Fixed Gear Frames

When you're in the market for a new fixed gear bike you have a ton of options. One option is to purchase a new fixed gear bike at your local bike shop or online. The market is flooded with cheap fixed gear bikes that look nice but have garbage parts. More often than not, you'll end up replacing those parts when they wear out or because they simply look bad so you have to weigh the costs of buying new parts against the savings you get by buying the cheap fixie.

There are also some nicer single speed or fixed gear bikes on the market like our Eastside complete that use a great frame as the foundation for the bike and use high end fixed gear parts like our Rodeo Pursuit bars, Gates pedals and Pilot saddle.

Silver Eastside

Finally, your last option is to go it on your end and build your own complete bike. This takes a lot more work and can end up being a bit more expensive but when you're done you'll have the satisfaction that comes with building something from scratch and the bike will truly be what you wanted to be riding rather than settling for the parts that some company put on their bike at the factory.

Now when searching for fixed gear frames there are unfortunately also a ton of options. Depending on how you ride, the material of choice and what look you want you can choose a steel fixed gear frame or an aluminum fixed gear frame.

Aluminum track frames have become popular and companies like Leader Bikes, Unknown Bike Co and Aventon Bikes all offer nice aluminum track frames that can be a great foundation for a fixed gear build. These frames are modeled after track bikes which are meant to be ridden on a velodrome but they've been positioned towards street riding. They are great if you plan on competing in a fixed gear race like the Marathon Crash Race or Red Hook Crit, but aluminum frames are some of the stiffest out there so this means you will feel the road a lot more than you would on a steel bike. On the track this is OK, but if you ride this bike everyday to work or as your go to bike, you will definitely feel it. In this case, the wide tubing of the aluminum track frame looks cool but they are not very practical for an everyday ride.

Steel is another option when building your fixed gear frame and is what we would recommend. Steel is the oldest material that frames are made out of and offer a great mix of flexibility and durability. We recommend 4130 chromoly steel tubing which has some great benefits and is not as heavy as some cheaper high tensile steel (Hi-Ten) frames and not as expensive as some boutique tubing like Columbus or Reynolds. Our Eastside frameset uses 4130 chromoly tubing on both the frame and fork and is a great foundation for any fixed gear build. The Eastside has a traditional track geometry but we've added fender/rack mounts and the ability to run up to a 35c tire so this frame is at home on the track or as your single speed commuter. This versatility and the $219 pricetag for frame, fork and seat clamp make the Eastside a great option for your next fixed gear frame.