Looking at getting one for the commute to work and general shopping/pub duties. Anyone got one.? What are they like.?

I've had three!

Although the last one was just a short term loaner.

I quite like them, as you might have gathered. They're suited me to perfectly. Tough, bit heavy but lots and lots of fun.

Legs go round, wheels go round…

That was the same reason I got mine, however I worked over 25 miles away. Decided personally gears was more important for me as I wanted a bike that I could do some serious road miles on as well hence swapped for a geared cyclocross bike.

To ride the pompino was great fun though, handled well on and off road. Felt good doing city centre riding as quite a compact frame. Would be a perfect commuter. Cheap and good looking.

I would think of getting one again but just wasn't right bike for me at the time

Not my picture but was my bike

I've had 4 Pompinos. There's still 3 in the family.

The small one has gone – the rider is somewhat bigger now 🙂 The other one here is a 135 and has been taken over by my son.

This one is a 120 rear end which makes it perfect for a Sturmey-Archer 3 speed – all the gears a man could need – and I have converted it to belt drive.

The last one is the Ti Pompino (as seen in Samuri's post). I've modified it slightly since getting it. There's few more things to do to it yet.

Epicyclo, how did you convert to belt drive? I can't see that there is a removable drop out or way to split the frame, so what's the method of fitting the belt?

tthew – Member
Epicyclo, how did you convert to belt drive?

I cut the frame at the dropout and made up a plate to reconnect it. That was 18 months ago and there has been no problems. Very much an at your own risk job though 🙂

The belt drive combined with the S-A hub makes for a silent bike. You don't realise how noisy even a SS chain is until you have ridden a belt.

This shows how. (Don't worry about the position of the hub, it's actually quite solid there)

Looking back on it now my il pompino purchase was the beginning of the end of my proper fit phase and I'm only recovering from it now. 4yrs ago I persuaded myself to buy another bike for winter road training and my 20 mile each way commute to work, leaving the cx bike in cx mode permanently. I lived on one side of the South Downs and worked on the other and all my favourite rides laced up the downs with pretty much constant ups and downs. Looking back now, telling myself that it was good for me meant that in my heart all the fun was taken out of my training. The hills I'd enjoyed previously were all just about survivable but only just, and the descents went from edge of the seat hair raisers to spun out, kick backing, brake dragging bores. Looking back at training logs, I can exactly match the purchase of the pomp and the decline in my miles and fitness. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Now I've moved much closer to work it does sterling service as a flat-barred brookes saddled potter to work and the shops best-bikes saver, clad in puncture proof marathon plus tyres.

It spends its daytimes lent against the wall of my dept and the occasional Italian student we have and I share a snigger about the name.

Ah, I see it, that little black plate with the 3 bolts in it. Quite fancy a belt drive, (I've nothing against chains, just because I can) and was puzzling how I might achive this on my Day One. Not sure I could bring myself to wield the hacksaw on it though. Was thinking more along the lines of a small Thorn frame connector on the seat stay.

Convert, to my mind that's the beauty of the il Pompino.

It's not about speed or being best at some aspect of the sport, it's about getting out and enjoying being on a bike on a bike that is capable of going almost anywhere. And if you bang it up doing something stupid it'll keep going and you haven't ruined some megaprice blinglespeed.

tthew, I've had a look at the Day One with evil purpose, but I don't think it would convert very easily. It has a fancier dropout.

epicyclo – "it's about getting out and enjoying being on a bike"

That was just about exactly why I didn't like it (although it took my 3yrs to admit it to myself) because for the first time in my life it all became about the bike – could the bike (or me on the bike I guess) make it up the 20% hill without crippling me, could I make it down the other side without thrashing my legs to death whilst rubbing my rims to bits. And then there was the odd bit of flat stuff with geared club mates, hanging on for grim death in a maxed out cadence frenzy. Previously the bike just evaporated from conciousness, leaving me with the countryside to take as I pleased.

Ah, so it was fixed gear, not the Pompino then?

You can fit a Nexus or Alfine hub to the Pompino 135 OLD, although I prefer the 3 speed on the narrower OLD model.

Yes, nothing wrong with the pompino per se, although I do think the size large top tube could be a little longer, or the XL have a shorter headtube making it more suitable for 6fters – but that's just personal preference. The whole tough as old boots, worth less than a good meal out thing appealed to me very much. Mines a 120mm spaced version – will have to look up sa gearing again as I hadn't realised it was 120mm compatible. I like the idea of belt driving it too!

The 5 speed will fit too, as will the S3X 🙂

Just getting an alfine fitted to my SS pompino, if it's anything like the 456 it's going to be great, will post piccies once I get some.

Currently riding mine to works 3 times a week (40 mile round trip), sometimes when riding into a headwind (that would be on the way to work and misteriously also on the way home) I'd quite like gears but to be honest the Pompino will munch miles up no problem and seated climbing on it makes your legs really strong really quickly!

Working on a route from Shrewsbury to Milton Keynes, should be approx 110 miles, if I can find a way through Birmingham without getting lost….

Loving mine, use it for 12 mile each way commute, most days.

I took this photo last night specially for you lucky people:

Flat bar ftw 🙂

Now sadly gone, my commuter for 3 years.

I really regret selling mine 🙁

epicyclo – "it's about getting out and enjoying being on a bike"

Couldn't have put it better myself. 8)

My two, Standard (Midges / steel fork) and Pro (PX Superlight Teams / carbon fork)…

Both are fixed, but also got a Kaffenback for those "must have gears" days… 😉

got drops back on it now.