# steel fixie commuter: swobo, bianchi, kona



## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

wtb: steel fixie commuter: swobo sanchez, bianchi pista, kona patty wagon
will eventually install hope m4 disk on a cx wheel & fork
fitting cx tire on frame's a big plus


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## MSD (Jul 17, 2006)

With those criteria, I would think the Kona is the only one of your options that at all fits.

Other choices include Milwaukee, IRO (the cx one, whatever the hell they call it), Surly Cross-check (if you don't mind forward-facing drops) and Steamroller, On-One Il Pompino... just off the top of my head, for reasonable-priced steel fixed framesets with serious clearances.

Of these, my favorites are the Milwaukee and the Pompino.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Go for a Waterford.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

Yep, if you can swing the price go for the Waterford and have it built to your intended future needs and geometry. Otherwise just watch ebay and craigslist and the classifieds on the site here and grab the first one from your list that you see for a decent price. I suspect some of those Swobo fixed gears will start showing up for sale fairly soon after they become available, just like the LeMond Fillmores did.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

I'm not sure about the other, but the Pista has fairly aggro track-esque geometry. Is that what you're looking for?


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## thecrazyfinn (Apr 8, 2007)

Was looking at the Kona, damn near bought one. Decided on a Steelwool Sweet City SS instead. Nice, relaxed touring geometry instead of the steeper track-inspired stuff on so many singlespeeds and fixies.


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## khill (Mar 4, 2004)

Ok, I have to ask: why do you need a disc brake on a road bike? 

I guess I could understand if you expect to be doing loaded touring on long mountain descents and wanted some massive braking capability. However, you wouldn't be doing that on a fixed gear (and many people have done that for a long time with simple cantilever brakes).

I have a Kona Paddy Wagon and use it for commuting and general riding. I like it a lot and have posted here about it. I can fit 32mm road tires on it (without fenders). You might not fit a 32mm knobby cross tire on it, though, since I'm pretty close to the brake arch now.

I'd say the best options for you are an On-One Il Pompino or an IRO Rob Roy if you really want to fit knobby tires and use disc brakes.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

MB1 said:


> Go for a Waterford.


$1500 just for the frame?


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## thecrazyfinn (Apr 8, 2007)

cross-bike wheel compatibility. A 700C disc wheelset can be used on many 26" MTB's as well as your road bike. I'm actually tempted to get some disc mounts brazed on my FrankenHopper so I can use it as a 1x9 roadie with 700C wheels when I want to wimp out on the single.

Discs are also much better in the wet, giving you a better all-weather setup than rim brakes.


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## warmseth (May 11, 2006)

^they look pretty neato too. that's the main reason i would rock them on a road bike.


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## asterisk (Oct 21, 2003)

I've heard the Bianchi San Jose is shipping with a flipflop hub which would fill your want list as well.


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## WildBill (May 11, 2006)

My Swobo is on the way ! its friggin galvanized !! I had to have it ! It will match my fence !


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> $1500 just for the frame?


MB1's brand loyalty is impressive and undaunted--thread title be damned.


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## S2H (Jul 10, 2005)

asterisk said:


> I've heard the Bianchi San Jose is shipping with a flipflop hub which would fill your want list as well.


The site doesn't spec a flip-flop, but I saw a bunch at the LBS that appear to have them. I dunno what's up with those things. If you could get the San Jose with a flip-flop, I'd go for that.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

Scotty2Hotty said:


> The site doesn't spec a flip-flop, but I saw a bunch at the LBS that appear to have them. I dunno what's up with those things. If you could get the San Jose with a flip-flop, I'd go for that.



were they fixed-free or free-free?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

warmseth said:


> ^they look pretty neato too. that's the main reason i would rock them on a road bike.


+1... You can use wild colored rims without a machined braking surface...


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## S2H (Jul 10, 2005)

FatTireFred said:


> were they fixed-free or free-free?


They were all hanging up. Alls I know is on some, the hub had teeth on both sides. On others, there were only teeth on one side. 

Either Bianchi is shipping some of these with flip-flops, or the LBS is rebuilding the stock wheels.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

Scotty2Hotty said:


> They were all hanging up. Alls I know is on some, the hub had teeth on both sides. On others, there were only teeth on one side.
> 
> Either Bianchi is shipping some of these with flip-flops, or the LBS is rebuilding the stock wheels.



freewheel on both sides?


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

*vanity*



warmseth said:


> ^they look pretty neato too. that's the main reason i would rock them on a road bike.


1. vanity
2. better when wet
3. i'll have a spare hope m4 with a 6" rotor
4. reason #1.

so far i'm leaning towards a sanchez, but an iro rob roy's a good ideal...


