I was under the general impression that the Langster isn't particually well liked, why is that? is it the kind of people who buy them? it is not a good bike? or simply because it's from the big-named Specialized?

The hostility is aimed soley at the paint jobs on the city specific models, they came over like a cynical co-opting of a cycling subculture for naked commercial gain.

Ourtside of this I think most people here are agreed the Langster is a decent bike, lightweight, well specced, reasonably cheap and is often recommended by folk here to people asking around for a good reasonably priced SS/fixed - it fortunately comes in non-city specific paint jobs.

But if you like the city paint jobs then that is also all well and good, after all you should choose a bike you like - not choose a bike to fit into other people's idea of what is cool or uncool.

I somewhat thought it's mostly the city suit's the reason why it's particually disliked, (riding around Holborn to Angels defintely notice the number of Langster and city suit), especially when some people jumped the bandwagon on SS/fixed after it becoming popular.

Not noticed the Langster + City suit link, nor have I seen it mentioned here ?

When do you consider it become popular and at what point are you considered pre or post bandwagon ? I must know ! :)

some of the purists/aesthetes/fascists* aren't a fan of the sloping top tube and generally relaxed geometry. they prefer their track frames all upright and solid and tight as a nun's a chuff. some people also prefer steel to aluminium. i think they look like a sack of shit. i'm sure they ride really well, but probably not as well as a bob jackson. i suspect they're more practical than a fuji in entry level terms, but again, not as nice.

*delete as appropriate

there was a s-works that came in the other day that i got to take for a spin. it was far from a relaxed geometry.
other than that i unno. i liked the pre made models. linking them to a city shows they'e paying attention to the type of riders in each city (i'm not sure about london, but i know the chicago is set up like the majority of the chicago kids bikes, and almost everyone i know in nyc rides short bars.)

most people turn their noses up at it but the pshycoholgy is pretty interesting as it's not in itself a bad bike.

let's say that of all the langsters sold in any given year, 50% are ridden by inexperienced cyclists / commuters who wobble their way to work, SS, and bought it because they liked the paint job, thought gears were complicated and/or SS / specialized are cool. 25% are bought by experienced cyclists who need a cheap commuter and no more, and it fits the bill. the remaining 25% are bought by cyclists who want to get in to fixed, and end up selling it to progress to better things. It's the latter you'll find on this forum.

So, at the end of year 1, 50% of people are wobbling their way to work (still), 25% are riding it well, and the remainder have been sold. Of this remaining 25%, 50% will be sold to wobblers, 25% to happy commuters, and 25% to fixed riders who are starting out. Over time, you can see that the general population of langster owners gravitates to the wobbler commuter types.

the point is that the bike itself is pretty good for the money / starter bike / fast commuter, and if people were honest about 25% of people here would have to admit owning one. People bitch and whine about the geometry (it's actually tight, for a commuter) and crap components, but for the money it's very good value, and IMO these arguments aren't really valid. But it's what the bike represents: a mass produced bike for the wobbly mass public (not really "proper" cyclists) that inspires the derision. Specialized don't help by producing these idiotic local versions: the NYC is painted with the livery of the cyclists bigest enemy, the taxi cab, and the london is painted with the subway map, which is what most bike commuters are trying to avoid not advertise.

I've just re-read tynan's post: "a cynical co-opting of a cycling subculture for naked commercial gain" - which is spot on.

I admit it. I own a langster, which i had painted immediately to remove the stupid decals. having been out of the saddle for a couple of years, it was a good way to get back in to cycling. I ride it fixed, and have bought 2 more bikes/frames in the 6 months I've owned it, and am bidding on a 3rd right now. Not sure if I'll keep the langster now, but it's served it's purpose well...

+1 to what Fred said!

