Got meh first bike
 

Just got my 53cm kilo, im 5'9'' and it fits good. However I just ****ing ripped my good pants riding it out in the cold lol. My first ? is that the pedal clips drag ground when i turn hard? Any way to fix this? What would my first upgrade be?

There are buttons and things for the straps, and the first switches should be cog and lockring, some pedals that don't suck, and a saddle that is actually supposed to be ridden.

right, the saddle is not the most comfortable. Im thinking saddle, cog + lockring, bullhorns. Tires of course also. My first actual "fixed gear", coming from a MTB its very awkward.

Yeah, a friend of mine got into fixed (coming from MTB) and he remarks how different it is. He also went straight to bullhorns, didn't waist anytime with drops. His pedals held up ok, but my other buddy's broke the third day he had the bike so keep an eye out for those. And don't forget to have fun, alot of peeps take this **** too seriously. Enjoy teh Kilo!!

thanks alot man, im just mad I already ripped my pants. That damn chain, going to have to learn to ride differently. Also due to the weather I cant fully enjoy it yet.

I ripped outta my pedals the first day, sprinting, almost died. got a good laugh from spectators though!

haha, yeah ive just been crusing around. ripped pants, slamming pedals in ground on turns. cant get into my straps and footclips, or out of them lol. brake only by standing up and putting force on feet. Should be getting a brake soon tho.

Based on your later post about not being able to get into or out of your toe clips: Are you riding on the bottoms of the pedals? If so, then that's your biggest problem right now, you should probably fix that ASAP. Either learn to use them, or go invest in some clipless pedals.

Otherwise, pedal strike is just one of those things that comes with the territory. Possible fixes would be pedals with more ground clearance and/or shorter cranks.

The first thing most people seem to recommend upgrading on the Kilos are the rear hub/cog/lockring, with saddle and pedals having pretty good priority too.

in order of importance:

lockring, cog, pedals, saddle, bars.

well with my feet in the clips, the pedals clear. How does an upgraded lockring and cog make a big difference exactly?

The lockring on the kilo is pretty cheap. If it is well looked after you should not have a problem, but I stripped mine in a few days. The cog is a little better, but not much. A quality cog/lockring combo will save the threads on your hub (not to mention it is pretty much your brake too) so it's worth it.

cool cool, isnt that a very cheap upgrade?

Yup, a DA cog and lockring should be 40 bucks shipped, you can probly find a better price if you look hard enough though. Some are partial to other brands and all are usually good. Do a little research though, I know EAI had a wierd batch that was sent out and ruined some hubs so be carefull.

cool cool, I really am not digging the stock drop bars, wheels. Should I just get the dp-18 Weinmens, compared to the stock kilo wheels, there alot better right?

Sure, almost anything is better than the stock wheels. Weinmens would work if your lookin for Deeps on the cheaps. There are some other good deals too, like Formulas/CXP's if your into a more classic look.

alright, Yeah in looking into the weinmens due to the cheapness of only 140 with hubs on ebay. Also is there anyway to lighten up this bike a little more? It seems like real "track" bikes weigh nothing. I know its intro level and all.

Check your local shops. We sell those same wheels for $150. That covers what you'd pay in shipping, AND we'll install a new cog and lockring (and tires, rimstrips, etc) at the same time. Lockrings are $10, cogs are usually about $25. I'm sure we're not the only shop who adjusts their pricing based on current eBay prices.

Then you'd get the benefit of getting a set of wheels that are already true (most ones you get off of eBay are going to need to be trued) AND you'd have a warranty with people you could see and talk to.

Read this post before you start upgrading!

Mmm, good luck for upgrade and fix your bike.. ;)

Hastethemoment, be sure and read Sheldonbrown.com if you haven't already. Lots of info. on fixed gear, singlespeed, tools, repair tips, and just about everything else.

Harriscyclery.net is a good place to find parts, too.

cool cool, thanks.

Stop riding your bike. Get a front brake. Then start riding again. Then worry about upgrading the cog, lock ring, pedals, saddle, and whatever else you want.

Hopefully this won't come across too harsh, but it sounds like you shouldn't be upgrading anything yet. As mentioned above, add a brake and get used to riding the bike first. If you're not yet comfortable enough to ride in the clips, you'll have a hard time figuring out which upgrades are actually worthwhile. Better to beat up on the bike as-is and get a sense for your likes/dislikes, then focus on the upgrades that matter to you. Honestly, I don't think you'll notice upgrades to the wheelset or drivetrain at this point, and you can use the existing setup as a sandbox as you get accustomed to riding/wrenching fixed.

Um... hes got a MTB background. No doubt he will notice an improved drivetrain. Besides, the parts mentioned to be changed are notoriously terrible on the kilo and dangerous if kept too long no matter how well they are maintained. Stripped rear hub, lack of foot retention and twisted bars are no fun no matter what the bike.

I really think that a good saddle is of utmost importance, because who wants to ride on an uncomfortable bike? And if you are just tooling around the neighborhood for a while, get comfortable with your bike if you are not planning on getting brakes for a while, or ever at all.