Looking for fixed gear bike, what & where should I look for?

Jess_rom52

Hey Everyone,
I was away from this forum for a lot of days and I m back again as I required some sensible suggestions regarding a fixed gear bike. It's my brother's birthday and I am planning to gift him a fixed gear bike as he is fond of biking, he owns a single speed for the past 1.5 years and was talking about having that bike, he thinks himself a hipster :-D, therefore, I want to surprise him by presenting him what he actually wants.
I am not aware what to look for or where to look for those kind of bikes particularly, I am searching for this quest on the internet. I would really appreciate if someone could help me with a good suggestion. My range is about $300 as I am able to save this much from my pocket expense. If possible it would be much better if I could get in less than that.
Thanks in advance

cyclistphil

State bicycles.
I think its statebikes.com
decent bikes great price.

ihadabadidea

These types of bikes are going out of style, so you may want to check some local shops: they may have an older model on sale within your price range. Mail-order bikes usually fit in between what you get at a bike shop and what you get at a department store (aka "bike shaped object.")

As for what to look for, $300 won't buy much, but it should at least get you a chromoly frame, alloy crank, and some OK rims. Foot retention (straps or clips) are a must since losing contact with the pedals on a fixie means a loss of control. Front and rear brakes are a good idea, even if he ends up skidding for most stops. These types of bikes come with a flip-flop hub: one side has a fixed cog, and the other a single speed, so having brakes lets him use the single speed side and still stop. Bike brands rarely build their own bikes, they merely put together components from several manufacturers, so it's a matter of finding the parts you want for the price.

Bikedirect is probably the most popular site for mail order, but keep in mind that the "list price" has nothing to do with what you're buying: their price competitive for what you get, not some much better equipped bike that looks similar. Occasionally, Nashbar will have a good sale on these bikes, too.

CoCoRedRider

Foot retention (straps or clips) are a must since losing contact with the pedals on a fixie means a loss of control.

This is simply not true. I've ridden my fixie with normal pedals for years and never had a problem. I converted a Raleigh I got at a Salvation Army for $20 into a fixie by taking it to my local bike shop. You'll spend every bit of that $300 but it's worth it; they are fun to ride.

mikes99mail

Foot retention (straps or clips) are a must since losing contact with the pedals on a fixie means a loss of control.

This is simply not true. I've ridden my fixie with normal pedals for years and never had a problem. I converted a Raleigh I got at a Salvation Army for $20 into a fixie by taking it to my local bike shop. You'll spend every bit of that $300 but it's worth it; they are fun to ride.

i'll chip in to this one - you're both right!

I ride about ½ my 6k miles / year on fixed and am happy without being attached to the pedals if I'm going slowly on flat roads. Uphill, downhill or if I'm doing anything enthusiastic then not being clipped in is terrifying!!

mikes99mail

Hey Everyone,
I was away from this forum for a lot of days and I m back again as I required some sensible suggestions regarding a fixed gear bike. It's my brother's birthday and I am planning to gift him a fixed gear bike as he is fond of biking, he owns a single speed for the past 1.5 years and was talking about having that bike, he thinks himself a hipster :-D, therefore, I want to surprise him by presenting him what he actually wants.
I am not aware what to look for or where to look for those kind of bikes particularly, I am searching for this quest on the internet. I would really appreciate if someone could help me with a good suggestion. My range is about $300 as I am able to save this much from my pocket expense. If possible it would be much better if I could get in less than that.
Thanks in advance

if he's already got a single speed that he likes and that fits him, if it's got horizontal (ish) dropouts then you can just buy him a threaded cog for the back wheel and a chain whip.. you'll get change out of 50 bucks!

check out the late, great sheldon browns guide - http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

CoCoRedRider

Foot retention (straps or clips) are a must since losing contact with the pedals on a fixie means a loss of control.

This is simply not true. I've ridden my fixie with normal pedals for years and never had a problem. I converted a Raleigh I got at a Salvation Army for $20 into a fixie by taking it to my local bike shop. You'll spend every bit of that $300 but it's worth it; they are fun to ride.

i'll chip in to this one - you're both right!

I ride about ½ my 6k miles / year on fixed and am happy without being attached to the pedals if I'm going slowly on flat roads. Uphill, downhill or if I'm doing anything enthusiastic then not being clipped in is terrifying!!

Very good point! I live in Indianapolis - it's all flat here except some minor hills that I do take slower.

CoCoRedRider

Hey Everyone,
I was away from this forum for a lot of days and I m back again as I required some sensible suggestions regarding a fixed gear bike. It's my brother's birthday and I am planning to gift him a fixed gear bike as he is fond of biking, he owns a single speed for the past 1.5 years and was talking about having that bike, he thinks himself a hipster :-D, therefore, I want to surprise him by presenting him what he actually wants.
I am not aware what to look for or where to look for those kind of bikes particularly, I am searching for this quest on the internet. I would really appreciate if someone could help me with a good suggestion. My range is about $300 as I am able to save this much from my pocket expense. If possible it would be much better if I could get in less than that.
Thanks in advance

if he's already got a single speed that he likes and that fits him, if it's got horizontal (ish) dropouts then you can just buy him a threaded cog for the back wheel and a chain whip.. you'll get change out of 50 bucks!

check out the late, great sheldon browns guide - http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

And another vote for Sheldon Brown's site.

ihadabadidea

if he's already got a single speed that he likes and that fits him, if it's got horizontal (ish) dropouts then you can just buy him a threaded cog for the back wheel and a chain whip.. you'll get change out of 50 bucks!

check out the late, great sheldon browns guide - http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

You can thread a cog onto the freewheel threads of the current wheel, then an English bottom bracket lock ring on top of that. Track hubs use a lock ring with a reverse thread so that no matter which way pressure is applied the cog and the lock ring can't both be unscrewed; with both the cog and lock ring threaded the same way, there's a possibilty of both working loose after repeated braking. If you go this route, it's best if it's put on using the "rotafix" method to get it as tight as possible, plus a little thread locker wouldn't hurt. Chainline should be almost spot on since the bottom bracket is spaced to work with a single speed.

However, you could also buy him a wheel with a track or flip-flop hub, which he could just put into his current frame. That would be way less than $300, and he could switch between single and fixed gear.