A lot of friends and random people ask me about fixed-gear bikes; what’s good, what’s bad, where to buy, brakeless vs. brakes, and so on. Most times, with regards to what to purchase, I tell them to get something affordable and not break the bank until they are sure they will 1) ride the bike and 2) enjoy riding fixed. There are track bike frames (that is, frame plus fork and nothing else) that will set you back several hundred to several thousand dollars. Some wheelsets can get into the $450 - 800 mark. And if you don’t know what you are getting into, all this can be rather daunting not to mention a rather unfruitful investment for a I-just-want-to-try-riding-fixed bike that turns into a wow-this-isn’t-what-I-though-it-would-be bike and-now-its-just-sitting-in-the-corner-of-the-room-
while-I-sit-here-broke-and-hungry. Ok, maybe it’s not that extreme, but you get the idea.
For those friends and simply anyone else in the market, I’m always on the hunt for good fixed-gear bike deals. So when I saw that the 2008 Tommaso Augusta track bike was $399, I had to stop and give this one the once over.
First and foremost with all products one buys, it should look good. I mean, seriously, who wants ugly things; moreover, who intentionally buys ugly things? Well, buying a Tommaso certainly won’t put you in the “that was a bad idea” group when it comes to looks. Tommaso’s designs are very minimal; both in aesthetics and construction. The glossy black lacquer on the Augusta with the understated logos gives it a sleek, seductive and sexy look. Thankfully the Augusta doesn’t just stop at looks.
The Augusta is built on an all steel chromoly frame. This means the bike, even though it’s steel, will be somewhat light and very durable; big pluses for those that will need to carry the bike up and down stairs.
Sure it says “track” in the name, but the Augusta’s geometry denotes a much more casual, city setup. This isn’t a bad thing considering most people are getting involved in fixed-gear/single-speed riding for the first time or simply want something very low maintenance to ride around town.
EDIT: I totally missed the sizing chart! This bike indeed would be great on the track! And remember what I said about casual geometry? You can throw that out the window. This bike is very compact, with a fairly aggressive geometry. For example, on the 54CM, the head tube angle is 74 degrees and the top tube angle is 75 degrees. To put that into perspective road bikes typically have more relaxed angles; 71 - 72 degrees. Basically, this frame is exactly the same as the Bianchi Pista.
One thing that didn’t surprise me about the bike was the components. They certainly aren’t of the best caliber, but they aren’t necessarily bad. The Augusta features an FSA threadless headset, Truvativ bottom-bracket, Truvativ cranks, Truvativ chainring, Wellgo clipless pedals, KMC chain, a 16T freewheel and a 16T fixed cog . These are pretty much your standard low-end, run-of-the-mill components. Small bonuses are the Weinmann DP18’s matched to low-flange flip/flop Formula hubs, Vittoria Zaffiro tires and Selle San Marco saddle. The riser stem and the horrendous looking handlebars would be something to replace - if nothing more than for the sake of beauty.
If you buy the bike from Randall Scott you get a pretty good warranty:
* All Tommaso bicycles can be returned or exchanged for 30 days
* Full lifetime warranty on all Tommaso Frames. …
* All Tommaso bicycles are shipped in a reusable high density foam and cardboard bicycle box for the exclusive use of Tommaso bikes. ($100.00 value)
If you wanted to ride immediately, they will even build the bike for you for an additional $60. As with all things, ask questions before dropping down the Ben Franks. Be clear about the warranty, what happens in case of damage during shipping, missing parts, rebates, etc. Basically, do your homework before you buy; you know the drill.
All-in-all, if you are looking for a track bike to take to your local velodrome, pass on this one you may have found yourself a great contender. If you are simple intrigued about the whole “fixie” phenomenon give this bike a try. The Augusta is unique, beautiful, solidly made, distinguished looking, comfortable and for $399 a great reason to get off your bum and get outside.
