Fixie from Evans

ddraver
ddraver Posts: 26,391
edited January 2014 in The workshop
Hi Guys

Just started a new job in london which has the ride to work scheme from Evans. I was thinking of getting a fixie as I suppose deep down I'm a hopeless romantic hipster...

I rode with a few guys in Holland who rode fixed gears and they mostly used cinellis or fuji bike which are available from evans.

I was looking at the Mystic Rat model - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cin ... e-ec046632

But also saw the vigorelli in store - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cin ... e-ec046632 - in black/yellow (not pink) that looked like it had better kit on it (and was 200 more) and can be drilled to put a front brake on

I want it for commuting (not found a permanent place yet so distance unknown) but also for weekend running around. I spent the past 3 years in NL and am used to riding a bike everywhere and I don't want to let that slip really. Another thing to think of is that I'm a big guy (ex rugby player) so stuff for a 55kg hipster is not going to work so well.

Be good to know your opinions, I don't know much about this and I'm struggling to find much info actually

DaveK
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver

Comments

  • owenlars
    owenlars Posts: 719
    These are two very different machines. The Vigorelli is an out and out track bike so to make it road legal you would need to drill the front fork and stick on at least a front brake, and if you were using it in typical commuter traffic I would suggest a rear brake would be sensible as well. You would therefore need brake levers, cables, outer and brakes all of which cost and would be jury rigged, in other words a compromise. The frame is also designed to be ridden on a track for no more than a few minutes at a time, I would suggest it would be very uncomfortable on a commute of say 30 minutes to an hour.

    There are a host of fixed/single bikes that would do the job better. The Langster is one. Pearson do two one in steel the other in ally. Charge are excellent and Cooper do some nice single speeds. Evans have stacks of others in stock as well. I would get one that is road ready and designed for the road rather than the track.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,391
    Cheers Owen, some good info there! I confess I wasnt aware that there would be much difference between the 2. I assume you re talking about the variation in stiffness and geometry...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,391
    Ok, after the first commute I definitely need something with proper brakes!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver