SS commuter frame or full bike?

[Wolfchimp]

Just curious what some other options might be for a NEW SS commuter setup. The On One Pompino is pretty sweet. What are some other track frame options? I would prefer to stay away from a singulator style tensioner. Thanks.

[funky-funky-chicken]

Surly Crosscheck would be my choice for a new and inexpensive commuter/SS option.

[redwood]

I've been coveting the IRO Rob Roy as well as the new Bianchi San Jose. Both are beautiful steel SS cyclocross bikes with attachments for racks and fenders, and bother are under $600 complete.


http://www.irocycle.com/id111.html

http://www.bianchiusa.com/1483.html

[Konaboy]

A friend got an IRO Mark V this summer. Looks and rides nice, plus it was dirt cheap.

Dirtrag just reviewed a Raleigh Rush Hour. Complete bike for $600. You choose if you want fixed or ss. If I had $600 burning a hole in my pocket I'd look at one of those too.

[KleinCrazy]

I use the Il Pompino for my Commuter Single speed and all around asphalt bike.

Great Ride and for people with short legs and long arms, the compact geometry makes for a very comfotable fit.

[manual63]

I plan to replace my aluminum GT road frame and fork with a chromoly frame someday. I will do either the Surley or On-One....not sure. I like them both, so I will have to go with what will fit me best I guess.

Just make sure you get a chromoly frame, aluminum is way to harsh on the body.

[Wolfchimp]

Thanks for the input guys! It is much apprecitated.

[stoneage]

This (http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/frames/50150.html) one is dope!!!

[manual63]

The crosscheck is designed to have gears. The steamroller says it's for fixed gear, but why not singlespeed?

http://www.surlybikes.com/steamroller.html

Did they not mention it, or is there something I am missing that would make this not a good singlespeed frame too.

I will probably keep gears for my roadie/cross bike, but just asking anyway.

[TomT]

Did they not mention it, or is there something I am missing that would make this not a good singlespeed frame too.

I think it has something to do with math.

No braze ons = no brakes = fixed

[manual63]

I did say it was drilled for a brake though. Not canti's but regular sidepulls.

[TomT]

"The seatstay bridge is drilled for a standard-reach brake, as well... though there are no housing stops."

They drill you a hole to mount a rear brake, but don't give you anywhere to run the cables.

[funky-funky-chicken]

The crosscheck is designed to have gears.

One of the beauties of the Crosscheck is the fact that it has horizontal dropouts. You can easily run it as a single or with gears if that's your thing. Plenty of tire clearance (important for tire choice and fenders.) Bosses for V or Cantilever brakes. IMHO, it'd be a good all around frame that could be used for a variety of different needs.

[Aaroneous]

Check this baby out:

http://www.vandesselsports.com/crb.php?bike=9

Sure, it's alloy, but it's got a carbon fork, integrated HS, big fat tires, nice parts, and is muy sexissimo for $800 complete...
If I had money, I'd totally get one...

And check out www.nycbikes.com (http://www.nycbikes.com) 's lineup. Some very affordable & funky assorted commuter bikes...

And who needs braze-ons to run cables? That's what full housing and zip-ties are for, yo.

[manual63]

"The seatstay bridge is drilled for a standard-reach brake, as well... though there are no housing stops."

They drill you a hole to mount a rear brake, but don't give you anywhere to run the cables.

Uh, you don't need stops to run cables for sidepull brakes. You don't even need them for V-Brakes......only Canti's.

[pmschwei]

i have an older schwinn frame sitting in the garage not getting ridden that makes a nice single-4130 cromo frame with horizontal drops

[Wolfchimp]

I actually have SS commuter set up using a '70s schwinn le tour II. It works great, wouldnt mind alloy wheels though. A buddy of mine is looking for something brand new to drop some cash on. He commutes everyday 34 miles round trip. i just couldnt think of options for him.

Pete- is the older schwinn a 700c or a 27"?

