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Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:22 pm
by brendan03
700x28 should be ok, but wouldn't go larger.

Double the inside width of the rim is the rule of thumb and those DA22's have a 13.9mm width. Never used those rims and just speaking in generalities so happy to be told otherwise.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:59 pm
by brasstinman
brendan03 wrote:700x28 should be ok, but wouldn't go larger.

Double the inside width of the rim is the rule of thumb and those DA22's have a 13.9mm width. Never used those rims and just speaking in generalities so happy to be told otherwise.
Thanks for replying.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:50 pm
by rearviewmirror
Does anyone know what kind of brake pads I can install on the Bowery? I'm not on the up and up when it comes to rim brakes so I've no idea what to use buy as replacements. The current brakes/pads are Tektro, but Wiggles doesn't sell Tektro, any idea what will work on there?

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:17 pm
by Mulger bill
Look at KoolStop for inspiration RVM, seriously good gear. Some will also mention Swisstop, I have no experience there.

Personally, I'd put the pesos towards new calipers. I have nothing good to say about Tektro road brakes.

Shaun

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:37 pm
by brauluver
Mulger bill wrote:
Personally, I'd put the pesos towards new calipers. I have nothing good to say about Tektro road brakes.

Shaun
Weird innit?

I'd heard tektro's maligned before I got my Bowery, but in the time I had it they were fine and never left me feeling unsafe or underbraked.
But then again a 68 kilo rider on a 8.6 kg bike is not gonna be the challenge on brakes of some of you porkier blokes :wink: :P

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:31 pm
by Mulger bill
Yeah, alright pipecleanerman :P

I really shoulda qualified it by saying they were longreach calipers, chattered like a 14yo girl with unlimited credit. :roll:

Don't mean I didn't make a swap to 105s a condition of purchase when I bought me 'Dale.

Shaun

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:50 pm
by rearviewmirror
I ended up buy Shimano brake pads, I've not installed them yet though. The Tektro brakes on the Bowery are fine, no issues with them whatsoever. The stock pads wear rather quickly though, of course with all the wet weather riding I've been doing I'm surprised they're wearing fast.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 6:30 pm
by backofthebunch
thought i'd chuck a pic of my bike up.

2010 bowery 72

new saddle - charge
new steel cages with leather straps

Image

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:58 pm
by brauluver
backofthebunch wrote:thought i'd chuck a pic of my bike up.

2010 bowery 72

new saddle - charge
new steel cages with leather straps

Image
Nice man!

When I see pics like that i miss my Bowery.

I really need to get/buy/build a S/S bike again :?

Image

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:06 am
by Mulger bill
Bowery for sale (AT) CBD cycles for $750ish ATM Dave. Melb I know but worth considering.

Shaun

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:00 am
by rearviewmirror
Here's my Bowery.. nothing special... it has a Giant Carbon Seatpost, Selle San Marco Saddle, and a carbon flat bar on it.

Image

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:03 pm
by brauluver
Looking at the specs online between the 09 and 10 models and it appears the cranks are different brand with a larger chain ring.The wheels(rims) are also unbranded except for the joy tech hubs.I'm not sure of the hubs I had on the 09 ,but the alex rims were not bad in the robustness category for the value.I paid $695 new for mine , but I'm wondring if the later 10 models have skimped on the component spec to keep em down to the $799 tag.
still umming and ahing about these bikes, but I'm thinking sourcing an 09 might be a better option?
Thought , comparos from any one who has seen/ridden both.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:30 pm
by rearviewmirror
brauluver wrote:Looking at the specs online between the 09 and 10 models and it appears the cranks are different brand with a larger chain ring.The wheels(rims) are also unbranded except for the joy tech hubs.I'm not sure of the hubs I had on the 09 ,but the alex rims were not bad in the robustness category for the value.I paid $695 new for mine , but I'm wondring if the later 10 models have skimped on the component spec to keep em down to the $799 tag.
still umming and ahing about these bikes, but I'm thinking sourcing an 09 might be a better option?
Thought , comparos from any one who has seen/ridden both.

I haven't ridden the new ones, but I have seen them, and the color paint schemes are ummmm.... well I'm not too impressed. I like the matte gray or black schemes they did on them. The last thing I want is my commuter bike screaming out "steal me"! :) The FSA cranks on the 09 are good kit for the money, and you're right about the DA22's, they're as solid as a brick shithouse.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:02 pm
by brauluver
brauluver wrote:The wheels(rims) are also unbranded except for the joy tech hubs.I'm not sure of the hubs I had on the 09 ,but the alex rims were not bad in the robustness category for the value.
Formula hubs I've since found out. Formula/Alex combo (09) V's Joytech/No Name (10).
Seems the spec has dropped to meet a pricepoint?

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:42 pm
by justalf
If you check the bikeexchange.com.au website you'll find '09 Bowery's are getting cheaper.

Just a tip.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:54 pm
by Aushiker
justalf wrote:If you check the bikeexchange.com.au website you'll find '09 Bowery's are getting cheaper.
Hi

Wembley Cycles, Wembley have a Bowery in stock discounted I think. They have other fixed speeds as well.

Andrew

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:27 pm
by brauluver
Aushiker wrote:
justalf wrote:If you check the bikeexchange.com.au website you'll find '09 Bowery's are getting cheaper.
Hi

Wembley Cycles, Wembley have a Bowery in stock discounted I think. They have other fixed speeds as well.

Andrew
Yeah, I know .I hit bike exchange before christmas and emailed a few enquiries to the 09 on special stores that are interstate. 2 never returned my emails(slack) and one replied saying that giant australia would not allow mail order of ther bikes between states.Guess thats why the other 2 lazy stores never replied to me.

It's OK I'm over wanting another one of these now anyway, unless I pick a used one up for around $300.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:23 pm
by brasstinman
I've got the 08 matt black Bowery and I liked it better than the gloss black 09. I paid $699 for mine and it came with the Alexis DA22 rims which has been rock solid. I ride the bike hard to work and back and the rims are running straight as.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 3:39 pm
by rearviewmirror
brasstinman wrote:I've got the 08 matt black Bowery and I liked it better than the gloss black 09. I paid $699 for mine and it came with the Alexis DA22 rims which has been rock solid. I ride the bike hard to work and back and the rims are running straight as.
They go a bit pear-shaped if you break a single spoke, but luckily they true up extremely well once it's replaced. I bomb quite a few curbs with mine and have only broken one spoke in ~2500km. Other than that, they hold up extremely well.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:14 pm
by brasstinman
I ended up putting on 23c Continental GP 4000 S tyres ($50 each on special, usually $100 each) onto the Bowery. Easton EA30 riser handlebars cut down to 580mm, Brooks B17 narrow saddle, Power Grips and changed over the peddles to K218 from the Giant Reign 3 I have. The peddles were lying around after I put clipless peddles onto the Reign 3. It really showed up how terrible the Bowery peddles were.
I love how the Bowery rides with the risers instead of the drop bars. Suits my style of riding to and from work much more than the drop bars.
I'll post some pics tomorrow night when I get home.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:23 pm
by brauluver
Yeah mine rode nicely for the commute on risers too.
A pic is buried somewhere back in this thread.

Look 4ward to your pics

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:54 am
by brasstinman
Here's some pics of the Bowery. Still need to replace the stem but that's about it for the moment.

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Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:48 pm
by numas
^^looks good :)

Here is my '09 Bowery experiment in its latest form. I painted it ages ago, replaced the stem, neck and handle bars and puts new leavers on it. Picked up the Shimano Tiagra 52t cranks recently and put them on so I took a pic. Oh, and new pedals. I'm going to look for some cheapish carbon forks and new seat next and I might be content with it then... :? (might also get the junk off it and take a closer pic tomorrow.)

Image

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:11 pm
by ;Heners
I only really rate the seat and handle bars in some cases. Other than that I hate the straight forks.

Re: Giant Fixed gear

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:15 pm
by backofthebunch
My 2010 bowery makes alot of noise when im pedalling, any thoughts on what is cause and how to fix?