# about to buy a San Jose



## Krafcik (Nov 4, 2005)

I'm about to pull the trigger on the San Jose . . . any last minute suggestions or other bikes I should consider?


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## matanza (Jun 9, 2004)

Probably need to look a little while longer...

Custom perhaps, maybe titanium, etc.& so foerth and liek dat... Steal the real!


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## hubcap (May 24, 2005)

Have you looked at the IRO Rob Roy or the On-One Pompino? I dig both of those and the San Jose. What will you primarily be using the bike for?


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## Krafcik (Nov 4, 2005)

hubcap said:


> Have you looked at the IRO Rob Roy or the On-One Pompino? I dig both of those and the San Jose. What will you primarily be using the bike for?



commutting and grocery getter. i want a steel frame, complete bike.


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## hubcap (May 24, 2005)

Price-wise, it's a toss up between the Rob Roy and the San Jose. I like the dual eyelets the Rob Roy has in the back. The Bianchi paint and decal look is cool though.


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## Krafcik (Nov 4, 2005)

*I hate myself!*

I just saw the Lemond Fillmore . . . It is my understanding that the frame on the lemond Fillmore, OX TRUE TEMPER PLATINUM, is top notch, one of the best steels around . . . should i go this route instead?


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

Krafcik said:


> I'm about to pull the trigger on the San Jose . . . any last minute suggestions or other bikes I should consider?


The Samurai code says that you should make decisions in the space of three breaths. Which is to say, "Stop thinking. Start riding (that spanky new San Jose)."

Have Fun,

- FBB


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## Krafcik (Nov 4, 2005)

*I wish I could but . . .*



fbagatelleblack said:


> The Samurai code says that you should make decisions in the space of three breaths. Which is to say, "Stop thinking. Start riding (that spanky new San Jose)."
> 
> Have Fun,
> 
> - FBB



I want this to last a long time, if the fillmore is a better bike . . . shouldn't I???


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## blackhat (Jan 2, 2003)

*buy the san jose or the iro.*



Krafcik said:


> I want this to last a long time, if the fillmore is a better bike . . . shouldn't I???


isn't the fillmore a street track bike? I assume if you're looking at the san jose you want to run fatties.


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## Krafcik (Nov 4, 2005)

blackhat said:


> isn't the fillmore a street track bike? I assume if you're looking at the san jose you want to run fatties.



just plan on using the bike for commutting around town. want a simple single speed.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

Krafcik said:


> I want this to last a long time, if the fillmore is a better bike . . . shouldn't I???


In that case, refer to the phrase "Getting there is half the fun."

Keep shopping until you are tired of shopping. Then buy the bike that moves your soul most effectively. You won't go wrong with any of the bikes you mention. I don't think there is such a thing as a "better bike" in this case. I'd be inclined to say that one of the bikes might meet your performance and/or financial needs better than the others, but you can probably judge those criteria for yourself better than I could. I like the San Jose, mostly because I read a cool interview between Grant Peterson and the woman who designed the bike for Bianchi (see the most recent Rivendell Reader for the article).

BTW, if money is no object, this is a very cool bike:

http://www.rivbike.com/html/bikes_quickbeam.html

but you probably knew that already.

Have fun,

FBB


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## fastfullback (Feb 9, 2005)

Buy the san jose. 

Better steel available? Yes. But how does this apply to commuting and grocery-getting? 

You'll be supporting a nice trend: the affordable, functional single-speed. Real world geometry and clearance for real people. And it's a nice color.


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## outofthesaddle (Aug 15, 2002)

*Filmore is Twice the Price*

It looks like the Filmore is a better frame with better parts spec. That said, it's almost twice the price of the San Jose. You gotta go with what floats your boat - I bought a San Jose because it was a such a great deal on a built SS 'cross bike - I wasn't even in the market for another bike when I bought it. In addition to handling the commute and grocery chores, it's great for riding on or off the road with my kids.