[pmschwei]

i had it built fixed with 700c wheels and the front brake worked-i think the original steel wheels were 27" but i am not sure

[TomT]

Uh, you don't need stops to run cables for sidepull brakes. You don't even need them for V-Brakes......only Canti's.


And who needs braze-ons to run cables? That's what full housing and zip-ties are for, yo.

I agree with both of you. However, I see nothing special about this frame that would make me want to buy it and then zip-tie cables to it.

It does seem like a nice bike for both of you though.

[jjrsds]

Redline monocog is what I am communting on most days. Just put on a 39 front ring (16 back) , fenders. Inexpensive, and it works for my 5 mile ride to work.

[redwood]

Last night I ordered an IRO Rob Roy. Red. And I got the silver rather than black components. Black paint can hide poor finishing work.

[manual63]

Looks like a nice bike for the money. Hope you like it. Let us know what you think once you have done a few miles.

[redwood]

I cancelled the rob roy order i'd placed, as I learned that the max tire clearance with fenders is 32mm, and I want 35mm studs with fenders this winter. fortunately the bike hadn't been built up yet. Tony, at IRO, was very nice about it.


Seems like the pompino (blow job in italian) is the only SS cyclocross frame besides a crosscheck with that much clearance. I couldn't get the full story on bianchi san jose, so I don't know about that.

should be here in 3 weeks. here's a pic of someone else's

http://www.m-gineering.nl/pompino.htm (http://www.m-gineering.nl/pompino.htm)

[KleinCrazy]

I have an il Pompino and am running geax 35m tires on it right now. front clearance is no problem, rear is close but still a few mm on each side.

You should have no problem running studded 35's on it.

I really like mine and have been commuting on it alot. Not sure yet about the winter thing as I have yet to find out where I will be working, but if I can, I plan to try and do it.

I had this big plan to set mine up to be a full disc bike using a disc cross fork and an old adapter plate that on-one used to sell. litigation made them stop making it and they no longer sell it. Oh Well. I can say that the Woodman Cassette singlespeed disc Hub I have on it is very nice however.

Enjoy your new ride.

James

[Kosk]

What swayed you from the x-check to the pompino? (Just curious, I was considering both of these and decided on the x-check instead.)

And now that I have it built up, I decided it was too nice to trash with winter commuting, so I found an old Varisity and made it a rideable single for $35 instead, woohoo!!! Be careful, it might be so nice you'll feel guilty about abusing it in the salty winter mess!

[redwood]

What swayed you from the x-check to the pompino? (Just curious, I was considering both of these and decided on the x-check instead.)

And now that I have it built up, I decided it was too nice to trash with winter commuting, so I found an old Varisity and made it a rideable single for $35 instead, woohoo!!! Be careful, it might be so nice you'll feel guilty about abusing it in the salty winter mess!

The pompino will cost me $712 shipped to my door. If I built up a crosscheck and paid $400 for the frame, it would probably come out about the same price. I guess what swayed me is that I want to be able to put on chain tugs, which need rear opening track hubs. And then i guess it just looks cool and is sort of unique. And it's called pompino.

Big advantages of the xcheck is that you can add a derailer if you want, you can take wider tires than the pompino (45 vs 38), and you support a more local company and probably buy local too. Xcheck is a more versatile bike, ultimately. and you probably dont have to wait for the damn thing to swim across the atlantic.

[gordanfreeman]

a friend of mine just built up a pompino. i havnt ridden it yet but we took it out for octobers crit mass ride and it seemed to treat its rider alright. looked to have plenty of clearance but i didnt get a good look at it.

i just bought an old free spirit (sears brand frame yea baby) off craigslist for $100 about a month ago. came with full fenders (altho i ditched the rear for a lighter cheapo plastic one) and rides nice now. i had to sink ~$100 into it to replace the cranks/bb and get a new chainring but now it rides really nice (comparable to my roomies fuji track but with more tire clearance). not bad for a $200 investment, in my opinion.