Which fixed bike?

deejay.

Hi All,

Planning to buy a fixed wheel bike, as opposed to making one up. Could spend about £600 ish. Could the experts among you please make recommendations? It is for winter training on country roads.

Cheers,

Deej

MrHulot

I have a Pompino and an Epic Solo (no longer available but same frame as Pearson Touche) and would recomend either. However if toe overlap is a concern then avoid the Pompino as with guards it's even worse. Queue posts proclaiming it's no problem for real men. An interesting alternative for a winter fixed would be the Tricross Single.

JJDLD

I've just got a Boardman SC fixed via the bike to work scheme, for winter training and commuting. If you're not bothered by the whole Boardman - Halfords stigma thing (and you are happy to tweak the bike when you get home to ensure that it's been put together correctly) it may well be worth considering.

I was a bit worried at first that the alu frame might make for a harsh ride (my other bikes are steel and ti), but even with the stock Conti 23mm tyres I got round a 2.75 hr ride at the weekend without any major issues (I have swapped the saddle to an Alias 143 - I've got the same model on all my bikes).

It will take mudguards with the 23mm tyres and it looks like there's plenty of space for 25mm rubber (I'll find out tonight when I put a pair of my preferred Schwalbes on).

Edit - I put a pair of Schwalbe Stelvio Plus tyres on the bike last night - these have the p******* protection layer in, so they are pretty big for 25c. The only problem I had was that the rear tyre rubbed on the head of the bolt which connects the mudguard to the chainstay bridge (the bike came with this bolt provided - it's got quite a domed head) when the wheel was slid forward in the stays - this meant that it was difficult to get enough slack in the chain to remove the wheel. This was easily solved by removing the bolt altogether and using a zip-tie instead - this has a far lower profile so it gives the wheel plenty of space to slide forward (I was quite please with this quality bodge!).

There is some toe overlap on the front wheel with mudguards on but (touch wood) this has caused no problems for me.

The only niggles I have with it are that there are small bits of paint flaking off of the rear drop-outs (maybe me being a bit cack-handed when cranking up the track nuts), and the handlebar tape is a bit thin, but these really are pretty minor issues even for someone as picky as me. Oh yeah, the mudguard eyelet thread wasn't the same as the allen bolts I had with my mudguards, but the bolts tapped themselves in.

All in all, I think it's a good looking bike (eye of the beholder and all that), which rides well with reasonable components (albeit that I've changed the saddle and tyres to tried-and-tested models that I know I'm happy with). I'm enjoying riding it and it's still the first bike I reach for when going out.

Hope this helps,

JJ.

markos1963

JJDLD wrote:

I've just got a Boardman SC fixed via the bike to work scheme, for winter training and commuting. If you're not bothered by the whole Boardman - Halfords stigma thing (and you are happy to tweak the bike when you get home to ensure that it's been put together correctly) it may well be worth considering.

I was a bit worried at first that the alu frame might make for a harsh ride (my other bikes are steel and ti), but even with the stock Conti 23mm tyres I got round a 2.75 hr ride at the weekend without any major issues (I have swapped the saddle to an Alias 143 - I've got the same model on all my bikes).

It will take mudguards with the 23mm tyres and it looks like there's plenty of space for 25mm rubber (I'll find out tonight when I put a pair of my preferred Schwalbes on). There is some toe overlap on the front wheel with mudguards on but (touch wood) this has caused no problems for me.

The only niggles I have with it are that there are small bits of paint flaking off of the rear drop-outs (maybe me being a bit cack-handed when cranking up the track nuts), and the handlebar tape is a bit thin, but these really are pretty minor issues even for someone as picky as me. Oh yeah, the mudguard eyelet thread wasn't the same as the allen bolts I had with my mudguards, but the bolts tapped themselves in.

All in all, I think it's a good looking bike (eye of the beholder and all that), which rides well with reasonable components. I'm enjoying riding it and it's still the first bike I reach for when going out.

Hope this helps,

JJ.

+1 I got mine yesterday and I'm very impressed by it. I was lucky and got mine from an ex Cycle Republic store so I was well looked after. Supprised by the ride quality from the ali frame but the wheels are superb so they must account for the ride smoothness.

farmerschoice

I'm loving my new Gary Fisher Triton, it replaced a Pompino and is more comfortable and has more "road-like" geometry.

ride_whenever

the pompino is an interesting frame, i've got one and have ridden a few including one with a rohloff bodged into it!

