SS with mudguards for commuting?

curlyrobert

I have just got a job where I can commute, I have been riding in on my Madone, and cry every day it rains, I get a secure undercover lock up at work and it is only 6 miles with a little hill.

Rather than destroy my Trek I want to get a commuter, but spoilt for choice. I want a singlespeed, for both training and lack of maintenance. I think I need one that will take mudguards and perhaps a rear pannier to take in clothes on a Monday for the week.

I liked the idea of the Specialized tricross for it’s versatility, pannier rack mounts and mudguards, also I could try cyclecross ss for fun. the Langster looks good, or a Willier pista, or Condor…

OK back to requirements, drop bars or flat? Must be fixed mudguard compatible, Panier would be nice. Any point in an urban with disks? I want simplicity!

Would like a cool brand too and nothing over £500 please, any ss riders want to offer some advice to me (I don’t want to go fixed immediately)

Littigator

I think you'll find the Pearson Touche should comfortably accomodate you Sir! A range of customising can be made and all for the none too punchy price of £550.

I know a few guys have them on here and like them a lot.

I went for a bargain Giant Bowery at only £225 but if I had the cash it would be the Pearson without a doubt

curlyrobert

Touch is v.good, Like the bowery too, back to the old - do they take guards and possibility of a pannier??

Littigator

check out the spec on Pearson;s website, but I'm pretty sure I've seen one about with both on.

biggstevie

Go for a langster i love mine it was the best £200 i spent 8)

2wheelzgood

Spesh Tricross single if the langster cannot take guards

il_principe

Yep get the Pearson, it'll take guards, panniers whatever you want. Call them direct and they'll customize one for you basically. Pick the gearing you want too.

BTW I have one and it is fantastic and the fellas at Pearson are very helpful. Plus you'll be supporting an excellent independent bike shop.

bomberharris72

Pearson Touche. Get one!

Love mine to bits. Smooth as you like, tackles the odd hill no problem. Handles 22 mile round commute with ease. I haven't even been overtaken downhill yet! Got SKS Chromoplastics fitted, bike has perfectly positioned holes for everything.

On freewheel at the moment. Had small problem with original freewheel sprocket supplied which was rough as a badgers arse, sounded and felt like it had been in a cement mixer. Took it back to get it replaced, rode off and was convinced it was the same one, just stuffed full with oil to quieten it down. Went back again and rode off with a nice shiny Shimano one which is smooth as silk. To be fair all my other dealings with the shop have been great.

Love the fact I have a bike handbuilt by my local bike shop which has been around for almost 150 years.

lost_in_thought

I'm a vote for the Bowery too, but whatever you get Pearson's are brilliant.

In fact, I would suggest calling them up, within reason if you can collect it they'll build it for you and fit all the bits you need, or they certainly offered to when I got mine from them (thanks to a recommendation from Jashburnham). Unfortunately I couldn't get out there to collect it.

2wheelzgood

Of if it's not a fixed you want.. a Dawes hybrid Discovery 301 with the gears ripped off, a chain tensioner and new brake levers. ahem...

It even had double lugs so can take front and rear pannier racks too
8) or should it be :oops:

womble88

I'm in a similar dilemma, except am limited to evans as on bikes to work scheme....does anyone know if the langster does have rack/guard mounts? Or the Kona Paddy Wagon? Tricross SS looks good but £50 dearer, plus am considering trying track next spring so want something I could use fixed...would the tricross be too relaxed?

Thanks

biondino

YOU DONS

womble88

biondino wrote:

YOU DONS

indeed! you're the first person to have 'made the link'...I live in Putney too!

biondino

Nice! Get along to Kingsmeadow much? I'm a 5-year season ticket holder but I haven't been once this season :oops:

Do you know Russell Smith, who also posts to bikeradar and is a big Dons fan?

attica

womble88 wrote:

I'm in a similar dilemma, except am limited to evans as on bikes to work scheme....does anyone know if the langster does have rack/guard mounts? Or the Kona Paddy Wagon? Tricross SS looks good but £50 dearer, plus am considering trying track next spring so want something I could use fixed...would the tricross be too relaxed?

Thanks

My Paddywagon has mudguard mounts, still I reckon if I'd had more choice I'd have gone Pearson

womble88

thanks Attica...sadly think I won't have the choice...

