Price Paid:  $1000.00 at Wheelworks, Somervil

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
Snowy commutes

Bike Setup:
Campy Record levers, tektro cx levers
Planet Bike 700c fenders (the wider ones)
Crank Brothers stainless steel eggbeaters (now rusting - wtf?)
Rest is stock

Summary:
I've been commuting 10 miles round trip in Massachusetts on this bike for 6 months, and am still happy I bought this bike. The bike is pretty light, responds instantly when you put the hammer down, and handles very nicely. Being a SS means there is little in the way of maintenance to take care of, just brakes and keeping the chain clean. The BB creaks a little bit when I stand up to pedal, but it may be the BB shell rather than the BB itself - at any rate after ~1500 miles it's still spinning smoothly. I have not really tested this bike's capability offroad, but I appreciate its durability every time it rains, snows, or I hit a pothole. Not exactly a cushy commuter, but a fast, fun bike to ride twice every workday.

Strengths:
Brakes - great stopping power in wet, snowy, slushy, or dry conditions
Light frame and carbon fork
Fast! Snappy acceleration

Weaknesses:
Heavy wheels, frame transfers all road vibrations directly to your body

Similar Products Used:
Lemond Tourmalet, 2003

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at Bike Haven-NJ

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Bianchi Lewis

Bike Setup:
Moustache bars, avid mountain levers, eggbeater sl, 36/16 surly gears, and serfas bar tape.

Summary:
The ultimate in year round commuter/winter training partner. Discs don't mind slush, single speed drivetrain reduces maintenance, and superlight aluminum will not rust. Great looks, great handling. Swap the front cog for something around 36, and ride.

Strengths:
Simple design bristling with features.

Weaknesses:
Too big of stock gear (unless used on flat asphalt)

Similar Products Used:
'Cross bikes from Felt, Marin, and a few other commuter build ups.

Price Paid:  $959.00 at LBS

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
any push bike

Bike Setup:
Stock so far

Summary:
To have a bike designed by Chuck Yeager's daughter, Sky, is a treat in itself. 2007 is the last year of production on this bike. Got my hands on one quickly and built it up in the shop. Great paint finish. Could use extra clamp on top tube for the cable rubs I see happening in the future. Zip tie will work I guess. The top tube has a nice square shape toward the seat tube for a more relaxed feel when the bike is slung up on your shoulder. Wheels are heavy but the frame and fork are rather light. Whole bike with pedals weighs 20.5 lbs. Not bad. Gearing is large out of the box. 48x17 but went 42x17 for the woods. Sugino cranks are not my cuppa so I will change it out after this season.

Strengths:
Thick paint. Light frame/fork. BB7 brakes add a punch to this single speed.

Weaknesses:
Cranks/BB. Top tube cable moves around too much. zip tie it down!
Wheels are heavy.

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi Lewis, MUSS, San Jose and Trek 69er.

Price Paid:  $1000.00 at local dealer

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
anywhere

Bike Setup:
stock, except swapped in 42t ring.

Summary:
For a single speed with a MSRP of $1000+, this bike should be ready to race right out of the box. It is not. It comes with a mediocre drivetrain and very heavy wheels. You have to change the gearing (I swaped in a 42t ring), get lighter wheels (the WTB single duty's are okay for a heavy 29er, not a cross bike), and better cranks. The Suginos with splined bb kept creaking, (I'd rather have square taper). The frame and fork are light and handle well, but the parts suck. Fun bike for cruising around town and working on your spin, but as is with stock parts it's not up to the task of racing cross. Overpriced for what you get.

Strengths:
frame and fork

Weaknesses:
all the parts

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi Axis, Bianchi steel cylocross, Hot tubes cross

Price Paid:  $950.00 at Outback Bikes

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
any velodrome

Bike Setup:
Thomson straight post Elite. Stem is dropped to the headset. All-weather 700x28c

Summary:
Coming from the track with plenty of spin ability, this bike is a great pub crawler for me. It came stock with a 80in. gearing.The Xwolf tires handle gravel very well. I removed the Xwolf tires just for intown riding and put a zero offset seatpost so I can get a better spin and the position dialed right in. The Avids are overkill for right now but they sure are a luxury to have. The only complaints I have is that the rear cable slaps on the middle of the top tube. I put some electrical tape around it. No more slap. Bianchi needs to put one more cable clip on there. The other issue is that the Sugino Alpina cranks are splined. I have yet to have a set of splined cranks that don't eventually pinch play in between the splines. Square taper still rules. The Cane Creek hoods are like Campy <3!The WTB saddle that came on it is now my favorite saddle. The bike is bottom heavy which makes it accelerate slow but descend fast. The over-the-shoulder provision on the bottom of the toptube is a plus. I love it.

Strengths:
Bomb-proof. Very comfortable. Very stable in it's intended environment.

Weaknesses:
Different cranks are a must IMO. Cable slap. Rides like Volvo. Choose your gearing in favor of your top legspeed.

Similar Products Used:
None