Who wants to ride my bicycle?
If you are looking into buying a new single-speed racing bike in the £500 range, you are most probably looking at the following five options, from left to right, in alphabetic order:
- Bianchi Pista (photo)
- Kona Paddy Wagon (photo)
- Lemond Fillmore (photo)
- Ridgeback Genesis Flyer (photo)
- Specialized Langster (photo)
All of them, except for the Bianchi Pista, are ready for the road. The Bianchi Pisa is a pure track bike, so it dosen’t come with any breaks and the frame is not drilled for a rear break. The Bianchi Pista is also the only bike that comes as a fixed geared bike as default, a freewheel/fixed gear flip flop hub can be installed.
Obviously I bought the Bianchi Pista.
Mostly for it’s beauty and simplicity.
Two questions I had, until I actually rode it home from the store today, was:
- Is only a front break good enough?
- Fixed gear… is it dangerous?
The answers are:
- Yes
- No
A lot of people I have asked about riding fixed have said it’s pure idiocy and a death wish. Obviously these people have never been on a skateboard, snowboard or rollerblades. Because if riding a fixed geared bike is a death wish, skateboard is suicide.
The fixed gear must be a horror until you’re getting used to it. (do not let anybody borrow your bike unless they fully understand the thing about fixed gear :)
i do! i do! i do!
thats a very good choice - lovely bike!
Its a beauty!
I agree Nico, definetly the best looking of the bunch. I was just looking at Willow’s blog, have you two got matching bikes now then?
RE: Cookie,
He he, yeah; unless the different frame size makes them “un-matching” bikes. For a long time Willow was undecided between the Bianchi Pista and the Ridgeback Genesis Flyer, but eventually the Bianchi Pista draw the longest straw.
Since the bikes probably only look new (e.g the same) for a few month, and the fact that we don’t ride together that much, we thought the ‘police-couples-look’ was something we could live with. At least our outfits don’t match ;)
Things to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0AFpq6jFok
Re: Lars Huring,
This is even better. A bit gay, but much better ;)
That’s awesome! Synchro-fixie-bike-ballet! :D
Hi,
Funny - I was all ready to buy the Pista today until I rode the Genesis Flyer! Superb - MUCH more comfortable, lighter, seemed more responsive.
I kept telling myself the Pista was comfy (cos I LOVE how it looks) but it really wasn’t, I was putting way too much weight on my wrists and it just didn’t seem right for my body shape.
The Genesis Flyer is supposed to be a better bike by configuration. I test road a Flyer down at CycleSurgery in Spitalfields, London, before I bought the Pista and i agree that it might be a more comfortable ride, but not lighter or more responsive. The Pista is a track bike, so it is hard and unforgiving. It’s like a race car with a stiff suspension ;)
It all really comes down to what you’re after.
No right or wrong.
And, to be honest, most people would probably, like John, prefer a comfortable ride than a characteristic hard-headed italian ;)
I only test road the Flyer and the Pista though. I didn’t really want to try the Kona Paddy Wagon and the Specialized Langster, but I would have liked to give the Lemond Fillmore a go. Its supposed to be a really nice bike that originally was in the £700 region but lowered due to competition (don’t know it that’s true or not, just something I’ve been told).
One thing that I didn’t mention in the post (and I probably should) is what got me to get a bike. The whole thing can be tracked back to the morning Emma Beddard flew past me on her newly purchased Genesis Flyer.
So if it wasn’t for the Flyer, I wouldn’t have bought a Pista.
[...] Since i just recently got a bike, and a kitten, I find the above sign quite relevant and funny. It made me smile and it made me think. [...]
Nice bike. :)
Bit disapointing that it doesnt have the rear brake hole drilled out, would have been perfect. (Didnt know this,thanks) I’m considering getting one myself.
Thanks.
Thanks for this article. After 6|+ years riding a hybrid 20km round trip I’m celebrating my new freelance status with new fixed gear bike. But I’m a big fella (6″6) so going for a cyclefit at Mosquito and been doing some research on LFG site etc and came across this article which could have saved me half a day if I found it earlier.
Leaning towards the Pista but going to test ride some of the others you mention. I was wondering if anyone had riden the Pearson Touche - link.
New freelance job will mean a longer round trip to Elephant & Castle 3 days a week of about 30km so looking to spend about £500 or so on the bike then will be needing trainers and other bits no doubt.
I can’t believe you chose the ugly Bianchi pista over other blatantly better bikes. However, it’s your loss, so I’m not gonna ridicule you for it, or explain why it was far from the best choice. You’ll soon find out.
In response to Baggy’s post above - I have been using the Pearson Touche as my work bike for just over a year. It’s excellent - I would certainly recommend it. If you visit messenger of doom’s blog (just search for ‘messenger of doom’ or ‘bike messenger blog’ on google) and search for pearson touche there’s a few reports on it there.
I quite like the Genesis Flyer - If I had the choice of all the above bikes plus the Pearon, it would be either the Pearson or the Genesis.
To extend the above comment, Here’s a link to the Messenger of Doom blog and here’s a link to the search result for Pearson Touche on the same blog.
It’s not the fixies that are dangerous so mush as the people riding them and the cars around them (but you can’t always blame the cars). Riding a bike on the street is dangerous no matter what type of bike, but with fixies the new street trend and more kids not knowing hand signals or how to ride on the street…they’re getting hit or more often hitting someone else. I know, I ride and work in a big city. I take them to the hospital all the time (more often within the last year).
@Sailor. I totally agree.
Thanks for sharing.
My choices came down to three of your five models and I opted for the Pista, too.
Expect a lawsuit very soon if it does not deliver.
What brake system did you choose?