissing out tomorrow I should be able to see how it works out with a better adjustment.

But yeah, mechanically everything works great. Paint came flawless from BD(Though I've already scratched the clear coat in a couple spots ), etc... All I did was loosen the chain tension a bit, really.

yea, the paint comes off pretty easy. Mine is chipped in a couple places already. I still ♥ the bike though.

I like to create a vote Yes/No on remove the front badge. Can someone please help me to start it. Thx,

Breaking in a saddle can be painful. Make sure it's adjusted so your buttbones (that, my friends is a medical term! ) sit on the padded part. Loose undergarments can actually make things worse, so you may have to do what I did and bow to the lycra gods (I rejected lycra for years) - at least I don't have to wear that stuff BMX'ing.

Chamoise butter works VERY well, or a little medicated powder splashed among the twig and berries works wonders if you're going to be wearing boxers.

Here's the final cut

So... my taint is officially sore... Messed with the saddle adjustments a bit, and it was better. But still, 25 minutes in the saddle and I'm getting pretty uncomfortable.

Not sure how to go about saddle shopping, I know I should get my sit bones measured. But I don't know how I'm going to choose a 'comfy' saddle, when my current one feels completely fine for the first 10 minutes...

dang those bullhorns look super long. hows that feel?

They look long in the pic, but they're really fine. They are Profile Airwing Bars and I only extend to far reaches in climbing or sprints.

i think i've managed to set up the stock saddle just right for me. i moved the saddle back as far as i can, and it supports my sitbones better i feel.

Super nice! I would copy you on the front fork but need to save up money first. You put chain tensioner on both side?

This is common practice w/ chain tensioners. It keeps the axle straight.

what kind of fork is that on it?

what are those though, weinmann's?

i like the color of the weinmanns on that bike...but yes lose the stickers

what size forks are on the messenger. 1 1/8 threadless or 1in threadless

1 1/8 threadless.

they don't make threaded anymore

How to remove the stikers without damage the paint? They are under clear coat! Repaint the bike?

This is a picture of the hole in the sidewall of my GatorSkin tire with less than 120 miles on it.

Tire was $40 and is now ruined and must be replaced. This sucks.

The fork is a Forte Axis Carbon fork. The deal was too good to pass up. The bullhorns look long in the pic but they are actually not bad in real life.

As far as the look goes, that's just personal preference, but I like the way it looks.

i'd like to one day replace the stock fork with a threaded fork....

how'd it change the ride of the bike?

Some LBS would do thread for fork, just ask. They can do on the same fork you don't have to change.

I'd recommend cheaper tires! I'm still on my stock tires on both bikes, and have put at least 400 miles on the Coda and 100+ on the Forge.