Advice needed on first road bike

[katonk]

For the last couple of years I've been riding the San Gabriel river trail and Bolsa Chica on my old Specialized hardtail. I put on some slicks, a flat bar and converted it to single speed (42 x 15). This worked for me for awhile, but I'm ready to buy a road bike. What I figured I wanted is a single speed road bike with drop bars and front and back brakes. With fixed getting trendy there are metric tonne of great bikes that meet my needs.

I've considered the Kona Paddy Wagon, Raleigh Rush Hour, Raleigh One Way, Redline 925, Schwinn Madison (who knew Schwinn didn't suck?), Giant Bowery, Felt Dispath, SE Lager and the Specialized Langster. I think they all come with flip-flop hubs, brakes and drop bars.

My problem is that my stand over is low (775mm) for my height (5'9"). Since I'd rather like to avoid injuring my self on the top tube, pretty much only the Dispatch and the Langster will work for me. They're both aluminum frames with CF forks and a little more relaxed geometry. Most of the others are little heavier than I had hoped for as well.

I'm leaning heavily toward the Dispatch over the Langster. Switch Back has the Dispatch and is offering a killer discount to STR memebers.

Does anyone have any advice on what bike to get? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Reality checks, clues, recommended upgrades and other comments or advice would be very welcomed.

Dispath: http://www.feltracing.com/08/product...,1525&pid=8718

Langster: http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32712

Thanks!

[DBD]

Ride which ever feels the most comfortable.

Just remember stand over is a lot closer on a roadie then a mountain bike. If I put both feet flat on the ground the top tube on most of the road bikes I have had would lightly touch the bottom of "the jewels".

You speak of a carbon fork, is that a concern for you?
I would say as long as it has an aluminum steerer tube don't worry. When I was 325 I road an all carbon frame/fork and put just over 2Kmi on it with no problems.

I would go with the Felt because the Langster has a compact geometry and I can't stand the way compacts feel. If the Dispatch has the same it does not say. Then again, if you are worried about the "boys" then you may want to go with a compact geometry.

[tbowren]

Of your list, I've only seen the Kona Paddy Wagon. A couple of guys that shop / work at "the Path" ride one. I hear they are good solid bikes. We did a road ride and we all got spanked on a pretty steep hill by the guy on that bike. Then he proceeded to bunny hop up curbs and down curbs. Months later I saw the same guy on a mountain trail and I swear it was the same bike with cyclocross tires on it.
I wouldn't worry too much about stand over, as long as you have "some".

[OffRoadie]

I would get a SS Cyclocross bike. That way you can slap on some knobbies and take it off road sometimes.

Or, I would get something that is close to a track geometry (Bianchi Pista, KHS Flite 100) so that you can hit a velodrome if you feel like it.

[SheDevil]

Well....there are a bunch of companies making fixies/ss...and I bought a frame off ebay personally and did my own bike(84 trek with black wheels and such). I think it's kinda fun to convert an old frame into something new...but if you're looking at NEW bikes....Langsters are cool(different cities), but to be honest...I would buy a Swobo (trendy little SF company). You're also in luck as the Path is now stocking them!!! Check em out...

There's a bunch on the market these days and they are so cool with the designs and such....Giant makes one....Bianchi has a steel Pista thats reasonable... I think Vanilla cycles has one too if I remember correctly but thats big bucks!

My pennies por ju.

[0gravity]

IMHO....if you've already got a mountain bike converted for city riding, and it's single speed, then get a geared road bike.

[katonk]

OK, I went to the Path today. In the past I've not had very good experiences there, but with the recommendations here and from my riding buddies I decided to give them another try. It's been a couple of years since I've been and today was a very positive experience. I'm glad I went.

I road a few bikes around the parking lot: The Paddy Wagon (per tbowren's suggestion), Swobo Del Norte (per SheDevil), and the Bianchi San Jose (per Offroadie). DBD was right about the stand over. It just wasn't as issue with these bikes. The other Chomoly bikes I tried had a much higher stand over.

I don't think a CX bike is for me. Something about it didn't feel quite right. Both the Paddy Wagon and Del Norte where sweet bikes. The Del Norte is a really sweet looking bike and I think fit me a little better, but didn't handle as nicely as the Paddy Wagon.

Thanks to all the suggestions! This isn't going to be an easy choice for me to make. I think I'll decide after I ride the Felt Dispatch.

[Pugz]

Keep us posted Tim, I'm in a similar boat about wanting a road bike so I'd be interested about what you decide.

[Pain Freak]

If you're set on a ss/fixed I'd go with the Pista. Only reason is I've rode a few and that bike just feels about perfect to me. Still I have no desire to ride fixed. I do have a ss and it's a lot different then a fixed or even a street bike, the ss makes sense in the dirt, but I just can't get behind the fixed gear thing.

Good luck.

[katonk]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

If you're set on a ss/fixed I'd go with the Pista. Only reason is I've rode a few and that bike just feels about perfect to me. Still I have no desire to ride fixed. I do have a ss and it's a lot different then a fixed or even a street bike, the ss makes sense in the dirt, but I just can't get behind the fixed gear thing.

Good luck.

Thanks. I don't plan on riding fixed. All the bike I'm looking at have freewheels. The Pista is a sweet bike, but I've have to add brakes and freewheel.

[bighit8]

Originally Posted by Pugz

Keep us posted Tim, I'm in a similar boat about wanting a road bike so I'd be interested about what you decide.

Yea pugz after riding the road bike on thursday, im sold!Well hook up for some road rides.

[DirtymikeTDB]

Best advice I can give for getting a new road bike is simple, Get a Proper Fitting!!!

[bighit8]

By the way nice to meet you Katonk! I forgot to add you to my post for that ride.

[JOx2]

tim, when i saw the paddy wagon at the path, its like it is calling your name.

[CPATCRASH]

The Paddy Wagon is a sweet bike. Just don't get to carried away with the upgrades like I did. I just can't leave anything alone!!!

[ubermensch]

Originally Posted by CPATCRASH

The Paddy Wagon is a sweet bike. Just don't get to carried away with the upgrades like I did. I just can't leave anything alone!!!

Are those axles/spacers/bolts commercially available, or did you have to get something machined?

The bike looks real nice!

[CPATCRASH]

Originally Posted by ubermensch

Are those axles/spacers/bolts commercially available, or did you have to get something machined?

The bike looks real nice!

They came with the Phil Wood hubs.

[OffRoadie]

I like the bartape, brake hood treatment on that Paddy Wagon.

[katonk]

Well, I ended up with the Felt Dispatch. I really liked the Paddy Wagon and the Del Norte, but the Aluminum frame and CF fork on the Felt won me over. It was very comfortable even in the torn up parking lot at Switchback.

Of coarse, as soon as I got home it started to rain, so I only rode it for a few miles. I like the bike a lot; I can't wait to take for a real ride.

The ACS freewheel it came with is terrible and makes baby Jesus cry. The wheelset is also quite heavy. The front wheel is heavier than the front wheel of my mountain bike, with Stan's, caked in mud and a 6 inch rotor.

I'll upgrade the wheelset "someday" but that ACS freewheel has got to go. Any recommendations for a replacement?

[OffRoadie]

Flip the rear wheel around and ride around fixed