# My new Milwaukee: a brief review



## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

I got a Milwaukee Orange One in December and thought I would post a few thoughts on it.

I bought this bike to replace an IRO Jamie Roy. The Jamie Roy was a good bike, but it was too large, and I disliked the stiff ride - I always felt beat-up afterwards. I have no idea whether this was an aluminum-vs-steel issue (it was my only aluminum bike) but I decided that I wanted to replace it with something steel. I also wanted big tire clearances and caliper brakes - I don't like cantis and refuse to ride brakeless on the street. Finally, I wanted the frame to come pretreated with some sort of rust inhibitor. This is a build option on the Milwaukee. The fact that it was built by Waterford also is a selling point, of course. The rest of the bike: Bell Lap bars; San Marco Rolls saddle; Sugino RD crankset, running 48x17; Velocity Razor rims on Milwaukee hubs.

I ordered the bike; it arrived in a more-or-less timely manner at my home in California; I got one 20-minute ride; and the next day, I packed it onto a boat because I was moving to London. Fast-forward 2 1/2 bikeless months. Boat arrives late-February, and at last I can ride my bikes again.

So I've had 3 longer rides now, and I'm really happy so far. The handling is just what I wanted: it rides like a road bike, not a track-bike. It's responsive and very quick-feeling. The bike feels light, both on the road and when I carry it up the stairs. I've sought out some hills to ride up - seems to climb well. Ride is smooth. I do get some toe-overlap, even with a 59-cm frame; maybe the Sugino cranks have narrow Q-factor.

A lot of the London parks seem to have signed bicycle paths that are unpaved (either mud or hardpacked dirt with little pebbles). The bike seems to do well on both surfaces, even with 25-mm slicks on.

Plus, I probably have the only Milwaukee in London, and when it's that orange, you really can't miss it.

Hope this helps someone.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

MSD said:


> I got a Milwaukee Orange One in December and thought I would post a few thoughts on it.
> 
> I bought this bike to replace an IRO Jamie Roy. The Jamie Roy was a good bike, but it was too large, and I disliked the stiff ride - I always felt beat-up afterwards. I have no idea whether this was an aluminum-vs-steel issue (it was my only aluminum bike) but I decided that I wanted to replace it with something steel. I also wanted big tire clearances and caliper brakes - I don't like cantis and refuse to ride brakeless on the street. Finally, I wanted the frame to come pretreated with some sort of rust inhibitor. This is a build option on the Milwaukee. The fact that it was built by Waterford also is a selling point, of course. The rest of the bike: Bell Lap bars; San Marco Rolls saddle; Sugino RD crankset, running 48x17; Velocity Razor rims on Milwaukee hubs.
> 
> ...


Good review. Do you have any pictures? I like the looks of the Milwaukee frames since they are one of the few fixed frames that are compact geometry(at least in smaller sizes)


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Non-sequiter: Every time I hear or read about Milwakee bikes, cheap beer from Wisconson, or the Brewers, I think of that scene in Wayne's World with Alice Cooper backstage, talking about the history of Mili-Wa-Kay.


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## bkranich (May 7, 2004)

*Love my Milwaukee*

I've had it for about a year now. It's really a great bike. It does everything on the road well, and it's a bike that not everyone has. It will give you lots of enjoyment, I'm sure.


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## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

Dave Hickey said:


> Good review. Do you have any pictures? I like the looks of the Milwaukee frames since they are one of the few fixed frames that are compact geometry(at least in smaller sizes)


Sorry - no pictures yet - I don't have a garage door. No, seriously, maybe next weekend, but probably not before. I just found the camera, what with the recent move and all. I'll try to photograph it in front of some recognizably London thing next weekend.


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## fredstaple (Jun 2, 2003)

*Milwaukee Too*

I also got an Orange One in December. It was my first fixed gear and it has been a dream ride (I didn't have any other fixed gear frame of reference at the time but it felt great).

I have read some reviews of Ben's Cycle that were not so great, but I found the exact opposite. I must have called those guys 15 times while trying to figure out the set up I wanted. They took the time to really work with me, did not have any problems with me sending them a few spare parts I had on hand to add on to the bike (and keep costs down) and shipped it when promised. They even had the fork painted a special colour. So big thumbs up to the sales staff and the purchasing process.

I got the four star hubs (Milwaukee brand) and they have run well to date. Also got the house brand cog and lock ring. The welds on the frame are really tight, someone took their time to finish these nicely and it makes the bike look great. I purchased the orange paint and that has held up very well. I thought about a clear coat but elected not to. The blues and browns also look really good. Lots of colour choice in the decals and they come off if you are not into this (I think they add a lot to the bikes appearance). It is funny how many comments you get on the colour, people seem to really dig it. 

