Do you really want a 74 degree head angle track bike? My lightest road bike is a carbon Dolan Seta track bike with a Ritchey monocoque road fork and a front brake. Sure you can swap to carbon rims, but if you are running just a front brake, the I would not as breaking performance will be impacted. In fact my fastest HED race wheels are alloy rims because I like the braking.

Black Open Pro rims with shiny brake track, shiny spokes and hubs and you will have a fine-looking bike that weights little. If you want nice high front, get a Dolan Seta. You can drill out the front Alpina fork which is made for a front brake – I have that set up on my fixed TT bike (Dolan pre cursa).

And don’t run it singlespeed. It hurts the baby robbins.

Black is passé.

Highly polished alloy rims with silver spokes look much better, especially with red. And there’s no problem about the brake track colour then…

The Aventon should look even better in person,

Couldn’t look much worse!

@joshvegas do show us a beautiful track bike/singlespeed! you’ve got me all excited now

BTW speaking of CAADz

Fuji Feather

I wouldn’t mind converting to disc on the front and running the rear fixed for the ultimate bastard hybrid, but I’d need a new fork and wheel, which also wouldn’t really match the rest of the bike.

I actually did this for a while for use as a year-round commuter.
It was fine while the weather was nice, but if front wheel grip couldn’t be guarunteed (i.e. in the wet or icy months) I was always a bit more concerned about my ability to stop. while you can stop a fixed bike using the drivetrain alone, it’s never as effective as a brake if you’ve only got one conventionally braked wheel it’s always a bit spicier in winter…

These days I still run the same bike fixed (brakeless) rear, with a front rim brake (flogged the disc fork), but it’s got a pair of risers now, the guards have gone and is only really for fair weather use as a pub bike.

TBH it sounds like function is taking 2nd place to aesthetics here.
If you want to be on the absolute bleeding edge have a matching frame and fork and not scuff your rims could you consider fitting a drum brake on the front? None of the other Hipsterfixietwats will have one of those yet…

AliExpress carbon on my Kona

@cookeaa

I want to make riding more fun, and not just a slog from A to B in the most effective way possible. Aesthetics is part of it, so is light weight, certain handling characteristics, low maintenance needs, I also like to grind high gears partly due to building my legs doing so. Aesthetics is less than 50% of this.

Aventon Cordoba plus 38 mm chinesium carbon wheels seems to be the budget way to go here, sad they’re so expensive in Europe compared to the US.

Like this you mean?

The aventon is grim.

The cinelli is not bad.

But skinny steel…. Phwoar

Add skinny wheels… Phwoarerer

Add an njs stamp or two… Fappity fappity fap.

I want to make riding more fun, and not just a slog from A to B in the most effective way possible. Aesthetics is part of it, so is light weight, certain handling characteristics, low maintenance needs,

That is exactly why I ride track frames on the road and gravel.

You could certainly do lightweight with carbon rims and the Dolan Seta frame that TiRed mentions. Could be sub 6kg. Lots of good track frames on eBay if you don’t mind used. My current frame is a Langster Pro (1500g frame with 340g full carbon fork) which only cost £200 and was in mint condition. Weight with road tyres and no special light parts is 6.3kg

You should also go fixed, single speed just feels a chore compared to it.

Add skinny wheels… Phwoarerer

That’s revolting.

@kerley thanks for the tips! Building up something from used parts could be a good idea, I’m not in a rush, although I do love the orange red of the Cordoba and it’s relatively clean lines, can’t find one used though so value is so-so. Trying to keep the total under €1000.

@joshvegas sorry, not into pokemon.

You don’t get better looking than a real track bike with Drillium. Maybe add tyres 🙂

Yes^

Epicyclo knows man, he knows.

Except that particular bike is two big for true aesthetic bliss

BTW proper fixed wheel bikes have wood rims.

Get them here.

No problems with brake tracks 🙂

I want to make riding more fun, and not just a slog from A to B in the most effective way possible. Aesthetics is part of it, so is light weight, certain handling characteristics, low maintenance needs

All Fair enough…

I also like to grind high gears partly due to building my legs doing so.

