Where can I find a half decent single speed bike

Gabbo
Gabbo Posts: 864
edited March 2013 in Road buying advice
That would do the job?

I'm not looking to spend a great amount.. maybe up to £400 and am happy to purchase 2nd hand. I just need a winter/crap weather bike, and thought that a single speed would do nicely.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Comments

  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    ebay? gumtree?

    Nologo sell one for less than that price I think?
    Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
    Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
    Specialized Langster SS for Ease
    Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
    n+1 is well and truly on track
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/1608875
  • themekon
    themekon Posts: 197
    Have a look at Winstanleys website they do some cracking deals. Loads of single/fixed for under £400.00
  • chaymck
    chaymck Posts: 157
    I'm selling one, look in road bikes for sale. Or message me.
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    Found one!

    prod_58920.jpg

    Has a basket which is ideal for carrying my wallet, spare inner tubes, pump, food, drink and a little puppy. The brown saddle, bar tape, and basket compliments the bike well. Also comes with two mudguards and a drive train cover.

    A set of Zipp's would finish this bike off perfectly.

    No really, below picture

    prod_52842.jpg

    £187. Okay, viking isn't a great brand but as long as it does the job I should be ok.
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    Try LFGSS, you can get a decent bargain there.
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    I have a Viking Roadmaster, it was £200 delivered, and although it weighs the same as a dying star, it's great fun and has been durable so far.

    Also, my local Evans (milton keynes) has a Kona Paddywagon in stock, that's nice.

    And for a bit more:

    http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/YBC ... rge__white
    Insert bike here:
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    mpatts wrote:
    I have a Viking Roadmaster, it was £200 delivered, and although it weighs the same as a dying star, it's great fun and has been durable so far.

    As long as maintenance costs do not exceed the price of the bike, it should be ok for me. I'm not after anything spectacular.. just something that will allow me to resume training and maintain fitness levels.

    How do these single speed bikes ride? I mean, being a fixed gear.. would it not be a difficult task climbing a long and moderately steep hill? If so, great!
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    Climbing isn't generally a problem for me. Descending on the other hand can be tricky. If you're new to it and gonna ride fixed on long descents then a rear brake can be useful.
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 22,264
    Mine isn't fixed but use the single for commuting to work (35 miles) and Saturday did 53 miles with a mate which included a total of 2,000 ft of climbs - just attack them!
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    So do you guys think the sub £200 viking will do a good enough job until I take delivery of hopefully a new Canyon come June?
  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    that is precisely what I did.

    You get used to hills and it's excellent for practicing your cadence.
    Insert bike here:
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    Even though this isn't a single speed bike, it's still good value for money at £299... it's still more than I want to pay for a bike until the summer, mind you.

    big_800PX_mediacom_598963137.jpg
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    SE bikes tend to have fittings and space for full guards - not all S/Ss do. I really like my larger - you can often pick them up cheap. I had a draft light which as cheapp & OK from a to b but the larger is much better quality & worth the extra cash IMO. You should be able to find one on budget. I haven't needed to upgrade anything except brake blocks & I managed to get mine with over 50% off from Winstanleys. Try Triton cycles too.

    Alternatively a specailised Tricross single shot (or singlecross?) off E-Bay (they don't make them any more). I had full guards on mine. A little weighty & you may want to replace the brakes but nice frame - in theory you could take it off road too although the lack of gears meant I never did. I only use a S/S for commuting myself. Ideal for that or short blasts on road for winter taining (for me anyway).
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    What size frame do you need and where in the country are you? I have an On One Pomp size small (I'm 5'8") that I no longer need. Haven't got round to advertising it yet and I can't be bothered to post it. It's got full SKS guards and all so a great wet weather bike. Way better than that Viking BSO.
    More problems but still living....
  • mzm70
    mzm70 Posts: 123
    This is a 56 and well under your budget.

    http://s1129.photobucket.com/user/mzm70 ... 3.jpg.html
  • amaferanga wrote:
    What size frame do you need and where in the country are you? I have an On One Pomp size small (I'm 5'8") that I no longer need. Haven't got round to advertising it yet and I can't be bothered to post it. It's got full SKS guards and all so a great wet weather bike. Way better than that Viking BSO.

    How much are you looking for?
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Probably around £250.
    More problems but still living....
  • Gabbo
    Gabbo Posts: 864
    amaferanga wrote:
    Probably around £250.

    This. Would spend a maximum of £300 but it'd have to be of a good value. I'm contemplating whether a single speed bike is actually a good training tool. Need more feedback on them!

    How does the gear actually feel? Compare it to a combination on a 10-spd bike (if possible).

    Thanks
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    I wouldn't kid yourself into thinking it's better training. Fixed or single speed is good for the winter when the roads are covered in crap so having a bike that doesn't have much to go wrong or wear out is good. But if you plan to race (or whatever) on a geared bike then you'd be better training on a geared bike IMO.
    More problems but still living....
  • Salsa
    Salsa Posts: 753
    Gabbo wrote:
    amaferanga wrote:
    Probably around £250.

    How does the gear actually feel? Compare it to a combination on a 10-spd bike (if possible).

    Thanks

    I have a couple of single speed bikes, my main one is based on a Kona Paddy wagon frameset I bought cheap off crc. I probably spent £600 building it up but it has nice matching high end parts and I built my own wheels for it.
    Gear wise it's fine, just put it close to the ratio you spend the most time in on your geared bike. I run mine quite low geared compared to most (42/16) but I may up it to 44/16 or 46/16 when I wear out the sprocket. Tried 48/16 but it was wrecking my legs and felt too over geared for me in stop start town riding.

    I honestly don't find it much, if any harder compared to my geared road bike, geared is slightly faster but not by a lot, although I think my fitness is the limiting factor. I can do the same sort of mileage on it that I can on my geared road bike but as the poster above I don't think it really makes me any fitter than if I just rode the geared bike.

    Stop/start riding is fine and not anywhere as much of a pain as you would think, when I got back on my geared bike after a couple months off over winter I had a hard time remembering to change down when stopping :lol:
    Not sure I'd want one of those sub £300 Viking types though as every hi tensile steel frame I've ridden feels horrible, try and get a cro-mo one 2nd hand.

    If I had to choose between my carbon geared road bike and my SS, I'd keep the SS as it's way less hassle and a lot more versatile but I'm just a leisure rider.
  • Also there are tons of different gear combos you can swap out for depending on what level of intensity you want for a period. These range from insanely easy to insanely hard.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I agree with many of the other comments.

    This bike takes guards & is relaible but it is hi ten steel so doesn't have the spring of steel that you'd expect - half price though and well under budget. I kept one for commuting for 2 yrs and only changed the brake blocks; it is solid.

    http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/m14b0s180 ... Draft_2012
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    A bit over budget but this looks pretty good to me if in your size
    viewtopic.php?f=40090&t=12912040
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')