potatonate23

So im looking to buy a fixed gear bike this week, the only thing is i really don't know too much about them. Ive been riding my cousins fixie for a week or so now and ive fallen in love lol. They are such an amazing thing. Ive never in my life had so much fun riding a bike. So ive been looking every where for a good deal on one. Ive found 2 but im looking for some feedback on which one is better then the other.

This bike is a bridgestone, I dont know what model it is.
https://img6.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=chyea275.jpg

And heres the second one. I found it on ebay.
Fixed Gear on ebay.

Im just looking for some sort of idea on which bike you would recommend buying for someone whos just starting out. I plan on using the bike to ride to school and to just ride around town. Any feedback would be really appreciated. Thank you.

passerby

kilo tt or windsor the hour are a lot better choices for the price range that you are probably in. also read through the thread named "Fixed gear/SS start here" at the top of the forum and it will definiteley help you get more familiar with everything

palladio

The most important place to start is correct fit. Do you know what size frame you need? Can't tell exactly from the pictures, but the Bridgestone looks like it's a bigger frame than the other one which is advertised as 58cm. Do you know the size of the Bridgestone?

What's your price range? I bought a used Soma Rush as my first fixie about a year ago and love it. Great bang for the buck and the steel frame is a very comfortable ride.

palladio

Dude, does that seat tube sticker say what I think it does?

potatonate23

The bridgestone is 58cm, im 6'2 and everyone i talked to said i should go with a 58cm. Im looking to spend about 300 at the most. Between those 2 bikes i posted, which is the better option?

elTwitcho

haha, wtf?


And get the bridgestone if it HAS to be one of the two bikes. Looks like nicer components than the other bike.

potatonate23

Well it doesnt have to be one of those, but i can't find any thing else on craigslist in my price range that is in my area, I just found this one on ebay.
https://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2009-ROAD-RA...3A1%7C294%3A50

palladio

The Bridgestone looks cooler to me (minus that sticker) but I've never ridden one. Is this an older frame?

potatonate23

Im not sure how old the frame is, Im waiting for the guy to email me back with all the info, like rim size, crank, model of the frame, and all that stuff.

potatonate23

So i was looking on bikesdirect and i came across this bike
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott.htm
If i were to order this bike would i need to do anything to make it a fixed gear? Or is it already to go out of the box? And heres another one, same question, would i need to buy anything else to make it a fixed gear
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/.../messenger.htm
And the same question on this bike
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/thehour.htm

Sorry for all these noob questions but i just want to make sure that the bike i buy is a fixed gear when i buy it cause i dont want to have to buy other stuff to make it a fixed gear. And i really appreciate all the help everyone has already given.

ADSR

That Bridgestone looks pretty awesome to me.

potatonate23

So you would go with the bridgestone? Cause i thought it seemed like a pretty good bike for the price. Ive only rode a fixie a few times but i loved it. I love the feeling of having to always pedal.

ADSR

I'm also reasonably sure that an older, nice-ish conversion will be made of better steel and nicer parts attached to it.

potatonate23

Im sry im new to the world of fixed gears so i dont really understand what you mean, can you explain to me in more detail please.

potatonate23

When i talked to the guy about the bike he said it was a conversion.

ADSR

A conversion refers to what used to be a geared road bike, but is now a fixed gear. The materials and construction on some older road bikes is far superior to some budget bikes produced now days.

potatonate23

Well once i get a reply from the guy about all the stats of the bike ill post them on here, but so far i think the bridgestone is my best option so far.

potatonate23

Ive been reading alot about the Windsor the hour and everyone seems to say its an all around good bike for just riding around town. What im confused about is the size of the bike, Im 6'2 so what size frame would i go with? a 56cm?58cm? or a 61cm?

palladio

Here's a link to an article about proper frame sizing:

https://www.coloradocyclist.com/BikeFit/index.cfm

Read this, and follow the instructions to get a better idea of your frame size. Sizing can get very complicated, but you should at least know your inseam since your overall height is only part of the deal. I am 6'1" and am usually comfortable on a 58cm (but I have a longer torso and shorter legs than some people my height). My guess is you will be at least a 58 but maybe a bit higher depending on the bike.

Post more info on the Bridgestone when you get it. I still want to know how old the frame is. It could be a really nice bike for you, especially if it's a quality steel frame. What's the asking price? If you can find the right bike, you are going to get a better deal used. There are people out there strapped for cash right now and deals can be found. Last year I bought what was basically a brand new custom built Soma Rush for under $400 that would have sold new for $1,100. It's a hell of a bike, much better than what I could have bought new from a store at that price.

potatonate23

Yeah im still waiting on the specs of the bike but the guy wants 300 for it.

palladio

Potatonate23, I just PM'ed you with another bike in your area that might work well for your.

potatonate23

Hey thanks, i really appreciate you going out of your way and doing that for me, i had seen that one on there when i was looking around, but the guy said he would only be in town til april 1st. So i might email him today and see if hes still around and what not. i wish the guy would hurry up and email me back about the bridgestone. Im happy i came across these forums cause everyone on here has been alot of help.

potatonate23

So it turns out the bridgestone on cl is one of my friends, friends bike. My friend told me that the frame is in really bad shape. So i think im going to go with the windsor the hour cause it seems like an all around good bike for 300 bucks, plus its my first bike so i can always change parts over time. Thanks everyone for all the help.