Big Brand Singlespeeds Dead?

Surfr

Specialized have made the new Langster brakeless (although the spec mentions tektro brakes, the photos don't show any), and they've also replaced the fized/free hub with a fixed/fixed flipflop hub and returned to a high BB track style setup.

Trek have discontinued the District as far as I can tell.

Giant have stopped doing the Bowery.

What's up with that? I'm after a simple drop barred light weight singlespeed to use on the road and all the big names have nothing to offer.

gaspode

Kona Paddy Wagon?

Surfr

Gaspode wrote:

Kona Paddy Wagon?

Yeh it's steel and heavy though. It does appear to be the only obvious choice out there now though.

Surfr

Felt DIspatch seems to have disappeared from their lineup for 2012 too This is obviously an industry-wide trend.

socrates

I have just bought a Wilier Toni Bevilaqua. After the initial ride it seems great. A little heavier than my Landster but more comfortable and the looks are stunning.

socrates

I have just bought a Wilier Toni Bevilaqua. After the initial ride it seems great. A little heavier than my Landster but more comfortable and the looks are stunning.

mattheww385

Langster Steel? Not quite lightweight is the problem, but it's still got a fixed/free hub on it.

singleton

Genesis flyer -I had one and loved it. Steel but light.

maveco

+1 the Genesis - great fun bikes

rolf_f

Why worry about big brands anyway? I think you can get both Charge and Fuji single speed bikes in Evans so it's not as though they can't be had on the high street.

As for Specialized - whatever the pictures look like, it will have brakes if they want to sell it in the UK!

pete.whelan

also the Genesis Day-One

Surfr

Rolf F wrote:

Why worry about big brands anyway? I think you can get both Charge and Fuji single speed bikes in Evans so it's not as though they can't be had on the high street.

As for Specialized - whatever the pictures look like, it will have brakes if they want to sell it in the UK!

I was coming from a cycles to work scheme point of view originally. Our LBS are stockests for Trek, Specialized, Giant and Kona so thats where I was looking.

Yes regarding the langster, I've heard that about the brakes and can easily buy a freewheel to screw onto the hub so will go for the langster after all.

iPete

Been having the same thoughts. There is a distinct lack of big brand SS bikes and not much Allu choice. You'd think something close to 7kg would be pretty easy in the £6-700 bracket?

symo

Pearson Touche and +1 For Genesis Day One

Would love a Touche, but to be honest the Day One is not screwed yet despite my lack of maintenance efforts.

who needs big brands anyway?

monkeycowboy

Im looking for something to replace my Felt Despatch as I managed to wear the seat stays out/through with a Chromoplastic mudguard!

Can't seem to find anything suitable, I also have the problem of an Evans c2w voucher, if their 2013 fixed offerings dont suffice, I'll probably have to n+1 :roll: and find a frame to replace the Despatch.

I thought "fixees" were all the rage? Or is it just the retro styled ones that sell volume?

DesB3rd

I thought "fixees" were all the rage? Or is it just the retro styled ones that sell volume?

I guess the volume manufacturer single/fixed speed was a piggy-backing of the craze, but it served a niche part of it; the people at the center of the trend (real & wannabee couriers, retro enthusiasts, shoreditch kids) wouldn't get involved with off the shelf stuff, it's either a bespoke built up on a classic steel frame or, less commonly, a road-ised track bike. Those one step out who liked the idea but had no bike familiarity (the same as buying an MTB in the early 90s, only to ride on blacktop) went bought v. cheap off the shelf look-alikes (which in my experience are just awful.) Which leaves a market of people who wanted the experience, practicality &/or training benefits of a decent single/fixed speed, had a bit of money & appreciated the benefits of spending a bit more, but didn't want oversized specs or a patchy beard.

pompy

On One Pompino is on offer atm at Planet x. I bought the frame a few years ago and built it up. It's a lovely bike, steel but still only 8kg.

vally

I'd back up the previous posts complimenting Genisis. They do three different models (I think) singlespeed bikes....Flyer, Madison and the Day One which is the bike I use for commuting. http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes

hashtag

sweet

Frank the tank

Kenisis decade.

Gizmo_

Foffa?

edhornby

PlanetX are doing the pompino / macinato for a really good price at the moment (unbuilt for max cheapness but you can add building to the cost)

monkeydan

I bought a 2012 Langster Steel last year and love it. It does come with both brakes and a flip-flop hub so you can run it fixed or freewheel.

Only issues for me were the handlebars (which I changed for some Charge 'Slice' bullhorns) as they are very uncomfortable for riding on the street; the stock track bars put your wrists at an angle even if you're holding the bars close to the stem. If you're on the drops you can't reach the brake levers as these are BMX style and close to the stem.

Also the stock saddle looks gash - meant to look like a Brooks or something but is just cheap and nasty. Swapped this out for a Charge Spoon which is fantastic.

I think even with the upgrades the Langster's a pretty good bike for the money. Not the lightest but it is a steel frame.

RowCycle

I've a Dolan FXE.

Although I bought the frame cheap from an ebay shop and built the rest of it up myself. My favourite bike.

edit: meant to say you can buy them as a complete bike, I just chose to buy a frame to get some experience of buiding a bike, and thought a single speed was the easiest way to go.

McBoom

MonkeyCowboy wrote:

Im looking for something to replace my Felt Despatch as I managed to wear the seat stays out/through with a Chromoplastic mudguard!

I did the same thing :?

Didn't wear all the way through but definitely a couple of mm. Decided it was still structurally sound, gaffer-taped it so I could live in denial and carry on. Probably done 1,000 miles on it since but it's always a bit of a worry. It's going increasingly unused for this reason.

You got any pics of the damage?

n4th4n007

I just built this up last month for my daily commuter. i agree, the Langster isn't the same, its lost its roots. Now its basically track geomtery and pretty stiff. I was looking for a 2011 one but couldn't find one new. Then looked at the Trek District, didn't really do it for me. So I built the Pearson frame up from scratch, the entire build was around 600 squid. Has a set of Chromoplastics on now.

giant_man

this is nice, if you like discs

MountainMonster

Buy whatever bike you wanted, sell the mechs and casette on and throw a singlespeed kit on? Kits only cost about 20, and with selling mechs on, you will save a bit of cash as well.

paul_mck

I just built one there, from a roadbike frame. So nice and light and just the way I want it. Ok I have the overhead of running a tensioner but no biggie.

Had considered buying a cheapie roadbike from halfords on the C2W (ie carrera virtuoso) and converting but found a cheap frame and forks so just done a build. Lighter than my Giant Carbon with SRAM Red/Force groupset.

markos1963

I don't know if you can still get them but I got a Boardman SC about two years ago. Aluminium frame, Mavic Open sports on Formula hubs, mudguard clearance and carbon forks, 8kg out of the box and only £449(even cheaper if you got one on C2W like me!) Has served very well as my winter hack needing only a change of chain each year.