new, cheap fixie shootout
 

Out of the new fixed gear bikes/frames on the market now, whats your fav?

Linkage:
Bianchi Pista http://www.bianchiusa.com/pista.html
Fuji Track SE http://www.fujibikes.com/road/bike.a...yID=19&yr=2004
Specialized Langster http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=6852
Surly Steamroller http://www.surlybikes.com/steamroller.html
IRO Mark V http://www.irocycle.com/fixedgearand...einc/id78.html
IRO Jamie Roy http://www.irocycle.com/fixedgearand...einc/id77.html

I just bought a 2004 Pista. I like the chrome frame available this year. I have wanted one for a few years now and have finally bought one.

My LBS also had the Fuji Track. I liked the Pista because it seemed to be better built (if a bit heavy).

My LBS does not stock Specialized. If they did I would have seriously considered a Langster. I paid extra to have a front brake installed on the Pista. You get two brakes with the Langster plus a flip/flop fixed/freewheel setup.

I think that I probably would have bought the Pista anyway. I don't think I would use the freewheel or the rear brake much. The third party brake that I had installed on the Pista is attached by only 2 bolts and is designed for quick removal and re-attachment with only a single allen wrench. Perhaps I will go brakeless once I gain a bit more experience, or not. It's hard to say just now.

Dan

i love my jamie roy. however, i did see the langster again last night at a lbs that deals specialized. man alive those are good looking bikes. with better parts, that could be a great bike.

I'd say for a complete bike the Pista. For the frame, I quite like the Surly.

The IRO Mark V would be nice but it doesn't come in 49,50,51cm sizes. My vote would be Surly and SOMA. The Bianchi would be nice but it's not drilled for a rear brake (which I need for the hills).

My vote is for that old Schwinn that came out of a dumpster! Cheap heck! These things get put together out of spare parts off of other dumpster finds with a new part every now and then. Well the part is new to me, they usually come from a shop that deals in used bikes and parts.

Oh but if I had to vote for a "new" track street bike it would be the Surly wth its heavy bomb-proof frame. Plus I seem to think that the thing is a little more relaxed than so many track bikes.

yeah, I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because there are shops around me that stock all of these bikes, except the IROs. So far the only one I've tried is the Pista though, but I'm gonna check out the Langster as soon as I have time..

pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista mushroom mushroom pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista pista Bad snake! A snake... snake... a snake! Oh, it's a snake!

i say pista because its reynolds 520 steel.. surly is 4130? one of the iro is oversized aluxx (blech).. as is the specialized and its a specialized

I have both the Langster and the Jamie Roy and love them both. The Jamie Roy rides better because I built her up from scratch (carbon fork, nicer hubs, rims, tires, crankset, etc.) but it also cost more than the $400 Langster. There's no way you can built up a S/S for $400 with new parts. Both bikes are AL but this was not an issue since I don't plan to ride these bikes for more than 50 miles each time. Plus, I've used a Klein Quantum for 8+ years so I'm used to getting beat up. The Langster is a georgeous looking bike for the money.

Luis

finally someone standing up for my baby. i could have bought the pista, it was at the better LBS that didn't carry specialized, but seriously, even with my NY chain that shiny chrome monster would last about 3 seconds on the streets. Not only that, I was sincerely uncomfortable with the lack of brakes on the Pista, and wanted the flip/flop hub the langster provided. 150 bucks less for the Langster didnt hurt either. besides, the components are plenty good enough for a straight commuter bike, like i'm using it for.

Tested the Pista, bought the Langster. I thought that I would wind up hurting myself on the Pista. I NEED BRAKES! Maybe in the future I will convert the Langster over to a fixed. For the money it is a great bike, but the seat sucks hard!

I have the 04' Pista and love it. I tried to get a Langster but the LBS has yet to get one in a guy has been waiting since November. That SUX's. I paid $499, after tax and a 17t freewheel it was $549. Had a polished 105 dual pivot front brake and a set of areo levers in the junk box. Also put a old set of 42cm Scott Drop Ins those 38cm bars had to go. The drop ins give a wide range of hand positions. I do training rides on this thing and have been as far as 80 miles with little discomfort. Even that funky trailer park looking chrome saddle is pretty comfortable.

I have the Fuji and it's OK in that it got me into fixed-gear. It's nothing special but I suppose it shouldn't be given the price...frame is decent enough; the crank & BB are the weaker links. Anyway, I've collected parts over the last few months and made a deposit on a custom Rock Lobster track frame so will let someone else take the Fuji when my new bike is ready in hopes that he/she will get excited about gettin' fixed.

i've ridden a pista, a fuji and a KHS flite 100, which you did not list. of those three the KHS is my favorite. it's a pretty solid complete bike, with excellent geometry. the top tube on those things is SHORT! the whole bike just screams "RIDE ME FAST, A-HOLE!!!!" it rides nice, and it has incredibly nice lines. the first time i hopped on my friend from boston's ride, i started trying backwards 360s and nailed one on my second try. pretty much every time we get together i grab her bike and start whipping it around.

it's just a REALLY fun, sexy bike.

Yeah it looks like the two big ones I missed were the KHS and the Soma Rush... oh well.

The responses this thread is generating are great. I sort of had an ulterior motive for posting it - I'm looking for my first fixie (aww, how cute) and I figured a poll might be the easiest way to get some opinions. If theft wasn't an issue, I probably would already be riding a 2004 Pista. Unfortunately it is. And although an old beater would be a good start, and almost theft proof, its not gonna be easy for me to whip one up. I'm just getting back into cycling and I don't extra parts laying around to build up a fixie, so I'm mostly looking at new bikes.

I guess I could start scavenging, but it would probably be a few months before I got the whole thing together, and i wanna ride now damnit!

can't really beat a steamroller for the price if you ask me.

So your sure about the fiji then.

I voted for the Pista. But, I've got a Fuji Track. My LBS doesn't carry Bianchi. I think the Fuji was a great bike for the money. It got me into fixed gear riding. However it didn't have the frame clearance I needed to run big tires on the bike paths I use. So I bought a Steamroller and set it up like I wanted. Very nice bike. Both bikes ride very nice. I like steel frames. To me they have a better feel.

I just purchased a Bianchi Pista, my current fixie is an older centuron Le Mans I converted. I'll keep it around for winter use.

I dont think you can go wrong with any of the above bikes. The Langster looks like a great deal, IMHO, the best new bike for the money.

I just put a Chris King headset in my Pista, and it's like butta'. It's an amazing difference. Pista's rock!