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

*a flipflop'd SJ*



asterisk said:


> I've heard the Bianchi San Jose is shipping with a flipflop hub which would fill your want list as well.


hmmm a flipflop'd SJ would work: so nice to have all these choices.
since i have two mountain bikes (and plan to have two more when i'm ready) I migh' as well just get a track fixie


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

TrailNut said:


> hmmm a flipflop'd SJ would work: so nice to have all these choices.
> since i have two mountain bikes (and plan to have two more when i'm ready) I migh' as well just get a track fixie


Check with the dealer. There is a San Jose on ebay now and the guy says it's single speed only. He says you'd have to loctite a cog to run fixed. Maybe it's an older model


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## warmseth (May 11, 2006)

i'm a big fan of the van dessel crb or drag strip courage that might be in your range too.


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## lwkwafi (Jan 21, 2006)

*San Jose is Fixed/Free*

I have a new san jose, got it last fall and it came fixed!
It is the same wheelset as the pista. For some reason the first batch of the 07 years were coming with a fixed 17t cog and lock ring. it was great for the slow winter, plus the lbs ordered a 16t freewheel for free. -got me wanting a dedicated fixie, which the IRO group buy will provide for me. 

It comes with 32s on there with some clearance to go more, but since i am running fenders, i wouldnt go bigger. plus, no more snow (in theory), so i may run 28 road tires soon. Anyway, i love the thing. great for the flat central illinois commute.


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## S2H (Jul 10, 2005)

FatTireFred said:


> freewheel on both sides?


Maybe, but the website says the cassette is just a 17T.


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## asterisk (Oct 21, 2003)

Have your local Bianchi dealer call and check before ordering. The website usually doesn't get updated until the new year's bike line so it still says freewheel only. I've heard the initial '07s came with Pista wheelsets which didn't make a whole lot of sense due to differing dropout widths but have also heard they now ship with a true 135mm fixed/free hub.


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

test rode the Bianchi San Jose with flilp-flop: It's fixie side's fun.
ordered the Pista, with a front brake set.


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## RoyIII (Feb 24, 2007)

I voted swobo, but looked at a kona today and damned if I did not spring for the paddy wagon. I will report back in a couple of weeks when it gets here.


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## kellyjk (May 25, 2006)

Hey trailnut can you plese give me your opinion on the viner cause I bought one for $600.00 frame and forks and I have to say it is more lively and spirited than my masterlight and my litespeed at 3x the cost.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Other*

Dumpster/thrift store/garage sale special. I ain't spending no $700 for a fg.


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

kellyjk said:


> Hey trailnut can you plese give me your opinion on the viner cause I bought one for $600.00 frame and forks and I have to say it is more lively and spirited than my masterlight and my litespeed at 3x the cost.


Viner's Pro Team Deda' "EOM 16.5" (wtf that means I do not know) "superlight" steel bike's awesome!
Mated with all Campy 2x10s, is real nice.

Our son, who can ride the same frame as I, have been racing the Pro Team and he likes the quick acceleration and the ride.


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## 867-5309 (Oct 7, 2005)

*Wanta custom, frame and fork 750*

www.wantaframes.com

I had mine built cycocross style. A great deal. Ride it almost evey day. The cheapest you will find in a custom.

Mind you the deal included fancy lugs as well.


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

JCavilia said:


> Dumpster/thrift store/garage sale special. I ain't spending no $700 for a fg.



I spent $550 with Cane Creek front brake which is less than what I would have to spend to get a frame with track ends.

Eventually, I'll find an Italian or Japanese lugged steel frame with enough horizontal drop out clearances (or track ends) and rack eyelits (sp?) to convert into a cafe fixie that can don couple of panniers along side a rack with room enough for CX tires...

until then, a $500 Pista and one-year warrenty fits my need, who's got more money then leisure time


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

*CX fixie*



867-5309 said:


> www.wantaframes.com
> 
> I had mine built cycocross style. A great deal. Ride it almost evey day. The cheapest you will find in a custom.
> 
> Mind you the deal included fancy lugs as well.


i still want (not need) a lugged CX fixie with disk front brake with 35mm+ rubbers. heh heh


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## Gregory Taylor (Mar 29, 2002)

*Fort --*



TrailNut said:


> wtb: steel fixie commuter: swobo sanchez, bianchi pista, kona patty wagon
> will eventually install hope m4 disk on a cx wheel & fork
> fitting cx tire on frame's a big plus


Czech Republic Goodness. Nice....


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

Pablo said:


> the Pista has fairly aggro track-esque geometry.


I've been commuting on a Pista for two years and love the track geom for dodging through traffic and diving into turns. I get frustrated by the lack of a rear brake but I've gotten used to managing pedal pressure + front brake and haven't endoed yet.

Another good trackish fixie for commuting would be the Schwinn Madison. Track geometry with steep angles and high BB, but it's drilled for front and rear brakes. I tried to buy one last year, but they were back-ordered for about six-months so I changed my mind. I may get one yet, but right now I have other spending priorities.


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

grrrr. Pista's back ordered one to two months.


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