Fixed Gear on £1000 cyclescheme budget

jmb1966

Newbie here, so hello

I’m thinking about using my next cyclescheme voucher to get a fixed gear for winter training.

£1000 to spend.

Thinking of either a Condor Pista (my “best bike” is a Condor too. A bit over £1k.

Or a brick lane bikes fixie for half that, plus some Garmin power meter pedals for the best bike.

Heart on first option, head on second.

This all started from considering a cheap £250 fixie for a laugh....

Thoughts?

Thanks

J

imposter2.0

The third option is to say that a fixed wheel bike may be a bad idea for winter training. However, if you're talking about a track bike, now that's different...

fenix

I think fixed gear can be a good idea for winter training - I've done it in the past. Higher cadences keep you lovely and warm in the cold and there's a lot less to clean. Maybe trickier if you live somewhere hilly though.

joe_totale-2

Fenix wrote:

I think fixed gear can be a good idea for winter training - I've done it in the past. Higher cadences keep you lovely and warm in the cold and there's a lot less to clean. Maybe trickier if you live somewhere hilly though.

Slowing down by putting resistance on the pedals is less likely to make you skid than using the brakes in snowy and icy conditions.

I've made an assumption here that you're London based as you've mentioned BLB and Condor, how about heading to Pearson Cycles in Mortlake to see this lovely machine:

https://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson ... ee-me.html

It's in budget and Pearson take Cycle 2 work.

jmb1966

I’m pretty convinced by the merits of winter fixed gear - good workout in short time and just some variation to summer stuff. And makes bike care easier.

Not sure the Pearson suggestion helps - I’d kinda narrowed down to two but that is a very nice bike. Guess it is an alternative to the Condor one if I don’t go BLB option.

I’m not London based, but visit regularly and it’s by far the best place to view fixed gears. There’s much more choice in a small area. And the post is a magical thing....

Anyone got experience if the Condor and/or BLB?

moonshine

A few years ago I bought my Kona Paddy Wagon new for about £400. Still have it and it is great. Absolutely no need to spend a bag of sand on a winter fixed!

super_davo

Fixed gear can be an acquired taste... I wouldn't drop a grand on one until you've tried it and are sure its for you.
I like mine, think its a good training tool and use it for commuting all through the winter, but there are drawbacks. I don't like it on group rides or anything too hilly, with downhill being much worse than uphill.
Main thing I like is the maintenance, use it through the worst of the winter and all it takes is a sponge clean every so often, can be lax on maintaining the drivetrain when it only cost £6 to change the chain. Not sure that I'd feel the same on a £1k Condor though

jmb1966

Thanks Super D - what do you ride?

mrdsgs

you probably mean/need "single speed" with a flip flop rear wheel so that you can switch between fixed and freewheel by turning the rear wheel around. It also means you can have 2 different gears. My langster is covered in filth this time of the year and gets a weekly hose down/re-lube and has served me well for 10,000+ miles, probably 5 chains, 2 new freewheels (eno), replaced wheel set once (£75) and a headset and bb in 5 years of use from November-March, 48-17 gearing. good as new and saves other bikes for better weather. I bought it second hand for £250 and all of the above spares will have cost £350. Certainly no need to spend more than £500 on a new ss bike, you can't go far wrong with a langster.

jmb1966

No, I think I mean fixed. I’m looking for the constant pedalling workout...

imposter2.0

JMB1966 wrote:

No, I think I mean fixed. I’m looking for the constant pedalling workout...

Have you ridden fixed before?

mrdsgs

fixed is always an option with a langster or other ss bike but, as others have said, riding fixed in a a group takes real concentration and even stopping and starting at traffic lights is an art in itself (you cannot rotate the cranks without unweighting the rear wheel). But, it does works for some but more for pose value for wannabe couriers!!! ....until it all goes horribly wrong, usually downhill!

turbotommy

I bought a ‘brother swift’ a few months ago. Built it up myself, and I’m absolutely loving it. As others have said, the lack of maintenance / effort to keep it clean is a big bonus. But it’s also just something different which is a lot of fun. I rode from London to Brighton a month or so ago which was a bit of a test. But I’ve started using it to do laps of Regent’s Park and it’s given me a chance to get more confident riding in groups too.

