Fixed gear frames

It’s looking like my commute might change from a hilly 12km to a flat(ter) 4km, so I’m pondering a return to riding a fixed gear. I used to have one which I loved, but got rid as it wasn’t really suitable for the riding I was doing.

Has anyone got any recommendations for nice steel frames I could look at? The Surly Steamroller was a classic but it’s mega money these days and pretty heavy. Temple do a nice looking option, as do Brother. Any others along a similar line to consider? I thinkI’d prefer something relatively modern over a 1970s/80s frame.

Thanks!

Mine is built around a Genesis Day One frame from about 2014 (Reynolds 520).

I wanted to go with a 135mm spaced frame and discs. I use a Surly 135mm disc fixed hub.

Clearance is pretty good – frame will clear a 40mm tyre with room for grinding paste.

I guess my starting point would be do you want 120mm (or less!!) spacing and then if disc brakes are important.

An “as it’s Friday” photo:

I’m currently on a Genesis Flyer, but its not as nice a frame as the Condor Pista Steel that preceded it (which rusted through then cracked after 15 years of daily abuse)

Pipedream A.L.I.C.E here. Lovely versatile frame

BMWorks do one called “gangster” & yes it looks dope !

I wanted to go with a 135mm spaced frame and discs. I use a Surly 135mm disc fixed hub.

I just ordered a pair of these to make a new set of wheel for the DayOne i bought off snownrock on here. Looks like the build is going to cost twice as much as I paid for the bike, but, y’know, nice wheels!

Genesis Day One as mentioned above are a sensible option. I’ve had both a Steamroller and a Brother All Day, and the Brother was probably the nicer bike to ride but the Surly was more versatile. Maybe widen the search to include Single Speed CX bikes, which you can always run a fixed rear wheel on as they’ll have sliding dropouts or EBB for chain tensioning.

Or throw caution to the wind and get an all out track bike to make those 4km fabulous fun! Had both a Cinelli Parallax, and a Ridley Arena, and they were both a complete hoot to ride – if a little uncompromising!

@tthew 🙂 The front hub is a Surly too. Laced with  the Open Pro rims cost more that most of the build.

Just wait until you realise the benefits of running a Surly fork and there goes another £130!

For any commuter type bike I’d be looking at second hand options. Whatever bike I ride I try to be as light and as race orientated geometry as possible. Rough looks deter theft (possibly) and fast in case its raining.
I got this Felt frame for £50 off FaceBook and slung random bits from the shed on it. The most expensive thing was the shell build with an Alpine hub. About £250 all in I should think and its great ride.

Used Kona Paddy Wagon. Fabulous bike and hard to find now. Why they stopped making them I will never know. Whatever you get, upgrade the wheels with something handmade with Open Pro rims and Primato hubs for a better ride. Mine also has carbon forks.

or you could really push the boat out…(has the same wheels as my Kona, weighs 7 kg)

@tthew ? The front hub is a Surly too.

Snap!

Laced with the Open Pro rims…

Also snap!

I’ve just realised, once I’ve built these my whole fleet will have expensive home made/hand made wheels.

I’ve got one of those Jack Rack carriers that Wingnut has on his Felt, although that lives on the gravel bike.

Specialized no longer make it but the Langster is worth a look if you can find one secondhand. Alu frame and fork though, I note you said steel but not sure how essential that is for you?

They played around with the gearing and the geometry a bit over the years. Mine is very much road geo, front and rear brakes etc but they did a more track-oriented version too.

The Enigma takes the new ortlieb removable rack and pannier. The Kona wears a rack all the time as I chose the smaller Quick Rack and my heel hits the pannier on the Kona but not the Enigma. All my wheels were built by Harry Rowland. He does make fabulous wheels. Open Pro, Sapim Race and Miche Primato low flange hubs (to make it look more road bike like). I plan on a nicer pair of Royce hubbed carbon deeper section rims for the Enigma.

I also have an original poo brown Langster in parts awaiting a respray  and of course a Dolan Precursa set up for TTs, and a Dolan Seta that sleeps at the velodrome, and a fixed wheel folder (or two). If you aren’t wedded to steel, a Dolan FXE will be a good choice new.

Kona 2007 and commute ready (only the frame and brake levers are original;. I snapped the cranks so these are 165mm 105). I now ride it the 23 miles into central London once or twice a week on double sided SPDs. The Enigma is for club rides and fun.

On One Pompino? It just so happens I have a 54cm/medium  I want to sell, coincidentally as  my commute got much hillier.

With a White Bros ENO eccentric hub you can run fixed/SS on virtually any frame. I have a titanium cyclocross frame that I run SS with one, it’s now fitted with a disc fork.

