cow

Alright, so I've basically narrowed it down to the Steamroller and the Mark V.
I'm looking for the frame that's better for tricks and urban riding.
Any input?

Also, if I do get one of those, what size should I get if I ride a 50cm Kilo TT?
Do I go by standover hieght or just get the same size frame?
Sorry I'm such a newb.

dayvan cowboy

i ride a mark v and love it. my options were the mark v, steamroller, and fuji track. I ended up going with the Mark V. I've beat the hell out of it for the last year and 3 months. I ride on tons of brick streets and hop curbs etc, and the only problem i had regarding the components was when i crashed straight into a curb and dented the front rim, but that's a different story.

cow

Thanks a lot man.
I'm definitely leaning towards the Mark V, but do they accept bigger tires (i.e. rando's)?

akkando

As I understand it the Kilos run large so a 50 Kilo probably puts you at a 53 Steamroller and something similar on the IRO.

I hear the Steamrollers ride somewhere between a track bike and a road bike. Twitchy, but not too twitchy. I don't know how that translates to tricks. Also Steamrollers tend to be a little heavier than other frames. Not sure if that also factors into tricks. People like them for urban riding because they are more responsive than a road bike, can take a beating, are bit more comfy on city streets than other tighter geo frames. They can fit larger tires than most other frames, allowing for tires that are better suited for crappy roads, brick roads, trails, just a softer ride if you want it, snow, whatever. I think you can clip on fenders and I have seen pictures with a rack but I don't know how they got it on.

Don't know anything about the IRO but the customer service is good and people generally have positive things to say about the bikes.

People love their Steamrollers though.

dayvan cowboy

the IRO site says they can run up to 28s. Someone on here was running some sort of like 32 cross tires without much of an issue.

akkando

Website for Steamroller says

"Fatties Fit Fine (FFF) chainstays and our custom fork give room for tires up to 700 x 38 with fender clearance left over (P.S. – use clip-on fenders!!)"

For tires

squidrobot

I was actually about to post a thread just like this one, so thanks for saving me a little trouble. Sorry for the ensuing threadjack...

I was wondering if anyone could comment on the quality of the components (i.e. which build needs the lesser number of immediate upgrades) in a complete build of the Mark V vs. the Steamroller? The build for the Mark V is here, and the complete build for the Steamroller is here (with the addition of MKS pedals, clips, and straps.

Some additional info that may or not be helpful: I'm a lanky ****er, 6'2 165lbs with a 34" inseam, and I know the IRO sizing seems to be a little underestimated, so maybe the Steamroller frame is better suited for me?

I'll be using this bike primarily to get around downtown Washington D.C. and I'm not hyped on tricks or races, just a beater that's going to last long and comfortably.

seedubs1

If it's for city riding.....You can't beat IRO's crash replacement policy.

Crash it and they'll send you a new one no questions asked for 1/2 price. That was a big selling point for me when I got my angus. Customer service is great too.

And if I remember right, their sizing is c-t and not c-c like the kilo tt. I'd suggest looking at the geometry spreadsheet before purchasing any frame just to make sure you are getting what you want.

mondaycurse

Freaky, I am the exact same size. FWIW, I test rode the 59CM Steamroller (no IRO experience) and it felt great. Just make sure which ever bike you get is locked like crazy in the streets of DC. There was a post on RBR not too long ago about a guy who simply U-locked his frame at the metro station and the wheels were gone by the afternoon. He didn't take the bike home that night and all the other parts were gone before a few days.

squidrobot

Thanks for the heads up on the frame size. I was leaning towards the 59cm but needed some reassurance.

Now I guess I just gotta figure out the security situation. I'd rather spend 2 minutes locking/unlocking my bike than losing $800 though, so it's a matter of just being thorough I suppose. I guess that guy was technically successful locking up his frame, considering that's the only thing he felt like securing, hah.

spikedfro10

i was mulling over this same choice....and I chose the Mark V, it comes in tomorrow, I'm excited!

devilshaircut

I like the IRO better but really it is a totally personal thing. It is also a tad cheaper than the Steamroller and comes customizable.

dOOBER

i was also pondering this same question a few weeks ago, but luckily for me i got the IRO Mark V during the IRO sale for $583 shipped with the MKS Sylvan Pedal kit. Also im 6'2 or so but with a 32 or so inseam and i got the 59cm it feels good and is hella fun to ride.

good luck on your choice