Bike suggestions

[rideswithmoobs]

As I keep putting the miles in and edging closer to my goal I got to thinking about my next bike. Once I could regularly put the miles in inbetween family, work, jobs and other interests namely motorbikes, then I could justify a better bike. My question is has anyone got any suggestions for a single speed fast road bike ? Not a commuter, city bike but a road bike. I had decided on a Cotic Roadrat or escapade but that's not really any different to the Genesis although probably better quality and components it's still aimed at same market I think. Next idea is a Condor Pista or a Condor Accacio but asking condor to build it as a single speed.

Any other ideas or thoughts other than building my own which I'm not considering at present

 

[Deleted member 1258]

What are you using the bike for? I have a Genesis Flyer set up as a fixed, I put over 3000 miles into the first year I had it, I used it as a commuter bike and my winter bike, as my winter bike I was doing 50-60 mile winter Sunday rides on it. As my commuter I was doing a 6.5 mile each way commute.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/its-been-12-months-since.197067/

 

[rideswithmoobs]

What are you using the bike for? I have a Genesis Flyer set up as a fixed, I put over 3000 miles into the first year I had it, I used it as a commuter bike and my winter bike, as my winter bike I was doing 50-60 mile winter Sunday rides on it. As my commuter I was doing a 6.5 mile each way commute.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/its-been-12-months-since.197067/

Building up to long training runs Dave but looking for something lighter, faster and I suppose a road race bike but without the gears. My Genesis day one is excellent and I fully intend to use it as a winter bike / trainer, canal paths and the like as I do now and just looking for an upgraded summer bike.
The Genesis is a quick comfy bike and it holds its own brilliantly but once I begin to climb towards Kendal and beyond it becomes clear this is not what it's designed for. So far I have around 500 miles on it. I don't commute because I work overseas when not at home so just pleasure and training rides.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Perhaps look at the Pearsons? The names are silly, but I had a Pearson Touche fixed for years and it was very good.

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson-once-more-into-the-breach-2868.html


http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson-now-you-see-me-2867.html

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Perhaps look at the Pearsons? The names are silly, but I had a Pearson Touche fixed for years and it was very good.

http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson-once-more-into-the-breach-2868.html


http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson-now-you-see-me-2867.html

I like the pearsons but they still pitch them as commuters and geometry sways that way. I contacted Condor and they say the Acciaio has vertical drop outs so not possible to use frame as a Ss but there pista is there race orientated Ss and designed with that in mind rather than as a commuter. With the option of any colour scheme for an extra £150 to make it very individual I'm seeing that as the front runner. Cannot find any other choices to compare at present

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I like the pearsons but they still pitch them as commuters and geometry sways that way. I contacted Condor and they say the Acciaio has vertical drop outs so not possible to use frame as a Ss but there pista is there race orientated Ss and designed with that in mind rather than as a commuter. With the option of any colour scheme for an extra £150 to make it very individual I'm seeing that as the front runner. Cannot find any other choices to compare at present

The more expensive of the Pearsons I linked to is the same as my Touche, it made a very good commuter, it was also very good at longer rides, I did the forum 100 mile fixed gear challenge on it in 2014, I think we did about 108 miles

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/100-mile-fixed-gear-ride-spring-2014.136598/page-16

I think our ideas on bikes are different, I wouldn't buy the Pista, I'm sure I looked at it at some point when I was looking to buy a bike, it doesn't take mudguards and that on its own would take it off the shopping list.

 

[rideswithmoobs]

The more expensive of the Pearsons I linked to is the same as my Touche, it made a very good commuter, it was also very good at longer rides, I did the forum 100 mile fixed gear challenge on it in 2014, I think we did about 108 miles

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/100-mile-fixed-gear-ride-spring-2014.136598/page-16

I think our ideas on bikes are different, I wouldn't buy the Pista, I'm sure I looked at it at some point when I was looking to buy a bike, it doesn't take mudguards and that on its own would take it off the shopping list.