I could of written that post word for word !!! are we living paralell lives??

they are pretty good value for money bikes.
i also must know.

use the search function for the full spectrum of opinion/japery.

have you seen mine

nuff said

nothing's wrong with langsters, cheap,lifetime warranty, light. A good bike to get your witts right to ride fixed.

great bike to ride naked

i rode a langster for nearly 2 years, loved the bike, never failed me, must have amassed over 4000 miles on the thing. when i got it i really wanted to do a self build but i was living in somerset and all the local shops were useless on the subject. i kinda copped out and just bought a langster as seemed easier and not too expensive.
the only problem with it was when riding through london seeing many other identical bikes riden with no love. didn't like riding the same bike as the uninthusiastic masses (bit of a shit reason, but maybe i'm just a big narcicist). recently all the bearings final wore out so instead of replacing the headset and BB i just bought a lovely new frame off of here. now feel happier with my 'interesting' bike that i have actually put some thought into and fits me better, though annoyingly is a bit heavier. new wheels needed.

and also i rode it naked, made the saddle smell bad, though that got nicked the next day. ha bike thief, thats had my sweaty balls and crack all over it.

Yeah but some of them are real goers.

Nowt wrong with mine . . . pictured here halfway through HHSB metamorphosis and awaiting arrospockment



2 years of daily abuse and still going strong . . . not as beautiful as a classic frame, but i think it has a certain something, its fast, can take a lot of abuse and is nice and light . . . i have a love hate relationship with it in that i would love a fuji track pro but i would hate to get rid of the langster . . do think the geometry on the older ones was a lot better.

I'm loving the chainstay protector. But you're riding clipless with one brake? (brake cable's a bit short too, if I was being picky). and that looks suspiciously like a freewheel..

I hate them.

But looking at the bike ^above^, and having seen a few in Bristol/Birmingham with arrospak fronts on...

I'm kind of thinking of them as a dirty slave-trade classic

the city bankers who ride (or push) them onto the train to work on sunny days just make me laugh. They will read GQ and buy a jet-ski by next summer.

You are correct , but i put it together to provide some pics for the matt black paint thread and as i had to ride it to a mates with a camera to take the pics.

Old wheel was all i had to hand, and the chainstay protector was there to protect the frame while i put the chain on, just forgot to take it off, and i was waiting for my new rear wheel to be built (open pro on velosteelhub fixed coaster hub) . . it now runs brakeless up front, i just had the old one on for the ride to take the pics.

Waiting for a black aspock for the front, and a black deep v 36h for the rear, then its done, it also has a different saddle on now too. Will post pics when fiished

Agreed . . i dont like the new ones as much they try and look retro and it doesnt work, its a modern bike and deserves to be treated as such, hence why i am going down the Slave route as i think it works with the frame, and i originally meant it to be a pub bike but as usual one thing led to another . . GQ had the Brooklyn MW track bike in it last month . . .

if that bike was a band it'd be Cypress Hill.

It's definitely the people that buy them.. they're all twats.. especially this cunt..

I heart Langster threads..

Mr Hippy . . please can we have a side on pic of the greatest machine to ever bear the specialized name so that the full magnificence can be appreciated ?

Stripping your bike down and putting in the washing machine shows true dedication to bike maintenance.

It's wayne's washing machine.. you should know I don't do bike maintenance ;)

How's this: Prav said my bike is QUIET?! Can you fscking believe this?!?! ;)

i have no idea how they ride but they look fucking GAY

At least you don't have to clean them every morning to keep them looking slave. :)

I think the geometry has gotten slacker - the 06's look a lot tighter than the poo brown/london langsters.

If I were you Ed, I'd go for the racing green ones (current model) - I've only seen one on the road, looked pretty good in motion.

As for their quality, I've seen a fair few curryers riding them - they're light cheap and durable.

But I'd go for the fuji, cos it's even more cheap and probably just as durable.

(P.S., did you get my PM with anna's number?)

asm I'm not even going for a specialized bike! I'm actually talking with Fixed Gear London about them building me a bike instead of getting an off-the-peg bike.

yeah I did get her number too, thanks!

The black ones (06 and earlier I think) had pretty tight geometry. The brown ones and later got slacker geometry and a carbon fork.

This is mine.

Was an ugly london one but changed a few things around, have couriered on it for 6 months, hasnt let me down and has taken a beating.
Gonna hand it down to my girl and get a steel frame track bike next round.