The bike is a little on the heavy side by carbon standards, but this is a non issue for me and I am not racing the frame. I have ridden the frame for short workouts and I love to just take it out to chill out and ride 

Bottom Line: the bike runs great and looks great. The price is just over $800 with their basic line up and under $1K with wheel upgrade and a few other nice add ons. 

Riding one in London must be the bomb.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

*Me too*

I've had a Milwaukee for at least 2-3 years. Russell at Ben's told me it was one of the first 50 made so its one of the originals. Not that they have changed much. Here's a pic for your enjoyment.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

MSD ... pics yet? My Milwaukee just shipped today and I can't wait. Like you, I've had a great experience with those guys.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Hey MSD*

Where are you living in London? I was there for 6 years, 1999-2005 and living in Kensington. Daily ride during the week used to out to Richmond Park and back. You'll like it there. Riding year round and not as wet as people think although tire (tyre ha ha) choice is still important. Condor was my LBS, offering everything I needed including small parts and clothing. Also try Geoff Butler in Croydon and Sigma in Kingston. I had a custom single speed made by Chas Roberts in Croydon.



MSD said:


> I got a Milwaukee Orange One in December and thought I would post a few thoughts on it.
> 
> I bought this bike to replace an IRO Jamie Roy. The Jamie Roy was a good bike, but it was too large, and I disliked the stiff ride - I always felt beat-up afterwards. I have no idea whether this was an aluminum-vs-steel issue (it was my only aluminum bike) but I decided that I wanted to replace it with something steel. I also wanted big tire clearances and caliper brakes - I don't like cantis and refuse to ride brakeless on the street. Finally, I wanted the frame to come pretreated with some sort of rust inhibitor. This is a build option on the Milwaukee. The fact that it was built by Waterford also is a selling point, of course. The rest of the bike: Bell Lap bars; San Marco Rolls saddle; Sugino RD crankset, running 48x17; Velocity Razor rims on Milwaukee hubs.
> 
> ...


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## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

I live down in Clapham and work by London Bridge. Commuting by bike about half-time so far, expecting to bring that up to all the time in the coming weeks.

It really isn't terribly wet (but is wetter than Palo Alto was) - I actually haven't got around to fitting mudguards yet.

Condor is great, very fun - I esp. like the small museum of old frames in the back corner. Staff there seems very good, too. Brixton Cycles is the best bike store I've found close enough to my home to walk to - I haven't bought anything much from them yet. They do like the fixed-gears, so that's a plus. I need to bring in one of my wife's bikes for an insurance assessment (smashed in the move).

Where are you now?



boneman said:


> Where are you living in London? I was there for 6 years, 1999-2005 and living in Kensington. Daily ride during the week used to out to Richmond Park and back. You'll like it there. Riding year round and not as wet as people think although tire (tyre ha ha) choice is still important. Condor was my LBS, offering everything I needed including small parts and clothing. Also try Geoff Butler in Croydon and Sigma in Kingston. I had a custom single speed made by Chas Roberts in Croydon.


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## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

I'm working on it... I'll get one up tonight or tomorrow. I think.

You'll like the bike, I think. The ride really is just right, at least as far as I'm concerned.



DrRoebuck said:


> MSD ... pics yet? My Milwaukee just shipped today and I can't wait. Like you, I've had a great experience with those guys.


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## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

*A semi-assed picture*

Well, here's a picture. You can't see the bike very well, but I really liked the bridge.

To make that up to you, a couple other pictures from the last few months - one in London, one down in Sussex.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Nice Pic's*

Clapham's pretty cool. Okay, South of the Thames but still close enough and good for working in the City. We left London in January, 2005, spending about 10 months in the States and then moved to Shanghai. Very different indeed here in China.

Ah, seeing pictures of London is great. My wife and are coming in July, to see the start of the TDF and also to catch up with friends, sink more than a few pints and eat at our favorite neighborhood spots. Should be good fun.

I seem to recall the locks down by Wapping, east of the Tower Bridge?





MSD said:


> I live down in Clapham and work by London Bridge. Commuting by bike about half-time so far, expecting to bring that up to all the time in the coming weeks.
> 
> It really isn't terribly wet (but is wetter than Palo Alto was) - I actually haven't got around to fitting mudguards yet.
> 
> ...


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## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

Mine was actually taken in Rotherhithe, where Surrey Water meets the Thames....

Do you get to ride much in Shanghai?



boneman said:


> Clapham's pretty cool. Okay, South of the Thames but still close enough and good for working in the City. We left London in January, 2005, spending about 10 months in the States and then moved to Shanghai. Very different indeed here in China.
> 
> Ah, seeing pictures of London is great. My wife and are coming in July, to see the start of the TDF and also to catch up with friends, sink more than a few pints and eat at our favorite neighborhood spots. Should be good fun.
> 
> I seem to recall the locks down by Wapping, east of the Tower Bridge?


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