juliamarie

Hello, I know 2012 doesn't count as vintage but would greatly appreciate any input on how much this bike is worth from seasoned cyclists.

The person selling it says it's a "size 55cm bianchi pista. No dent, dings or any damage, just paint wear and tear.
Fixed gear with front brake set up." Purchased in 2012, "its been used and maintained as advised by local bike shop".

They are asking for $450. How much is a bike like this actually worth?

Also, can I safely ride a track bike in the city, on the road?

Thanks in advance for any help!

DMC707

A size 55 is suitable for someone from perhaps 5'7" on the low end to 5'11 on the extreme big end

Cant say whether $450 is good or not without looking at it --- I sold mine for $350 - a bit older, but was a chrome model.

If you have not ridden a fixed gear before, it is an aquired taste, but people use them on the road with a front brake frequently -- whether its good for you - is up to you. The wheels may have the option of putting a freewheel on the opposite side of the fixed gear cog so it could be a bit more versatile,

IF it looks good and you dont have to spend any money it (tires, seat, maintenance, bar tape -- etc etc/ -- some of these things you may change for personal taste anyway, but $450 should get a ready to ride machine ) - $450 is high but doesnt have me clutching my chest wailing for Elizabeth like Fred Sanford

From a track bike standpoint , the Pista is pretty basic, but it is a "real" tracbike -- with geometry you could actually take on a steep track if the itch ever arises

juliamarie

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply! I couldn't post photos because I'm not a paying member.

I LOVE fixed gear bikes and haven't owned a bike in years, so I'm definitely in the market for one as the weather warms up.

My Ideal price range would be around $300, but it seems like brand new bikes are super expensive, and I live in NYC where everything is even more expensive. Ha!

It seems like track bikes aren't the best for riding on roads so I may just keep looking around.

If I found my perfect dream bike brand new for less than $500 I would dish out the money since it's a long term investment...

I am around 5"10 btw. Thanks for the information.

juliamarie

Are all fixed gear bikes technically track bikes or are some made for the road?

My french grandfather is an avid cyclist and Tour de France fan. I'm sure he has a sweet bike he could give me too if I could visit them.

zukahn1 

This one would be a road SS/FG and is not really a track bike. As for price $450 seems a bit high these bikes retailed for $400 or so I would figure a good price would be about half what there asking the fixed gear craze is all but dead most places so the silly high prices people were getting a few years ago gone.

Rage

Maybe take a look at the stuff on bikesdirect.com?
They’ve got some inexpensive options.

juliamarie

Got it, thank you!

Rage

No problem. Let us know if you got any questions.

juliamarie

Wow that's perfect! Thank you

Rage

What’d you end up doing?
New bike yet?

juliamarie

I found a great simple black fixed gear bike for $250 on Bikes Direct, but it's sold out, so I asked them about a restock. :-)

Rage

Which bike?

Rage

Okay, just took a look at the site.
Looks like they got the kilo in your size. Two hundred twenty bucks more but actually a pretty decent frame. Some toe overlap, tho. Not a dealbreaker for me but feel I should mention it jic.

spudly

I wouldn't get a true track bike for street riding. With high bottom brackets (for banked tracks) and geometry not generally conducive for turning, track bike are designed for the - wait for it - track. Also, fixed gear bikes can be fun, but for city riding why not get one with a ss/fixed flip flop hub? Just my 2 cents.

Clang

They may have started fairly low, but the MSRP climbed steadily over the years, especially during the fixed gear boom. New in 2012 they were listed at $730!


I'm guessing this is the bike in question? It looks like it's been in a frontal crash that bent the fork backwards. Of course the seller claims "no damage."

Bianchi pista new fixed gear track bike - $450 (LIC)

https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/b...284916971.html




For more fixed gear info visit https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/ but be careful- if you make a new thread asking what new Bikes Direct fixed gear to get, you may be yelled at (Plus they'll just reply with the Kilo TT). Look around in existing threads to see if your questions have been answered before.

I think Bikes Direct has had the same supply shortages as everyone else in in the bike industry has had- all due to the pandemic. Good luck with your search!

zukahn1 

Yes front wheel fork and frame look bent damaged as is I would $100 on this bike and not in hurry to buy. Let someone else deal with the issues even in the tough NY market you can likely find decent geared braked nice working road bike for less money.

julia329

The one that caught my eyes is the Dawes SST 1 speed steel track bike in black.

I don't see a kilo for $220 on the site. Would you post the link to that bike please?

Thank you

julia329

Yes, that's it. Wow, that's wild, I wouldn't even have noticed. What a ****er. Thanks for looking out!

Definitely don't want to get yelled at on a bike forum. Lol. I'll keep looking around and researching.

Appreciate the info and good wishes :-)

Rage

I meant the kilo tt was another two twenty on top of the two fifty for the out of stock bike.
So $470 for the complete bike. Not bad for what you get.

julia329

I'm not 100% attached to getting a track bike, but track or not, some of the most fun I've had riding bikes was whizzing through the city on a fixed gear one summer in Brooklyn. I like the speed and power I feel from riding a fixed gear bike. Can you say more about the benefit of a ss/fixed flip flop hub?

julia329

Ohh I see. Around $300 is my ideal price range but for a brand new bike that feels perfect I would be willing to spend a bit more. I'll look into those right now.

Also, recycle a bike may be an option. I heard that they assemble a used bike for you with different parts.

Rage

A flip flop hub will allow you to go from fixed to a free drivetrain and back again.
You can enjoy both worlds.

And recycle a bicycle is a great option. Used to volunteer there and look forward to doing so again one day, pandemics permitting.

Rage

Not sure what’s going on at recycle a bicycle anymore but they used to have a program that’d let you build up your own bike in exchange for volunteer hours.
If you’re into it, that might be a way to go.

thinktubes 

Here's the Kilo TT I bought back in 2008. It's a great bike for around town - both sturdy and comfy.

I'm guessing there might be a lot of these on the used market. They were also sold under the "Mercier" name

DMC707

a flip flop hub gives you the ability to put a different sprocket (cog) on the opposite side so you could have a bigone onone side for hilly areas or just whem your knees need a break, and a smallone on the other for flat road cruising. Or have a fixed cog on one sideand a freewheel on the other is a possibility

it definitely sounds like you need a fixie to re-create that fun summer. Here’s a couple of links I found. The Dolan is a genuine race were the bike. They are from the UK and I don’t know how long it takes to get to the US. Regarding that Bianchi you posted originally, I wonder if the seller is even aware of how bent that bike is


https://www.citygrounds.com/products...20295471300719

https://www.dolan-bikes.com/pre-cursa/