The first thing you’ll say about the Eastside Fixed from Campus Cruisers is “Wow, an aluminum fixed-gear for just $300!” The next thing you’ll shout is “Wait, how did they make an aluminum fixed-gear weigh 21 pounds?”
It’s true, 21 pounds isn’t heavy, but fixed-gear bikes don’t have much to add weight other than the frame and wheels, so even a steel framed bike (the usual fixed choice) can come in at less. Things get odder from there on. The $300 price is good only for the first 50 sold, after that rising 50% to $450.
And then there is the design. From the blurb: “Inspired by my days as a bike messenger in NYC, the Eastside Fix is the real deal.” Indeed. It has only a front brake, but the wheels both come with a brushed braking surface, the flat strip where the brake-shoes go to work. The frame has track-ends, the bits on the back that accept the rear wheel axle, but that seat-post lays back at a rather leisurely angle for a track frame.
It does look cool, though, and a flat bar can be way more comfortable around town than a drop-bar without brake hoods to lean on. It also has double walled rims and a flip-flop fixed/free hub. But I already bought one cheap ready-made fixed, and it was a dog. Fine for tootling around town, and for posing in the local plaza, but that’s about all. So, instead, dust off an old frame, throw a flip-flop wheel on the back and throw out all the extraneous hardware. It’ll cost you way less than even $300, and you’ll have a bike that should last you forever.
Product page [Campus Cruisers via Urban Velo]
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