As always you can spend what you want... but there’s a whole spectrum of choice. Originally I bought mine as a comuter but I’ve gone a little OTT on the spec which has made me less confident of locking it up.

964cup

I have to say I've stopped riding fixed in London. I still ride s/s with the same ratio, so it's not a gearing thing, but I find the roads are now so potholed and lumpy that there's too much risk of coming off when you hit something you just can't pedal though. I dislocated my shoulder last year in November in exactly that way; since then I've kept my fixed riding to the Velodrome.

Bikewise, I'd say go for the Condor because nice bike is nice. But obvs one of the points of fixed is that you can get an actual bike, rather than a BSO, for cheaps. Worth asking on LFGSS as well. Maybe have a look at the Fuji Feather and Cinelli Tipo Pista. I note that Evans currently have a Vigorelli at exactly your budget as well.

Or you could sod the budget and get Sonnet to build you one:

helterskelter

I managed to pick up a fully built Holdsworth Zephyr recently from Planet X, they are still selling the framesets (for what I paid for the whole bike ) and using their components would still come in as a cost effective build. The quality of the frame is absolutely top notch and proper Reynolds tubing. It’s a proper blast to ride!

Plus nothing quite like the satisfaction of building a bike up by yourself!

Couple of photos below.
viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13100579

super_davo

JMB1966 wrote:

Thanks Super D - what do you ride?

I ride a Specialised Langster bought from eBay for a shade over £100. Changed bars, stem, wheels, brakes etc. but mostly from stuff rejected off my nicer bikes so still very inexpensive. Can only run 23mm tyres, can only take Crud guards, but fulfils my hack bike/commuter brief perfectly.

jmb1966

Thanks for replies.
For record:
I have ridden fixed before (ages ago...)
Not planning to ride in groups
Not riding in town (gently rolling terrain)
Want to use in winter for a decent workout on a 15-20 mile rolling ride on quiet roads.
Thinking steel for comfort,oh, and looks good...
My question is in budeget do I get very nice, or quite nice plus some upgrades for my main bike.
And has anyone any experience of the BLB bike (or anything else at that budget).

craker

+1 on a Langster. If you're looking for a comfy ride, I wouldn't go fixed!

joe_totale-2

Well if a Vigorelli is within budget at Evans I'd look at that. Only thing is that the rear wheel isn't a flip flop one so you're going to have to be 100% committed to riding fixed!

I also ride a Kona Paddywagon which I bought from the forums here. I love it, it's everything I need from a commuter bike in terms of being dead simple to maintain, clearance for 28mm tires and guards and a nice steel frame which is both comfy yet rewarding to ride.

lakesluddite

If you're looking to cut down on winter maintenance, and it's available in the budget, what about a belt drive? Not ridden one myself, but can imagine you'd cut down on wear and tear by cutting out the metal chain altogether.

Just a thought.

mpatts

I bought a Genesis Flyer for that very reason. Done about 5k on it, love it.

amrushton

Condor Tempo or similar with mudguards. I currently run 44 x 17 which is a bit high, will be going to 46x18 when the current set wears out. Can get round most things in Lancashire on a 48x19
Mudguards are an essential for a winter bike imo

cycleclinic

It matters little for training purposes if you ride fixed or single speed. Go for it.

The Bob bikes are pretty good.

turbotommy

thecycleclinic wrote:

It matters little for training purposes if you ride fixed or single speed. Go for it.

The Bob bikes are pretty good.

There’s less ‘let up’ riding fixed as you can’t free wheel. And breaking using your legs means you’re going to be working different muscles too. Not trying to nit pick though, I know what you mean.

I’d recommend anyone thinking about going fixed / singlespeed to try fixed first to see if they can get their head around it. Just because it’s such a different experience it makes things a bit more interesting and can be lots of fun.

Matthewfalle

i don't know how much it costs but f you want single speed cool then buy this.

utterly impractical but lovely.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/tra ... oi-de-velo

cougie

And not legal on the road without a proper brake.

Matthewfalle

easy enough to fit. 30 minute job.

craker

Matthewfalle wrote:

easy enough to fit. 30 minute job.

Nah, it's not drilled for calipers as far as I can see.

Matthewfalle

double check if you can drill it or just replace with drilled one from px. its too cool to pass up.