London Fixed-gear and Single-speed

Happy New Year all.
Some of my questions has been answered on old threads but I just wanted to get latest advice from folks on buying a fixed/single speed bike as I've got particular needs. I've been riding a hybrid 20km to/from central London for 5 past years, and even managed to do London-Paris ride for charity last Sep (yeah,worse choice of bike for long distance don't remind me!). Anyway I've finally gone freelance and got 3 day a week gig which will mean cycling from Harlesden to Elephant & Castle 3 days a week, and rest of the week I'll be in Paris and would like to take the bikeon Eurostar and use it there too.
Now, I'm a tall, athletic strong fella (6'6"/16+ stone) so it's time to invest in a fixed-gear which is speedy, strong, comfortable and reliable and of course looks fresh and unique! I'm a dominate the road kind of rider and fixed wheels really appeal now.
I haven't got a clue what I should be looking at spending (I kinda had £1K budget in my head, but that's cause original was thinking of racing bike), though was thinking given my physique getting a fixed wheel built would be better investment that off the peg? I don't know. Again, I could be wrong as a friend as Bianchi Pista and loves its.
I was thinking of getting in touch with Fixed Gear London or Hubjub, any other recommendations who are top boys to shout?
Any advise on best way forward would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance all.

Baggy

i'm about 6ft 6 and i got a pista for the winter its an '07, but the 60cm size fits well. i would change it around allot if i was not using it as a beat up bike. i got mine well cheep at "veloswap", and probably would not have bought it otherwise. if you do go for one, i would change the wheels, and bb at the least.

i have had a kona paddy wagon for eighteen months and i do a lot of east london miles. it is holding up well but it is not a looker.

but what i did do is test ride a 'viner' fixed about two months ago. it was fantastic. a real looker. i did not buy it cos i dont have the money at the moment. but i am saving up.

you can get one via kev at the cycle doctor in canary wharf. kev has all the sizing equipment and viner will then make it to measure for you. (for example my kona is off the peg and is big for me which is bugging).

and no one else has one.

(but the shop is not open till the end of january - kev is travelling).

good luck.

they don't let you take bikes on Eurostar, you have to use the separate courier service and there is no guarantee your bike will be on the same train as you.....however if you tke the weheels off and put in a bike bag there it will be considered luggage...do you want to do this every time and carry your other bags too?

Winston, thanks for the advice. Yeah I was planning to take the wheels off ad carry as luggage everytime. I'll only carry a messenger bag at most with me. My best mate in Paris is suggesting that I'll get better value for money buying from store in Paris (yeah my French is good & would be an experience!)...does anyone know any good shops or think this is a terrible idea?!

If you're worried about getting a bike to fit you properly, you might consider getting this from cyclefit:
http://www.cyclefit.co.uk/tupelo_ss.html

Strangely enough I've been looking at the Cycle Fit site this morning and thinking I should pay them a visit. I've just dropped the Fixed Gear London guys a note too. That Tupello bike does look amazing piece of engineering, though twice as expensive as the Bianchi. Gonna get on my bike and hit a few places to get some more opinions...keep the advise coming, definitely helping me!

if you've got a bit of cash, I would advise doing a size fitting either at cyclefit where you've been looking already or mosquito bikes in islington, £120, best thing I ever did.
http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/htdocs/sizing.php
it'll answer most of your sizing questions, can be used for any road bike you intend to build up in the future and means you'll know exactly what frame size would be best for you, which makes it a whole load easier if you decide to go down the ebay route in the future.
they also stock fixie inc
http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/htdocs/fixie.php?name=bikes
as well as soma
http://www.mosquito-bikes.co.uk/htdocs/soma.php?name=bikes
if you want a couple more alternatives to extend the budget...

happy hunting..

If you need to break it down and bag it for the Eurostar, I'll look at an Airnimal frame with whatever bits you need to make it fixed. I've seen one around town, and it looks really nifty.

if your budget is 1k the airnimal conversion to fixed will be out of reach... considering you have to get the white industries eno hub and get it built on a 24" rim and other little bits that need changing. i know the guy who owns the airnimal and he complained about tyre choice...

Well, I'm not stuck on the idea of carrying on the Eurostar each week if it's a pain in wotsit and bumps budget...and in fact (Doh!) come to think it I could just leave my old hybrid at Gare Du Nord station, Paris for when I'm Eurostarring and keep the new fixed here in London where it's most needed..