I'm going to take a good look at the Pearson Dave and respect your view and input as you have vastly more experience on fixed/single than me and completed a 100 mile ride on it which is more than I would use it for. I dont think our views on bikes are too different. I just have a commuter style bike and would like something a touch racier. Reading some write ups of the more expensive Pearson it does fit the bill and I will definitely be looking at it more closely

 

[JimboJames1972]

This time last year I was in the same boat. I had a Genesis Tour bike, and it was my first "proper" bike (ie. I paid over a hundred quid for it). It is a great bike, if you plan to load it with panniers, guards and gear, and was well used for many camping trips last summer.
Then I realised that I wanted to do more than just camp with a bike. I wanted to go fully off road. I wanted to join a club and ride 60+ miles each weekend. I wanted to do my own training mid-week, nip into town, to the pub, to mates. I wanted to do sportive rides and charity rids to Paris, C2C and even LEJOG. In short, I wanted to do everything and this bike was not up to all it.
I soon recognised that there was no one bike to rule them all, despite what others might suggest, so it was "N+1" time.
For single speeds I converted a couple of vintage steel frames into SS and tried that route. That was great for learning and mechanical knowledge, but while they were great for short dashes through town traffic, I found them too twitchy and too aggressive in geometry for longer rides. I now have a Genesis Flyer, slightly modified and now with about 1500 miles on it, that fills my need for a winter/training/dashes into town bike. It has done me a few 75+mile rides too and, while these were finished in one piece, they were not too pretty...
For my geared needs I have a Genesis Equlibrium 20. This is essentially a Flyer with gears (and slighty different steel in the frame) as its geometry is identical to the Flyer. For the most part I use this for my longer rides, say 50 miles or more, and for my summer rides when cleaning salt and crud off the bike is not so much of an issue. For me the geometry is fine. I don't need a "fast" geometry, I'd rather be comfortable and shave time off my rides by getting fitter myself.
Now, I must admit that I a bit of a brand addict, I do like to stick to one brand and heavily support my local bike stores for my needs. Hence, I tend to stick to what they have available. In an ideal world I would buy a second Equlibrium and convert it to SS to get the higher spec frame and components so, considering your opinions of Condor bike I would think this might be a good option - get a "race" bike that you know and are happy with, and convert it to SS?
Just my 2p worth,

J

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Some good points Jimbo, I looked at converting a condor race bike, well them building it but because of vertical dropouts it's not possible. Because I live 20 mins from lakes I'm also thinking maybe a geared second bike would be very sensible due to hills and wanting to venture more that way. Doing it on a Ss would be awesome but maybe beyond me. Condor Acciaio looks a good choice, a more all day relaxed geometry racer or indeed the Equilibrium 20. I looked at one last year but opted to use a Ss to get fit and build some stamina. Ended up loving Ss now.

 

[3narf]

I'd love a really nice, lightweight SS. My Falcon is brilliant, best bike I've ever owned, but it's a bit heavy (not that you can tell riding it), rusty and 'traditional' looking.

I'd love to build a track bike for the road but I suspect it'd be too harsh to get much enjoyment out of it. I'd love a Bianchi Super Pista or something similar.

However, as I'm 50 next year (! ) I've decided I'm going to do a framebuilding course next year; I'm going to build a dedicated SS roadbike frame with similar geometry to 'Aryton' but from lighter tubing, with a sloping top tube for a modern look, and track dropouts. Ironically, the biggest decision will be what type of bars it will have!

 

[rideswithmoobs]

A frame building course @3narf ? Who are you doing that with ? Hopefully you will be regularly posting the build on here and then I can pre order mine from you
I don't work in summer mostly just Spring & Autumn so I could happily sit in my garage frame building if I had half an ounce of ability

 

[JimboJames1972]

I looked into a couple of frame building courses, but most were out of my budget - ball park figures (from some fairly limited research) were in excess of £1000 to end up with a finished, but unpainted, frame. It would need painting and then all the bits - wheels, bars and brakes, chain and crank, bottom bracket...
Of course, there may be more budget friendly courses out there and I appreciate how the knowledge and skills learnt would be invaluable, but for me the initial outlay could not be justified :-(

As for hills, I actually quite like tackling the local hills on my SS. In fact, I often find them less of a strain than on my geard bike, and on club rides I can easily match the geared riders for pace up them. (Note - my local club rides tend to be 40-60 miles at 15-17mph average. My training loops are 30 miles at 18mph average). Granted, hills in Suffolk are no match for the ones in the Lakes, but our local lanes around here are far from flat. We tend to get long, gentle rises (2-4% for up to a mile or so) with the occasional cheeky climb of up to 15% for a few hundred metres. Like I said, not exacty the Lakes but on my geared bike I often find myself repeatedly changing down and down and down, losing momentum each time I change, spinning the legs like a deamon, and my thighs just burn out like that. I actually find it more "comfortable" under most circumstances to get a bit of a run at it on my SS and then just standing and grinding at a lower cadence until it is all over. My lungs might suffer a bit, but my legs have more in them at the end of the climb to get back up to cruising speed easier like this.

