gbparrothead

I am looking to purchase a single speed road bike since I right now only have a MT bike and I comute to work every day. I live in Minnesota so the MT bike will be used for winter and rainy weather. Right now I am between two bikes, the Raleigh Rush Hour and the Redline 925.
Both are steel frames which I would like because durability is something I would rather have than a few lbs. The person I spoke with about the Rush Hour at the store owned that bike as well and he rode it every day for a year and a half and lobves it, however he said he had to change out the seat (Not comfortable at all and also the pedles) This would obviously add a few bucks. I also feel I may want to switch the drop down bar.
The Redline 925, from some reviews I have read state the seat to be fairly comfortable and it also comes with a moustache bar, something I think I will like as I am used to a flat bar now. It also has fenders, which may be up on eBay in a few days if I purchase that bike, so I would get some money back there!!
Any thoughts from anyone?
Raleigh = $580
Redline = $500

Elisdad

I think fenders are preferable for a commuter, so I'd consider the 925 and Raleigh's One way. Another nice bike is Bianchi's San Jose.

stevel610 

Either one gets good reviews. I think the 925 can use larger tires. As the previous post mentioned, the Raleigh One-Way is a more equal comparison to the 925, then I'd pick the Raleigh.

Scooped

jamis sputnik has a carbon fork and the iro agnus seems nice

BikeNinjagirl

Hey i'm ridin a Rush Hour -- have been for almost a year now. It's my daily commuter down here in "south florida" ( read that as dead a** flat) we go round trip about 20 miles daily. I didn't switch the seat because it's comfy (to me) and i like the drops so all that is ok with me. I read the review in Dirt Rag Mag about this bike then went out and bought it --i was riding a mtn. bike as my commuter so this was a BIG change....but it's good. I like the bike -- hate the graphics-- but the bike is one cool piece of steel. Don't know about the Redline cause it was love at first sight with the Rush. Lots of people on here so you will get good help

gbparrothead

Do you happen to have the 06 or the 07??

tacreamer

I love my Redline 9𠂽 for commuting and all around riding though I ditched the mustache bars for traditional drops. The frame is more like a cross bike and will take larger tires (35cm) which will smooth out rough roads and add stability to the ride. It was well thought out for it's intended purpose, commuting but handles anything you can throw at it.

I would keep the fenders for rainy day rides.

exfreewheeler

I don't own either but from what I've read here and elsewhere, I would get the Redline 925.

sgray

The answer to the question would seemingly be in your intended use -- commuting. The Redline is the obvious choice. The Raleigh is clearly marketed as a track/road bike. It has deep-drop bars. It lacks eyelets to mount fenders and racks. It has a 48T crank vs. 42 for the Redline. (The basic idea of fixed gears is to spin and develop smoothness, not blow out your knees.)The Redline can also take up to 30C tires and probably still fit the supplied fenders, which would be among the last things to remove from a commuter bike. The mustache bar is a smart move by Redline and I'd suggest riding it for at least 3 - 6 months before making a decision to swap it.

gbparrothead

Well I went out during lunch today to test ride the 925 and I have to say it was great, so great that I bought it right then. With a lock and pedles I spent the same as the Raleigh. Had I bought the Raleigh I would have bought a new bar, seat, pedles and lock so I feel I saved a ton of money!! I have 15 days to try it out and see if it is the bike for me, lets just say that any time I am not at work I will be out on the road.