I’m looking to buy a fixie for commuting in my new city, rather than taking my nice bike to work, but the commuter has got to look nice enough to hang on the wall.
Without breaking the bank, what would your ideal urban commuter hipster bike be? (I’m not a hipster honest).
Commute on a pompino – love it. Pretty cheap, nice ride position and the wheels have lasted superbly (Don’t think they’re owt special, weinmann I think the brand is, but they’ve done 1000s of pot-holed miles and are still in fine fettle)
Would look at the wheels as much as the frame if you’re looking to pick up something at the cheaper end. Some shite wheels knocking about there – hammer the driveside rear bearing in no time.
Kona Paddy Wagon is an excellent bike that is more than the sum of its parts. Bit of a hipster fail though. The Dolan fxe has similar geometry. The Specialized Langster is a little more hip.
By coincidence, we have one of each in the garage (the fxe is really a pre cursa so no brakes). They are all nice, but I’ll take my custom Paddy Wagon every time. I ride about 4000 miles on it, including training rides. It’s a bit special, with new and lighter everything. But the frame is very good.
+1. a few bits changed over the last 7 years (at easter)
biggest change is the forks to allow me to run a disc. Personally i’d run discs or calipers on a commuter: cantis are too much hassle. mini v’s might be good…
When I used my fixed to commute, there were some days that I absolutely hated it – when you’re a bit ill or just knackered and you can’t even freewheel. If I did it again, I’d do it SS rather than fixed.
Get something that can be converted back to gears once you’ve grown tired of the limitations of riding fixed.
I got it into my head that I had to have a fixie, and I rode it for several years, not just to work, but all over the place.
Trouble with a fixie though is that, ummm, downhills are just really quite rubbish. You just can’t go as fast. Uphills as well. And there’s a limit to how fast you can go on the flat as well unless you’re prepared to spin your legs a quite insane amount.
So one day I woke up and put gears on it (Surly Crosscheck) and never looked back. I love having a bike that I can use equally for commuting in the rain or cycling up and down huge mountains.
Gears are awesome!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/qJsbxA]IMG_20150131_125650[/url] by lukediamand, on Flickr
Another Paddy Wagon here, run SS rather than fixed. It’s a lovely thing to ride, probably due to the geometry rather than anything else. I picked up a reduced 2013 model last year, it has a clearcoat over metal rather than the painted finish of the 2014s. All the joins are a bronze colour.
If I was fast commuting I would get a Dolan precursa. Loaded/gentler commuting with racks it would be a pompino.
I rode this, because i hated my back. Now brakeless with drops and used only on track.precursa looks v nice – I have a 5 mile blast of a commute so reet up my alley. Is that an older precursa in your picture or something else?
once you’ve grown tired of the limitations of riding fixed.
Aside from big hills, what are the limitations? I ride 100 miles/week fixed and can honestly say the only limitation I have is that it is geared to go reasonably fast. I also ride with Look KEOs and don’t have any issue clipping in – it is however a harsh teacher.
Go fixed, learn to spin like a God! But use proper brakes.
Ran fixed for quite a while. When I first got it I used to ride it everywhere. The I gradually stopped riding it so much. I did and still do really enjoy it but got fed up with it after a while so changed it to single speed. Now I ride it as often as possible. It’s often my go to bike. 2 brakes is a good idea because one brake and a fixed gear can be a bit hairy on a commute if you’re in and out of traffic a lot.
I’ve a fixie, actually a SS, for Town. I went to BBB and bought a drop bar special from them and had them fit a front brake on it. I fitted some 28’s on it and mostly gear to 18, sometimes a 19 just to spin up. Down East way some of the roads I use to get into Town are shot or cobbles so I prefer a bit of bounce. I don’t need to commute, 10min walk for me but if I did I’d stick guards on it.
I rode fixed as a student in Edinburgh and loved it. Following a trip to Portland, OR, I fancied another. Thirty years later I liked the simplicity, I could still spin fluidly buts struggled on the steep 12% climbs to get back home. Built up from my spares box and an ebay 653 frame it cost next to nowt. Sold it for more than the sum of the parts, the itch scratched. 🙂
This was mine just before I sold it. Giant Bowery from 2008 I think. Perfect for nipping around the town, a few 30 odd mile rides around Fife and the odd commute from Dundee to St Andrews.
Don’t think Giant still make them, but for about £200 it was a bargain.
I’d suggest staying away from a proper track bike and get something designed for actual roads. The handling will be easier and it’ll have a more hill friendly gear on it.