triplesixer

I want to get my kid brother (14 years old) into fixed gear riding. Since I've been riding (and loving) fixed gear for a while I figure it's about time we can get out and ride together.
He rode my rushhour around and loved the feel. I can't spring for anything that spendy plus, let's be honest, in a couple years it might be sitting in his garage collecting dust.
What do you guys think about the Dawes SST? It looks like a solid, cheap bike IMHO.
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/sst.htm
I've heard dawes are just rebadged bikes but I forget their parent company.
Has anyone spun around on one of these? How are the components?
Thanks.

triplesixer

NM, I found this:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ight=dawes+sst
Looks pretty insightful. But if you guys have anything else to add to this thread that I may need to know, do it.

mihlbach

I know someone who recently bought one...its a very nice bike for the price. It looks much better in person than on the internet. The bike is certainly solid with decent wheels and other fairly reliable looking components and is a good starter bike. It has some design issues however. For instance, the handling of the bike is sorta cyclocross-like (meaning, that its fairly laid back), which would be fine, except that there is very little clearance in the frame and fork for larger tires. Likewise, the tight clearance seems to defeat the purpose of fender eyelets. My friend bought fenders and couldn't even fit them in. Though the bike is solid, its replete with contradictions and is not sure exactly what it wants to be.


At any rate, its an improvement over its ancestor. Anybody remember this monstrosity?

triplesixer

Thanks for the feedback mihlbach.
Here's another question:
Have you had any expierience with the Kilo? I borrowed my buddy's when I visited him in New York last year and thought it felt pretty rad. BUT, I've been riding for a while. I guess the second part of this question is, considering that my brother has little to no expierience on a fixed machine, would you suggest something that feels more slack like a cylocross (this Dawes bike) or should I throw him to the wolves and get him and aggressive Kilo?
Make sense? I hope so. Thanks man.

triplesixer

By the way- that yellow Dawes is effin UGLY.

mihlbach

I have no personal experience with the Kilo, though it looks to me like it has similar design issues, such as fender eyelets, but not really enough clearance for fenders. The bike doesn't know exactly what its for.

Overall, my take on the geometries of these starter bikes is that it doesn't really matter that much. Most people riding these bikes haven't been riding long enough to develop a keen awareness of the finer points of bicycle handling characteristics. The differences are not so extreme that your brother couldn't handle one or the other. These bikes appear to be good bargains, of equivalent quality, and for most people will function in the same basic way with minor (essentially irrelevant) handling differences. Buying the one he thinks looks better is probably more important at this point.

two final points...
1. The Kilo is brakeless (I think). If you buy the Kilo at least install a front brake.
2. The SST comes with a freewheel. If you want to go fixed, you need to buy a cog and lockring and install it on the flip flop hub.

Good Luck!

triplesixer

Thanks again! I'll keep everyone posted on what I buy for him.

MASHeug

I bought the sst before i really knew what i was looking for. If i could do it again i would have got the kilo... Another thing you have to consider is that because it comes with brakes, and a freewheel, if your brother decides he doesn't like riding fixed, its not a biggy. But i myself am already looking for something a bit more aggressive.

i painted over the factory logos right away.

daybreak

i have an SST and just sold my Kilo TT. The Kilo TT is lighter and is a much nicer bike, but I was in between sizes and couldn't get comfortable on the size I got. The SST fits me much better and I like the geometry much better (more lax), but if I was 1" taller i'd probably be rocking a Kilo still. Either way, you can't go wrong.

deathhare

Hideous.
Get the Kilo TT

triplesixer

I agree that the SST is not as pleasing to the eye as the Kilo... but the bike is not for me. If I were to order a bike from BD I would get the Kilo.
I agree with MASHeug in that if my brother decides fixed riding is not for him, he can switch back to the freewheel and still have a pretty solid ride. Plus it comes with brakes... an essential item for first time riders.
I think the SST is the bike for him.

BTW, MASHeug, that paint job looks dope. What did you use for the silver binding around the white? Just silver rattle?

MASHeug

its silver pinstriping tape. and thanks.

triplesixer

Word.