I don’t know if you’ve ridden fixed on the road, round town and in traffic before, but a high “Grinding” gear will simply make this a slog. The one thing riding fixed has taught me is how to spin a sensible (not too high, not too low) gear a bit better across a range of cadences, because you basically have to. If you just want to mash a big manly gear and build your leg gunz an over-geared fixie isn’t the right tool (IMO/IME of course)…

…38 mm chinesium carbon wheels seems to be the budget way to go here…

I think you’re still valuing bling (and aero?) over maintainability there; sensible Alloy 32h rims make much better sense on a round town fixie shirley?

Also worth noting that just as not all road frames have the same geometry neither do track frames.
I have owned more than 10 different track frames and none were exactly the same.
My current frame (Langster Pro) is an out and out track frame (no brake drilings) yet it has geometry that is closer to a typical road frame. The head tube is steeper at 74 but the fork rake is 43 (whereas a lot of track forks are 30 – 38mm)
It also has a relatively long head tube at 150mm so even though I am 10mm or so higher than on a road bike, due to BB height, the stack is similar to a road bike frame with a 140mm.
It basically rides very much like a road bike albeit I am sat 10mm higher off the ground.
The strangest thing about it is that is takes tyres up to 30c which is very unusual as I have had frame where 23c was tight.

I don’t know if you’ve ridden fixed on the road, round town and in traffic before, but a high “Grinding” gear will simply make this a slog.

Tend to agree although I am very much a spinner and use a very low gear, 60GI (mainly because I ride a lot of gravel on it and where I live is very up and down).
A very high gear is difficult to get going, difficult to slow down using legs and difficult to skid stop. Great for going down hill though as I am hitting almost 200RPM on some of the hills I ride down but that is the compromise.

Bling is great until you can’t stop in the rain because you only have one carbon rim. Just buy a Seta frame before they stop making them (again), build it up with some carbon bits if you must. add a set of nice wheels. I prefer low flange hubs, beacuse I always think that the typical track hubs with large flabges (and I have three sets), just don’t look right on a road bike.

For serious bling, I also have a TriRig front brake, think aero campag Delta in black that actually works, that is more aero (it’s a TT bike so aero helps).

For a 1000 pounds, I think you’ll struggle with bling. Seta frame, handbuilt wheels (Miche hubs and CXP33 rims) and some modest finishing kit would do it. Posh lighter wheels will be hard. Carbon wheels will not come under budget.

I’m on 65″, spinny on anything downhill but I tend to stick to flat-ish routes where it’s perfect for the sort of typical 17-18mph at a high cadence.

That’s 39-16 with 700*28c with a dynamo and guards.

In summer I could probably creep upto 80″ without the dynamo and guards, but even 44-14 is 83″, and 22mph at 90rpm. That’s a big gear to be trying to keep on top of unless you’re in a group and can draft.

If you just want to mash a big manly gear and build your leg gunz an over-geared fixie isn’t the right tool (IMO/IME of course)…

Disagree, I exclusively use the 40-11t combo on my current bike which equates to 94 GI. Leg strength has shot up, also do my squats etc. Probably helps that I’m 90 lean kgs. Suffering is fun!

Gerontophiliacs josh/epic: I had to google Drillium, here’s something that came up..

My tentative plan is to get an Aventon Cordoba orange/red 58 cm fixie 48-14 for just under £600. May not need to change the wheels (for brake track aesthetics reasons) as It’s flat here so can get away without using the front brake much.

I’ve had 2 pairs of DTSwiss PR1400 wheels with the black oxic coating running them in all weathers for 3 years. The black coating has lasted. It’s important you use the blue brake blocks. Great wheels that come with tubeless ready milkit kit. Bearings super-easy to service.

@fantombiker nice! could be a good and not too expensive front wheel upgrade. You can find the rims used cheap as chips.

That Aventon frame is over-priced, it offers nothing that the Dolan Pre-Cursa has for almost double the price. That includes an alloy steerer fork, which may or may not take a drill. The Alpina fork, common to the Pre-Cursa and Seta can be drilled easily for any front brake. It took me about 10 minutes to do mine. If you get one ask me how. The Pre Cursa is a great ride. The Seta has a higher front end and carbon loveliness. It’s not particularly light though, except I swapped the fork for something much lighter. Black with shiny bits is a great look. Most track wheels will have shiny spokes.

