I'm having the same decision. I'd like to support IRO but there are no local dealers and I don't want to order one without trying it first. KHS is out. It's pretty much between the Pista and the Langster for me...the pista with a front brake will probably end up costing about the same as the Lang (actually more, since I get a shop discount at a specialized shop), so I'm trying to debate fixie steel vs. freewheeling aluminum.

Pista advantages: ride quality, components quality?
Langster advantages: less fear of rust/abuse, freewheel + brakes more suitable for varied terrain riding, which is what I'll be doing.

Here's the deal for those "so" concerned with the extra cost of a freewheel and brake - a freewheel costs $16. Woo-hoo right? You slap it on the other side.

A front brake - nashbar has a brake for something like 15 bucks. A lever for 10 or whatever. Check around. Or rummage an old parts bin and slap on an old road brake and lever, it's all good.

An extra $30-50 bucks to spend - it's really not that much.

I'd take the Pista over a Langster anyday. An IRO even more - those hubs are nice.

I have a Langster and I think it's great. The frame isn't as stiff as I thought it would be. I think for 2005 the price went up to around $600, so it might not be in your price range anymore. I don't think you could mount fenders on a Langster, and with horizontal, open in the rear dropouts it'd be a pain to get the rear wheel off if you did. If you're looking for a cheap, bang around singlespeed for the road a conversion might be the way to go. You could probably find an older road bike in good shape, take all the unnecessary junk off (extra gears, shifters, deraileurs) and just put a bmx freewheel on there for way less than anything new. A normal geared chain (one with bushings) could probably handle most chainline concerns on a bmx freewheel set up. I've done it before myself, but use your judgement on it. Also, the older frame would have eyelets for racks and fenders that the Langster doesn't, plenty of tire clearance, and the old school semi horizontal, open in the front dropouts which work much better with fenders.

convert an older road frame! they have so much more personality. You'll also learn about your bike and work on it yourself. It's such a satisfying feeling to ride around on something that you put together.

Many track-for-street frames can be had as a frameset. I definitely appreciate having something with a higher bottom bracket. Whenever I switch back to my old Fuji road conversion, I feel like I can't corner for @#$* (because I can't).

I have my eye on 2 frames on ebay right now which end next week.
I also checked at a shop around here and they had a fuji track for 469. Is that a fair price for and 04 model without pedals? (it is the blue one as I am not sure about the year)

Just to close up this thread.
Thanks a lot for all your opinions. I ended up picking up a cheap generic chromo bike from a riding partner that was looking at selling. He bought it last year to see if he liked riding and is ready to invest in a good bike now. Cheap relatively new bike for me for much less than anything I have found so far and it is yellow.
Traditional geometry and thin tubes with a plush ride won out over the langster. Decided not to go fixed as I have a ton of hills/crappy roads by my house and the frame has vert dropouts.
I am going to throw some spacers and a tensioner on and save money for a nicer bike once summer comes around.

just funny as soon as i read your post i realized you musta been looking at bikes over at drive sports...

i was over there getting a spoke fixed on my commute home the other day and saw the exact two bikes you WERE choosing between....

ida gone with the langster myself... i even pulled it down and had a LOOOONG look, good bike for 500 bucks!!!