BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Any bike can exist, for the right price.

The new Raleigh Furley probably fits the bill quite nicely.

I don't know much about this brand or bike. Anyone know the quality or price.

(Edit) Found the price. $800 is almost double my budget, but if thats what single speeds cost I still will consider

39t in the front will help you on climbs but you will have to spin like crazy on flats. Whatever bike you get, I recommend something like 46t in the front and 17ish in the back.

I would rather struggle on the hills than spin on the flats. I can always get stronger on the hills but spinning on flats would always be irritating.

@ stefb what do you have on your single speed

$400 isn't going to go all that far, even with a single speed. And most likely nothing with disc brakes as that's a rare thing on a road bike still. So you will probably need to look at single speed cross bikes like the one above and put a larger chain ring on the front.

Also if this is really a search for a budget winter commuter check out the torker graduate.

http://www.torkerusa.com/bikes/commute--recreation/2012-graduate

46 in the front and 17 in the back

Drum brakes are fun, 'til you have to a wheel off.

If you go with a fixed gear (and only run one brake), you can get a disc brake via a Kona Project 2 fork.

I agree with cburch: $400 isn't going to get you what you want, unless you have a cache of parts in your basement and can spend most of it on a frame and wheels.

Another option (though you might have to spend some money on different gearing) is a low-end 29er. You may be able to find something like a Redline Monocog (used, especially) in your price range. Swap out the gearing and the tires and you're set.

Raleigh is a very good "brand", and I am really digging some of those new models. The Furly looks sweet.

OldGuy advice, since apparently you already have some bike, if you find something you really like that may be (somewhat} beyond your budget, hold out until you can afford it, don't just "get" something. Get a nice bike and you'll have it a long time.

I can't vouch for the quality of the bike, but the Motobecane Uno looks like it meets most of the requirements except discs.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/uno.htm

I'm with brian. keep your eye out for a used surly 1x1. I've seen them used in an econo singlespeed layout for $400-600.

Sans the disc brakes, here's something well within your price range.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/bik/2700821404.html

a lightly used 2011 Torker U District for $290

From comments in another thread it seems like you were concerned about having American made, top quality bikes. Or at least having them come out of places with American style labor laws. Getting such a bike for $400 isn't in the realm of possibility.

That said, I'd recommend getting the U-district, putting fenders on it, figuring out if you do or don't like single speed, experimenting with gearing, figuring out what size bike you really ride and then buying your dream bike later.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you specified sounds very similar to the Trek Portland you own already? How about just single-speeding your Portland?

@ BradQ my $400 budget just shows my limited knowledge on how things are priced and what to expect from a good company. Thats why I look to the board before i make big purchases. I rely on your knowledge to help me a lot.

@ Cburch that would make a good winter beater but I think I want a road bike setup with drop bars.

@ Stefb thanks for the 46t suggestion I would never thought of that on my own.

@ edmonds you are right about saving up for quality and the bike I truly want.

@ rice rocket turn my beloved portland into a single speed? Never I love my Portland too much. I do have a thing for road bikes with disc brakes.

Im thinking about saving up for the Furley I just don't know any local bike shops that have it for a test ride. I'm also gonna sell my 2009 Gary Fisher Monona to help pay for this.

I emailed about the Craigslist bike still no answer on what size it is.

What size are you looking for?

@ rsprake probably around a 54cm

I have a 56cm Kona Paddy Wagon that I am considering selling. Fits 32s without fenders.

How much?

Kona Paddy Wagon thats a sweet looking bike. Selling such a beauty must be a hard decision. I'll help ease the pain by taking it off your hands.

Just got a reply about the U-district it's a size 50cm, my Trek Portland is a 54cm so I'm thinking the U-district might be too small.

Every bike company sizes their bikes differently. Torker's especially, they have sloped toptubes and are measured center-to-center rather than center-to-theoretical center. No matter, just know that they are longer for a given size. I ride a 59-61cm road bike in most brands so that I have a 57-59 cm toptube. I ride a 54 cm Torker for the same fit.

I honestly can't decide how much to sell it for. It has a couple scratches but brand new tires, bottom bracket and brake cables. I also have a pair of black fenders which I removed a little while ago.

It's this version, http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/660430/7830928/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/kona_paddywagon09.gif with blue tires which look pretty nice.

I love the bike but have decided that it's too small for me and I would rather ride something with gears considering my neighborhood has a few 9-12% climbs to negotiate. I bought it before I moved.

BradQ is correct, you need to check the stand over height for a correct fit.

@ rsprake I know its hard to decide how to price a bike to sell I want to sell my Monona but have no idea how to price it. The Kona is really nice bike I bet you could get top dollar for it.

