General: Affinity Lo Pro Review

Hey, I was wondering if any of you have reviews on the Affinity frameset. I am thinking about getting one and would like to know how they would be for a daily commuter. Thanks

My friend has a low pro and he really likes it, for the price it seems to be a really fast solid frame. Although they aren't as light as they could be. They look real sweet, especially if you get the eggshell white paint and threaded fork. Right now I guess they are on sale for 500 including a head set and bottom bracket. Solid deal. From what I understand it's the most responsive bike he's ever ridden.

Haha yea those pics are massive

it's definitely harder to do wheelies on them, but people definitely do.

i have a lo pro with riser bars and i find it fairly easy to wheelie, and very comfortable to ride. i've raced it one the track with drops, and the stance is aggressive, but on the street with risers is the way to go...

From 2009.05.06_NEV_OpeningNight

How are you supposed to use one of those cool Cinelli Alter stems if you don't have 1" threadless?

Posted By: ianmichaelyou dont realize how far down your bars are on pursuit bikes until you ride one, toaster.

i went by the shop the other day and took one for a test ride. they are pretty stiff and very responsive, nice geometry. my only complaint is they charge you extra to thread the steerer cause they come from the factory unthreaded. but that is a personal thing because i dont care for 1'' threadless. they are 500 bucks in the first place, the least you could do is thread it for free.

Except the Low Pro isn't a pursuit frame, it's just a track frame with a long seat tube and a sloping top tube.

http://www.affinitycycles.com/images/files/download_specs_sheet_aff.pdf

Look at the geometry. To get a 57 top tube you're going to get a 60.5cm seat tube. So all you're doing is showing less seat post. If you can do sweet wheeliez on a pista, you can do sweet wheeliez on this bike.

The sloping top tube was originally developed for bikes with 650c or 24" front wheels from days of yore. Later as these developed, they started making the top tubes lower and horizontal to make stiffer frames (the seat stays would remain high), before the UCI decided that you have to have matching front/rear wheels. This frame is far cry from the original use of horns only TT/pursuit frames where the whole point of horns was just to only have the "drop" section. Then LeMond came around with tri bars, and yadda yadda yadda.

1" threadless is kind of a remainder of the late 90's and early 2000's. Furthermore, why anyone would WANT a quill stem on a new frame at this point is kinda dumb. Threadless just works that. much. better.

Ok other than the obvious pain in the ass with changing out your bars where do you guys really see the advantages of a threadless stem?
I'm genuinely curious as I really only thought the advantages in threadless were being able to change out your bars easier and slightly better adjustment capabilities.
Is having the stem clamped onto the steerer tube actually more structurally sound than having a quill hold it in place from the inside?

I've never cared much myself. Just kinda go with whatever frame I'm in love with at the time and how it's set up (which most times is classic lugged steel so threaded is the norm for me).

Weight and stiffness. Not to mention being able to very very easily adjust your stem angle/height/length.

Quill stems are really kludgy solutions in comparison.

Yeah it makes sense. Never really thought about the added strength factor. As far as tricks go unless you call skip stops and trackstands at red lights tricks then I'd count myself out there. Not that I don't find the whole freestyle tarck scene impressive, but it's just never been my thing.
I ride to get places and go super fast so the type of stem I use is like the last thing I think about. I am however constantly building up bikes for friends and recommending setups so it's good to hear opinions on things I don't know much about.

Gracias :)

Posted By: proudxvxyouth
My only complaint is that the matte white finish becomes impossibly dirty and it very difficult to clean.

BIKE LUST...its the shit

Posted By: eaglerock

Posted By: proudxvxyouthMy only complaint is that the matte white finish becomes impossibly dirty and it very difficult to clean.

Try wiping the scuzz withSimple Green. Try it in a diluted solution first - maybe 1 part Simple Green to 3 parts water; then increase the concentration until it actually works.

Simple Green is my all-purpose bike cleaner. My normal routine with scrounged parts is to soak it down in an SG solution for a day or so, then scrub it with a toothbrush, rinse, dry, inspect, lubricate. Makes stuff clean and pretty. And as I found out last night when I removed some Mafac centerpull brake parts from the bath, it takes that dull gray haze off old non-anodized aluminum, too.

i'm right with you there, simple green is always at hand for me.

Oh, and I'm also curious about the Kisena, but I've never ridden Aluminum. Any reviews?

i have a friend that tested one... he said the bb flexed like a mother.
then his gf rode it... and said the same thing.

he's a cat1 on the track and she's cat2.

i have a threadless forked lo pro, how did you get yours to be of the threaded variety? i want to thread mine so bad...