I need help buying a new bike
 

I want a new winter commuter. I am thinking of a steel-frame fixed gear bike.

I have never ridden a fixie before. I don't know what to look for or where to buy them. Any advice will be more than welcome.

Must-have features:

• Fast geometry and drop bars
• Easy maintenance (resistant to snow/salt)
• Clearance for winter tires (I would feel happier with 35mm, but I guess 30mm can do)
• Rear brake
• Must look cool (my taste: all white or all black)

Other nice features:

• Dynamo lights (are these compatible with fixies??).
• Flip-flop hub in case I hate the fixed gear and want to switch to single-speed.
• U-lock holster.
• Rear fender (light and discrete).
• Low price.
• I could consider a track frame if it fits my winter tires and doesn't raise the price too much.

Background information:

• Approx 10-20km/day with the occasional 30-40km day.
• I ride on a mix of (1) quiet backroads and bike paths with lots of snow and ice and no winter maintenance; and (2) arterial roads with decent winter maintenance but heavy traffic (mostly friendly Canadian drivers, but the occasional ****).
• Mostly flat city.
• I like to ride fast and light. I stop at stop signs. I signal my turns. I take the lane sometimes.
• It gets dark at 4:00 pm.
• The bike will sleep at a garage. I also have a bike locker at my office.
• I have very little time to maintain my bike. Best case scenario, I'll wash it once every two weeks.

Why I want a new winter bike:

• I currently ride a Crossrip 3 during winter. I don't like it because it feels slow and cumbersome, it is difficult to clean (because of the disc brakes, gears, and tight wheel clearance), it is expensive to repair after every winter, and it looks expensive and I am afraid it might get stolen.

There is a fixed gear/single speed forum for that. Ask the mods to move this thread.

I posted it here because I also want advice on dynamo lights and winter tires. I figured the general forum could be more useful. But if the mods think that the fixie forum is better please move the thread.

Salcedo, my thoughts are that a single speed with proper tires would work great for the winter on relatively level/flat roads.
IMO you may want to opt for a flat bar vs drops because you'll probably be wearing heavy gloves/mitts making it more challenging to operate the brake levers.

If I were to get a fixed gear (I am not), I would get a Cinelli .

Cinelli

You can put a dynamo on just about anything. My Single Speed/Fixed Gear RandoCross FunTime Machine is well set up for what you are looking for. It is based on a Cinelli Mash Work frame from a few years ago. It has a Shutter Precision hub at the front powering a Supernova E3 pro and corresponding rear light as well as a Nitto front rack carrying my Swift Industries Ozette bag on a Thomson Decaleur (a Thomson DH stem and some rack and pannier parts) and it is running 700x36 tires which are plumpy at 37.something. I am currently running it as a single speed with a White Industries freewheel and Sugino Messenger chainring and D.I.D. Track Racing Pro chain.

I ride the bike frequently in bad weather and have no issues it is fairly easy to clean and so long as you don't abuse it the raw finish has stayed rust free. If you are interested in building up something like that I highly recommend it and would be happy to help you get a build sheet going so you can go down to your local shop and get it built up. Keep in mind though you may need to severely up the budget for a good dynamo set up and something with good tire clearance which most fixed gears don't have. There are certainly places I splurged where you could save but it is a fantastic bike that I love and want to build something similar with discs but don't want to give this pup-a-loo up.

Steel is contrary here; aluminum would be better.I've seen it recommended that if you're only going to have one brake on a bike, it should be on the front.https://www.amazon.com/TwoFish-1-Loc...4561230&sr=8-1Why only the rear? I can't imagine getting sprayed with slush from your front wheel being a pleasant experience, and fenders usually come in sets.
Do you use your gears on the CrossRip? If so, you might really miss them, especially in city traffic.A further argument for aluminum over steel.

If you don't mind rethinking the gearing, here's a possibility:

https://www.prioritybicycles.com/pro...iorityclassic2

It's light, engineered to be low-maintenance, and doesn't cost much. Not sure you'd like the coaster brake, but (I'm guessing here) it is a little like braking a fixie. Swap out the bar and saddle.

Just something to think about.

I would buy something very cheap, aluminum, and simple ... no sense buying some exotic steel frame only to watch road salt eat it up in a few seasons. I would get a cheap BikesDirect bike or anything the right size off of EBay or Craigslist .... after all, you essentially want a beater bike which will get really beaten.

Good news is that bikes are sufficiently developed that even a cheap beater can offer a great ride.

I would get a $200 fixie somewhere, and buy the components i really needed ... or buy an even cheaper donor bike.