I’d post some pictures, but have lost the will to do so

The Alpina fork, common to the Pre-Cursa and Seta can be drilled easily for any front brake.

Or just buy one that is already drilled (there are options for drilled or non-drilled)

The Seta frame is light for a track frame though isn’t it, thought it was around 1100grams? but the Alpina fork certainly isn’t light (~600 grams)

The Cordoba comes with a pre drilled carbon fork, in the us the whole bike costs a ridic £310 with free shipping!

The dolan looks great, but i love the red/orange of the cordoba.

but the Alpina fork certainly isn’t light

It’s a boat anchor. My Ritchey is 340 g.

Gerontophiliacs josh/epic: I had to google Drillium, here’s something that came up..

That’s delicious.

yohandsome

Gerontophiliacs josh/epic: I had to google Drillium, here’s something that came up..

That’s not Drillium, that’s Millium.

Then there’s Choppium….

If you find an enthusiast’s bike from the all steel era, odds on the seatpost has been cut to exact length for minimum insertion, ditto the stem, the hand grip portion of the bars may seem a bit short, and the top of every hex bolt has been countersunk. The cranks will probably be bevelled, and a slot cut around the base in line with the cotters. Spokes will look like piano wire. The sort of mods that could be done at home with a hacksaw, a decent file, and a hand powered drill..

It’s amazing how much weight can be shed from parts that don’t need it.

If you’re really keen you can butt your plain gauge tubing with emery, but unless you really know what you’re doing you’ll end up with a lightweight folding bike.

An all steel bike could go under 18lbs, and there’s someone on this forum who has the sine qua non, a 1930s Lauterweight (17.5 lbs in racing trim).

odds on the seatpost has been cut to exact length for minimum insertion,

guilty

kerley

guilty

Natch… 🙂

Probably helps that I’m 90 lean kgs

Ironically, it doesn’t when single speeding, despite the reputation for big legs.

You’ve only got one gear, which means that as far as possible you want to go one speed. Which means you want the least change in power output between the flat, and up a hill without dropping your speed. The heavier you are the bigger that differential becomes.

The ideal singlespeed physique is more Pantani than Greipell!

Found a 58 cm CAAD..not ideal for SS but could work

If you want a fixed gear, get a fixed gear, dont dither with singlespeeds.

I still dont really like mine or believe the hype over it, but i do appreciate that its harder work, and perhapse good for technique/fitness. Its just not as comfortable, safe or quick as a singlespeed!

If you want something easily available and road-ish, maybe get a langster. They were basicly an Allez with track ends.

I love mine (and I have five). And it’s as fast as my medium chain gang can go. But you can be I the wrong gear for everything. I often do rolling rides of over 200 km. but nothing seriously hilly. Around town I ride a shopper or my recumbent trike. Mixed commuting is by fixed folder (68”). But for training it’s fixed and the size of the gear depends on the group and if I’m on my own.

You really want track ends, I used to think a back brake too, but am fine with just front and transmission on four of the bikes now. If it’s SS you have no choice. You’ll have two brakes. So track frames are out (assuming you are UK located, as that’s the law).

Langsters are great, son2 has an old one with some of my old parts. Nice frame. But if you want black bling, it has to be a Seta, so here’s mine after 33 brakeless laps of Hillingdon (on the road I swap handlebars and add brakes – this is before the fork swap)

View this post on Instagram

Seat

A post shared by Daren James Austin (@daren.j.austin) on Dec 6, 2019 at 10:04am PST

And here is one to show those black rims helped by riding brakeless (don’t need brakes where I live as no pedestrians, crossings, roundabouts, traffic lights and very few junctions) 9 times out of 10 I can ride a 20 mile loop without even needing to stop at all (apart from to open gates or climb over stiles)

This is why God makes rims in silver as all bike parts should be. Tyre treads and brake blocks excluded.

Early 90s Cannondale Track, Icelandic Green *swooon*

Not with those pedals 😉 nice -17 degree stem though.