General: Which Bike Is Better??

all those are nice frames. i would get the EAI Bareknuckle.

would you consider the EAI Toyo Godzilla? kinda overpriced though....

I say go for the Leader it's cheaper and that gives you money to put towards the other components.

get the angus frameset & built it up.

go with the the bareknuckle, its a super solid and stiff high quality frame. or get a vintage frame, and nice components, then get yourself a nice frame. theres no question that the bareknuckle is a superior frame, comparable to bianchi pista concept or fuji track pro, just made out of steel, and way less flashy.

EAI BK - $735
Angus- $349
Soma Rush- $389
Fuji Track Complete - $475
Mercier Kilo TT Complete - $349.99

why is the kilo so cheap? is it good?

I ride a EAI BK and love it. The BK frame replaced an IRO I was riding, along with a Pake (which is in the sale area of frames as many of those you posted). The BK is GREATLY better than the IRO and Pake I was riding.

It really depends what you can afford. Is this your first fixed? If so, you might want to start with something cheaper to make sure you are serious about riding. If you are, than upgrade later.

However, out of al those frames, I would put the EAI on top, and IRO second.

if im not mistaken (maybe i am) the flite 100 is the exact same frameset as the tt.

totally agree with effin siggy. investing in parts vs an expensive frame off the bat is how i built my bike and it has certainly paid off in the long run. and my bike was sweet and i gained a lot of useful knowledge fast.

and yes, the flite 100 is the same frameset as the Mercier Kilo TT; reynolds 520.

go bareknuckle.

that way when you get the cheaper one, ie a pista, iro, fuji track, or kilo tt, you wont have to sell it after a couple months when you become obsessed and want to upgrade to a better bike.

i'm 20 and been riding fixed for about 3 years now, so that would put me about your age when i started. i can tell you this much, once you start you dont stop. you will get one of those frames (angus, kilo, pake) and then want something else. my two cents would be to save the cash now and see where you stand when you want to buy in may.

but if you are really impatient, i would lean toward the angus. it should hold up pretty well and you might be able to get a couple bucks out of it when you want to upgrade.

edit: dont get the leader if you are just a casual rider, it will punish you.

let us know what you buy if you end up buying.

hey, i wanna thank everyone on here for the great advice. im gonna keep saving up and might get a job in the summer.
but i will definitely post the bike that i get. haha i cant wait. for now ill be on my 10-speed. -its not a ss anymore.
-- now ill stop looking at bikes and focus in precal. haha, yea rite.
thanks again.

bareknuckle are not THAT twitchy, nor is the toe overlap by any means "insane" it has more road friendly geometry than any other frame out there that i consider true track. but you're paying alot for a bare frame with nice tubing.
For the money, a pista is a good first bike. it has components comparable to the masi. i don't know where each stands price wise, but both are decent frames. Pake's are heavy crap. with a bianchi or a masi, you can upgrade compnents as you go, and replace the frame last. and they hold their resale value better than a pake. for a first bike, for the money, you're better off buying a complete and not just a frame. to put the same components as a masi or bianchi onto a leader or bareknuckle, you're spending the same coin on components as the others complete. mercier kilo's complete are nice, and quite underrated i think. the schwinn madisons are pretty sweet and 2008's can be had fairly inexpensive on the web or at performance bike. i don't know much about the angus, but i've seen IRO's handle alot of abuse. i don't know much about the soma rush, but most that i've seen have dents. i dont know if they are ridden hard as crap or just use inferior tubing. get steel and not aluminum.

they are all very different, some alloy, some steel, making it pretty hard to compare since they dont fit the same criteria...try picking out all steel like fuji track, bianchi pista, barenuckle, madison, etc. or something alloy, like the FTP, Pista concept, contello, leader.....that might make it easier to compare...

Yeah, my Bareknuckle is no more twitchy than the Pake frame it replaced. To be totally honest, the bareknuckle is not that much lighter either. Maybe a pound. However, it is much stiffer and abit less laid back of geometry.

Also, toe overlap on mine is only about 2cm. My frame is a 58, and I'm riding 170mm cranks with the large soma cages, as well as having larger 26c tires on it. I bet with a 165mm crank arm, and a 23cm tire...there would be no overlap.

Iro angus vs. Pake vs. Soma rush? Opinions?

This isn't gonna be my first bike, I'm just looking for a cheap frame with track or close to track geometry. I'm over riding a conversion

i ride an angus, and for the money its certainly one of the better frames out on the market. you could also consider a steamroller, a little on the heavy side but really solid and in the same range, but then again, i suppose the geometry is a little looser.

im 16 and have been riding for nearly two years. the angus really has treated me well, and you dont have to feel bad about thrashing it. im in the process of building up a concept...chase the dream...hahah

Posted By: shablackI have a Godzilla and absolutely love it. My previous frame was a bomber pro (njs) and I was really used to the true track geometry so I was worried about not feeling comfortable on something other than an njs frame. The Godzilla has not disappointed me whatsoever. And there are some improvements over the Bareknuckle (nicer track ends and better welds, Kaisei 022 double butted tubing) so it's worth the extra money. My only complaint is that they're drilled for brakes front and rear.

Think of the empty brake holes as go fast tubes, and then you'll forget why you hated them so much in the first place.

As for the debate, Kilo TT is a good deal for the money. It's heavy and flexy, but it won't let you down. However, it's standard kit is kinda shitty, but the Kilo TT Pro seems okay I suppose. I'd go Craigslist or IRO before I'd get a Kilo TT again, however.

I had a couple flight 100s and had the itch that alot of people are talking about. Sold them a got a De Bernardi. A year later the Bernardi is gone and I am trying to find a flight 100 again. Kilo is the same frame but with a threaded fork. I am a big guy and climb alot of hills never felt any major flex in the KHS but the Bernardi was like a wet noodle. This is gonna send a bunch of people over the top but Handbuilt is nice but robots make the same weld everytime.

I went through this whole process same as you did doing countless research on a fixed gear of my own. Just like with any other purchase you do a lot of reading and try to figure out the pros and cons of every product out there. I ended up buying a 2009 Flite 100 because of the good things (and bad things) I've read about them.

More importantly, I found a respectable bike shop with experience in fixed gears in my area and headed out to see them numerous times. Talk to them about the different frames or completes and their opinions. See if they have a build already done that you can try out. The fact is that everyone has their own tastes and the best bet to see what you like is to test it if you can.

I thought of buying a "top-of-the-line" frameset and building up or buying the best bike there is out there ever, but realistically you have to see what kind of money you're working with. Plus, if it's going to be your first fixie, just like what some of the veterans on here already mentioned, the bike won't be your last. You'll have plenty of time to gain knowledge and a feel for what you like. Then you can move on to getting the latest and greatest. I ended up buying a complete build because if you love riding bikes like you say you do and are like everyone else on this site, you will want to ride and not just look at it. Good looks only get you so far sometimes. Haha.

Just try to get the best bang for your buck. Good or bad, you'll learn from your purchase and build and that's the best you can get out of it. Again, just two cents from a newbie who just went through the process of buying a new bike. Hope it helps.

Posted By: mrymeskiBKBKBKBKBKBKBKBKBKBK they will last forever and they are no longer made so the value will only increase as long as you dont destroy it. get a goddamn bareknuckle, best bike i've ever owned (besides 92 cannondale)

bareknuckle fan club. too bad its out of production now.

go for the EAI Bareknuckle
great bike OVER PRICE ! but worth it