How do fixed freestyle bikes handle? - OR other bikes for bombing round town!

Sorry misunderstood you, that my bike has 6 inches travel is what i was refering to. But really i feel getting a mtb for on the road just brings up another set of compromises such as geometry or you end up with a canondale bad boy and really does any one want that?

I have a similar problem, coming from mountain bikes i want something i can ride a long time but want to be able to jump and drop it. Plus i live in Sheffield so no gears will be a ball ache but i don't think anything else will be strong enough, thinking of getting a volume cutter anyway.

Think id rather struggle with no gears for a while until i get used to it instead. I know the hammerschmidt weighs about 1.7 kg and has a significant loss in efficiency so i cant imagine this being much better, i have been looking at the sturmey archer s3x but a guy from harry halls in manchester said it was terrible. Might just try it anyway because that sounds like my ideal set up really, volume cutter or fbm sword with tough but light components, bullhorns and s3x. I have seen a few single speeds around sheffield anyway but its not really the ideal place for them i guess.

Sorry misunderstood you, that my bike has 6 inches travel is what i was refering to. But really i feel getting a mtb for on the road just brings up another set of compromises such as geometry or you end up with a canondale bad boy and really does any one want that?

It sounds like your considering nothing but compromise.
You want to ride all day/long time/distance, get around Sheffield which you say isn't very singlespeed friendly and be able to jump/drop it.
You either need like 5 bikes or to compromise.
And is a trick frame with timetrial handlebars and a 3speed hub that by your own admission is a bit shonky really the least compromising solution you could come up with?
I'd go with a rigid xc type mtb running single front ring and 7-9speed gears on the back and slick narrow tyres.

get a marin hamilton

I think the only mtb that comes close to what i want really is a surly karate monkey but im not too sure about it, i might be able to stretch to two bikes soon anyway but it depends if i get what i want for my mtb and if i buy the next one second hand. If i can afford two ill get the volume and a cheap old road bike to start upgrading.

@ OP, a lot of bike shops will let you test ride bikes. This is the best way of determining the answer to your question without having to analyse peoples relatively mixed posts on your thread.

I think the fact the request is a bit 'mixed' may not be helping :-)

So a bike that can be ridden a long way yet can do jumps/be dropped. And the bike put forward by the prospective owner is a track style frame, with bullhorns and S3X. Bullhorns and S3X for jumps?

This is why rigid MTBs have been suggested as they can be ridden a long way and are arguably better suited to jumps that any track styled frame.

I'ld have to suggest a Volume cutter, the one i have is so easy to get on and ride plus it'l take all the abuse you can ever throw at it. I've done a couple of long-ish trips on it too, 20miles + being brakless tho it realy wares u down. With a brake it'ld be spot on but i have a Plug (again a very good bike) for distance so im not too fussed. In terms of handling its fine, with a short bmx stem n riser bars its realy quick and responsive compared to long stem drop bar set-ups. The high bb also means u can lean a lot through corners with no pedal strike

@ OP, a lot of bike shops will let you test ride bikes.

Cheers Zed, Yeh I know most shops will let you test ride but finding a shop with a bike I want to try in the right size is another matter.

Speaking of which if anyone knows any London shops with a Felt Brougham available for demo please let me know.

Damn, I'm 6'4 and i regularly find shops where I can test ride bikes. Go to big chains like Evans and Cyclesurgery if its something common you're after.

Damn, I'm 6'4 and i regularly find shops where I can test ride bikes. Go to big chains like Evans and Cyclesurgery if its something common you're after.

Its not so much the size to be honest, its finding the actual bikes, then once you find the bike it needs to be the right size!

Wouldnt mind trying the Giant Bowery FMX if anyone spots one in London by the way!

I'ld have to suggest a Volume cutter, the one i have is so easy to get on and ride plus it'l take all the abuse you can ever throw at it. I've done a couple of long-ish trips on it too, 20miles + being brakless tho it realy wares u down. With a brake it'ld be spot on but i have a Plug (again a very good bike) for distance so im not too fussed. In terms of handling its fine, with a short bmx stem n riser bars its realy quick and responsive compared to long stem drop bar set-ups. The high bb also means u can lean a lot through corners with no pedal strike
Since when was 20miles considered a "long-ish" distance?

It's a longish distance for a rider that is not very fit I guess?

For the likes of me a sprint or warm up :-)

Since when was 20miles considered a "long-ish" distance?

When i read the post i thought it said 200+ miles n i was quite impressed, then i noticed i'd added in an extra 0!