Critical Cycles Classic Fixed-Gear Single-Speed Bike with Pista Drop Bars: Review

The reasonably priced mid-line road bikes from Critical Cycles are a great option for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money. Their Classic Fixed-Gear Single-Speed with Pista Drop Bars is one Fixie that is perfect for taking a spin around the neighborhood.

Brand: Critical Cycles
Type/Model: Classic Fixed-Gear Single-Speed with Pista Drop Bars

Specs/Size/Design

The Critical Cycles premium hand-built steel fixed gear, single speed track frame model is a great choice for commuting and casual riding around the neighborhood or town. It features bar-spin clearance, convenient water bottle mounts, and horizontal drop outs. You won’t find a more reliable ride for this price that come in 5 sizes and 8 colors to match any style perfectly.

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The design is very clean and attractive, as well as lightweight. Freewheel works perfectly and switching from fixed gear to single speed is no problem.

Technical Specification and Features

The soft Kraton rubber grips are favored by bikers and are extremely comfortable, which is excellent for longer bike rides. This makes using the Pista handlebars that much easier.

All of the tools you need to finish assembly and tune it up come with the purchase. This includes: 3 Allen wrenches (4mm, 5mm, and 6mm) and a 10 function multi-tool.

I am in love with my new Critical bike from Amazon. I had been looking for a mode of transportation to get around Chicago for some time, nothing too fancy or long distance- just something to help me get to work and the bars quickly. When I saw this sleek black frame with its aggressive drop bars, I knew it was the one for me.

Most other single/fixies I’ve seen have been wild neon color combinations that weren’t really my thing. I wanted something more conventional and vintage looking, so the red and white combination on this bike is ideal. But most significantly, the cost was about 100 dollars less than any comparable item I’d seen before.

It was a very simple assemble, and all I had to do were the pedals, seat, bars/neck, and front wheel. Because it comes preset up as fixed gear, I also had to turn the rear wheel so that I could ride it single speed. It was a generally simple assembly with just enough assistance to make things easier. Before you may ride your new bike, you’ll need something to support it while you work on it; lubricant is a must-have; as well as an air pump.

The paint job is significantly brighter and more metallic in person than what the pictures show. You get a beautiful red reflection off of the frame that looks terrific with all the white accents like the rims, seat, and grips. I was pleasantly surprised that the color was so vivid when I opened the box, but once everything was put together, it looked incredible.

The only thing I don’t like about it is the low-quality tires, but I honestly didn’t expect much given the price. That’s probably the first upgrade I’ll make in the future. If you want grips near your brake levers, you’ll have to add them yourself; they don’t come standard on this model.

 

Recommendation

The chain may need to be tightened on a regular basis, perhaps once a week with frequent usage in fixed gear. Some riders encountered problems with the chain popping off while riding (which may get caught in the rear cog). The tires that come stock on the bike (Wanda brand) aren’t excellent, and they are likely to go flat after a few rides. It’s probably best to change the tires and tubes as soon as possible, since they might become flat over time.

If you don’t like handlebars that are too narrow, you may not enjoy riding on a motorcycle. However, because of the many hand positions it provides, most bikers get used to them and start to appreciate them.

Highlights

The flip-flop rear wheel hub easily allows the rider to change from single speed to fixed gear.

The Pista Drop Bars are commonly used on Fixies and they are best for road use due to the various hand positions it offers. Because of their practicality (as opposed to track drops, for example), they are the ideal handlebar to feature on this bike.

Functionality

The functionality of this model is very fair. The frame is made of a strong steel and with the flip-flop hub, the rider can easily switch from fixed gear to single speed in an instant.

For freewheel riding, simply flip the rear wheel around.

The wheels are not as good as those on more expensive bikes. This bike costs about $300, which isn’t too surprising. Because this is a component quality issue rather than a frame or gear problem, this is readily remedied. The Wanda tires supplied with the bike don’t last long, so their usefulness is in question. It would be ideal to replace them with tires that better fit your intended route of travel.

Pricing

You can purchase the Critical Cycles Fixed-Gear Single Speed with Pista Drop Bars on Amazon for an incredible price.

For sizes X Small, Small, Medium, and Large, you can purchase this bike about $200. For X Large size, it costs about $300. Regardless of what size you need, this bike is incredibly inexpensive and is worth the purchase.

Check our list of reviews for comparably priced bikes of this caliber at this link. 

To summarize, I believe this bike is a great value for the price. It looks and feels like a more expensive model but it won’t break the bank. I suspect that it won’t last forever but I don’t mind doing some repairs down the road as they come up. Mechanically speaking, it’s been very reliable so far and people are always surprised at how much money I saved by not opting for a pricier model.

Overall Impression

If you’re looking for a fixie/single speed bike to start with, this is the bike for you. If you want something nicer, there are plenty of options available, but if you’re looking for a commuter and something to play around with and personalize, I’d definitely recommend this one.I know it might sound complicated without getting too deep into the symbiotic experience between man and machine, all you need to know is that riding a fixed-gear bike is fun. Lots of fun

You’ll never know if you like fixed-gear riding until you give it a go. The this bike is the best of the best when it comes to fixies–it has a track heritage but it’s also perfect for city biking. If you find that you love fixed-gear riding, then a lot of riders progression from there is to try racing on velodromes.

Because a fixed-gear bike is a bike with its essential components removed, you can get some great deals on no-nonsense bicycles that are more than capable of taking you from A to B. If you want to travel by bicycle but don’t want to spend too much money, the Critical Cycles Classic Fixed-Gear Single-Speed Bike with Pista Drop Bars has a lot of bang for your buck.

This fixed-gear single speed isn’t flawless, but it’s one of the greatest bargain road bikes you can buy for kids and adults.

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