One million dollars!

The Kona is a sweet bike, but it has short cain stays. Something to think about if you want to use a rack and panniers.

No rack is going on this thing.

Never say never. I had a rear rack on a Surly Steamroller for awhile. It wasn't ideal, but it worked.

dag. i also want a single-speed (though i do want fixed) for winter commuting (and general fun). which means i require not only horizontal dropouts, but also clearance for fenders, decently sized tires, various mounts, and a long enough chain stay that my heels aren't striking the pannier with every stroke. i don't care about disc brakes, but i would similarly like to pay bottom dollar.

in short, this thread is dashing my hopes and dreams.

Sounds like a Crosscheck to me.

Bianchi has San Jose single speed framesets that match all of those needs for $400.

Hey, don't discount the functionality of a seatpost rack, they can be fab. And most have solid decks so they do a real nice job imitating a fender too, keeps the wet goo out of the most sensitive cavities.

Planet bike Speedee fenders do a fine job too on any eyelet-less frame.

I'll go test ride the U-district. I also am going to test ride the Furley, anyone know what bike shop might have the Furley

REI is a Raleigh dealer, but last time I was there, I didn't see a Furley. Biketek may also be a dealer.

May be worth calling the Ambridge Bike Shop, too.

Decided to save up for the Furley, I'll sell my Gary Fisher and use that money to help buy it. Called bike shops within 50 miles and none of them carry the Furley. So later I'll ask how I can correctly size a bike that I'll buy over the internet.

REI is weird, they have regional distribution rights to certain brands. So what you find in one state might be different than the other.

Edit: Looks like they can ship Raleighs to us here. But not Cannondales. Or Scotts. The Furley isn't listed on their website, but you should probably go in and ask if they can get it, if only because REI has a great return policy (pretty much no limits).

REI = great return policy + dividend

However, you'll find that they charge an arm and a leg if you ever have to special order something that isn't in their system... basically a 100% markup.

as a side note @ Mr. Marv., I'm currently living in Chicago, so if you ever find something out this way I wouldn't mind transporting it back to Pgh when I come home to visit.

@ headloss you are awesome.

The last new bike I bought was an unusual limited production model that none of the Trek stores had in stock, or intended to stock, so I had to order it and buy it sight unseen. That experience kind of sucked, it was nerve wracking. It could have been a piece of crap, and it was a Bunch of money. If REI will let you order the thing, then return it if you simply don't like it, that's the way to do it.

If manufacturers are going to produce a particular bike, they need to support the shops by providing demo models to them. It seems like a goofy f'king industry.

This_is_a_nice_bike.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/bik/2670924421.html

Pretty sure these have rack eyelets and such. No disks though, mmph.

NYC bikes has decent disc ready forks if you want a mullet bike: http://www.nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=581

headloss: 100% markup as in double MSRP? REI usually sells at MSRP, but the dividend makes it more reasonable.

If you're gonna frankenbike a bike, Nashbar has carbon disc forks that are great. I used one on a CX frame. I sanded it and resprayed it with matte clear, it looks pretty awesome. The canti mounts can unthread off.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_175019_-1_202669_10000_202441

Dont have the skills, knowledge, or tools to build up my own bike. I really just want to buy a complete bike and be done with it. It does amaze me that no dealer in the greater Pittsburgh area carries the Furley.

The Furley is new right? Is it even out in stores (anywhere) yet?

That Nashbar fork looks pretty sweet, I might get one for my Kona Dew.

100% as in double the cost to them, which was $20 more than the next highest seller.

REI sells at MSRP *IF* it is something they stock, or it can be ordered through their website. The rear wheel that I ordered from QBP was not such an item.

Yeah, I don't think there are any Ropers or Furleys in the wild yet.

cheap carbon forks scare me. okay, carbon forks in general scare me.

^ I've alway wanted an all carbon bike or the very least a carbon fork but I have read so much on this message board about fears of them breaking I don't know I'f I want them anymore..... Oh wait my Portland has a carbon fork.

cheap carbon can be a bit sketchy but quality carbon is going to take more than you could imagine throwing at it.

yeah but what happens when it does fail? my steel bike will bend. carbon is much more catastrophic.

Steel can fail too.

All metals are susceptible to fatigue.

carbon technology is advancing a lot faster than the myths around it. my downhill bike is carbon, as are many of the top xc and trail bikes out there. if i had an aluminum downhill bike i'd probably need a new frame after this season. i beat the shit out of my bike this year, not to mention the carbon handlebar that i put into the ground hard enough to twist my dual crown fork beyond repair. the bar is fine though.

