Getting My First Fixed Gear?
 

Hello, I'm a 14 year old and I'm saving to buy my first fixed gear bike. Right now i have about $100, and I'm looking to spend about $250 maximum for my bike. Do you have any suggestions on what to get, what to watch out for, or just tips in general? Thanks

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...96%83%E2%96%82
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...96%83%E2%96%82
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...96%83%E2%96%82
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...96%83%E2%96%82
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...96%83%E2%96%82

You need to look out for idiots giving rubbish information - 80% of info on the internet is rubbish, 15% needs to be passed by your lbs, 6% was made up on the spot and 4% applies to rowboats, not pushbikes. You can believe the rest.

Mate, go to a few bike shops and buy a bike you can try before you buy, a bike that fits you, a bike that you find comfortable and a bike you can look at and feel both love and pride. You don't have enough to get all twisted about performance or which components are supposedly better. In your case, the bike shop and the support it gives you is the most important thing.

Look at lots of bikes, ride as many as you can, fall in love, hand over your cash, come on here and brag about it ;)

14...

I was gonna ask what city the kid is in so I could consider the quality of the used market. I'm not going to do that.

There isn't much useful we could tell you. Most of the "bikes" in that price range are going to be bike shaped objects rather than something you actually want to ride. Do you know someone who is handy with tools and such? If you buy online you might be able to get something like the Dawes SST steel from BikeIsland if they have it in your size. The Schwinn Cutter is at $167 from CityGrounds. But you would probably want to take them to your local bike shop to get them built which could add to the expenses significantly.

Make sure that you know the size that you should get. You can use a fit calculator and compare the results to the size chart of what you are looking at but you are probably still growing so it might be best to err with getting a bike that is too big.

Europa was right that the best thing to do would be to go to an actual bike shop but unless they happen to have a trade-in or something it is unlikely they will have anything in your price range. Do not buy a Thruster from Wallyworld or whatever that thing is that they are selling at Target. You would be better off buying something on-line. Good luck.

Are we not allowed to reply "Kilo TT" still?

If it was in his budget maybe.

Yeah, I got the Dawes SST last year and I've put around 2,600 miles on it. I ride it singlespeed, though. Other than the wheels being pretty badly tensioned (nothing horrible but still sort of a pain), and having to replace the freewheel at around 2,500 miles, not much else has been wrong with it. Keep in mind that this has been my first 'real' bike, though, so my idea of wrong could be optimistic. The bike has worked well for me, though.

I did buy a size too small, so be sure to use the fit calculator. Don't pick a size based on the standover height. :)

Thank you! I think I might get the Dawes SST from bike island. My dad and I could build it together and I think it will be a decent bike.

isnt their a downside to building a bike up at 14? like he will outgrow it :|

Depends on the person. I bought my son an OCR2 at 14 and although the reach was a bit long, it fits him nicely at 20. My father, on the other hand, didn't have his last major growth spurt till later. I built a bike at about 14 and didn't need another till I was at university.

At 14, you don't get too bent about bike fit knowing you'll probably need a larger bike later. On the other hand, with the amount of genuinely hard work a teenager will inflict on a bike, it doesn't really matter. Err slightly too large rather than too small and accept that a new bike will be bought in a few years time.

Besides, if old buggas like me keep buying and building bikes for no good reason, why discourage a lad coz he grew out of his. :D

At that age you should still be riding BMX lol

I guess I would suggest check your local Craigslist and take an adult with you to buy if you find a deal. Make sure it fits without having to cram the seat all the way down and ride with brakes.

And stay in school

Lol, math is hard.

BikesDirect should get him something acceptable around 250 (more like 280+).

I guess you're right, but right now I'm 5'10 and 200 lbs. I don't see myself getting too much bigger too soon.

I live in California, the bay area. I've checked Craigslist and I havent found much yet. I would be open to buying used I just don't know how

What about buying used don't you know how to do? This is not a jerk comment, i imagine you are looking for pointers on what not to buy/what to check. Is that it?

And the trick of Craigslist is check it religiously. If a decent bike shows up in your price range you will need to pounce immediately.

might be a little big...


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/3509820623.html

Bay area craigslist is ridiculous. You're going to find a deal sooner or later. Just wait a bit, and you're going to find something eventually.

You can't really get any new, descent quality bike for any specialty for $250. Probably best to go on CL and get a used bike. Definitely DO NOT go to big5, walmart, target, etc. (just any big store) to get a bike; go to a LBS, they'll probably let you test ride a few bikes and you will feel why they cost a few hundred dollars more.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/trackbikes.htm
^Windsor Hour. It's OK, but it's $280 ATM and is the cheapest track bike on there website.

YEUP. Just got a pretty new looking DA HB-7600 wheelset laced with open pros for $275 :thumb:

This looks really great. I might get this If I can get my dad to take me there.

But does it fit you?

first thing you do is go to a bike shop to get them to fix that daft brake lever setup. seriously. you will NEED a brake and you want it in a place you can grab it.

What is wrong with it?