Biondino - don't know the chap but I do get down to Kingsmeadow occasionally (not as much as Plough Lane or even Selhurst though)....I sometimes even ride there!

ride_whenever

pompino, they're doing them with discounts atm too...

curlyrobert

Nobody has said anything about the Genesis Flyer, think I am going to go down this route, steel for comfort, good looking, fun geometry and cheap as chips. I tried the Pearson and didn't get on with it, but stumbled upon Genesis at the LBS - bring on the elements

womble88

well I ended up going with the Lemond Fillmore as I had to go through Evans, it was discounted, and I fancied steel. Plus if I decide to try out some track riding at Herne Hill, I can whip off the brakes and flip the hub and off I go (albeit slowly).

have only ridden in to work twice on it so far but I love it - so comfortable, geometry-wise and because of the steel frame)...running it single speed but actually need a smaller cog on the back as I'm tending to spin out. Only disappointments are that it has eyelets for mudguard on rear but not on front fork so have had to buy some p-clips, and the tyres it comes with are cr@p so I've bought some Conti Gatorskins.

Dustine

If youre prepared to build it yourself, and can shop around for bits, you could build up something from a frame only? I bought myself a Salsa Casseroll from Charlie the Bikemonger, and with all the bits to build it up it came to less than £550, without the wheels. Now i know thats a big 'without' but i took some really nice ones i built myself from a previous bike. When looking at complete bikes, i had to factor in that i was buying wheels that i would never use, and would end up flogging on ebay or something. Ditto that i knew what bars i would be swopping on, and so forth. Plus, i do enjoy the process of shopping for the bits and then putting it all together, exactly how i want it.

Ive been running it now for a couple of months and 800+ miles as a fixed wheel, mudguards, saddlebag and all, and can say its a beauty.

Oh, and if i was after a complete bike for that kind of money, I'd have probably gone for the Pearson Touche.

toshmund

Straying from your original intention. Planet X Kaffenback in the classified section for £270 or reasonable offer. Worth a look, only done 600 miles and looks a lovely bike - would be tempted myself but going by Planet X's sizing, I should be a small. This one is a 54, which he has listed as a medium/large.

daniel_b

womble88 wrote:

I'm in a similar dilemma, except am limited to evans as on bikes to work scheme....does anyone know if the langster does have rack/guard mounts? Or the Kona Paddy Wagon? Tricross SS looks good but £50 dearer, plus am considering trying track next spring so want something I could use fixed...would the tricross be too relaxed?

Thanks

I just took a 58cm langster for a spin earlier today, and very nice it was too, despite it being a 58, it felt a little bit big, so would seem a 56 would be the right size if I were to get one.

The forks had fitments for mudguards, so that would work, but the rear has no securing point down by the cranks, so you'd be needing raceblades or similar.

The one I rode was a normal langster, ie hoods, but the one I would want if I were to purchase one is the Monaco with no hoods, and flat top brakes.

Very tempting.......

EDIT: Just to add that the SS Tricross looks like a spot on commuter option, and for the same price, more clearance (bigger tyres if you want), and proper fittings for mudguards - it's the 'head' choice I think it's fair to say.

Dan

curlyrobert

All these thoughts, the Monaco Lagster, the Pearson Touche, building from scratch... factor in the cool Chard Plug which has reviewed well lately and the whole which ss becomes a big dilemma. I guess that the Genesis just felt right. I am not 100% sure on genesis brand so will more than likely be stickering the bike head to toe, making it unrecognisable. I was thinking about the Wilier Pista too, the Italian links are irresistible! but perhaps a little too pricey and lets face it, an aluminium ss is sort of against the spirit of ss riding?

Actually I have been thinking of the Specialized Tricross SS, so I could do some ss cyclecross and towpath riding into work too...

how many bikes is too many?

(the number you have +1?)

Jen J

curlyrobert wrote:

how many bikes is too many?

(the number you have +1?)

No. +2 as you always need one more...

curlyrobert

I forgot my own brief!

must be mudguard compatible!!

I opted for a Kona Paddy wagon in the end, unfortunately I couldn't get the cool looking 2008 model, but instead the shiny greenish 09 with big yellow rims - excited to receive now and will update after first commute