I feel safe with a carbon fork... so long as it doesn't pick up any major scratches.

it has to be a REALLY deep scratch to be anything worse than cosmetic with most new, quality carbon parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn1lh3Cc5Mk

this is a carbon frame. watch the crash at about 1:50. down tube right above the bb shell hits the corner of a solid marble bollard at speed. urban downhill race in lisbon, on marble streets, in the rain.

peaty was riding the same frame for at least the rest of the early season last year.

this is what some of the other courses look like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj6IPEEqjTw

I was shocked to find that Santa Cruz's downhill frame is all carbon. It's no joke.

Not just Santa Cruz. All the big names in dh are moving to carbon for their high end bikes. Anyone that goes to rays this weekend will see two of treks carbon dh bike frames on display.

I am currently having an internal debate/negotiations with myself about whether or not to buy a 43 year old English 3 speed. Based on that, I will probably be looking for a nice carbon frame somewhere around 2053. Late adopter.

@cburch: thanks for posting that video so tthat my vocabulary can now include the term "nutted."

+1 for nutted, thats probably the only thing I learned from the video.

"it has to be a REALLY deep scratch to be anything worse than cosmetic with most new, quality carbon parts."

@cburch, No doubt, but are we classifying the Nashbar fork as a quality carbon part, or just passing quality? Since I wouldn't be able to recognize how deep is too deep, I think I'd error on the side of caution for anything that looked deeper than the paint/topcoat. Not to mention, I'm running disc brakes and would be a little extra paranoid on account of the extra stresses on the fork.

Do you regularly compete or sit around and weigh your bike? If not, metal parts are pretty cool.

I do like those urban DH's.

The cost of carbon fiber has fallen in the last few years. There defiantly is some no name carbon junk from Taiwan/China. I picked up one of the Nashbar forks about 6 months ago and I have not had any complaints. The one I got had a steel steering tube so I was a little disappointed with it’s weight.

When is there going to be an urban DH down the South Side slopes? Kind of a reverse Dirty Dozen, with stairs and stuff.

^+1

That was the first time I had ever seen an urban DH before. I spent the whole day watching Urban DH videos on you tube instead of writing my paper thats due by midnight today.

So I decides I'm probably going with the Raleigh Furley, and fairly soon I'm buying it. Question is since I already have a Trek Portland that has disc brakes and the Furley has disc brakes does that mean I can switch the wheels between the two bikes and they would fit and function properly?

Next question how do I pick the correct size bike if I order it sight unseen.

I'm pretty sure that you can't.

I believe that the joy-tech disc hub on the Furley is 120mm O.L.D. which is the norm for track bikes. As we discussed before, your Portland is 130mm.

I could be wrong though, the manufacturer site doesn't say anything. The dealer should be able to look it up though.

as Headloss said, it depends on your hub widths. I'm also guessing the disc brake alignment is temperamental enough that it won't like swapping wheels and rotors.

The Furley is not 120 mm rear spacing. It has the same frame in a different color as the geared Roper, which is either 130 or 135 mm. I can't remember which, and don't feel like removing the wheel right now to measure even if it takes just a minute.

I didn't realize that the the Furley and the Roper are the same bike just on is S.S. and the other is geared. I know it's a stretch to swap the Furley's wheels with the Portland's, I wouldn't be surprised if it's not possible.

So I started my search for a single speed again. Anyone who only owns one bike understands why I am desperately looking for another. I have gone around to all the bike shops and looked at several ss. I'm looking for opinions. I looked at the SE Lager, All City Big Block, Trek District and the Bianchi San Jose. Any suggestions before I pull the trigger in the next couple of months.

I have the big block and the SE lager. Love them both. The big block is more track frame geometry, and I believe it is the fork that makes steering slightly more squirrely, more noticeable at higher speeds, than the lager. I may be wrong, but the big block may require you to buy a free wheel. Mine came fixed. I have to say that I think the big block is nicer. It has a beefier drivetrain also.

@ Stefb "sguirrely" sounds like it's a bit more of a handful than I want. I want to go fast but stay upright also. I think I want the SS to become my main bike also.

All-City Nature Boy? It's a 'cross frame. The completes are built as single speeds. I've never ridden one, but they sure are pretty.

I may have some All-City bias right now since I finally got to test-ride my new Space Horse yesterday. Don't mind me.

@ pearmask Just googled the Nature Boy I like it. But it only makes my decision harder.

Get the Nature Boy so that you, me, and stefb can start some kind of All-City bike gang?

@ pearmask We can make All-City the official bike of Flock, ha.

