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Help me find lightweight fixie that can go mostly everywhere

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Help me find lightweight fixie that can go mostly everywhere

Old 09-23-19, 08:02 PM
  #1  
eazyace
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Help me find lightweight fixie that can go mostly everywhere

Hello,

I am new to the bike world but I am looking for a super light weight Fixed Gear bike that I can commute to work but also do light trials. Nothing crazy on the trials just want to make sure if one day I have to cross a grass path or something the bike tire is capable of doing so.

Any suggestions? I would like to stay under $1500 hopefully under $1k

Thanks all
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Old 09-23-19, 09:11 PM
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seau grateau
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All-City Big Block, Surly Steamroller, Wabi Classic would all fit that kind of use nicely. I wouldn't call any of them super light weight, but they're not tanks either.
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Old 09-23-19, 10:00 PM
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Thanks, would you stay clear of Leader/Unknown or Throne? I really do like that look vs. the skinny tubes.
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Old 09-23-19, 11:20 PM
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Pretty much any bike is capable of commuting and light trails. I sometimes ride some pretty difficult woodland trails with ups and downs, tight turns, tree roots and muddy patches on a fixed with 23 mm tyres.

Cycling is much simpler than the internet would have you believe. You buy a bike, ride it, and look after it. All the other stuff about the perfect rims, hubs, group sets, bar set ups, titanium, carbon etc. is fluff. It makes for a bike that will certainly cost more and may be noticeably nicer to ride.

If you take to it, your first bike won't be your last, so you are not making a lifelong commitment to the one you choose.

You will notice an uncomfortable riding position, uncomfortable seat, and cheap slippery pedals.

You will notice a poor choice of ratio, but that is easily cured.

You will notice cheap rubbishy tyres and heavy wheel rims.

Other than that, buy one that feels right, looks good, and then tweak it as you learn more.
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Old 09-24-19, 04:06 AM
  #5  
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Have a look at some of the Mash videos if you haven't already. Those guys tend to ride trails and street interchangeably on the same bikes.

Look for something that accommodates 28mm tires. If you are more trail than road oriented some of the single speed cyclecross frames might work for you.

Really any bike will work for what you are describing. Personally I'd go for steel over aluminum so Leader wouldn't be my first choice. Those thick tubed aluminum bikes, particularly those on the low end of the price range tend to ride harsher than steel although a well designed aluminum frame with a carbon fork, less so.

https://vimeo.com/242151179

Last edited by nightfly; 09-24-19 at 05:45 AM.
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Old 09-24-19, 06:20 AM
  #6  
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An honest-to-goodness 28 mm tire with a good casing is a skeleton key to all sorts of great riding experiences on all sorts of surfaces. I rode thousands of fixed-gear miles on gravel, dirt and badly neglected chipseal on 26-28 mm Continentals, and I LOVE Panaracer Pasela 28s - though I am probably going to go up to 32s in the near future, now that I am old.

I like what Mikefule has to say about bikes in general and I am totally with nightfly in preferring steel over aluminum. Whatever weigh advantage aluminum and carbon might have over steel is lost to the greater comfort, resilience, reliability and durability of a good quality frame built from a good quality butted tubeset.
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Old 09-24-19, 11:39 AM
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I would have no hesitation to take my All City Big Block onto light trails.
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Old 09-24-19, 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by seau grateau
All-City Big Block, Surly Steamroller, Wabi Classic...
You misspelled Soma Rush
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Old 09-24-19, 12:44 PM
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Originally Posted by IAmSam
You misspelled Soma Rush
You right.
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Old 09-24-19, 12:46 PM
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I was going to recommend the On One Pompino, but they don't seem to make it anymore. Shame, as that is a go anywhere, do anything SSCX/FG/commuter/hackbike.
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Old 09-24-19, 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by eazyace
Thanks, would you stay clear of Leader/Unknown or Throne? I really do like that look vs. the skinny tubes.
The only one of those companies I haven't heard multiple damning things about is Throne. Leader had to go out of business for a while and lost all credibility because they made frames that cracked and wouldn't replace them. There have been stories of Unknown taking people's money and not fulfilling orders. Throne, I don't know, but I wouldn't expect them to fit much larger than a 25mm tire (note -- I have not checked this).
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Old 09-24-19, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by eazyace
Hello,

I am new to the bike world but I am looking for a super light weight Fixed Gear bike that I can commute to work but also do light trials. Nothing crazy on the trials just want to make sure if one day I have to cross a grass path or something the bike tire is capable of doing so.

Any suggestions? I would like to stay under $1500 hopefully under $1k

Thanks all
What does "super light weight" mean to you? How many pounds?
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Old 09-24-19, 06:22 PM
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If you come across a pre loved Mongoose Maurice FS you might wanna try that; fits into your description nicely, weighs around 9-10kg, chromoly, mass produced cheap, build for fgfs. I don't think you can find em brand new anyway. But it's quite common.
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Old 09-24-19, 07:39 PM
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First, thank you all for your comments. This has really helped me in decisions.
Given this is my first bike since I was 12 I will go with others advice and take a single bike not worried about weight. You are right, me losing 5lbs will make up for the weight of the bike.

Honestly, I will most likely ride this to and from work with very casual trail if I can squeeze them in.
I do want Fixie just to avoid the gears and maintenance of other bikes. Given care free attitude a good steel bike would do and I wouldnt even be that worried about someone stealing it at that matter.

Any other brand recommendations for this type of bike then? I really like the look of Leader/ Unknown bikes. I also want a 5 spoke tire or 3 spoke like when I was a kid. I know childish but hey a boy can dream. I am 32 by the way in case anyone thinks hey for your age you should go with this""

I really do not like those wabi style bikes as they look old school at least when I was growing up.

THanks again for all the hlp
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Old 09-24-19, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by eazyace
First, thank you all for your comments. This has really helped me in decisions.
Given this is my first bike since I was 12 I will go with others advice and take a single bike not worried about weight. You are right, me losing 5lbs will make up for the weight of the bike.

Honestly, I will most likely ride this to and from work with very casual trail if I can squeeze them in.
I do want Fixie just to avoid the gears and maintenance of other bikes. Given care free attitude a good steel bike would do and I wouldnt even be that worried about someone stealing it at that matter.

Any other brand recommendations for this type of bike then? I really like the look of Leader/ Unknown bikes. I also want a 5 spoke tire or 3 spoke like when I was a kid. I know childish but hey a boy can dream. I am 32 by the way in case anyone thinks hey for your age you should go with this""

I really do not like those wabi style bikes as they look old school at least when I was growing up.

THanks again for all the hlp
If by "Wabi style" you mean a steel frame bicycle then perhaps you should consider that your 12 yo perception of what is good and bad may need some adjustment. Those, cheap, Chinese box factory no-name or "Unknown" frames you seem smitten with are just that, unknown in quality, unknown in strength and unknown in durability. Aluminum is a potentially good material but only when properly specified, welded and carefully designed. It also has the lower fatigue life, less strength diameter for diameter (than a "wabi-style steel bicycle) which is why they use those cool looking hydro formed tubes to get sufficient stiffness which produces a harsh ride. But it looks cool to a 12 yo.

You should just get a Surley Cross Check and build it as a Fixie. That way when you run into the back of a PU truck, after you pick your teeth up off the road, you will be able to mount Canti brakes. The Cross Check is strong enough it will probably do more damage to the PU truck than itself. And the Cross Check can take near 40mm tires so it will not rattle your new dentures out. Now that is cool, old school.
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Old 09-25-19, 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by eazyace
... Given care free attitude a good steel bike would do and I wouldnt even be that worried about someone stealing it at that matter.

Any other brand recommendations for this type of bike then? I really like the look of Leader/ Unknown bikes. I also want a 5 spoke tire or 3 spoke like when I was a kid. I know childish but hey a boy can dream. I am 32 by the way in case anyone thinks hey for your age you should go with this""

I really do not like those wabi style bikes as they look old school at least when I was growing up.
The "old school" of traditional diamond design frames built with good or better quality round steel tubing in standard diameter with 32 or more spokes per wheel is a highly evolved - nay, freaking PERFECTED - way to accomplish helping humans propel their bodies along. It was developed more than a century ago, and refined pretty much into the angles and geometry people ride today by c.1935 or so. It just works, and done right and maintained will last for decades. That, btw, is NOT something the bike industry as a whole is into, hence the steady rise of ever costlier, dodgier and more delicate and specialized bikes we see today.

The 3 or 5 spoke wheels were originally designed for racing, as well as the funky shaped modern bike frames you mention made of non-ferrous materials. They were designed for use on smooth roads or tracks at speeds where aerodynamics truly matter, especially when some corporate body is paying for you to win while wearing their logo for the cameras. They were NOT designed to be comfortable or durable or even reliable, because hey, racers have support vehicles and somebody else is paying for that stuff, anyway. The bikes you mention would be ill-suited for anything other than buttery smooth asphalt.

