I may not know Sh*t, but I don't mind the compact geometry and sloping TT. Do the geometry- a sloping TT uses less metal to deliver the same "size" frame ( i.e. distance btw seat and bars, other vital measurements). Less metal=less weight-
I park next to a Langster every day on the racks, and I can't stop drooling over it. To each his own, and stop hating on everyone, really.

Think you bought a frame a lil too small there?

I like them. You can choose how you want it set up right out of the gates. The Tokyo and Las Vegas ones aren't my style, but the Seattle is awesome. Compact geo is what it is. People are just resentful when it's too obvious that they're being marketed to by "outsiders."

I think you've been deceived by the sloping TT.

look at the saddle-bar drop. it was one of the better fitting frame i have owned

I love mine (I'm on my second one now) and that is based mainly on how it rides. I couldn't care less what someone thinks about how it looks. Why someone would build/buy a bike that appeals to others tastes is beyond me.
Form follows function - always.

Someone in another thread said the city editions look like they have bumper stickers on them that look cool for a few days but then when your sick of it they don't come off. I get that. My seattle rides great though. It's nothing a little tape didn't fix. I didn't care much for the foo foo stuff (fenders, coffee cup holder, decals of coffee cups) either.

I just think Specialized could have done better. The components aren't bad for the price. The city themed builds ended up cheesy, but they didn't have to be. With that many builds how isn't there a set up with bull horns? Yeah, that's easy to fix, but there are a lot of small things like that. You can pay the same price for an IRO and spec it out the way you want.

Langster Chicago had bullhorns. I probably would have rather had an IRO or Bianchi Pista or even a cross check or a steam roller. But I live in no man's land where I have to pay big freight to get the goods. Plus, I picked up this 08 at my LBS for $620. Not a bad deal.

It's amazing that two people are able to look at the same thing and see something different. One, for example, thinks Langsters look different:

>In fact, pretty much EVERY OTHER production fixed gear/SS has better looking geometry than the Langster.<

The other thinks they look pedestrian: >just nothing to set them apart<

Funny and very true. Perception is a funny thing.

Proportion is a funny thing too. For whatever reason the regular Langsters just hit a really sour note aesthetically. They are one of the ugliest looking frames out there, fixed or geared. Not that you can't make it look ok---with a normal build like court's you have merely a homely looking bike, and apparently the seattle themed langster can be modded into a bike that's ok looking for a commuter hybrid . But with most of the city themed crap on top of that frame you have a complete disaster. It's like icing a turd with ****. And it's simply disingenuous to say that the widespread revulsion for that bike is just a trend. As some things have timeless beauty, the langster is timelessly hideous.

The S-works Langsters are great looking bikes though. I'd ride one.

Beauty - and ugliness - are attributes that exist in the eye of the beholder.

Mander thinks Langsters "are one of the ugliest looking frames out there, fixed or geared."
Yet here are bikes from Specialized, Giant and Felt, exhibiting a similar frame geometry.
Graphics aside, some people probably think each of these bikes are sleek, lightweight,
and modern.



Or are they all ugly and "timelessly hideous" bikes? Is there "widespread revulsion for" these
bikes, too, and others that look like them?

I don't think so. There's widespread jealousy, maybe, for those who don't own one.

And here's one more - a Specialized Allez. It looks a lot like the other three. In fact, the
three other bikes were modeled after road bikes that look the Allez, bikes that are sleek,
lightweight, and modern.

I'm glad you pointed out those other 2 bikes b/c they are also hideous. As is the Specialized Allez. I expected more from Felt. Giant has always preferred compact geometry, though.

>I'm glad you pointed out those other 2 bikes b/c they are also hideous.<

And I'm glad to see you're not just hatin' on Specialzed, PedallingATX.

That's just being silly.


As for the langster, I don't like it because I don't particularly enjoy the ride characteristics of aluminum. That said, it seems most people in the fixed community either want a steel bike, or if it's going to be aluminum they want an actual track bike like an FTP or Concept or TK2 or Coltano. It isn't just the langster, other bikes of similar offerings like the Giant fixed gears that come in aluminum have also been fairly solid flops. I think that's partially because there isn't much of a market for an aluminum frame that weighs as much as steel but rides as poorly as aluminum.

>I expected more from Felt.<

How 'bout this?

LOL wut?

elTwitcho wrote:

>That's just being silly.<

You're right.

>other bikes of similar offerings like the Giant fixed gears that come in aluminum have also been fairly solid flops<

You are privy to sales figures for these bikes? Langsters, e.g., have been on the market for several years, and the basic shape of the frame - with its sloping top tube - has not changed.

Ok so I hate the city editions with all the bogus hipster graphics. But I must say your ride is cool whatever edition it is. What are those bars? Nice. I'll stop hating now.

Cheesy graphics on the city Langsters aside, I personally think nearly all modern road bikes are butt ugly. Not that it really matters, because they are built for performance through engineering which I respect. I just hate the fat clunky frame tubes, sloping top tubes, and most of all the HUGE stickers advertising the brand to the whole world. I mean really, do I care if you ride a Felt, Orbea, Trek, Pinarello, Serotta, etc.??? I see these expensive bikes in Central Park every day and all I can think is "I don't care how well you ride, you look like an investment banker with a tiny dick showing off your $8,000 carbon bike".

To me beauty is a vintage steel frame with slender tubing and zero graphics visible. I only want to know you ride a De Rosa, Ciocc, Columbine, or Colnago when I can look closely and see the lovely small details. Otherwise, it's all consumer marketing hype, like those horrible Ralph Lauren shirts with the ridiculous three inch tall embroidered logos.

Not at all. I can say however that I do a lot of riding around in the city and I've only seen one langster and I've never seen a Giant fixed gear anywhere but a shop. Lots of Surlys, Bianchis, Konas, MASIs, IROs and even a few leaders though.

That's one evil looking Felt icyclist!

I think those are the stock Seattle Langster bars. Yeah, specialized should fire their current team of langster stylists and hire Destikon. Even the pink chain is working for me.

Stock bars. Nothing to fancy yet. And please, don't let one Langster ruin your Langster hate. Ha! Thanks though.

It's because it's easy to hate on big targets. People don't like seeing big companies being successful. Christ I would take a Langster over the majority of bikes that get slapped together and put on display in the show us thread in this forum.