Anyone got one or thoughts on?? Contender.

[Pedrosanchezo]

Hey guys,

Sorry if this has been posted before. I could not see any evidence that it has been.

The bike is the State bicycles "Contender". The spec looks not too bad and the frame seems good. Found a weight for it as stock at 9.2kg including brake and pedals.
Was thinking maybe a few upgrades and could be a not too shabby fixed bike. I'd bet the wheels weigh a good 2 kg+ of the stated weight also.

http://www.statebicycle.co.uk/product_p/contender.htm

Any thoughts or experience based feedback would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

Pedro.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Cant see the point in spending £600 and then upgrading it,
You could build your own to a higher spec and cheaper too
Oh and pic 33 has to be the worst welding I've ever seen

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Cant see the point in spending £600 and then upgrading it,
You could build your own to a higher spec and cheaper too
Oh and pic 33 has to be the worst welding I've ever seen

I too noticed the welding. Not a pro when it comes to chromo welding but looked a little less than neat.
I thought it might be the case RE "build your own" but i am not sure i have the time just now. Then again i could make it a project and do it as and when i can.
If i was to do it the "build" way then i would want to go as light as i can though obviously in a budget. Open to suggestions and fairly flexible.

 

[Dan_h]

When I bought my bike earlier in the year I had a look at State bikes, my impression was that they are quite expensive for what they are. £600 is not far below something like the Cinelli Mystic Rats or a Bianchi Pista (with a little shopping around).

 

[Rob3rt]

It's a hip fixie skidder! Just buy a Mash and be done with it.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

When I bought my bike earlier in the year I had a look at State bikes, my impression was that they are quite expensive for what they are. £600 is not far below something like the Cinelli Mystic Rats or a Bianchi Pista (with a little shopping around).

Yeh the Bianchi Pista is nice. Would like to know the weight though?? Can't find anywhere.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

The reason i posted the Contender was i had never seen one before. Shot in the dark that anyone had an experience or knew someone who did.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

It's a hip fixie skidder! Just buy a Mash and be done with it.

A mash?

Was looking for something to do short full on sessions with and have never heard of before so posted here.

TBH though i am wondering how light one could go with a fixid bike............

 

[totallyfixed]

Presume this is for the track, I see no brakes.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Presume this is for the track, I see no brakes.

Where it is sold in the UK it comes with front brake. Tektro i believe. Not for track use in my case.......

 

[Scruffmonster]

Hey guys,

Sorry if this has been posted before. I could not see any evidence that it has been.

The bike is the State bicycles "Contender". The spec looks not too bad and the frame seems good. Found a weight for it as stock at 9.2kg including brake and pedals.
Was thinking maybe a few upgrades and could be a not too shabby fixed bike. I'd bet the wheels weigh a good 2 kg+ of the stated weight also.

http://www.statebicycle.co.uk/product_p/contender.htm

Any thoughts or experience based feedback would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

Pedro.

9.2KG is very heavy for a single speed/fixed at £600. My Fuji is the same weight and cost £325.

Edit: No it's not. But it's not light either. My bad.

 

[Dan_h]

Yeh the Bianchi Pista is nice. Would like to know the weight though?? Can't find anywhere.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

The reason i posted the Contender was i had never seen one before. Shot in the dark that anyone had an experience or knew someone who did.

Personally I would not get too hung up on the weight. They will all be reasonable at that price point and a few grams either way wont be noticable, Quaility will be though!

 

[totallyfixed]

I can't imagine buying a bike without trying it out first, there is so much difference in handling and responsiveness between different makes and to an extent, materials although I think it is possible to produce a bike with very similar handling characteristics using different materials. The only difference then is likely to be weight.

 

[Rob3rt]

A mash?

Was looking for something to do short full on sessions with and have never heard of before so posted here.

TBH though i am wondering how light one could go with a fixid bike............

Cinelli Mash, the ultimate "fast" hipster whip! The Mash histogram actually looks nice and Cinelli make good frames. I own a Cinelli track frame - not a Mash though, although I wouldn't be opposed to owning a Mash despite the hipster connotations!

 

[Dan_h]

I can't imagine buying a bike without trying it out first, there is so much difference in handling and responsiveness between different makes and to an extent, materials although I think it is possible to produce a bike with very similar handling characteristics using different materials. The only difference then is likely to be weight.

Agreed, you need to actually see it and ride it before you can make a proper desicion. This is why bike shops are better than the internet

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Agreed, you need to actually see it and ride it before you can make a proper desicion. This is why bike shops are better than the internet

I have never bought a bike that i have not tried b4. It's just i tend to look on the internet first then track down a stockist. I also don't mind paying £50-£60 more as i trust face to face transactions much more than email confirmations.