Where did you buy yours?

I bought mine at Iron City. (And they have made it very, very beautiful for me. I am so excited.)

Thick and Iron City are the only two places that I know of that stock All-Citys, although there may be others. If you want to test-ride bikes before ordering something, you might be better off at Thick since they are a bigger place that keeps more bikes in stock, but either place could definitely order one and get it set up nicely for you if you figure out what you want.

Mr marv- I looked at a nature boy but I didn't like the gearing. Colin tried to convince me to get the nature boy but I didn't. It would have had less toe over. But the big block is supposedly more like the lager I had.

@ stefb I see that The gearing is 42-16. I think the preferred gearing is 46-17. I would need to upgrade.

I'm not sure if the All-city bikes take racks and fenders, that might be a deal breaker.

So what's your list of requirements?

Rack and fender mounts, drop bars(?), what else?

From your original post a while back it said disc brakes and big tire clearance too. I'm guessing you gave up on the disc brakes, based on the bikes you said you were looking at?

In order of Priority:

1. Wheel clearance,

2. Drop bars or bull horns

3. Fenders

4. Rack

I gave up on the disc brakes because it limited my selection to one or two bikes. I can work around not having a rack if the bike is worth it and awesome.

(edit) or I can pass on all of my requirements for a super awesome bike

Hmmm. I can't think of any frames with those features that come as single speeds in the complete builds, but that's just because I haven't been looking for a single speed. I'm sure there are bikes that meet those requirements. I know a lot of the bikes I looked at (Space Horse, Salsa Casseroll, Cross Check, etc.) have semi-horizontal dropouts and can be set up for single speed (and meet your other requirements), but I'm guessing there must be some bike out there that is already built up the way you want it.

The Bianchi San Jose has all of that but it's not super cool like the All-City bikes. I'll probably give up most if not all of my requirements for a sweet ride.

Makes sense. I mean, if you have the budget for having a shop build you something from a frame or create something by swapping out parts from a complete, you can have the sweet ride and all of your practical requirements too. Framesets definitely exist that can accommodate all of those things and that are ALSO super cool. Things certainly tend to get more expensive the further you get from the stock bike (see: giant pile of cash that Sarah handed Bob at Iron City today), but it seems worth it to me if it lets you get a bike that you are excited about and that is exactly what you want, perhaps helping you keep Rule 12 at bay for at least a little while, haha

Rule 12 has been haunting me. Also my Portland needs a complete overhaul, it's shifting, braking and even pedals need repaired but only having one bike I can't take that much time off the bike.

You can mount fenders and/or a rack on the nature boy.

Also handlebars are easy to swap out.

How does that work? I totally believe it's possible, but I just can't visualize how it works on a bike with hidden fender eyelets like that. I'm sort of clueless about that kind of thing.

i dunno. most of the pictures i have seen of the nature boy shows it with just the fenders. i don't believe putting a rear rack on a single speed is really a thing that happens often. maybe in a city without hills people do that, but around here, i don't think you want to haul a lot of heavy stuff on a bike with one gear.. although, with the nature boy geared as it is, it may be easier to haul heavier things.

i think maybe someone who knows what they are talking about should jump in an answer this better.

Plenty of clearance for you to mount a rack (but you might need to be careful about rack selection so it doesn't have issues with the seat stays), although like Stef, I wouldn't want that, just fenders. Also swapping the freewheel for a 17 would not add much at all to the cost of the bike (not sure but I bet it would be well under $50 total). Same for handlebars! However swapping from drops or flats to bullhorns (which will be aftermarket on nearly anything you buy) may necessitate swapping brake levers.

Good idea on passing on the rack and it looks like the Nature Boy comes with drops so I'll keep that stock. I have narrowed my choices down to the Bianchi San Jose and All-City Nature Boy. I'll test ride them both and compare the deals I can get on them. I'll upgrade the gearing to 46-17.

I'm going to recommend the Trek Earl. It looks to be significantly cheaper than the nature boy and san jose. Major difference is that it doesn't come with drops but that's easy to swap imo (plus the levers are more suited for bullhorns). Has eyelets for fenders and a rack. An added bonus is that the seatstays extend to the fork to make the top tube and they serve as a u-lock holder. Comes with 28 ties, but has room for much more.

stefb:i think maybe someone who knows what they are talking about should jump in an answer this better.

The rack and bag on my earl are about an extra 20lbs. I haven't noticed a significant difference with the exception of acceleration.

For commuting, I consider being able to accelerate quickly important.

I never looked at a trek. I am told that they are generally overpriced for what you get.

