For my first few years in the bicycle hobby that’s exactly how I felt. Why on earth would someone choose to not have the ability to coast?? It sounded completely mad to me, no way would I ever get one of those things. Besides, new bicycles and especially diamond frames did not appeal to me in the slightest.
The first crack in my armor came at a bicycle event in downtown Phoenix one spring (or autumn?) night, Pedal Craft. Bicycle related art, free New Belgium beer, and of course lots of people on bikes. There was a brand new fixed gear bike being raffled off from a local company, State Bicycle https://www.statebicycle.com Something about the clean style of that bike suddenly made me reconsider new diamond frame bikes. That thing looked really good, not like any of the others I’d seen. The seed had been planted. Subsequently, an internet search led me to Sheldon Brown’s page about fixed gear bikes http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html The key words that resonated with me were simple and pure. That’s all I needed to hear, I had to have one! I decided that the State Bicycle Contender, then top of their line, was the one I wanted. Custom ordered in all black. Black everything. Since I had just quit my job and returned to school, at almost $700 it would have to wait. I probably sat on the dream for at least a year when my luck substantially changed... I made a bunch of money flipping some cars, and I got a part time gig at a bike shop. But still, nearly $700 was a tough pill to swallow, until my boss at the bike shop told me he just became a State Bicycle dealer! I didn’t hesitate, I made the very next call from our shop and $382 later my order was placed. A week or two later, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I had my bike. I should mention that by this point I had never rode a fixed gear bike, I just knew that it was for me
After a quick test ride at State’s parking lot, I brought her home and immediately ripped off the safety stickers and wheel reflectors, and jumped on!
The bike was good, but of course I can’t leave anything alone. The brakes were the next thing to come off. Working at the bike shop gave me access to parts at 50% off, so my first upgrade was a pair of lightweight folding bead 28mm tires to replace the 23mm’s. HUGE difference. The ride quality was increased dramatically, I felt like it allowed me to ride faster since I could soak up the bumps better. Then I swapped the rear cog from a 16t to a 17t to get my gearing back to where it was, and not wear out my rear tire in one spot, even though at this point I hadn’t figured out how to skid yet
Eventually I took a link out of the chain to tuck the rear tire way under the saddle. Then swapped the bullhorns for some risers, removed the extra shims from the headset and cut the steerer down, and took the extra un-needed length out of the seat post to add lightness, and a bottle opener to the downtube to put some back. It was a great bike!
We moved to Seattle 3 years ago today, and of course it was one of the bikes that came with us. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to stay mine for long...
Part 2 coming soon...
The first crack in my armor came at a bicycle event in downtown Phoenix one spring (or autumn?) night, Pedal Craft. Bicycle related art, free New Belgium beer, and of course lots of people on bikes. There was a brand new fixed gear bike being raffled off from a local company, State Bicycle https://www.statebicycle.com Something about the clean style of that bike suddenly made me reconsider new diamond frame bikes. That thing looked really good, not like any of the others I’d seen. The seed had been planted. Subsequently, an internet search led me to Sheldon Brown’s page about fixed gear bikes http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html The key words that resonated with me were simple and pure. That’s all I needed to hear, I had to have one! I decided that the State Bicycle Contender, then top of their line, was the one I wanted. Custom ordered in all black. Black everything. Since I had just quit my job and returned to school, at almost $700 it would have to wait. I probably sat on the dream for at least a year when my luck substantially changed... I made a bunch of money flipping some cars, and I got a part time gig at a bike shop. But still, nearly $700 was a tough pill to swallow, until my boss at the bike shop told me he just became a State Bicycle dealer! I didn’t hesitate, I made the very next call from our shop and $382 later my order was placed. A week or two later, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I had my bike. I should mention that by this point I had never rode a fixed gear bike, I just knew that it was for me
After a quick test ride at State’s parking lot, I brought her home and immediately ripped off the safety stickers and wheel reflectors, and jumped on!
The bike was good, but of course I can’t leave anything alone. The brakes were the next thing to come off. Working at the bike shop gave me access to parts at 50% off, so my first upgrade was a pair of lightweight folding bead 28mm tires to replace the 23mm’s. HUGE difference. The ride quality was increased dramatically, I felt like it allowed me to ride faster since I could soak up the bumps better. Then I swapped the rear cog from a 16t to a 17t to get my gearing back to where it was, and not wear out my rear tire in one spot, even though at this point I hadn’t figured out how to skid yet
Eventually I took a link out of the chain to tuck the rear tire way under the saddle. Then swapped the bullhorns for some risers, removed the extra shims from the headset and cut the steerer down, and took the extra un-needed length out of the seat post to add lightness, and a bottle opener to the downtube to put some back. It was a great bike!
We moved to Seattle 3 years ago today, and of course it was one of the bikes that came with us. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to stay mine for long...
Part 2 coming soon...
Last edited:
