looking for a commute bike and quite like the look of some of the bikes floating round at the minute, can anyone recommend a cheap decent bike. i don’t want drop handlebars or fixed gear max price £400.

it’s not a fashion accessory but nice simple colours would be a bonus.

thanks for any help

I’m looking to get a Specialized Tricross Single soon. You can pick them yp very cheap, especially ’08 models that are still floating about.

you could probably get O-O to knock up a flat bar pompino for not a lot, then sling a £10 shimano freewheel on the hub. Very comfortable bikes – have done thousands of miles on one on the road.

off the peg, a Giant bowery I think is good VFM
2009 £390

you do want it to be fixed; it’s so much better on tarmac than ss.

you’re lucky in that most bikes come with a flip flop hub, that you can have one side fixed one side free.

it’s so much better on tarmac than ss

how so?

SS is better for manouvreability in traffic IMO – you can run closer to curbs and have better high-speed control (such as nipping between stationary cars in a queue) when freewheeling and in full control of your body weight than when fixed and trying to manouevre your body weight at the same time as having to pedal. You also have a greater natural control of body weight/bike weight when on rougher rode/potholes/curb hops etc.

Sure there are talented fixie riders out there that make all of that look easy, but its nowhere near as easy as when freewheeling.

i would rather ride fixed than free wheel!