This I don't understand. They're selling the same bike with a much cheaper crankset for the same prices as before even though they have more competition.

Seeing that the Fuji track is down to 500, the Pista's 550, an IRO is around the same and peeps are selling Mercier and Windsors online for giveaway prices, I now can't see what the compelling reason is to buy a Flite at its current price point.

Oh well good luck to them if they can get away with it.

Well, the KHE and the Pista have track geometry. The Fuji and IRO have road geometry. Some people prefer one over the other.

i wondered the same thing once i found out about the cranks... but at that point it was too late and i had already ordered it. what's really lame is that the khs site hasn't updated their spec info on the bike yet. it still says it comes with suginos and has the bike pictured with them.

still... i think the khs is the only one to come with a true track fork... and true track geometry from what i can tell. if i could do it over again i would have gotten the mercier.

I for one like it, I am actually planning on buying one as soon as I have enough cash saved up. I was looking forward to converting an old 80's Fuji bike but I was involved in a wreck today and well...let's just say the bike didn't make it out in one piece.

I am a bit upset about the fact that they took the Sugino's away in favor of the cheapo Tuvativ's. My LBS says he can get one for 629 (retail). I'm sure I can walk in there with 500 cash and walk out the door with the bike. Primary use is going to be campus transportation as I already have a megauberpimp Pinarello I use here at school with the cycling team.

On a side note, anyone know when that person will be getting more Mercier's on ebay? I was looking at em not knowing they were the exact same bike as the KHS, should have gotten one while i could =P

Nitpicking here but while you could say that the IRO Mark V has 'track' geometry and the IRO Jamie Roy has 'road' geometry, IMHO I don't think many of us would really notice the geometry difference.

For example as a comparison I used an Harry H quality track frame (http://www.hhracinggroup.com/track/specs.htm) as a base line.

Frame Size H/t S/t WhlBase Chain stays Rake
HH Frame 55 74.0 74.0° 969 39.0 40.0
Mark V 56 73.0° 73.0° 960 39.1
Jamie R 56 72.5 73.0 1000 41.5
Rush 55 74.3 75.3 958 38.3 40.1
KHS 57 73.0 74.0 973 40.1 -
Pista 55 74 75.5 959 38.3 -
Fuji 56 73.5 73 980.6 40.5 40

I'd say they're all pretty close as frames with the obvious exception of the JR's wheelbase.

For budget fixies geometry really means little, as long as its quick and responsive no-ones going to notice. Saying something has track geometry really doesn't mean jack IMHO; all these bikes are in the ballpark; its really just a marketing thing, a handle. Unless you're a serious racer, the differences in geos above is not going to going to win or lose you races as its all about strategy and what you have in the tank period.

</Rant> Sorry for the length of this reply btw.