They can either feel like an upright cruiser gate like thing or like a full on road bike depending on how they're set up. I've got quite a small one for my size with a fairish drop saddle to bars, and a longish stem so it feels really racey, dives through corners beautifully and is really snappy on the handling front.

The rohloff one was the complete antithesis of this, the frame was two sizes larger but still fit me fine as it had a stubby stem and riser bars for touring. It felt like a gate, with the seatpost slammed right down and waay too upright to get any speed on the damn thing. In fact it felt horrible in comparison, the guy who owned it was amazed at the difference between his and mine, like night and day.

Cranks

Hows about Focale 44? Interesting set up with integrated bar and stem.

cujo101

You should consider the new steel Specialized Langster (£500) but it's out until early Nov. Also check out the Genesis flyer (the white one)

http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBC ... 4&eid=4354

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/series/flyer

mgcycleguy

I've got a Charge Plug Racer... built like a tank (and weighs about as much as well), I've got it for training this winter as well... so the weight makes no difference for me.

... I've put some 23mm white vittoria tyres on her, and she now looks so beautiful in her shinney chrome finish with white saddle, white wheels and red chain, I would hang her on my lounge wall but the better half would just get jealous

Supergoose

I have a Paddy wagon which is great. Mudguards and a sensible gear great all rounder. 8)

lae

^ mgcycleguy, has your charge plug got the white wheels?

I was looking into buying some for my new build, but I was told that they're fully painted (even the braking surfaces) so wouldn't be any good for a bike running brakes.

Is the braking surface slightly raised out from the rim so that the paint can be easily sanded off, or is it flush? If it's flush I think it would be difficult to sand off neatly so I might consider getting different wheels.

Also, is it powercoat or paint? I can't be bothered to sand off powercoat, it would take forever.

I used to just spray paint my rims then angle the pads and go for a good ride until the paint wears off, I don't think I'd do that now :shock:

stickman

A lot of painted wheels have the braking surface bare. On my Raleigh I wanted all-black rims so sprayed them black and fitted hub brakes. Hub brakes are excellent, luxury compared to rim brakes and they don't look chavvy like discs.

Mine are Sturmey Archer, aluminium with cartridge bearings.

lae

Hub brake is a coaster brake yeah?

Probably not very suitable for a racing bike - pedal clips, long descents etc

stickman

No, there's hub or drum brakes - different to coaster brakes, there's also roller brakes.

Have a look on my flickr.

lae

Ah right just like a motorbike drum brake. Some interesting pictures in there, I'm actually at Coventry university doing Automotive Design. If you see a metallic champagne singlespeed Raleigh with red tyres and grips, it's mine!

stickman

Glad you like them
I'll lookout for your bike.

mgcycleguy

frinkmakesyouthink wrote:

^ mgcycleguy, has your charge plug got the white wheels?

I was looking into buying some for my new build, but I was told that they're fully painted (even the braking surfaces) so wouldn't be any good for a bike running brakes.

Is the braking surface slightly raised out from the rim so that the paint can be easily sanded off, or is it flush? If it's flush I think it would be difficult to sand off neatly so I might consider getting different wheels.

Also, is it powercoat or paint? I can't be bothered to sand off powercoat, it would take forever.

I used to just spray paint my rims then angle the pads and go for a good ride until the paint wears off, I don't think I'd do that now :shock:

... I've heard the same, but the ones that came on my bike, have no paint on the brake surface... you could always drop Charge an email and ask them, I asked them a question about new products and they answered with a comprehensive, "non-corporate" reply....

http://www.chargebikes.com/contact/

billy whippet

condor tempo or pista (there's a second hand one on this site)

Mithras

Supergoose wrote:

I have a Paddy wagon which is great. Mudguards and a sensible gear great all rounder. 8)

+1.

Convict

Pearson Touche - light, stiff, unbelievable handling and good value for the components included. I have one over a year and a half now - addictive from the first day.

chugger

+1 for Pearson Touche, going into my third winter with it, zero problems. Why not wait until the bike show at Earls Court, it's where I first tried mine out.