I mainly ride MTB, but riding my Mountain bike on the street for exercise and cardio is brutal. The geometry, drive train, suspension, and wide tires soak up a lot of your energy without propelling the bike very far. So I was looking for the lightest and most simple bike I could get that will make me work hard yet easy enough to go as fast as my friends on their road bikes so I can keep up.
Again I'm used to MTB so to me this bike is crazy small and lightweight I think it's about 15 lbs which is less than half of my mountain bike and my mountain bike is a bare-bones lightweight hard tail. When I pedal this bike it just goes fast. You definitely feel it on hills or rough pavement because it's got one gear and you're married to it, but the bike's lightweight and low rolling resistance make it completely bearable, and it's good exercise.
I saw 2 options offered by 6KU on Amazon this aluminum frame and a steel frame. Both were similar in price but I opted for the lighter bike. I later learned that steel bikes feel smoother as they are dense enough to absorb vibration, but not sure if that's a big deal for me. I'm used to riding bikes with suspension so any road bike I think will ride rough in comparison to what I'm conditioned to.
Another thing to adapt to is the rim brakes. I'm used to hydraulic so these rim brakes are very weak sauce. It's been decades since riding a bike with rim brakes so not sure these are typical or just bad. I think it is likely they are just bad because I adjusted mine to bite as hard as possible and they still are weak and the brake levers feel cheap and crunchy. I could probably upgrade them if I end up using this bike every day, but I think the concept is to keep everything bare bones like a track bike. The less mech the better and the less chance of adding weight or mechanical failures to your riding experience. This is being sold primarily as a Fixie and anyone using it that way will likely remove the brakes eventually. So maybe they added the cheap brake as a kind of "training wheels" until you are confident in your fixie mojo.
I did attempt running the bike as a Fixie a few times. It's crazy! I can see the appeal, it is fun and adds a new technical discipline to cycling, but it is so counterintuitive to mountain biking that for me it's really difficult to learn this style of riding without sacrificing my intuitions for riding off-road. For example, if you need to hop over a hazard, bump, or jump your normal instinct is to level your pedals to give you the most ground clearance and distribute your weight in the most stable stance possible to absorb any impact using your knees. When I first tried to hop a curb on the fixie I instinctively tried to level my pedals and the crankset nearly launched me off the bike. When you're riding fixed gear you have to actively remind yourself of that fact constantly until it becomes second nature and I'm not sure there's enough reward to me to do so at this point, but the option is there if I change my mind. For now, this is just an awesome single-speed bike. It's a much better bike than you're going to get at Walmart or Target for a much lower price and since there are no gears or additional mechanical elements to complicate it, it is easy to assemble in about 30 minutes. Another plus is, aside from the occasional wash when dirty, it's pretty much maintenance-free.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 37.8 x 29.9 x 10.4 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 13.47 Kilograms |
| Item Weight | 21 Pounds |
| Brand Name | 6KU |
| Warranty Description | COMPONENTS All other components, frame fixtures and finishes (paint and decals) are warranted against manufacturing defects in materials and/or workmanship for a period of one year from the date of original retail purchase. Forks (other than those made by 6KU) are not covered by this limited warranty, but are separately covered by the stated warranty of their manufacturer. Stripped threads due to operator error during assembly are not covered by this warranty., THIS IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS WARRANTY. ANY AND ALL OTHER REMEDIES AND DAMAGES THAT MAY OTHERWISE BE APPLICABLE ARE EXCLUDED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES. THIS IS THE ONLY WARRANTY MADE BY AVENTON ON ITS FRAMES AND COMPONENTS, AND THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION HEREIN. ANY WARRANTIES THAT MAY OTHERWISE BE IMPLIED BY LAW INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE EXCLUDED. This Limited Warranty gives the consumer specific legal rights. The consumer may also have other legal rights which vary from state to state or country to country. Some states and countries do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or warranties, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that a certain provision of this limited warranty does not apply, such determination shall not affect any other provision of this limited warranty and all other provisions shall remain in effect., The specific warranty covering your 6KU bicycle is governed by the law of the state or country in which it was purchased, and applies only to bicycles purchased from Authorized 6KU Retailers or directly from 6KU. FRAMES & FORKS 6KU frames are warranted by Aventon Bikes, 18457 Railroad St, Industry, CA 91748 against manufacturing defects in materials and/or workmanship for the lifetime of the original owner., TERMS & CONDITIONS This limited warranty is not meant to suggest or imply that the bicycle cannot be broken or will last forever. It does mean that the bicycle is covered subject to the terms of the limited warranty. This limited warranty applies only to the original owner of an 6KU bicycle and is not transferable to subsequent owners. This limited warranty is void if the bicycle is subjected to abuse, neglect, improper repair, improper maintenance, alteration, modification, an accident or other abnormal, excessive, or improper use. This limited warranty applies only to bicycles purchased in fully assembled and adjusted condition from Authorized 6KU Retailers or other outlets specifically authorized by 6KU to distribute 6KU bicycles. Damage resulting from normal wear and tear, including the results of fatigue, is not covered. Fatigue damage is a symptom of the frame being worn out through normal use. It is one kind of normal wear and tear, and it is the owner’s responsibility to inspect his/her bicycle. Damage resulting from improper assembly or maintenance, or from installation of parts and accessories not compatible with the 6KU bicycle, is not covered. All labor charges for warranty service are the responsibility of the bicycle’s owner. In the event that the processing of a warranty claim requires shipping, any such shipping charges are the responsibility of the bicycle's owner. During the duration of this limited warranty, 6KU will either repair any defective frame or component, or, at our option, replace any defective frame or component with the same or most nearly comparable model or component then available. |
| Model Name | Fixie Urban Track Bike |
| Color | Crisp White |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Manufacturer | 6KU |
| Part Number | zixingche23 |
| Style | Bicycle |
| Included Components | Front Brake, Rear Brake, Pedals, Handlebars, Grips, Saddle |
| Size | X-Small |
| Skill Level | Beginner |
