OTP lovers!

This is my Se Lager 09. Got it repainted a few months ago at armourtex.

Nice photo. Very clever use of background green to bring out the red. Good effort.

Here's my entry! Shortened the bars, new grips, reversed the stem, new front brake (thanks Mark!), new pedals. I'll try to chop the bars a bit more, quite happy with it at the moment.

My langster :)

Soon to be brought into combination with:

My Plug Griffin.
Changes from standard

Charge Spoon saddle in White
MKS Sylvan Track pedals in blue/silver
Anodised Blue 16T fixed cog and lockring
Back brake removed.

The chain's a little slack in these pics, but I've tightened it up now.

Look a bit small for you, and worth looking in some foot retention to take full advantage of it.

if you've tighten the chain, make sure it's not too tight, my grandfather gave me a good advice that if the chain feel a bit slack but appear straight, then it's perfect).

Look a bit small for you, and worth looking in some foot retention to take full advantage of it.

if you've tighten the chain, make sure it's not too tight, my grandfather gave me a good advice that if the chain feel a bit slack but appear straight, then it's perfect).

I'm really fucking short. It's the bane of my life! It's an Xsml sized frame, I tried the small, but it was too big. Lame, eh?

Foot retention is next on my list, then maybe some riser bars as the current ones seem a bit too low.

This is only a guess, but did you come from an MTB background?

I'm really fucking short. It's the bane of my life! It's an Xsml sized frame, I tried the small, but it was too big. Lame, eh?

Foot retention is next on my list, then maybe some riser bars as the current ones seem a bit too low.

I dont know whether you have noticed, but most people prefer the saddle to be higher than the handlebars on a road going bicycle.

Your saddle is already slammed.

But I guess if you think even higher bars would suit you more, all the power to you.

also the fact that you have to tilt your saddle downward indicate that it's still too high for you.

yep, rode BMX & MTB from an early age right through till early 20's. Last few years in London been riding a hybrid, but wanted to try fixed now I'm living in a flatter part of the city.

You didn't want to ask forum advice before your purchase? There have been some very specific threads dealing with bikes for the longtitudinally challenged.

I think a Dolan might have been more of a correct fit for you. But since you've gone with the Charge, you may find that a short, steeply dropped stem (or raised, just flip it), will help your positioning on your bike.

Flip this over on the bike.

Cheers for the advice. I read and read and read loads of threads on here before I made my choice. Your OTP thread especially was a great help. I tried a couple of bikes out for size, and the Xsml Plug fitted best. My budget wasn't huge. I also looked at the Mongoose Maurice (suspect parts, didn't like the colour scheme) Fuji Track (no brakes!) and a couple of others. I didn't really want dropped handlebars so that discounted a lot of 'better' bikes. Unfortunately the Dolan was out of my price range. If I had the money I'd have gone for a custom frame!

I didn't actually think to read to see if there were any threads about bikes for shorter chaps- I was primarily concerned with build quality and value-for-money. Still, guess I'll learn for next time!

All in all I'm more than happy with the Charge. It's a thousand times nicer than my previous hybrid, I think once I'm used to the different positioning it will be fine.

kev83, I've been thinking about that bike of yours, and I'm pretty sure that is too big for you, even though its an extra small (XS) in size. The fact that your saddle is flat at the bottom of its minimum height shows it clearly. And as edscoble says, the fact that its also tilted forward, means that it really is to high for you.

Here's an idea; there are ladies in the Ladies Forum that need a smaller bike. Sell it to one of them. With the proceeds, buy an Archie Wilkinson Speedway bike - Intermediate size. Due to the too-tight clearance of the front wheel to the downtube, you will need to swap the speedway fork provided, for a touring fork. Its a fiver cheaper from the same people if bought on eBay. All you would need then would be some flat handlebars, and some brakes.

Its a nice bike, but riding a bike that is so big that the saddle has no extension, and that it needs to tilt forward also to feel comfortable, means that this bike cannot be ridden any real distances. Better to have a bike that gives a better riding position, so that you can feel as comfortable when cycling 5 miles, as cycling 50 miles.

Its only a suggestion, feel free to ignore me if you don't agree with it.

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Or just get a small Alu Langster frame? Sloping top tube allows for lower seat and looking at stem length above doesn't look like an unusually short TT is required.

The frames top tube is probably too long, so he is trying to compensate by bring the handle bars higher.

A really small frame, possibly one for 650c wheels is probably what he needs.

no no, go with speedway bike! i think it looks really cool!
also, it's a pleasant surprise - to see an actual advise from people on forum rather than usual slagging off (maybe i should visit threads other than bike-porn-anti-porn more often...)
i would buy that speedway bike just for the looks tbh

also - what's a speedway? :) i only ever saw it mentioned in regards to motorcyles. excuse my ignorance.

sorry i just have to do it - it's such a cool little monster! :))

YouTube- Cycle Speedway: Leicester V Norwhich 11/05/07

BUT, unless a speedway bike has swapped its normal speedway fork for a touring fork, there WILL be toe-overlap.

ahaha are you kidding?
80% of forumengers have toe overlap on their bikes - it's just a matter of how bad it is and how quickly you get used to it
or maybe 90%? 95%...

The frames top tube is probably too long, so he is trying to compensate by bring the handle bars higher.

good point, although could have just used a shorter stem as that is a longish one on there.

Anyway, I still think a small langster (with short stem) or your suggestion of a 650c frame is a better bet than a speedway bike but then I haven't got to ride it! Speedway bikes are built for a one minute race which hardly makes them ideal for a road bike.

ahaha are you kidding?
80% of forumengers have toe overlap on their bikes - it's just a matter of how bad it is and how quickly you get used to it
or maybe 90%? 95%...

It is not the toe overlap that is the problem, it is the geometry/handling.
A speedway bike is intended to ride around a small track for one minute which doesn't have much in common to riding on the road unless you absolutely love roundabouts :-)

that's a good one, kerley
but still it looks great

can you get a 650 frame on budget in UK?

don't know, what is the budget?

Funny thing is kev83 has not even had a say in this and we are discussing which frame he should be buying :-)