@ chemicaldave I forgot about the Trek Earl. I have a very very good relationship with Trek of Shadyside and they often give me really nice deals. stefb's suggestions are good ones and the rack suggestion is reasonable. I would say she is one that knows what she's talking about.

TBH, I wouldn't get the earl unless you're looking to save money. It's definitely heavy (my bike + cargo loaded pannier ~= 50lbs) so if acceleration is important to you then it might not be what you want.

@mr marv 42-16 and 46-17 are within 2 gear inches of each other. Probably worth at least trying out before you plunk down on a freewheel, chainring and new chain.

Two more choices to make your search more difficult:

Civilian Le Roi Le Veut (disc brakes but no rack or fender mounts, really sweet looking / $787): http://www.competitivecyclist.com/frame/2012-civilian-le-roi-le-veut--10923.html

Pake C'mute frameset (rack mounts, fender mounts, tons of clearance, semi-horizontal dropouts, could be built into a sweet single speed for cheap / ~$300 with fork): http://www.pakebikes.com/product/F8EF09/C'Mute+Frame

I think Thick Bikes sell Pakes if you want to buy locally. I have a c'mute and can vouch for it. It started as a single-speed cross bike but is now set up as a 1x8 commuter. Very versatile.

Just an FYI. I love my nature boy, but it really doesn't have rack bosses. It's fine with fenders, but you might have to get creative to mount racks.

giving me so many bikes to choose from only makes my life difficult. I think I'll also check out the Earl just because the price is so reasonable. Also Trek is the only shop that gives me discounts. But if the All-City or Bianchi are worth it I'll buy them.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/3099340013.html

^I like but to small

Still trying to make a final decision. How does 55-22 compare to 46-17 on a single speed.

55? why would you want a ring that big?

either way it is simple math, just divide and compare.

46/17 = 2.71

55/22 = 2.5

2.71/2.5 = 1.08, so 46/17 is an 8% bigger gear, i.e. 8% faster for the same cadence. alternatively you might think of it as being 8% harder to go up hills. it's also roughly equivalent to changing one gear (cog) up or down on a typical road bike.

You get longer chainring life with more teeth.

Just comparing different bikes that come with different gearing.

@ salty thanks for explaining how to figure out the gearing. It will make things much easier for me.

@Mr Marv: Here's a tool that lets you generate templates to make your own chainring of whatever size you want, even asymmetric.

70-tooth Biopace, anyone?

Thanks for the help. 70 tooth? Not for me I'll just stick to the 52-14

So that means that with a 52-14, you will spin out descending hills more easily?

Yup. It's all about finding a balance between spinning out in the decents and being able to make the climbs.

As for figuring out ratios that work... I tend to use Bike Calc's gear inch calculator

I usually aim for about 70 gear inches (with maybe a step or two up or down) for riding around town.

I'd pick a smaller number of gear inches for off-road riding, probably between 50 to 60 depending whether it was MTB or cross bike. And an even lower amount for bike polo, probably about 40 to 45.

72.3 is what I ride, though the crank arm length is not taken into account.

@ Benzo using the bike calculator one bike I'm considering has 66.1 gear inches. Would that be to far off the 70 gear inches you recommend, or the 72.3 that stefb uses. I don't want to spin out going down hills.

You'll spin out going down hills no matter what.

+1

You know, that's all personal preference. I'm riding about 74xgear inches (42x15), but sometimes I swap out for a 65.9 setup (42x17). If you're not used to climbing hills fixed or single speed, I'd recommend sticking with your plan and go for the 66ish setup, you'll spin a bit going down big hills, but it won't be so bad going up. You might never desire to switch from that ratio around here. You can always get cheap fixed cogs at kraynick's till you figure out what ratio you are in to riding.

however, you can disregard the bit about spinning out if you're not going fixed gear (and the cheap cogs at kraynicks). If you have 135 spacing and don't want to go fixed, I'm definitely an advocate of getting a standard freehub instead of a fixed / free setup and just using a single cog with a spacer kit, makes it cheap and easy to swap out rear cogs. At least if you use the cheap steel dimenson cogs I'm using...

@ Benzo thanks that helps a great deal. I'm not going fixed, this is my first attempt at riding without gears. Standard freehub is the way I'm going. I'll ride 66ish till I feel like I need to go 70 something in a year or so.

With all the great advice I plan on buying a new single speed next week.

This week it's a trip to Thick and Trek to compare prices, deals, and bikes.

You givin' up on the Furley? They just look SO good.

BikeTek is listed as a Raleigh dealer, there's a shop in Ambridge as well.

http://locator.raleighusa.com/?commit=Search&location=Pittsburgh%2C+PA&page=1&radius=25

I was "fitted" for a bike that was waaaayyy too big for me once at ambridge bike shop.

