single speed for street riding/commuting

[BoyBoy]

I am gonna build up a commuter... bike messenger style

Key Word I: fast

Key Word II: inexpensive

I want it single speed (maybe fixed), one brake (front), and durable. anything near 20 lbs will feel like a feather to me, since i ride a 40lb bike regularly.

Bikes i am considering:

KHS
http://www.khsbicycles.com/04flite100.html

Bianchi (even though i hate the chrome)
http://www.bianchiusa.com/pista.html

Given that i am normal sized... (160 lbs 5'10" maybe 5'11") can any of you help me with:

other suggestions? Steel or Aluminum? Build it up myself or stock? What about crank length? Size of frame? Advice on bars?

[The Toninator]

neither of those bikes looks like they have front brakes btw.

anyhoo the Karata monkey or a Jake the Snake are good frames to look at. neither one seems to give crank arm length but i 'think' people usually go shorter for more spin.

[BoyBoy]

i can put a brake on.

[The Toninator]

oh (have to stretch message out to 5 chars)

[BikeGeek]

neither one seems to give crank arm length but i 'think' people usually go shorter for more spin.

I don't know about the track bike crowd, but most SS mountain bikers I know go longer for more power. I'm of the opinion that a couple of millimeters doesn't matter in either direction, but that's just me, some people swear they can tell a difference.

[BikeGeek]

Key Word II: inexpensive

IRO CYCLE (http://www.irocycle.com/fixedgearandsinglespeedbikeframesfromirocycleinc/id68.html)

Good reviews of their frames in past issues of Dirt Rag.

[BoyBoy]

I don't know about the track bike crowd, but most SS mountain bikers I know go longer for more power. I'm of the opinion that a couple of millimeters doesn't matter in either direction, but that's just me, some people swear they can tell a difference.


i ride 175.

the differences are incredible. no way can i ride my bike with 170 or 165... yea, it's SS.

[Nitromike]

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2004/bikes/04Langster_l.jpg

Around $400 .. cheap enough?

[BikeGeek]

i ride 175.

That's what I ride. Most of the people I ride with who use 175 on their "normal" bikes, run a 180 on their mtb singlespeeds.

Good luck with the commuter.

[BoyBoy]

Are there no other affordable track frames? i'm not annoyed. i just wanna look at some frames.

post up some brands.... (like the .243 of track frames)


:)

[Colin]

IRO, as previosly mentioned, are pretty cheap.

[BoyBoy]

yea, but unless something really nice pops up, or if there is something drastcally different about the steel Vs aluminum debate with road bikes (as opposed to mtn bikes) i want to stick with steel.

they doo seem to be a hot deal though.