8bits

why not get a Leader mid 725 with carbon Leader fork, omnium crank and a good wheelset (formula hubs, novatec wheels..)? it might go a bit above 1000...

from scrod's shop, you can change components, this is just to see if 1000ish price point can be met:
2011 Leader 725 'Mid' frame $359.00
Leader I05TR carbon/aluminum fork $179.00
SRAM Omnium crankset w/ GXP BB (black) $180.00
Alex G6000/Novatec track wheelset $150.00
cro-mo track cog $16.00
'4X' clips/straps combo $35.00
MKS Sylvan Track pedals $24.00

Total of $943 without saddle, seatpost, stem and handlebar and that with top components, definetly doable with time to hunt down bargains (leader frames from coghouse on ebay, a lesser crankset like andels)....

homebrewk

^This. And if you wanted to go cheaper but not skimp on the components you could buy the 2011 725 on sale for $275.

stillanimal

this is fer you:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Felt-tk3-track-f...#ht_578wt_1107

csj0952

Unfortunately too big. I'm 5'6. The biggest I could do is a 53.

hamfoh

you want to be sub 17 but you want to buy all your components in a group? Your intentions are a bit hard to follow

csj0952

So I went to another local bike shop today. The owner tried to talk me out of a track frame whether it was the trek T1 or Felt TK3 (both of which he could get me) saying the geometry was too aggressive and twitchy and I would probably kill myself on a pothole. How do you guys ride these bikes on the road if they are so scarey?

csj0952

So your saying a online store couldn't put together a series of components that are lightweight? Bikesdirect seems to do it with the Dura Ace components on the Motobecane team track bike...

TejanoTrackie 

I like camomile tea.

8bits

lol! I commute everyday with my fixed bike (I do run a good front brake tho - Shimano 105) on ****ty roads (São Paulo/Brazil) and I feel as safe as on the other bikes I own.

It's a matter of always look where you are and where you're going, not doing dumb moves, avoiding high traffic streets as much as possible and not trying to go head to head with moronic drivers, let them go through and feel the king of the street.

These "tips" apply to the driver not the kind of bike you have

hamfoh

eh I go head to head with moronic drivers and ride on high traffic roads, my frame being track geometry changes nothing about that ride for me just as dangerous on an adult tricycle.

8bits

yes, that was my point, it's not about the bicycle....

misskaz

Well, my Fuji Classic Track *is* twitchy. A friend of mine literally fell off it trying to ride it for the first time, because she was used to a giant tank of a mixte with an integrated front rack and stuff. It's a very different ride from my solid station wagon commuter bike (a Bianchi Volpe). That said, it's not dangerously twitchy, I just feel it wobble when I stand up to pedal from a stoplight or whatever. If you know how to ride a bike, you figure out how to adjust to it. Hitting potholes on any bike is no fun, which is why you pay attention and try not to.

yummygooey

Have you actually tried piecing together any of the frames you mentioned with nice parts to see what the cost would be? Unless you're very patient, knowledgeable, and have a lot of time to waste on eBay/CL/forum classifieds, you're going to blow your budget if you put nice decent parts on any of the frames you are looking at.

I don't know the prices for everything, but if you're looking at a $500 frameset, you only have $500 more to spend on everything else. Omniums, for example, will cost you ~$190, decent wheels will cost you $200, and you still have to find a stem/saddle/pedals/chain/cog/lockring/seatpost/bars all within the remaining $110 of your budget. The Motobecane Team Track is without a doubt an awesome deal, but good luck finding one to buy.

That's not to say it isn't possible to build a really nice bike on one of the frames you're looking at for $1000. It'll be hard.

prooftheory

When he says that your intentions are hard to follow he means that some of the things you are saying seem contradictory. You say that weight is really important to you but you are willing to just buy everything together.

For most people, if weight is really critical to them they have some performance objective, like they want to do well on the time trial up L'Alpe D'Huez or whatnot. These people care deeply about every little thing that goes on their bike. They literally buy their individual screws separately. Some of these people ride fixed gear because they don't want the weight of a derailleur or a rear brake. You clearly aren't in that category.

