Get a mountain bike and put road bike wheels/tires then tell us how you have a fixie.

I personally would narrow my search for a cx bike (considering your riding considerations). It's sort of the rally car of the bike world. Versatile, fast on pavement, can be used offroad. Ok sure, not serious offroad like robbbby would do, but non paved/fire road/gravel/grass/single track/mud is fine.

But like others have mentioned, without a clue on what your budget is, there is zero actual recommendation(s) of a series of bikes.

Though I still choose cx bike XD Put some fenders on it and you have an all weather warrior!

Put some fenders on the mountain bike and you have an all weather warrior!

Only elitist pricks and singlespeed riders are drawn to CX bikes XDXDXDXDXDXD

Put some fenders on the mountain bike and you have an all weather warrior!

Only elitist pricks and singlespeed riders are drawn to CX bikes XDXDXDXDXDXD

Mountain bike is the way to go imo, more versatile many options such all weather so elite much c2k fail

more harder more better.
call me crazy, but i much prefer a road bike position to a mountain one.
And I value having the drops available in a big big way. a mtb wont deliver in that regard (unless you're john tomac)



^ in which case if i had to have a mtb, i'd build up something retro and set it up just like that

You wouldn't build up a retro bike like that after seeing what those parts cost. A beat up to shit 1st & 2nd gen answer manitou fork like that probably goes for $500. I've seen mint condition ones go for like $900.

I'll be heading out to the local bike shop (Gears in Port Credit)this afternoon to get a feel (dat feelz) of the pricing and then I'll head out to Jamis either tonight or tomorrow.

its no markham

WTF YOU LIVE IN PORT CREDIT?
MAJOR JEALOUSY

y u so jelly?! It's just.... port credit.

dunno, love that place. i really like quaint little pockets like that.
Plus the waterfront, plus pedestrian friendly, plus good riding

I suppose that's one of the nice perks about port credit!

ever been @ gears ? I'll be going there tmw.

I have one in my basement

bullshit, i demand pics. what other old shit you got?

I have a feeling he is!

Any kooka cranks or magura hydraulic rim brakes 4age?

^LOL

back peddle!!!

Na, it's a bike it will get used daily. Im actually using my old POS Raleigh bike to bike to work daily for the last 3 weeks. So I figure why not get a decent bike that I'll use more than just biking to work?

folks in OT are telling me to get a scotts bike?

man there's so many brand out there and I dont even know what to get anymore.

folks in OT are telling me to get a scotts bike?

man there's so many brand out there and I dont even know what to get anymore.

^on that note, get a singlespeed. moar harder moar better

Or get a geared bike and leave it in a tougher gear?

Nick has a niner HT you can buy off him.

No. Chainsuck,

derailer snag,

thinner chains,

not perfect chainline,

chain slap etc etc. XD

They are so useless if you ride varied terrain. There is a reason at races that SS has it's own category, because they are fucking slower than everybody else. Geared = faster AND harder, SS = harder, hike a bike, knees destroyed by 40!

I own a SS and it's fun to ride but it's more of a toy for somebody who already has proper bikes, IMO of course

I must also throw in some XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD so you know i'm not taking this seriously and just busting your tiny balls. XD

lol you are full of sh!t that you biked to work the last 3 weeks.

Today I went to Jamis and checked out the bike robbby had posted. It's not a bad bike. However, I went to gears earlier this week I saw giant with similar specs with 27.5 wheels for 579. I'll check out one more local bike shop this weekend.

Now in a road context, I also agree. However, a fixed drivetrain is much more efficient at early season training in getting those legs back. Nothing else will spike power outputs in the same manner--you are forced to stand and mash up hills, and then you are forced yet again to spin like a crazed person going down hills. Working on both cadence and power output simultanously, and ensuring that any distance you cover was with 100% pedalling has it's advantages. Not arguable. Just awesome. Truly is more harder more better.

For most people who don't ride for the 5+ months of cold weather, i'm not sure I totally agree with the SS to "get those legs back". Though I don't follow the whole base mileage concept religiously, I do agree with it somewhat and don't think hopping on a single speed after not having ridden for 5+ months and mashing up hills is a great idea or pedaling at such a low cadence/high power output.

Which is why a road fixed gear should not have such high gearing
I think once again we're on the same page. I do not advocate mashing up a hill at 40rpm. There's a clear issue with going up a climb at that rpm.

But ok - good conversation. If you don't agree with riding a single speed to get the legs back, are you advocating that riding a faster, more efficient geared bike is better? Most people with the option of "copping out" on a climb and dropping a few gears will take it. That isn't doing them any favors with regards to building fitness.

And yes, one can force themself to ride a lower gear early season on a road bike, but ultimately, you aren't forced to spin as you otherwise would on a fixed gear (read: no coasting option)...so the benefit is not identical to riding a fixed for a couple months before swinging a leg over the geared bike.

I think people like 355si can advocate for me with regards to my ability to spin. That didn't come out of no where. And I'd argue that most people who strictly ride a geared bike generally would not have a similar range of "operating cadence/rpm". There are benefits to be had there.

I am afraid this is a c2k troll thread, he isn't getting a bike.

The only way to find a real winner in the geared vs. fixed battle is to have a good old fashioned race

I am afraid this is a c2k troll thread, he isn't getting a bike.

LOL!
No!!! You are missing the point!
I'm saying fixed gear is a good training tool--not it's the fastest thing on 2 wheels! A geared bike is!!!

And as for "no one does it"--actually, it's an old school roadie training method. Still commonly adopted. When I say "roadie", i dont mean rich dentists and layers. I mean true road cycling enthusiasts (read: not bike porn lovers). Oh and Lance has a fixed training bike also...sooooooooo...

And and and! Sure, lance spins up mountains at 110rpm. He isn't downshifting and copping out. He is still riding a big gear--he only happens to be able to turn it! That's the key point. No sense riding a bigger gear if one cannot even turn a small one. There is a lot of fitness benefit. All this is akin to driver training beginning with a go kart before moving to a formula ford

Anyway, like you said--different strokes for different folks. I will continue stubbornly training on my crappy fixed gear XD

EDIT: I'm saying no copping out and spinning a small gear--context is that at least in the GTA, there are no real climbs. I can stand and climb every hill I've encountered, and still be able to keep up with a roadie. Now, take me to blue mountain and the story changes. Fact is, there are no real climbs in an 80km radius around me. 1 gear for training is all that's needed.

lol you are missing my point as well. I understand there are benefits to training on a fixed gear bike, if you are a pro! To suggest a fixed gear bike for anybody but a professional is silly. You yourself use one to "train", what are you training for? Are you racing? How much did you ride over the winter? See where i'm going with this... it's an extreme measure with minimal benefit for a recreational rider. Again, this is just my personal opinion.