What exactly is the advantage of disc brakes? I wouldn't want a bike with one gear to be heavier because of disc brakes.

For cx racing they are nice because they work just as well covered in mud and water. For road use? Winter?

My Portland has disc and they work beautiful in winter, rain and any bad weather. but on a bright sunny day they are heavy. A gave up on discs for my SS bike because i don't need two winter bikes.

So after going to thick, Iron City, and Trek I ended up going with the shop that gave me the best deal. I ended up going with a slightly customized Trek District 1. I wanted an All-City but it would have take Iron City a few weeks or longer to get on in, and because I have never really bought anything at Thick before I don't have a relationship with them and everything was full price no deals or price cuts. So for them to build the bike the way I wanted would be very expensive. With Trek this is the 6th bike in my family from them so the were more than happy to customize the bike with drop bars and better brakes for no extra charge just an even exchange of parts, and dropped the price of the bike by 50%.

The District 1 has a belt instead of a chain, It supposedly the most maintenance free bike there is because you don't need oil. It should be ready to go friday. If this was a bad decision let me know as I have not taken it home yet.

@mr marv: I think it's a great decision, especially if you bring it to Try-A-Bike so people can check out the belt drive.

Good idea.

(edit) but that means I would need the ride my bike on Washington Blvd...... the things I do for cycling

Awesome! You'll have to report back about how you end up liking that belt drive. My hybrid eats chains (and cassettes) like crazy no matter how much cleaning and lubing it gets, and I'm getting sick of it. Surely there's a better way!

@ pearmask thats one reason I picked a belt drive. It is supposed to eliminate the destruction of chains and gears.

WAY TO NOT BE IN THE COOL KIDS CLUB!

Just kidding. I don't know much about that bike or a belt. I rode a bike with one but didn't care for it

I imagine belt drives are even quieter than chains.

Extremely quiet.

@ stefb I really wanted to be with the cool kids. One day I will have a fast All-City bike.

FYI thick gives discounts to bpgh members. Belt drives are cool though. I've thought about putting one on my ss mtb for a while now.

Don't get me wrong I really like Thick I just need to build up a relationship with them and not just be customer x. I have never spent a dime there so I don't expect any deals until I do. I'm already planning my next bike a fast road bike that I will purchase from there.

The Thick discount is on parts and accessories only (same as Trek, FWIW).

The belt drive is cool - I was looking at bikes with them but the frame options were somewhat limited and after I added a Rohloff I was up to spending way more on a bike than I wanted to... but I'll be interested to hear about some real-world experience.

You can probably get discounts on everything in the store it's managers discretion. They don't advertise that but I have haggled bikes like I haggle cars. Trek gave me a discount on the bike and parts for free. I'm sure they still made a huge profit.

The parts to My single speed will not arrive till Monday or Tuesday but because of cburch I am going to spend the next few days looking for a new mountain bike. This bike addiction is taking over my life.

Mr. Marv you're going crazy! Don't forget to buy food for your family.

@Marv

I think if you go in there and talk to Chris you could probably form an instant relationship.

He seems like a cool guy who is interested in what he's doing. I definitely feel way more like customer X walking into a Trek store than I do at Thicks.

Also, I think they offer a couple of percent discount for paying in cash as opposed to using a card.

There's definitely something different about the guy ringing you up being the owner rather than some kid who can't find a better job (unless somebody is into being a bicycle salesperson, but I couldn't do it)

Yeah, by the second time I ever went into Thick, they greeted me by name before I could even say "hi." Good people there.

^Had an interaction consistent with this yesterday, which was also only the second time I had ever been in there. They remembered me and were super nice and talked to me about my new bike (even after I sort of not-awesomely looked at a Space Horse there, told them to call me when they came in, and then bought one at Iron City instead).

Alternately, Bob at Iron City would also know what he was talking about in terms of mountain bikes. I'm sure either place could help you. (And speaking of cash discounts, Bob gave me one.)

My next repair will be at Thick, I'm looking to get a beefier thicker chain for my Portland one that I wont destroy as quickly as the sram ones from Trek. So I shall get to know them soon.

Funny, I bought a bike at Thick and it has an sram chain on it. That might concern me - except for the fact there's absolutely nothing wrong with sram chains.

I'm all for discussing the pros and cons of various shops and components but I don't see the point in inventing non-issues.