It would help people give you better advice if they knew why weight is an issue for you and what kind of riding you do. Do you own a bike now? Do you own a fixed gear or single speed right now? What is your experience with your current bike that is making you look at the kinds of bikes you are looking at? What kind of distance do you ride on this? How fast do you ride? Are you trying to race competitively? What kinds of events?

It may be that you think that putting together a super light bike is a worthwhile hobby in and of itself. Are you interested in track bikes for their aesthetic appeal? Do you intend to ride this bike as a means of transportation? Will you want to lock it up outside?

There are good reasons for wanting a super light track bike but you should be sure that those reasons apply to you otherwise it will be an expensive coat rack. The bike shop mechanic was looking out for you when he advised a different bike. Almost nobody here rides on a aluminum track bike on the street. And absolutely nobody here rides one that is under 15 lbs.

Aggressive track geometry can be fun to ride on the street in short bursts but not for long trips. If that is what you want then the most sensible thing is to do what they tell everyone on this site and get a Mercier Kilo TT. That way you'll have at least $600 left over from your budget to what you really want. Maybe you don't want a track frame after all. Maybe what you want is a super light road frame set up as a fixed gear so you can do that time trial up L'Alpe D'Huez.

I'm not any expert on fixies/singlespeeds. I've had the same converted road bike for the last ten years and it was only because a spoke failed that I'm back in this mode of shopping etc. But what I can tell you is that I would much rather be riding my bike than shopping for it.

TejanoTrackie 

Alpe-d'Huez
Alpe-d'Huez
Alpe-d'Huez
Alpe-d'Huez
Alpe-d'Huez
Alpe-d'Huez

csj0952

I own a BMC Streetfire now. I am looking for single speed/fixed floating bike to experiment and bomb around the city in. I want something that's light because I have a few hills in my city that would be difficult in a single speed gear. I could change the gearing but I don't want to down gear too much.

I like to ride fast in the city, upwards of 18mph average (stopping for lights of course). I will not race it. There is no veleodrome in my area.

Track bikes do have some asthetic appeal to me. The cannondale Capo and Trek T1 look the best to me. The Kilo TT/Wabi look doesn't appeal as much to me. I know, I'm not right in the head apparently.

I will use this bike for transportation and locking it up outside. However, I have a good kryptonite messenger lock that I doubt anyone will break in Rochester, NY (I would be more nervous in NYC).

I will probably ride the bike for no more than 20 miles at a time or over the course of an hour.

You guys are helping me realize that my requirements are unrealistic. I apprechiate the help. I know it's hard to keep the comments from being brash and abusive when dealing with a newb like myself so I apprechiate the effort.

How is the specialized langster? I have a specialized dealer I could check out. The Geo looks less trackish...

Kayce

Do you want a fixed gear or a single speed?

yummygooey

S-Works Langster or bust.

csj0952

I want a floater hub or a hub that I can turn into either singlespeed or fixed. I also require at least 1 brake. 2 preferred but not required. I also require drop bars.

TejanoTrackie 

But dood, sloping top tube, not cool.

csj0952

Yummygooey, how come everyone rips on the Specialized Langster regular Aluminum? Bad components or bad frame? If so why? it gets good reviews on roadbikereview

yummygooey

Oh yea. Chop it off and JB Weld it sloping in the other direction = cred.

I don't know, I just think the normal Langster looks dumb and the S-Works Langster looks awesome. I've never ridden one.

csj0952

That leader frame actually looks kinda cool, I'm not sure how much the bike would be though once put together with components I'd have to throw together. The trek seems like a better deal for 15 bucks more too...

Kayce

Is a floater hub a term you made up? What does it mean? Have you ridden any fixed ger frames, which ones, what did you like and not like about them?

Leukybear 

If he is not talking about a flip flop hub; I think his thinking of a hub like that of the sram torpedo... or that chinese? innovated one that is oriented toward FSFG and doesn't require a tool, instead using a click and lock mechanism to go from SS to FG.