I would like to have been at Interbike this week to see the number fixed gear/track bikes coming out this year. From what I’ve seen, it looks like most everyone is expanding to include a fixed gear trainer and/or a higher end track bike. One of other blogs I frequently read www.fixedgear.blogspot.com has covered some of the new arrivals. I have cut and pasted several of his posts to include his comments here.
Obviously it is becoming a new sub-market in the Road Bike arena. It appears that there will be a fixed gear ride in Jacksonville starting a little later in the fall.
Enjoy this info. Thanks, Fixed Gear. He has compiled some great research.
The Cannondale Major Taylor track bike is named after cycling legend Marshall 'Major' Taylor. Aluminum frames, carbon fork, 46 x 16, Dura-Ace hubs, crank and cog. A 54cm model - my size - has 73 degree head tube and 75 degree seat tube angle, making this a real track machine.
The Motobecane Messenger brings back a venerable French brand name. This bike looks like a good value, at $795 MSRP which means a street price of $700 or so. All chrome-moly frame and fork, 48 x 16, flip-flop hub with track cog and freewheel, TruVativ crank, and front and rear brakes. I can't find the geometry on their web site.
The Co-Motion Streaker is spendy at $2,395 for the complete bike, but what a bike it is. Aluminum frame, Chris King headset, Flite saddle, White Industries hubs, and a Shimano long-reach front brake mated to a custome carbon fork makes adding fenders a snap. 73/74 angles means it is a little less 'track-y' than the C'Dale.
Too much? How about a Raleigh Rush Hour for $600? Butted chrome-moly frame, TruVativ crank, 48 x 16 free/15 fixed, two brakes, ready to go. Also 74/75 angles, more track like.
The Specialized Langster has an Aluminum frame with double-butted tubing. The fork is alloy (i.e steel) with a Cr-Mo steerer. The bike is ready for street use with front and rear dual pivot brakes. With a 48t chainring and a 16t Shimano freewheel it is geared a little high but it is “fixed-gear compatible” which I guess means you can add a track cog and lock ring and be ready to go. It also features a KMC Z-510HX, 1/2" x 3/32" chain with “anti-drop inner links.’ Never heard of this chain but it sounds good. The geometry is a compromise between true track geometry and road geometry, with a sloping top tube and track fork ends. It has 32 hole Alex rims laced to Specialized hubs. It has a square taper BB and a Specialized 170mm crank. Street price is around $500, a good deal.
The Lemond Fillmore has a True Temper OX Platinum steel frame (nice pipes) with a Bontrager Race Carbon fork. It has front a rear dual pivot brakes. With a 44 tooth chainring driving a 16 tooth Dura Ace cog, this bike is ready to ride. Truvativ splined BB and carbon seatpost. It has a Bontrager bolt on rear wheel with a QR front. Geometry looks slightly less aggressive than the Langster which should make for a very comfy ride. Street price is about a grand.
The Fuji Track has a chrome-moly butted frame and fork. This bike doesn’t come with brakes. It does have a 48X16 drivetrain, a little tall for beginners, and comes with clip and strap pedals. 32 spoke wheels, and the geometry is similar to the Fillmore. MSRP is $500, street price is a little less which should leave some money in the budget for a brake and lever, and a set of pedals.
The KHS Flite 100 has a Reynolds double-butted chrome-moly frame and fork. No brakes here either, also features a 48x16 drivetrain with a Truvativ crank driving a Dura-Ace cog. This bike also comes with clips and strap pedals and has a MSRP of $659 with a street price a little lower.
The Bianchi Pista is the most shiny of the bikes, with its chrome frame. It has a double butted chrome moly frame and fork. Also has a 48x16 drivetrain and I’m sensing a trend here. 32 hole Alex rims laced to Bianchi hubs. No brakes, but comes with double sided SPD style pedals. Track-like geometry and a MSRP of $550 which means real price should be around $500.
The Rivendell Quickbeam is the strangest ‘fixed gear’ bike you will ever see. Double butted chrome moly frame and fork, lugged, brazed in Japan. Strange four speed drivetrain has flip flop hub with two freewheels and two chain rings. Cantilever brakes, huge tire clearance. Run it as a fixed gear road bike, single speed cyclocross bike or anything in between. Takes fenders easily. Has huge 32mm tires. Relaxed road geometry, long wheelbase. Nitto bar, stem and seatpost. $1,300 plus shipping but you will be the only kid on your block to have one.
The Saint John's Street Cycles fixed wheel bike is now available as a ready to ride bike. Double butted Tange tubing. Mavic MA3s laced to Sovos flip flop rear hub and SunTour XC QR front hub (nice!), 44 tooth chain ring and ‘sprocket of your choice, SKS fenders(!) front and rear long reach brakes and levers, your choice of bar width and stem length. $750 plus shipping ($50-$100).
2 comments:
I'm new at the bike game, or should I say very old and trying to get back in the game. I overheard a couple of folks on Sat. morning's ride from Open Road talking about fixed gear bikes... so the buzz is out there. Unfortunately, I don't have time to research your links... Maybe you can explain the attraction in a nutshell... also,on a related matter, is there anyone pushing for a velodrome here in duval county?
Well I'm not an expert...really far from it. But in a nutshell...there are three basic types of fixed gear bikes. A track bike, a fixed gear trainer and the urban/messenger bike. Most of what I included on the blog was track bikes or trainers. The track bike is specifically for racing at the velodrome. (usually more expensive) The trainer (in the $500-$1,000 market) is the single best way to improve pedalling efficiency. If you've riden in a group, you're likely to see higly efficient riders or really poor riders. The fixed gear trainer will help you improve because of its constant pedalling motion. It doesn't have a free wheel. In larger cities, there are messenger services that ride bikes as they deliver stuff. These guys are great rider usually. They have all kinds of bikes but the common thread is that they are fixed gear bikes.
As for a velodrome in Jax...not likely in my lifetime unless one of us who cares wins the lottery.
Several websites to check out. if you have the time. www.americantrackracing.com
www.fixedgeargallery.com
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