I been checking through this site and others for 2-3 weeks now but can’t find exactly what i am looking for so I have to post my own topic. Soz if this has been covered before and I can’t find it!
I want to get a ss or fixed for get to uni mostly, and I was wondering whether I should do a self build (I was thinking pake frame) or just grab an off-the-rack fixee like the Fuji track and slowly upgrade the parts?
I suppose another question is, is either frame (pake or fuji track) good enough to spend more money on better wheels, drive train etc?
What are your skill levels re spanners and allan keys.
A self build is going to be a lot more hassle when the bottom bracket you buy for your second hand frame is to wide to give you a straight chain line between your 1/8th cog and your 3/32 ring that you can’t tension because of your vertical drops.
However that shouldn’t scare you off. Its fun and you will learn a lot and you can always get advice from friendly folk like us.
I can probably go up to around $1000, it would take longer for me to save that up, but I don’t need the bike urgently and would rather get it right first time.
Don’t get me wrong tho, if I can get what I need for less I would love to do that.
Looking for reliability with a bit of style basically…
I race road bikes atm, but my mechanical skills ain’t great. If I went the Pake frame + parts route would probably get a shop to help me out with the building part…
For $1000 bucks, I’d get an off-the shelf bike. The reasons for you to do this are:
Good value for money
Easier for the mechanically challenged
It will probably be cheaper than building up a Pake to similar quality as an off-the-shelf bike.
Have a look at Kona, Felt, Avanti and Specialized (In order of my personal preference). All have singlespeeds/fixies for around the price you are after. In most cases, the 2009 models are already out or shipping and you may be able to get good deals on 2008 models. Always look out for decent wheels, crankset and frame. These are the items that cost the most to replace. Frame material (steel or Alu), geometry/fit and extra items like pre-existing brakes should also factor into your decision.
Building your own will take time, knowledge and extra dollars. It’s a good learning experience if you’re prepared to try. But that’s up to you … if you just want to get a bike to ride, go with a stock bike. If you want to enhance your cycling experience, learn to put together your own.
So just to confirm. If I went with an off the shelf bike, the frames are good enough that I wouldn’t be wasting money if I wanted to jazz the ride up in the future with better components?
And I know you listed 4 brands, but what are your feelings on Fuji?
The frames work. Not anything flash, but strong enough. The question of wasting your money by upgrading is a personal thing. I’ve owned basic road frames with flash parts. I’ve also had a flash frames with basic parts. Others might think that’s silly but it works for me and the riding that I do. You have to decide what’s best for your situation and not get sucked into upgrading for the sake of it.
I used to own a fuji, it’s OK but not as good as the ones I’ve listed. As a comparision, the Fuji is about $600. The Kona Paddywagon is about $900. The extra $300 goes into a better frameset and wheels.
Can anyone confirm that I should get the same top tube as my road bike?
My road bike has a 55cm, but should track bikes be smaller or bigger?
I did have the thought of losing 10-15mm from my total size (top tube + stem) because I have a pretty low position on my road bike and I wouldn’t need such a low position on a commuter/ss.
So either drop a size in the frame and keep same stem length OR same frame size and lower stem length…
I just found the track bike that PBK sell, but I would have to take a size down in the frame…
About 1 cm shorter on the stem and 1 cm higher on the handlebar height seems to be numbers floating around the web when going from road race to commuting. In the end, it’s all personal preference. If you have a few spare stems lying around, play with the fit to see what works best … or borrow some different sized bikes.