Carrying a bagged bike onto Eurostar at Waterloo was a piece of piss. You had to pass it through the x-ray machine but mine always fitted through without any problems. I've not travelled through St Pancras yet with a bike but I doubt there has been any change (he says hopefully).

Another option might be one of these? I've not got one myself but am seriously considering the steel frame for geared bikes to save on hassle when heading to Europe for events/holidays.

[quote][cite] vegansdontneedgears:
Good to hear you're getting on well with the Pista..I think I'm gonna test ride one this weekend, as although I could stretch to more budget it feels like a good way to start fixed wheeling without breaking the bank..got any recommendations on wheels or bb? Though gonna visit Cycle fit or Mosquito first for measuring.

its a good winter bike for me, and i got mine at a steal, so it might be doomed to be my polo bike, or just sold, depending.

i would go big on the wheels, goldtec or phil wood hubs, if you a bigger guy your going to want allot of spokes in the weels (34 or 36, depends on how you ride) and a good rim, silver pistas look hot with white deep Vs but its kinda an obvious choice, i would find a deep ved silver rim, or maybe some funky colours, just depend on how flash you want to be.

your bb is going to depend on your hubs, since you want to keep your chain line as straight as you can. higher end campy or shrimano are usuly fair bets

Yeah, my thinking now is not to blow £1K on a fixer but spend a bit on a cycle fitting then looking to spend c£5-600 on a fixer making sure to invest in the wheels & bb like you say (I'll be needing trainers and other bits too which will cost). I need it to last me for the next 15 months by which time it'll more than have paid for itself on 3 day a week commutes to Elephant & Castle.
What do you think of the options I've drawn up?
1. Bianchi Pista
2. Kona Paddy Wagon
3. Lemond Fillmore
4. Ridgeback Genesis Flyer
5. Specialized Langster
6. Pearson Touche

if that's your range, i would seriously forget about going off the peg and instead invest in a surly steamroller and get everything built up around it as you want. I just don't see the point of getting a cheaper set of components on this kind of bike then spending again on wheels etc (bear in mind that a decent set of wheels will cost £130-£250).

I would think about:

surly steamroller
deep v's or mavic cxp33 and strong hubs as suggested above.
Then maybe sugino cranks and some good second hand bits for saddle, stem, cleats etc.

what's everyone else think?

btw Phil, I am riding on a Viner - a lugged road bike from '78. Probably not the sort you were talking about but a great frame!

i would cut the flyer and the wrongster, straight off. give the steamroller and fillmore a good long look.

If you're going off the peg, all that you may learn from the cycle fitting is that all the bikes you were thinking of looking at won't fit you properly! Isn't that sort of the problem with off the peg bikes?

did you see this link? posted on the ebay thread

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62cm track frame for you giants http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/24-5-GAZELLETRACK-FRAME-FORKS-MAVIC-WHEELS-inc-CRANK_W0QQitemZ330201138473QQihZ014QQcategoryZ2267 9QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
#

* CommentAuthor

1. Bianchi Pista
2. Kona Paddy Wagon
3. Lemond Fillmore
4. Ridgeback Genesis Flyer
5. Specialized Wrongster
6. Pearson Touche

1. chrome, pretty, rigid, ok, ask ASM, he loves his
2. relaxed, ugly, rides well
3. fairly good value for money, ask docA, he loves his
4. white, fairly clean, some chainline issues (allegedly) looks nice though
5. ubiquitous, buy now, regret later
6. good bike, good manufacturer, good price.

what tends to happen with OTP fixed wheel is it's a great way of getting started, then slowly, inexorably, you find yourself gazing full of lust at the bespoke creation next to you at the lights, and then looking back in disgust at your lesser, uglier machine. this lasts until you purchase a new frame or order a new build of sufficient provenance and beauty to negate the perils of bike envy.

Ha! That's so how I feel right now.

spot on from PJ

sandwiches are the only thing I buy OTP

eww ready made SANDWICHES? They always have that sign 'Healthy Eating' outside your corner shop - healthy whale fat marge... no thanks.

I reckon if you've got a grand to spend and you're a bit large (and can't win something excellent like that Gazelle), you could probably get a beautiful bike made for you at Mercian or by Robin Mather, wait a few more months to make some extra cash and slowly, compulsively upgrade the 'standard' components you will probably have to buy initially? It's a good way to get round the traffic light envy thing... either that or buy a Rankster and just don't stop at the lights?

