Best Fixed Gear Bike
#2
THE STUFFED


Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,671
Likes: 21
From: San Francisco, CA
Bikes: R. Sachs Simplicity; EAI Bareknuckle; Madone Gen 8
We're not concierges.
Put in some effort in doing some research first.
At least tell us what *you* think is the best fixed gear bike between $500 and $1000.
Put in some effort in doing some research first.
At least tell us what *you* think is the best fixed gear bike between $500 and $1000.
#4
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
#5
Senior Member

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,452
Likes: 12
From: Philadelphia
Bikes: Surly CreamRoller. 98 Giant Rincon. SE UVT
There really is no "best". It depends on your purpose for the build and what terrain your riding on, it can be very different depending on what it's going to be used for.
#6
Senior Member

Joined: May 2013
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
i know my taste has evolved since i got into this. first i was all about aero tubing and aerospokes, now im all about clean steel with minimal detail with a hint of newness. tomorrow it may be beach cruisers...though i doubt it
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 433
Likes: 0
From: Merry Land
Bikes: Guru Evolo R, Colnago Pista, Look AL 464P SS, various frankenbikes
Stop perpetuating that silly myth, of course there is. Mine is indeed the best. Matter of fact, it's so good, it's not fair to all the other fixes out there. The only problem this leaves the rest of you with is that the best you can hope for is second best.
#8
Grumpy Old Bugga
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,229
Likes: 9
From: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
The best bike at any price point, is the bike you carefully researched yourself, bought the bits and built or just outright bought yourself, and then put in the time and miles required to fit it properly to your riding and requirements.
#9
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 518
Likes: 2
If you are interested in a relatively light weight bike with road geo. purchased with the parts to your specs check out Single Speed, Fixed Gear Bikes. Fixie Parts & Accessories | Wabi Cycles Not saying Wabi is the "best" but a great value with outstanding service if you want to ride fixed for long road rides.
#11
Really? You think the parts on that thing are worth it? Have you looked at it in person? I saw a lungavita once and the only thing that made it seem like a $1000 bike to me was the brand name and the color. Have they gotten better?
#12
Clark W. Griswold




Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 18,377
Likes: 6,704
From: ,location, location
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
The best fixed gear bicycle is the bike Eddy Merckx used at Le Hour Record in Mexico City. On a more serious note any bike could be a good bike or **** bike. It depends on you, what you put into it, how you ride and all of that. I like my Specialized Langster because of what I put into it and what I paid for it however there are probably plenty of people who would say that bike is ****. Honestly the best bike that you could ever have is one custom built for you (or build yourself), using the components you want and in the style you want.
Your best bet is to go out and test ride some bikes. Tell the sales person what type of riding you plan on doing, where you plan on doing it, how long your intended rides are going to be and a max budget (though don't ever say $100-300 those people bother the **** out of me). I generally ask that when someone comes into the shop. I try to feel them out and find something that will work for them.
Your best bet is to go out and test ride some bikes. Tell the sales person what type of riding you plan on doing, where you plan on doing it, how long your intended rides are going to be and a max budget (though don't ever say $100-300 those people bother the **** out of me). I generally ask that when someone comes into the shop. I try to feel them out and find something that will work for them.
#15
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,631
Likes: 330
One of my fixie
acquaintances rides a Catena, which in a way I may be at least partly to blame for. When I began riding and raving about my newly acquired Italian track frame bike at some of our local evening urban fun rides last fall, he went nuts over it. A few weeks later he showed up on a Catena.I can tell you that it is a very pretty bike. Lots of chrome – full fork, stays and lugs, including tt/seatstay cluster. The components that prooftheory questioned are pretty much all Most, which is Pina’s in-house brand, and they are not bad at all.
I’ve ridden his bike and it works well. I don’t care enough to look up the geo, but it sits almost like a compact road bike. Ride is smooth and compliant, which I guess is to be expected from whatever creatively named steel they used, but not so quick handling. Not what I expected from an “Italian track bike".
What I don’t like is that the toptube has a rearward down-slope and the 1 1/8” theadless setup just doesn’t seem right for what this bike is claiming to be, and most of all – they seem to be trying to disguise the fact that the damn thing is made in somewhere in Asia.
So...is a $1000 list price in bike shops for a Pinarello Catena too high? Well, the lugged Wabi Special, which has no chrome and has all Wabi proprietary parts is $950 + shipping.
You be the judge…
Last edited by IAmSam; 04-11-14 at 03:19 PM.
#16
That definitely sounds like an improvement over the lungavita. I felt like it was marginally nicer than say a fuji classic track at the time and it was very "roadish" which may have been a turnoff for me at the time as well.
Maybe I just think the lugs count for something.
Maybe I just think the lugs count for something.
Last edited by prooftheory; 04-11-14 at 03:40 PM.
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 205
Likes: 2
From: Alameda, CA
Bikes: Windsor The Hour Plus, 2014 Novara Verita, Windsor Oxford
Get the Thruster 700c Fixie Bike at Walmart.com. Save money. Live better.

You'll need to line your tires with twenties though.
You'll need to line your tires with twenties though.
#18
Grumpy Old Bugga
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,229
Likes: 9
From: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Funny about Pinarello. I walked into my lbs one day and the owner had a Pinarello up on the work stand. I asked him what he thought of it and the reply doesn't bear repeating in polite company. I gather they're one of the many specialist builders that has embraced mass production only to find it's not as easy as it sounds. Certainly as we chatted and he tried to coax some sense out of that sodding bike, I began to view very expensive bikes in a different light. I'm not saying all Pinarello's are bad, even that all expensive bikes are bad, just that throwing a lot of money at big brand names still produces examples of the breed that should have been shot before they left the paddock.
#19
Grumpy Old Bugga
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,229
Likes: 9
From: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Get the Thruster 700c Fixie Bike at Walmart.com. Save money. Live better.

You'll need to line your tires with twenties though.
You'll need to line your tires with twenties though.
#22
Veteran Racer


Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 11,862
Likes: 918
From: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Bikes: 34 frames + 80 wheels
Sure, but would it be the best FG under 1k ?
#23
Hogosha Sekai

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
#24
Veteran Racer


Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 11,862
Likes: 918
From: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Bikes: 34 frames + 80 wheels
I don't have one. There are many that come to mind, but I can't see one that is clearly superior to the rest. However, I can say that it would have to be steel, since it's difficult to get a comparably good bike with an aluminum frame/carbon fork frame for under 1k.
#25
Hogosha Sekai

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
I don't have one. There are many that come to mind, but I can't see one that is clearly superior to the rest. However, I can say that it would have to be steel, since it's difficult to get a comparably good bike with an aluminum frame/carbon fork frame for under 1k.