@ salty. I'm not saying Trek is better than Thick. I just happened to get a better deal on that one bike than anyone was offering on there bikes that day. I never said Sram isn't a good chain I was looking at a chain at Thick I might prefer. It's similar to the chain that comes on the All-City Big Block

Sorry, your email came off like "I'm going to Thick because they don't sell crappy sram chains like they do at trek.". FWIW I've bought bikes (and chains) from both places, as well as other shops, I'd encourage everyone to do as you and pearmask did which is shop around because they don't all carry the same thing at the same price. Also, at least for me being able to walk to a shop is a bug factor when I have to drop the bike at the shop...

I have noticed that the chain on my big block makes a certain noise. It isn't like a dry chain noise, but maybe a noise cause it is thick? I do lube it when it needs it. I only notice it when I hang around 15mph. Weird.

on the chain rant: chains are not interchangeable. a single speed/fixed gear beefy 1/8" chain like on the big block won't work on a 9 speed drivetrain like on your portland. I've been using the SRAM PC 971 chains for ages with no problems, trick seems to be to keep it clean.

That being said, Thick is my favorite shop and I just went down there to pick up a sram chain (no kidding!) and a new bike. The complete opposite of a single speed - it's an infinite speed.

That being said, Thick is my favorite shop and I just went down there to pick up a sram chain (no kidding!) and a new bike. The complete opposite of a single speed - it's an infinite speed.

Every time someone posts a pic of a new bike I want one. I can't imagine how much stuff salty can carry on that bike.

A pizza from spak

Well, I might as well tell you that I joined the fun today, too. The general consensus on this board seemed to be that Thick is the best bike shop in Pittsburgh, so I drove there today from Butler and bought a Surly LHT + rack + pedals + kickstand. Fantastic bike for what I want. I only had to turn the crank once on the test ride to know that it is a quality bike.

Turns out that Chris and his wife are friends with one of the reporters who works at the local newspaper, the Butler Eagle, and who I also know.

@salty, I was finishing up about 3:30 more or less, and there was another guy in there finsihing up buying a bike to go with. I glanced at the bike but really didn't look at it. Was that you?

@mr marv -- addictions are a bad thing. So you will be able to continue to feed your wife and daughter, please consider joining Bike Buyers Anonymous beofre it's too late. I understand they have a wonderful 12 Step program to help you deal with this. :}

Chris has a wife?

It was whoever the girl was sitting behind the counter. Maybe she's his SO, and I just assumed it was his wife. I had the impression that there was some relationship between them. What do I know? I'm just a small town boy turned loose in the big city on the wicked, sinful South Side.

the first step to rehab is admitting you have a problem.... I'm fine I can quit whenever I want to.

um, im feeling kind of weirded out by the discussion of a shop owner's marital status here.

Yeah that was Beth. She is his girlfriend and a great person. Everyone who works there for that matter is pretty great and nice.

@pseudacris

Well it's a small community and we do like to gossip

@cdavey - yeah, that's right around when I was there, I remember someone else buying a bike but I didn't see it was a LHT. I just bought one of those from Thick in April and I think you'll be really happy with it.

The Breezer I bought today is kind of an experiment in what it's like to ride a Dutch bike in a place that's nowhere near as flat as Holland. I put 20 miles on it including riding up out of Panther Hollow twice, and it acquitted itself pretty well. Joe Breeze is a living legend and it's a really well thought out bike. It comes with a rear rack, dynamo + LED lights, fenders, N360 hub, kickstand, chainguard, and rear wheel lock for under $1k. The front rack was an add-on but cost less than $50. It is really heavy (~40lb) but certainly utilitarian.

I witnessed no impropriety while I was in the shop.

@salty -- damn. It would have been nice to say hello and get acquainted with you.

Adam had mine up toward the front door, and we were tinkering around with the water bottle cages and the pedals. Yours was back where you and I were standing next to the cash register.

I do remember that the bike the other guy was buying looked like one I had never seen before. It must have been you.

Sounds like you got a really nice bike and a good deal for the money. It's always a joy to get a bike that is as you say, a really well thought out bike. I hope you really enjoy it. Let us know how your experiment works out for you.

As for the LHT, when I took it for the test ride, by the time I had spun the crank once, I knew it was a top quality bike that was everything I thought it might be -- I was in love. Really happy is probably going to be an understatement; really thrilled is probably going to be more like it.

FINALLY!!!!!!

whoa. blingy dropouts ftw. can you go fixed with belt drive?

@ dmtroyer I don't know, and I probably will never go fixed but I also said I wound never go single speed.

Any suggestions on the color Fiks I should get.

re: Fiks, not sure any of them will match... although orange could compliment the blue well (but clash with the cream?)