On One Pompino

About the deadest, most unpleasant bike I’ve ever ridden

Plenty of new options in steel here https://www.santafixie.co.uk/bikes/buy-fixie-bike/steel.html?product_list_order=price_desc&srsltid=AfmBOooje4BX2NvbhbI2LkoqqTvnl4eQgzetQRWISggD7op_wGihYpGE 

Most have heavy frames and wheels, but retain the “look” and clean lines of fixed wheel bikes. The Fuji is 12 kilos! I’d get a Dolan FXE instead, 73 degree parallel geometry, rack and mudguard mounts, front and rear brakes. Alloy not steel.

Never ridden fixed but Cycling UK recently reviewed the Spa Cycles Mono.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle-magazine/bike-test-spa-cycles-audax-mono-fixed-wheel-bike

I’ve got a lovely Kona Paddy wagon, it’s a cracking bike.

And (stealth ad…) if you wanted an XL size frame I may be willing to part with it…

I’ve got a 2009 Kona Paddy Wagon  frame and fork you can have for cheap (52cm frame)

I sold by steel Kona fixie Paddy Wagon during Covid. I bought it for my 40th but never really rode it. Nice bike though.

Still ones about second hand.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/387527778288?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=83yngbkrrss&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=WUD0UrAWSYG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

My club mate sold his PW in a 54. Bought it back again a few years later as he regretted it so much! They are nice bikes with lovely geometry. Always wanted a Grand Wagon with posh steel, but they never came up in my size 🙁 Then I bought the Enigma (used as it happens), and that is a forever bike.

Condor do a few options. Even a brakeless trackbike, but you’d need to borrow your sister’s jeans to ride that on your commute (other female relative’s tight jeans may suffice).

Single Speed Bikes & Track Bike Framesets

Take my money now!!!

https://www.brothercycles.com/shop/frames/the-allday/

And I don’t even want a fixie :⁠-⁠)

I built this up from a very battered Charge Plug. It rides surprisingly nicely.

A bit left field but how about a Stooge?

Rambler

SPA cycles has a fixie.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s193p4421/SPA-CYCLES-Audax-Mono

Bombtrack fixie.

https://thefixedgearshop.com/brand/bombtrack/

And the Ritchey looks a bit special

https://ritcheylogic.com/bike/frames/garden-city-frameset

@didnthurt please stop. That brother is fabulous. Already mentally specced up my next fixed. Ritchey is hugely overpriced but will ride beautifully. Tom knows steel.

I never knew people spent so much for a 4k commute

Ride what you have

I’ll second the ENO hub. Use one on my Cotic X.

I just remembered that they did make a steel Langster one time, but not sure you’d find one now.

https://www.specialized.com/gb/en/langster-steel/p/22866

Or throw caution to the wind and get an all out track bike to make those 4km fabulous fun! Had both a Cinelli Parallax, and a Ridley Arena, and they were both a complete hoot to ride – if a little uncompromising!

4km is bordering on walking distance, in fact I used to walk 3 miles to work for a few years, so a track bike is fine for such a short distance. My only bike for most of last 20 years has been a track bike and I ride 5,000 miles a year on it so while I admit it is compromised to me it is still fine for everyday riding.
I also wouldn’t be fussed about steel as again such a short distance any ride differences are a bit irrelevant for what, a 10 minute ride?

70-80s stuff does seem overpriced when I look, but it’s pre CEN and so potentially way lighter than Surly etc which has always seemed like overpriced basic cromo to me (bias declared!) even before price rises of recent years.

find a nice 1″ ahead fork sh and it’s lighter and stiffer at the front end too.

On One Pompino? It just so happens I have a 54cm/medium  I want to sell,

About the deadest, most unpleasant bike I’ve ever ridden

LOL thanks for endorsing my stealth ad @dovebiker ;D

TBF they’re not quite that bad, but I do have 30mm tyres, nice wheels and parts and a carbon post on mine which probably helps offset the, er, rather prosaic character of the frame.

I’ve got a spa audax mono. It’s nice to ride. The rack and guard mounts are appreciated, although I haven’t yet found mud guards to fit it.

My two are a Charge Plug, which they also sold as the Grinduro.  And a Vitus Six which is really a proper track bike with brake mounts, not a bike I’d really want to ride too far on as the position would kill your hands / arm / core.

For a 4Km commute, if you really need a new bike, get something like the newer version of my ’20 Voodoo Marasa.

Reduced to £350 before using anything like British Cycling membership 8% discount.

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybrid-bikes/voodoo-marasa-mens-hybrid-bike—m-l-frames-452894.html

4km is bordering on walking distance, in fact I used to walk 3 miles to work for a few years, so a track bike is fine 

Other than the lack of brakes making it a poor bike for the distance on public roads and paths.

Spa cycles mono is where I ended up. But in the end I just fitted new wheels to my single cross as the only mono that made sense was the frame set as I was just moving to get a steel frame I decided to spend the money on nicer wheels.

@Mowgli not sure on your sizing but my ti burls fixed/ss is on eBay currently. Been a bit of interest but I’m thinking of putting it back to a magic ss ratio with a normal wheel and dropping the price by a chunk.