First Fixie

ridertothesea

Hi All -

I'm starting night time postgrad study in town in about 2 weeks and am concerned about the security of my beloved Trek 520 on which I currently commute (and on which I cycled across the USA last Summer - www.cyclingusa.blogspot.com ). I think my double sus might also be a bit too flashy. So the family needs to grow.

I'm thinking of building/buying a fixie. Due to the security issue the price is critical - ideally about €200. Would anybody out there have a suitable base frame? If not any tips on where I might find one? Also, is my budget realistic?
Indeed if anyone is looking to sell theirs I'd be interested.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks,

Ridertothesea

Gavin

You might get lucky and pick one up for around 200. 200 to build one is optimistic.

The giant bowery is regularly pimped on here, it's around 315 euro I think, including postage.

Keep an eye on ebay too.

TinyExplosions

Cheapest Bowery around

Not going to get anything much cheaper tbh

Morgan

Check the "parts to trade" post at the top. There are a couple of bikes going - not fixed wheel but certainly cheap.

Gavin

Just saw this on bikeradar. They might do reasonable delivery to Ireland
http://www.unipackuk.co.uk/track-bikes_roadcourier.html

fish-head

Verb wrote: »

Just saw this on bikeradar. They might do reasonable delivery to Ireland
http://www.unipackuk.co.uk/track-bikes_roadcourier.html

By all accounts those bikes are complete pieces of horse manure. Deathtrap.

I'd go for the Bowery if you can stretch it. They seem to be great value bikes.

stuf

Verb wrote: »

Just saw this on bikeradar. They might do reasonable delivery to Ireland
http://www.unipackuk.co.uk/track-bikes_roadcourier.html

+1 fish-head

I had a look at that and I don't recognise the hubs (I spent a lot of time researching hubs when doing my build) so they're probably made from donkey poo and the wanky lacing on the wheels is bad news - I think wanky lacing is bad news anyway but really bad news on a cheap bike

Mec-a-nic

ridertothesea wrote: »

Hi All -
.... concerned about the security of my beloved Trek 520 on which I currently commute...

I have the older Trek 520 (also from a US trip, and now my commuter) and have never had a problem leaving it locked up around Dublin.

I think the pannier racks, tatty handlebar tape, drop bars and frog pedals just don't make it appealing to the standard thief on the lookout for the latest pretty mountain bike/moped...

(Sorry I've not much info on fixies)

ridertothesea

Hmmm ... my previous experience suggests that the average thief will take anything they can get their hands on - (even if its just to dump it in the lake in UCD)

alastair

ridertothesea wrote: »

... and am concerned about the security of my beloved Trek 520 on which I currently commute (and on which I cycled across the USA last Summer - www.cyclingusa.blogspot.com ).

Sorry for the off-topic, but great to see the Izaak Walton Inn pics on your blog. Travelled around by Amtrak last year and spent a couple of days up there. Fair play to you for biking that distance!

blorg

+1 on the Bowery from Pearsons, €315 and I am very happy with mine. But note that ollietrex is selling his fixie which looks very nice and would certainly be more unique. Looks like a very reasonable price too.