I am getting into fixed gear touring and need a worthy steed. I need something that is not outrageously expensive but that can withstand the rigors of daily centuries. I was thinking about the bianchi track bike but the angles look a little on the steep side. The Surly Steamroller looks nice but I would rather buy an assembled bike for financial reasons. Thanks for your input.

Your probably better off with a more versatile frame than a steamroller or a pista. Something that can take a rack and/or fenders. For daily century touring, a Surly Crosscheck running fixed would probably work well. If finances are a concern, might I suggest a used converted steel road bike. You could convert it yourself, or find one already done. Ebay has many suitable bikes.

I would think you'd probably be better off ditching this crowd. Most of us belong to the cult of the track and worship at the temple Velodrome. Call around to bike shops and see if anyone's still sitting on a mid-80's touring frame. Otherwise, they've started to show up again recently in small numbers. If you want to stick to Surly, they have the Long Haul Trucker, but it's got vertical dropouts, so no love there.

Your probably not going to find an assembled fixed gear tourer, try finding yourself an older steel touring bike with semi-horizontal dropouts and slap on a rear wheel with track hub, and strip off all but one chainring (or get a new crankset too)

Here is a link to help you out: Fixed gear conversions by Sheldon Brown

I ride from Portland OR to Corvallis OR on an almost weekly basis, i think its about seventie miles, I ride a stripped 82 schwinn world 10 speed frame, its nice cuz its still got brackets for mounting racks and stuff like that. plus its chromoly so the weight helps hold momentum, its also damn near invincible

How about Surly's Long Haul Trucker? Not sure about the dropouts...

(edit)

Nope... vertical.

Crosscheck would be a fine choice - or consider the On-One Il Pompino: see their website. The American Importers are J&B see their website too.

Not sure about it's touring potential - have a butchers at this:



From the On-one homepage:

How far are you going this weekend? This bike here is Phil Chadwick's Il Pompino. He mailed us:-

"The componentry is idiosyncratic: Campag Record Piste chainset, Goldtec track rear hub and fixed sprocket, Schmidt front dynohub running 2x3 watt halogens, plus Cateye LEDs front and back (2 on the back.) Full mudguards, 35 mm tyres, Brooks Professional leather saddle and a map holder !
This year I will have done over 10,000 km of Audaxing on the Il Pompino including 5 rides of 600 km. Off to Paris on Thursday for the Paris-Brest-Paris 1200k Audax. I will try to get a pic of the bike in action."

I'm getting one once I graduate; maybe I'm biased

Not to get off topic, but "have a butchers at this"? I understand what you mean, but I'd sure like to know how it is that "butchers" means "look." (Seriously - what's the origin of that, if you know?)

It's actual English, not American...

That much I'd figured. I imagined it might be one of those cockney things where there's a word that comes after "butchers" that rhymes with "look," I just can't imagine what that work would be (book? crook? block, but pronounced with a peculiar accent that makes it rhyme with 'look'?). Please tell me if you know.

Surly Crosscheck - it's got horizontal drops and rack and fender mounts plus clearance for fatter touring tires. Can be purchased complete, but that option is geared so you'll have to do a bit of conversion.

edit: correct the mistatement above. should read horizontal instead of vertical

Perhaps I should sprecken american: Butchers (=butchers hook) v. Look
I'm from northern england originally, but now live with a couple of southerners, and I know a few cockneys - so inevitably I've picked up the odd bit! It's all english to me...

I'm sorry, but this really ticks me off:


Verical eh?

Really ticks you off? Have a beer, hit the pipe and relax. A mistake from typing too fast that's been corrected above. Trust me, I know, my fixed ride is a Crosscheck.

Thanks. Two countries divided by a common language, as old G.B. Shaw said.

The Pompino is a great bike, available complete for just £699 (about $1200 US). Email them and ask if they'd swap the rear hub for their new double fixed one.

Touring as in fully loaded with pannier racks? I've gone on overnighters (camping) on my Steamroller using a very large saddlebag.....no racks.
You can always pull a BOB trailer. I've done that with my Steamroller and the Pista.

George

Apologies, I was a little annoyed about something else: beer will follow shortly, just as soon as I've finished my report...

How does the Crosscheck ride BTW, I can't decide between it and an Il Pompino. Not that I'm going to purchase it anytime soon, just another piece of information for the list

No problem. As far as the ride goes, I love it. Good old reliable, comfortable steel. Lots of room for fat tires. Spends most of it's time on the road but is fun on the dirt too. Heard good things about the Il Pompino and looked at that when I got the Surly. The lack of rack mounts and tire clearance turned me off because I wanted a bike for occasional touring and off-road stuff.