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## hubcap (May 24, 2005)

Other than being a single speed, the fillmore is quite a bit different than the san jose. If you want the OX of the fillmore, also check out the gunnar streetdog. I'm not sure why you would want to go that route to get groceries though. I'd rather do that task with a nice rack and set of panniers - something you can actually mount on the san jose.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

fastfullback said:


> Buy the san jose.
> 
> Better steel available? Yes. But how does this apply to commuting and grocery-getting?
> 
> You'll be supporting a nice trend: the affordable, functional single-speed. Real world geometry and clearance for real people. And it's a nice color.


Amen! 

Also, the pain you feel if the bike gets ripped off, dropped, doored, etc. might be roughly proportional to the price you paid for it. Real world bikes need to meet real world criteria, which generally have very little to do with race bike criteria.

- FBB


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

> _Real world bikes need to meet real world criteria, which generally have very little to do with race bike criteria._


Amen. Each San Jose or similar bike bought is a vote for cycling sanity. Almost every day on RBR there's a new post describing the pain of having bought a racing bike for all the wrong reasons.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

Krafcik said:


> I'm about to pull the trigger on the San Jose . . . any last minute suggestions or other bikes I should consider?


get it and ROCK. the only other one to consider is the bianchi castro valley. in my mind the best commuter stock bike available. 1x9 speed, fenders and a hub generator light STOCK. it rocks like bon jovi's epileptic long lost twin on bad acid.

or get the san jose and consider upgrading some day to the san jos8...

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/bianchi-sanjos8/index.html

sounds like you dont have enough experience to tell the difference between any of those bikes, so just get one and ride. i think the deal maker is that it's in stock at a bike shop with a good attitude and service.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

fastfullback said:


> Better steel available? Yes.


BTW: Some might say that 1018 "High Tensile" steel (aka "gaspipe") is far superior to ultra-light, heat-treated, alloy steel given the criteria for a grocery getter, for the following reasons:

1. Thicker walled tubing is less likely to get "dinged" when the bike falls over.

2. Increased ductility of the mild steel makes it less brittle so it is more likely to bend instead of cracking. Most of the "supersteels" are stronger, but more brittle, so if they fail, the failure is more likely to be catastrophic.

3. Heavier steel will give rider a (mildly) better workout during the relatively short periods of time he/she is on the bike. The better workout will increase the health benefits derived from cycling.

4. Thieves could be less likely to steel an inexpensive bike.

5. Etc.

The old-fashion cro-moly frame on the San Jose will only be slightly worse than the 1018 when judged by these criteria. Supersteels pale in comparison to eith 1018 or standard 4130, when these criteria are applied.

Yours,

- FBB


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## velodev (Jul 31, 2005)

I'm not an expert but what about the new Giant Bowery for a commuter/grocery-getter?


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

velodev said:


> I'm not an expert but what about the new Giant Bowery for a commuter/grocery-getter?


Looks like the Giant is basically a track bike - the picture I saw had no brakes or eyelets. The San Jose is set up with cantilever brakes, lots of eyelets and braze-ons, road bike geometry (vs. track geometry), etc. The San Jose is designed from the ground up as a bike for the roads, specifically for getting around town with groceries, etc. if necessary. 

The Giant looks like it is designed for the track, but it looks like a screamin' deal if that is what you are looking for. You could probably make a great town bike out of it, but I'd be inclined to stick with the Bianchi if that's what you wanted to do.

Can someone who knows more about the Giant check my guesswork on it? Thanks.

- FBB


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

*Redline 9-2-5*



Krafcik said:


> I'm about to pull the trigger on the San Jose . . . any last minute suggestions or other bikes I should consider?


Have you checked out the Redline 9-2-5?

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/925.html

It is also highly cool. Inexpensive and very practical...

- FBB


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## slowmo1 (May 2, 2006)

fbagatelleblack said:


> Have you checked out the Redline 9-2-5?
> 
> http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/925.html
> 
> ...