Or spend six thousand pounds at a certain SE London builder and be the envy of typographers everywhere...

If you're only gonna use it for commuting between Harlesden and the Elephant (10 miles?) a bike fitting is a bit over the top, unless you'll also be doing ton-up training rides on it.....honestly ANY bike would suit that commute, even a chopper/shopper just get the off the peg bike you most like the look of and in the size that feels right in the shop, you can always adjust or change bar/stem/saddle later......

or talk about it for ever and in the mean time cut into your budget by taking the tube......

Winston's got a bleedin good point.

What Winston & PJ said.

Buy one of those off the pegs (I have a Touche that I love) which will be absolutely fine for that commute & then build up to drooling over other things.

[Note to self - must finish paying for current bike before buying new one.]

I like Kam's suggest to get a Surly Steamroller build but was just a bit sceptical whether a custom is realistic within my budget. But more I think about it makes sense to flog my my hybrid & increase my budget up to say £700 for the bike and get a good quality custom fixer. Winston you're right, the Harlesden-Elep commute is 3 day a week but all my mates live south London so I'm regularly bombing it down there too. I think you're right, I might as well put the oner I'd spend on a cycle fitting towards the bike and just bite the bullet.It'll pay for itself in 6 months to-and-fro acrossing town..and avoid any of PJ's wikked 'bike envy' which I know I'll get at the first lights me!

So, the plan is head out tomorrow & checking a couple of the OTPs (Bianchi Pista,Lemond Fillmore,Pearson Touche) and also Surly Steamroller or other custom build.

Next question: Best shop/bunch of guys in north London to relieve me of my money and who won't mind me asking dumb questions and will do me a good deal!?

Talking of dumb questions, is really worth me bidding on the Gazelletrack frame like # vegansdontneedgears suggests? Or am I asking for a world of pain as newbie.

P.S. Oh Winston, there's no way I'm wasting my bleeding money on the tube, I'll drag my hybrid across town until the fixies good to go before I do that!!

Check out Brixton Cycles (they're in Brixton surprisingly, right next to Stockwell skatepark and near the Brixton Academy) and while that's not in any way North London, they're good and they stock Surly.

East London, Fixed Gear London (www.fixedgearlondon.com)

or

Brick Lane Bikes - BLB - sometimes get a hard time on here, but they've got pretty decent stock and they know what they're talking about - although I have seen some ugly conversions in there. They have Bob Jackson Frames at £350, which while that's £50 more than Bob Jackson themselves, you at least don't have to wait eight weeks to get it. Maybe ask your 'dumb' questions on here ; ) before you go to BLB, and don't go at weekends if you can help it.

Funnily enough just got of the phone to Brixton Cycles who I bought my current bike from when I lived down there for many years, gonna see them tomorrow. Wish me luck!

i would say get the gazelle track frame as it is a beauty. however, the front fork doesn't look drilled and it would be a shame to do that. brakeless as a newbie means for sure you will be entering a world of pain.

i like sano's suggestion of brixton cycles and a lot of people talk about Cavendish cycles, on, uh, new cavendish street i think. you should pop into condor for a browse too and if cycle surgery still do the Wilier then that is worth a look at

i actually think there is a lot to be said for going OTP to start with, for the following reasons:

1. it's cheaper and you'll be riding that same day you part with your cash, not 5-15 weeks later
2. as time progresses you'll totally get to grips with setting up your bike
3. you'll work out which components need to be upgraded, and can do so gradually
4. when you do get a new frame you can just drag and drop everything across onto it
5. you will learn all about fixed wheel, and maitenance, before tackling something more ambitious
6. you can get to grips with the mad skilz required for fixed riding, without destroying an expensive bicycle
7 the current pistadex (bikesnobnyc) suggests you will get above RRP for your wrongster when you resell it.
8. all the time spent ogling other bikes will give you a much clearer idea of what exactly you want and why you want it.

this is what i did. i had a fuji. it was great. i got envy. i now have a bob jackson. i don't get envy anymore, and if someone wants to talk at the lights i only respond if they open with 'lovely frame' or some such, thus acknowledging my patent superiority.

baggy, this would be a very sweet ride for a big lad like yourself

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Geoff-Roberts-bicycle-Single-speed-track-bike-classic_W0QQitemZ330200485022QQihZ014QQcategoryZ33 503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

contact the seller and arrange a spin - only in welling in kent