Just did my first ride, the bike is very light and responsive. The belt barley whispers. The 55-22 gearing is surprisingly easier than I expected. It's o.k. for now but it wont take long before I want more aggressive gearing. It spins out on down hills, but lovely on climbs.

Oh, that's purty. I want one.

We can be gang of people who ride bikes with one gear.

They already have a gang for that. I believe they are called "hipsters"

Do I look like a hipster? You usually have to have some sort of "style".

stefb you have style, and we can start a gang of one gear hill climbers.

I'd sooner buy a good trailer than a cargo bike.

@stefb

Nah, you just have to ride with (forgetting his name, favorite color is pink) and talk about music

I don't know stef. You are currently wearing tights and a dress. Nice headband too.

Thanks to cburch when I picked up my single speed I checked out the mountain bikes. Got info on them and test rode one. I think I want a mountain bike.

@mr marv: If you get a MTB, we could be MTB-newbie-buddies!

@mrs marv: Sorry...

sigh..... It never ends.

It really doesn't.

After riding my new bike around I feel the gearing is way to easy. I spin out at around 20-25mph. Does anyone know about belt drives and how complicated it would be to re-gear it. It has 55t-22t. I think thats 63 gear ratio. I "think" I need 55t-20t to bring it around 73-74 gear ratio any advice, and would this be pricy?

Looks to be as easy as a regular cassette removal

http://www.carbondrivesystems.com/images/uploads/installation_1231907567.pdf

I don't know much about belt drives, but i would think that changing the sizes of the cog and chainring would require a different size belt.

^ there are tensioner screws so you should be able to use the same belt within reason.

I'll change the belt size and whatever I need to do as long as I'm not spending a great deal of money doing it.

Mr M., I really like the belt drive, but after playing around on the carbonbelt site I noticed that changing a flat becomes a real pain in the a**. You should learn how to do this or carry bus money with you.

edit: 20 is also the smallest sprocket they make

I don't think I ever considered how I would change a tire. I have no idea how to do it.

20 it is

cogs are about 80 bucks, belts are about 50. that's an expensive singlespeed drivetrain...

I have RIBMOs on my fixie cause I realize how much of a PITA it is to change a rear flat. Are those tires "puncture resistant"?

um.... no, it seems that my really good deal is starting to get expensive.

they aways do.

mrs. marvelous is gonna kill me.

Anyways I'm going to get a 20t cog I'm still Googling to find out if I can use the same belt if I can that would be awesome.

Why not just ride it as is for now? I seemed to spin out above 20-25mph down hills on a single speed at 72.4 gear inches.

@ stefb I don't know what I should do maybe you are right.... or I could do a 60-20 combo ha.

Well at least the claim is that the belts last longer than chains, so if that's true it's not necessarily more expensive...

Use Sheldon's calculator. 22 is 10% different than 20 so if you're coming up with a 17% difference (74 vs 63) something is wrong. In reality your current setup is something like 67 inches or 24mph at 120rpm. Going to 20 would bump you up to a little over 26... not a huge difference.

Going to a 60-20 combination is a real possibility but that would bring me to 80 gear inches. I'm not sure if that is to extreme.

@mr marv: I'd suggest not rushing things. Ride all over the city for a few weeks on what you've got...see how it feels to climb some of the big stuff in the existing gearing.

IMO, it's better to spin out in the mid-20s than it is to need your "two-foot" gear on an extended hill.

@ reddan you are probably right. I still plan on riding more before I jump into new gearing. I think I'll take on some really long hard climbs first. I might do the Fox Chapel ride to see how I handle it.

It'd be cool to have one of these at Try-A-Bike again this year. The first and only time I ever saw one was at last year's Try-A-Bike. It was a fairly small thing (Caitlin's?). I have no idea what a full-size road bike with a belt drive would be like.

Yeah, marv. You don't want to have to walk up hills. Your legs are probably stronger than mine, though.. I dont find the idea of trying to unclip on a steep hill a good time, so that is my motivation for keeping the pedals turning, even if I am going 3-4mph. Try taking Stanton all the way through highland park from the direction of your house. There is that short steep hill after passing the swimming pool before you get to the funky mural. See how that hill feels. It is low traffic, so if you have to zig zag, it is relatively safe, but be careful of cars speeding down the hill.

@stefb Ok I'll give it a try. Going up Stanton from Highland up to my house wasn't to hard. If my legs are stronger than yours why do you keep dropping me on every ride.

@ stu I might bring it to try a bike, we shall see.

I think I might just have more endurance from doing long rides since February. I am now comfortable enough to spin at a cadence that allows me to sustain 20-25mph on the flats (finally).