You can do as you wish - hell, it's your money and your life - but for commuting and most especially for riding trails or any other mixed surface, you would do better to raid the traditions of fixed-gear cycling from cycling cultures that do that sort of riding. The most obvious one is British. No, you don't need to go all tweedy and insist on lugged steel and leather saddles (though both are AWESOME), but seriously, steel rules, 32 or 36 spoke wheels with good alloy rims and 28 or 32 mm tires at the right pressure for your weight will be ideal for your proposed riding, and frankly, if you wanted to do this quick, cheap and dirty I would point you to a Kilo WT for about 1/3 of the total budget you suggested. Ride that and tweak it and maybe replace some things with parts you like better and decide if you want or need something nicer after you've ridden it a bunch and have more of a sense of what you really want and what will actually DO what you want.
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Old 09-25-19, 12:03 PM
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If you want something cool looking and must have big aluminum tubes, do yourself a favor and get an actually good, cool looking aluminum frame like one of the Cinelli Mash frames if you can find one or the new Mash without Cinelli ones. The problem is that a good frame like this will blow more of your budget than a comparable steel frame. However lots of hipsters buy them and then sell them on Craigslist when the next cool new thing happens and they need an electric skateboard.

Aerospokes, the ridiculous wheels you want, are similar in this respect.

Or get one of the sh*tty aluminum ones you want. I suspect they won't be much lighter than good steel frame, but if you like the look, go for it.
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Old 09-25-19, 01:52 PM
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I hear Leader is back in business - one of those should be perfect for you
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Old 09-26-19, 11:34 AM
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forget the big block get a big shot.
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Old 09-26-19, 07:46 PM
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Custom Spicer. Can build it to your specs, size, etc. Can add brazeons, paint, eyelets, etc, etc. Depending on options, and other required parts could totally eat up your budget but would be unique and made exactly for you. Look them up.
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Old 09-26-19, 08:48 PM
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Leader makes the best bikes in the world. With that being said I'd get either an All City Big Block or a Surly Steamroller if you want to ride anywhere. I'm not sure if there's a Aventon Mataro like bike that can fit bigger tires, Unknown is probably the same quality as an Aventon Mataro, I think the State Black Label is in the same boat. You'll probably be happier if you built a Cinelli Vigorelli or something, but I will say no matter what you buy it will be able to make it across a grass path without a problem. You can probably find a Dolan Pre Cursa as a cheaper alternative though.
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Old 09-27-19, 01:09 AM
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Since this is your first bike, get a Kilo WT. Ride it to death and then get the next step. Upgrade it to some nice parts as you either have money or parts break. It can be ridden fixed or freewheel so you can get used to riding fixed.
My upgrade path usually starts with the contact points; grips and bars, seat and pedals. Then the wheels followed by drive train.
With all those nice new parts you can get a good fresh and swap the parts over and sell the frame here or on CL to some other newb.
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Old 09-27-19, 06:51 AM
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Agreed bwilli88. A cheap and basic bike that is being ridden and enjoyed is 100 times better than a more expensive and sophisticated one sitting in a shop being dreamed about or saved up for.

I'd say sort out the riding position the upgrade the pedals, seat, tyres, in that order on most budget bikes. Some people would put seat before pedals — it depends on how far you're intending to ride.

Changing the tyres on both of my bikes recently has made each of them easier and more fun to ride, and reduced the number of punctures too.
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Old 09-27-19, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Mikefule
Pretty much any bike is capable of commuting and light trails. I sometimes ride some pretty difficult woodland trails with ups and downs, tight turns, tree roots and muddy patches on a fixed with 23 mm tyres.

Cycling is much simpler than the internet would have you believe. You buy a bike, ride it, and look after it. All the other stuff about the perfect rims, hubs, group sets, bar set ups, titanium, carbon etc. is fluff. It makes for a bike that will certainly cost more and may be noticeably nicer to ride.

If you take to it, your first bike won't be your last, so you are not making a lifelong commitment to the one you choose.

You will notice an uncomfortable riding position, uncomfortable seat, and cheap slippery pedals.

You will notice a poor choice of ratio, but that is easily cured.

You will notice cheap rubbishy tyres and heavy wheel rims.

Other than that, buy one that feels right, looks good, and then tweak it as you learn more.
Thank you soooi much for this MUCH needed dose of reality. I love it when I see a $250 SS road bike w/23mm's (e.g., TheHour) beat a $2k mtb over the kind of terrain you mention. You simply can't buy the strength, skill and guts it takes to race a 48:16 against mtbs.
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Old 09-28-19, 05:16 AM
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It's not a bad idea to keep an eye out on local classifieds (I use Gumtree mainly), since you can regularly pick up great bargains. Recently there was a $1k+ single speed that was being sold for $120 because the guy was moving interstate (I was beaten to it by someone else)
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