Ohhhhh, that is beyond cool. I so dig those moustache bars! I am hoping to get a set to put on a Raleigh mixte frame I bought on eBay for my wife....(well, I'll let her ride it when I'm not). I'll bet that Redline will go like a scalded dog, too. Looks light enough to float!


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## fastfullback (Feb 9, 2005)

the Redline is cool. I'm in a cantilever/fat tire potential place right now with my swell Soma, so that's why I lean toward the San Jose. Either one would be, as another poster said, a vote for sane alternatives from bike manufacturers.


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## StormShadow (Feb 27, 2005)

Have you seen the warranty on the IRO bikes?

"NO MATTER WHAT CRASH REPLACEMENT POLICY
Our crash replacement policy is just as it sounds. No matter what happens to the frame we will replace it for half of the current retail price."

I have heard nothing but good things about these bikes and the customer service from IRO.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

*Redline 9-2-5*

My LBS cannot seem to get rid of the one he's got. So if you want a good deal on a 9-2-5, contact Valley Bicycles in Santa Clarita, CA (just north of L.A.):

http://www.valleybicycles.net/

(661) 255 7871

Sorry, but I do not remember the size.

- FBB


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

one more:
http://fisherbikes.com/bikes/bike_detail.asp?series=urban&bike=Triton


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## hubcap (May 24, 2005)

ooooo, the Triton. I forgot about seeing some stuff about that one last year. I really like the looks of that bike. Anybody know what "Fischer steel" is?


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

hubcap said:


> ooooo, the Triton. I forgot about seeing some stuff about that one last year. I really like the looks of that bike. Anybody know what "Fischer steel" is?



rumor has it that it's the same frame as the fillmore


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## Krafcik (Nov 4, 2005)

It is the same bike . . . under the same company unbrealla.


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## Zaurusman (Feb 2, 2006)

jh_on_the_cape said:


> or get the san jose and consider upgrading some day to the san jos8...
> 
> http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/bianchi-sanjos8/index.html


That looks like a super-reliable commuter!


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

question on that bike... how can the smallest one have a CS of 40.6cm? is that a typo or does it use 650c or 26" wheels?


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## KonaMan (Sep 22, 2004)

*Van Dessel*

Country Road Bob:
"*Here's the most perfect bike we've seen:* the Country Road Bob, made by Van Dessel Cycles in Dover New Jersey. It's a simple, elegant machine, light and responsive and indestructible, with just one gear and no derailleurs to worry about. Riding this bike, you will rediscover the pure happiness you felt when you first mastered a two-wheeler. How many things will you buy in your life that deliver that? - GQ Magazine, July 2005"

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


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## Steel_SSer (Jan 13, 2006)

I'm also thinking about getting a steel SS road bike. The original Surly Cross-Check I spec'd out as a SS was about $1200 from my dealer. I'm going to rethink this one using less expensive components, if feasible (I've only got about $900 to spend on this one).

I love my Cross-Check - I bought it new with a few mods and it's really awesome. Seems like a decent choice for a single speed also.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

I don't know... GQ for a bike review???

I liked the VD alot better when had those funky curved tubes.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

fbagatelleblack said:


> Looks like the Giant is basically a track bike - the picture I saw had no brakes or eyelets. The San Jose is set up with cantilever brakes, lots of eyelets and braze-ons, road bike geometry (vs. track geometry), etc. The San Jose is designed from the ground up as a bike for the roads, specifically for getting around town with groceries, etc. if necessary.
> 
> The Giant looks like it is designed for the track, but it looks like a screamin' deal if that is what you are looking for. You could probably make a great town bike out of it, but I'd be inclined to stick with the Bianchi if that's what you wanted to do.
> 
> ...



from the Giant website:
Built for the professional messenger, the Bowery is Giant's ultra-refined, single speed city bike. The Bowery *comes stock with hand brakes and a freewheel *or can be set up as a fixed hub (sprocket included)


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## fastfullback (Feb 9, 2005)

After one glance, I have an objection to the Fisher: low-spoke-count wheels. For a general use bike they are the opposite of what I'd want. Call me old-fashioned. 