The only real conditions where my geared beats my SS is for very long, endurance rides and when there is any type of headwind or side wind to battle into. Hills will eventually end, but a headwind for an hour or two is too much for me on SS! I don't really want to faff about with changing to a bigger rear sprocket and gear down, just to then end up under geared on the tailwind leg. My current gearing of 48:18 is pretty much bang on for dashes into town, up to 50mile club rides and my training loops.

Again, just my 2p worth, and I accept others might think differently, but I hope it helps,

J

 

[rideswithmoobs]

I looked into a couple of frame building courses, but most were out of my budget - ball park figures (from some fairly limited research) were in excess of £1000 to end up with a finished, but unpainted, frame. It would need painting and then all the bits - wheels, bars and brakes, chain and crank, bottom bracket...
Of course, there may be more budget friendly courses out there and I appreciate how the knowledge and skills learnt would be invaluable, but for me the initial outlay could not be justified :-(

As for hills, I actually quite like tackling the local hills on my SS. In fact, I often find them less of a strain than on my geard bike, and on club rides I can easily match the geared riders for pace up them. (Note - my local club rides tend to be 40-60 miles at 15-17mph average. My training loops are 30 miles at 18mph average). Granted, hills in Suffolk are no match for the ones in the Lakes, but our local lanes around here are far from flat. We tend to get long, gentle rises (2-4% for up to a mile or so) with the occasional cheeky climb of up to 15% for a few hundred metres. Like I said, not exacty the Lakes but on my geared bike I often find myself repeatedly changing down and down and down, losing momentum each time I change, spinning the legs like a deamon, and my thighs just burn out like that. I actually find it more "comfortable" under most circumstances to get a bit of a run at it on my SS and then just standing and grinding at a lower cadence until it is all over. My lungs might suffer a bit, but my legs have more in them at the end of the climb to get back up to cruising speed easier like this.

The only real conditions where my geared beats my SS is for very long, endurance rides and when there is any type of headwind or side wind to battle into. Hills will eventually end, but a headwind for an hour or two is too much for me on SS! I don't really want to faff about with changing to a bigger rear sprocket and gear down, just to then end up under geared on the tailwind leg. My current gearing of 48:18 is pretty much bang on for dashes into town, up to 50mile club rides and my training loops.

Again, just my 2p worth, and I accept others might think differently, but I hope it helps,

J

Again a big help Jimbo. I enjoy the hills and approach them exactly the same on my Ss. I have gone up short climbs of 1 in 7 on the single and seen guys climb constant hill climbs in the lakes on them so I know it's possible and your experience proves that too. The one nagging doubt is the headwinds.....killers but then they are no fun on a geared bike to me.
I'm running 46:18 so 70 gear inches on 700c wheels (27.5")

I suppose I'm questioning if a single speed can indeed do everything a geared bike can in all situations

 

[biggs682]

As I keep putting the miles in and edging closer to my goal I got to thinking about my next bike. Once I could regularly put the miles in inbetween family, work, jobs and other interests namely motorbikes, then I could justify a better bike. My question is has anyone got any suggestions for a single speed fast road bike ? Not a commuter, city bike but a road bike. I had decided on a Cotic Roadrat or escapade but that's not really any different to the Genesis although probably better quality and components it's still aimed at same market I think. Next idea is a Condor Pista or a Condor Accacio but asking condor to build it as a single speed.

Any other ideas or thoughts other than building my own which I'm not considering at present

My suggestion would be to have a chat with Lee Cooper Cycle Frames and get him to build you one in good old Reynolds tubing , i have a frameset of his and built it with the help of my local bike shop , its the nicest single speed bike i have ridden and i have tried the Charge , Langster and the Genesis options and i find this better than those mainly on the basis of quality of workmanship that has been put in to it .

See here My latest Project

 

[User19783]

Here's another bike from my collection,

As you know I own 4 fixed wheel road bikes,
This one, Specialized Langster is the lightest and the fastest, it weighs 9 kg, but with Mavic Ellipse wheels , it goes like a rocket on- a good day,
I brought this bike from @biggs682 last year for about £150, money well spent.

So, would I buy another lighter fixed wheel bike than this one, No, because what has made the Langster feel so fast, is the wheels,a great upgrade, and worth doing.

I hope this is helpful ?