Old man gets a cutter
 

55 (56 next month) years old. Road mike rider..... Love my Orbea, and will ride road bikes until the end. But, I became fascinated with single speed bikes. Did not want to spend a lot of money. Just for grins started calling local shops to see if any had the Schwinn Cutter. On about call number six I hit the jackpot. They had a medium cutter in stock and were trying to get rid of it for $200! I drove the 50 miles and got it.

I know it is a cheap bike. I know its not all that cool. I know....I know..... but..... I LOVE IT!

I blasted through 20 miles this morning before the 100 degree Texas heat (it was only 85) and had a blast. I turned the bars down, adjust the seat a bit, jacked with the chain tension and it is awesome. I do a lot of rides just in town, and I think most of those will be on the cutter. I think 25 miles or less the road bike stays home. Did it mention the cutter was FUN?

I mean like I forgot to eat breakfast kind of fun. I mean like I wanted to keep riding all day but it was hot and I am old....... It whips around like a laser, quick and sharp...... anyway, just had to share.

Sounds cool. I looked at the catalog page of the cutter when it first came out. I personally would not buy one. However, the thought crossed my mind that it would make a good bike for one who wasn't even sure they wanted a ss or fixed gear in the first place and just wanted to try it. It is probably the cheapest way to start without having to dig through piles of used parts to build one.

I know some of you will say that makes one sound like a poser but I love all aspects of cycling and try new things once in a while. I love both of my road bikes. I love my mountain bike blazing down a single track. I love my fixed gear whether it is a five mile commute or a 62 mile distance ride where all the road riders think you have lost your mind. I accidentally found a nice used unicycle at a garage sale this last spring and bought it for $30 to try it out. I can make it down my long driveway and back but probably wont ever try to go to the store on it.

So I say for $200 the Cutter is a good starter fixed gear and if you continue to love it then someday I bet you buy a nicer one. I am willing to bet the first road bike you owned was a lot cheaper then an Orbea.

Nice. Although the ss/fx trend is thought to be largely of 'hipster' culture, rock on w/your Cutter. I built a conversion about a year ago and it's one of my stable of commuters. 46x16 singlespeed, Rocket Ring chainring, Acera,freewheel, Fuji Del-Rey frameset, Sugino 103mm bb, Tektro calipers and levers. Had it sandblasted and powdercoated. Sparkle black and the painter saved the chrome fork tips. I've got pics, but don't know how to upload them yet. Have stock drop bars w/what's called
'harlequin wrap' black/white handlebar tape.

I had that same sensation when I first finished mine...like a kid. I'm 57, so you're not alone. Got my eye on a Motobecane Messenger from Bikesdirect.com for my fixie. I've rebuilt several oldbikes and have decided I'd rather ride than tweak, so I'm only getting new bikes from now on. Have fun w/your new ride...there's nothing like a new bike to clear the cobwebs and lift the soul. :thumb:

Congratulations on your new single speed, buddy. I am extremely glad to hear that you're enjoying it so much. And hey, 200 dollars for a cutter isn't bad at all!

I agree with everything above.
A bike is a bike. Ride and enjoy it.

Rock on

Yes, I am sure a few years from now I will "upgrade" to a "better" single speed. But I will not have any more fun than I am having right now. Cutter components are crap? Of course that are, and theY work. They are not cool with a group of snobs, but they work if you ride.

The best bike is the one you ride. Makes no difference how much you spend, just ride. No issue if the bike is flat black, 24 speed, 20 speed or single gear. The only point is "am I having fun". Am I riding this bike? Plenty of $3000 bikes gathering dust. A better value is a $300 bike you ride. Does my Cutter "suck" when compared point for point on paper with a bike that cost 5 times as much? Yes. But I paid $200 (as much as 2 tire changes on my Orbea, to my Conti's) for the bike. Big smile on my face...... hope you have one too.... :)

Actually the more I thought about it that seems like a heck of a deal. If I found a Cutter for $200 I would quite possibly buy it just to commute with. My Cannondale Capo counting the new bars and tires and seat and pedals I bought for it has over $1,000 invested into it. I don't even like locking it down and walking away from it. I wouldn't mind near as much with the Cutter. Plus I bet scratches and scuffs on that Cutter from daily commuting could be fixed with a can of flat black from wally world.

i like the cutter. it's just the right balance between ultralight track bike and hefty clunkaround beach cruiser.

BremenCole,

Hey, congratulations on you fixed. Be prepared for subtle changes in your attitude. Changes like realizing you don't "need" gears, that complication sucks, that performing bicycle maintenance indeed should be the exception not the rule and that you never want to ride a deraileured bike again. Once that settles in all the reasons in the world you thought you needed that 5k Eddy Mercx evaporate and all that is left is the love of making circles.

the only really bad thing about the cutter is that the stock wheelset doesnt have a flip flop hub. so its singlespeed all the way. but i guess even that ain't that bad.

I think the Cutter's a good deal. For $200-300, you can either get a bike on Craigslist and repair/convert it, or you can have a new bike. Yeah, it's probably regular 1020 steel, but so are a lot of the old Schwinns people love.

For some reason, I have an image of an older guy riding backwards in a circle with no hands. LOL.

everybody hates on cutters, but my buddy picked one up for a similar deal (I think his was $250). He rides road bikes mostly, but rides his cutter completely stock with a suicide hub (he doesn't skid) and is faster on it than 90% of people on 'nice' track bikes.

Yeah! Have fun on your new bike. Glad to see more old guys joining in on the SS/FG fun. Perspective changes somewhat when you get to be our age.

The only thing I don't like about the new Schwinns is that the standover height is huuuuge for the small sizes. The smallest Cutter has a 31.5" standover with a 52cm seattube!!!

***For some reason, I have an image of an older guy riding backwards in a circle with no hands. LOL. ***

So, you've seen me going to work then. :lol:

read reviews on schwinns site, like DFARBS:


"I went the Specified Bike Shop for buy Madison bike, Somehow Cutter caught my eyes off the madison. I gave a try to ride this bike. I love it and stolen a deal low price [$]for Cutter Bike is "bare-bone" from the madison! Save my budget $$!! I am glad I did bought the cutter, its an AWESOME looking bike instead of Madison bike... NO REGRETS!Now I using this track bike a lots for best commuter and low maintance than road bike. I had ended up to upgrade:My Cutter - Steel track bike. Size Large..48tx18t..TruVativ ELITA Isis Crankset TRACK, Origin 8 handlerbar, Generic BMX Seatpost, & Bianchi Quill Stem replaced on all original stock parts.Only thing stock on the bike are: Track Frame, Fork, Headset, Saddle, Rims & Tires..The cutter is my daily Track rider! :o)
Images shared by: DFARBES"

I wonder if Schwinn decided on the name 'Cutter' to make a vague connection to the movie 'Breaking Away'. The locals in the movie were referred to derisively as 'cutters'. IMHO the best bicycle movie ever made...except Joeybike videos from the Commuting sub-forum. :thumb:

Nah, probably to invoke the idea of 'cutting' through traffic or something...I think maybe I need to find a hobby. This layoff is making me a little OCD. I'm gonna go cut the lawn...again. :p

http://photos.indystar.com/photos/20...56041/show.jpg
pretty sure they named it for the movie. cutter is actually the bike they used in this years little 500 race that was featured in breaking away. the team named the cutters actually won too.

I'm not a fan of the Cutter or the SE Draft, but as long as you're having a good time, that's what matters.

best thing ive heard in a while....totally