Fgattellaimsorryicantrememberyourname, good point on the "gaspipe." My 631 frame is slightly more refined but still those tough tubes I like.


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## fbagatelleblack (Mar 31, 2005)

FatTireFred said:


> from the Giant website:
> Built for the professional messenger, the Bowery is Giant's ultra-refined, single speed city bike. The Bowery *comes stock with hand brakes and a freewheel *or can be set up as a fixed hub (sprocket included)


Weird. I saw a photo on a bike shop website that showed the Bowery with no brakes whatsoever - must have been a pre-production PR shot or something. Sorry to spread misinformation.

- FBB


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## djg (Nov 27, 2001)

*The Fillmore is a great bike.*



Krafcik said:


> I want this to last a long time, if the fillmore is a better bike . . . shouldn't I???


I just sold mine, but only because I converted a Serotta I really loved. I spent quite a bit more time riding fixed over the last 14 or 15 months than I'd anticipated just because I liked riding the LeMond so much. Although nearly twice the price of some of the budget new, off-the-peg fixies out there (look around and you'll find some breaks), I was surprised by how nice the LeMond actually was for the money. It's a really nice riding frame and it comes with some decent parts (although, a bit of a mix)--LeMond has made some nice bikes over the years, but I think that they've hit on an especially nice design with their version of the ox-platinum road frame and, IMO, they're nice looking too.

Whether it's great may be something to consider relative to the purpose you have in mind. This bike certainly could work as a commuter. It's a good solid road frame with a stable ride. There is clearance for 25s (which come stock) which, with reasonable pressure, can make for a good commuting tire and the frames may actually accomodate something a little bigger (I never checked--although the rear brake is a long reach). The wheels seemed pretty sturdy to me. For light commuting, with a locker room at work, a lumbar pack may do just fine. For more, you could easily fit a rear rack, although it's not the ideal bike for that. I suppose that the tubing may be thinner walled than some, but it's not at the beer can extreme and, contrary to another post in this thread, I really wouldn't worry much about dents and dings unless you anticipate rough storage conditions and a lot of banging the thing around (which some folks might). If you carry a lot, you may really want a touring rig. If you ride in a suit, you may really want something that doesn't encourage you to ride in a way that gets you sweaty--this is a road bike (which brings up the "track" issue--it's not really a track bike at all; I guess you could make it track legal, but despite the track forks (rear "dropouts"), it really is a road geometry, and it comes with front and rear brakes).

As for budget: you spend what you want. Certainly one can cobble together a fixie for next to nothing and there are new fun things for 5 or 6 hundred bucks. You can have a custom frame built for 2 or 3k, for that matter (or more). I think that the LeMond is a good value in a new road bike, for those who want the sort of thing it is.


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## single1x1 (Mar 26, 2005)

*cross check or san jose*



Steel_SSer said:


> I'm also thinking about getting a steel SS road bike. The original Surly Cross-Check I spec'd out as a SS was about $1200 from my dealer. I'm going to rethink this one using less expensive components, if feasible (I've only got about $900 to spend on this one).
> 
> I love my Cross-Check - I bought it new with a few mods and it's really awesome. Seems like a decent choice for a single speed also.


 I say cross check or san jose. Cross checks can often be found online used as a single speed for a good price. I ride/race a fixed bean green model, the newer ones have double eylets and rack brazeons on the seat stays as well, mine only hase one fender rack mount. The newest ones have down tube shifter bosses, which would suck for running a single speed, just look stupid. So get the san jose or a not newest used cross check-one of the black or red ones. Cross checks also have longer tt then the sanjose which I prefer


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