fire fin

Hi newbie here, i have a 12 year old daughter 5'5" and she uses her bike daily for getting everywhere(sports, social, school), she says she "hates" her cruiser style bike(electra) and wants a pure fix style look with wheels that look colored and a single gear, not cruiser handle bars, she wants something faster so she can keep up with friends bikes, i don't want something so fast that it is dangerous, i want brakes on the bike not a fixie, we will spend what it takes to get a well functioning long lasting bike, we are hoping to keep under $500 as we are tight on cash, if suggestions are craigslist could you suggest model and make of bike you think would work also. I have read forum and it sounds like pure fix is pure poop so looking for pure fix look but not pure poop performance. I can learn quickly, youtube etc. but do not have bike mechanical experience. Thanks a million

GP

Here's a couple options.

Bikes - Linus Bike
Our Bicycle Collection ? Brilliant Bicycle Co.

RISKDR1

"I want brakes on the bike not a fixie''.

what differentiates a single speed from a fixie is not the brakes. It is the presence or absence of a freewheel. You can have a fixie with one or even two brakes, or no brakes. You can have a single speed (with a freewheel) with one or two brakes but it would be crazy to have one with no brakes. The freewheel makes the difference. The safest bet is a single speed with a freewheel and two brakes. I can see that you are concerned about safety. By the way it is not a fixed gear or a freewheel that makes a bike "fast". It is the rider. The rolling resistance of the tires has an influence as does the gear ratio. Having said that there is a balance between rider fitness and gearing. Too high a gear will slow her down because she may have difficulty turning over the cranks and tiring if the ratio is too high for her. Now, i know that some of her friends will have a "fixed" gear (no freewheel) and may imply that that is the ultimate in performance. There is another issue and that is that the margin for error on a fixed gear is narrow. It can be dangerous for inexperienced riders especially in a panic stop situation or a steep downhill where it is easy to lose control since a tremendous amount of energy is stored in those whirling pedals when there is no freewheel and stopping safely becomes difficult.

I can't recommend a specific brand. That is really secondary to the safety issues and there are many choices of brand. Others will have specifics.

JohnDThompson 

In before the SSFG people get here:

Kilo TT

Save Up to 60% Off Mercier Fixie Singlespeed Track Bikes - Kilo TT PRO

VegasTriker

I just don't understand the obsession with buying a one-speed bike. It is so 1950s! A long time ago when I started serious biking a few of my friends had track bikes. No brakes, no freewheel, extremely light. They were avid cyclists who also owned road bikes. They would ride the track bikes around relatively flat town (which I thought was insane) but use the geared road bikes for club rides. I'd bet your daughter never learned how to use the gears on here Electra properly or she would understand how much easier it is to ride a bike with them. It is not unusual for kids to be clueless about choosing the right gear for a comfortable cadence and changing gears as needed. The Electra is also a moderately heavy bike (saw 35 pounds for a Townie) bike so getting rid of most of the drive train will lighten a bike. It's a trade off I wouldn't make.

corrado33

It's "cool." As we grow older, we forget that sometimes, certain things are simply cool, for no apparent reason.

bgraham111

I'm 40, and I just built a single speed. It's a riot to ride - so simple, so quiet, so smooth. Not for real long rides, but great for tooling around.

Sadly, I don't have much advice for the OP, as I didn't buy the bike. But I'd look for a "flip-flop" hub which will allow your daughter to ride either "fixed" or "free", and look for one that has hand brakes so you'll be more comfortable with your daughter tearing up the streets. Your local bike shop might be able to help, as several main stream brands have an entry into the SSFG (Single Speed and Fixed Gear) market, although they might be on the expensive side.

You might also enjoy going over to the fixed gear and single speed sub-forum and have a look around.

TenSpeedV2

So 1950's?

Aluminum frame, carbon fork/seatpost/cranks and lightweight wheels. The bike is a fixed gear with a front brake. Total bike weighs 16 lbs, 15 oz after swapping the saddle and stem out. It is an absolute riot to ride and I have a blast tearing up the streets on it.

Cyril 

KHS,Fuji, Masi, Fyxation, State, all have offerings in your price range.
Just stay away from any bike frame made from Hi-tens steel...its ridiculously heavy.

Phil_gretz

Try BikeIsland and look for returns/scratched bikes by size. You'll be surprised what's available. Get one with a flip-flop rear hub, so that she can decide whether or not to ride fixed. You may find that she's a little beast and likes the fixed riding. She'll become a much better rider than her peers before long.

kuroba

Is your city relatively flat? SS sounds cool and fun until you have to go up a slope. As someone above mentioned, does she know how to use the gears of her current bike? This could be a factor.

I used to have a steel step through bike which was really heavy, and only had 6 speeds, then I switched to an aluminum hardtail MTB and even that is lighter so it allows me to ride faster. I think she'll notice a big difference with a nice aluminum frame and skinnier wheels, even with the 'added' weight of brakes and extra gears.

avidone1

especially for a 12 year old. She's on the threshold of being a bona fide teenager. Coolness is not an option, it is the mandatory entry key to all the best social activities.
but it is regional, at least where bikes are concerned. I was really surprised when visiting my son in his Long Island South Shore community that brightly colored cruisers were all the rage. The sidewalks were loaded with them, and it was all teenage girls who were riding them.

rex615

#Kilo TT

yooperbiker

Kilo TT is a dad's bike (white frame with black tires, come on!!)

Plenty of cheap single speeds where you can pick and mix colors. Don't spend much money as what is hip is sure to be different a year down the road.

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