# Ridgeback Solo (2009) or Specialized Langster (2010)



## crumpetman (7 Aug 2010)

I fancy a new single speed and these two are available for £400 each. 

I have been eyeing up the Solo for a little while thanks to posts by clarion and Redbike. It has mudguards fitted and has a steel frame and carbon fork. Looks like it should be comfy for my 12 mile each way ride to work. 

The Langster is a fair bit lighter, possibly as much as 1.5kg but does not take mudguards easily and might be too rigid for a 12 mile commute about half of which the roads are open and quiet (by that I mean not many traffic lights or cars)

I only thought of the Langster as it is available at the same price (not including the extra for mudguards/crud catchers) and the weight of it really appeals. 

Any opinions as to why one might be better than the other?


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## The Eighth Man (7 Aug 2010)

have look at this. I had a look at one in Royles today they are lovely, only went in for a gear cable and nearly came out with a new bike


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## RedBike (7 Aug 2010)

These are two very different bikes to ride. The Langster feels light and nimble but the Ridgeback is more like a touring bike that someones fitted with track dropouts. For comfort or riding with a loaded pannier rack the Ridgeback wins hands down but if its all about performance then go for the Langster. BTW, Don't forget that its harder to get you bum off the saddle / make sudden turns while riding fixed. So if you're as bad at riding fixed as I am then you'll end up bumping straight through far more pot holes than normal.


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## RedBike (7 Aug 2010)

Oh, I nearly forgot. My Ridgeback has just gone on Ebay!


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## crumpetman (7 Aug 2010)

Thanks Lee and Redbike. For either bike I would probably ride it free rather than fixed, don't know if that makes a difference to recommendations. 

Tried fixed with mine for a couple (or three) months and did like it very much but I have since changed my route to avoid a crap cycle path and now I have a rather steep descent on the way home. Anyone familiar with bread and cheese hill in Benfleet, Essex? I went down it a couple of times on fixed gear and it scared the crap out of me. Granted I was not using SPDs then, I have since tried SPDs but am back on flats for the moment.

So my bike is setup for free wheel at the moment and I won't try fixed again until I get a geared bike. The new single speed will probably then be set aside for winter. Again, not sure if that makes a difference for which bike to go for.

Not sure about cross bikes The Eighth Man, plus it's another £100 anyway and I think I'd have to change the tyres straight away.

I have had a quick go on a Specialized Allez which I really liked and I think I read a review of the Langster that said it's basically an Allez without the gears so if that is true then that is pointing me more towards the Langster. Now to do some more googling to find which guards will fit.

Cheers again for the info guys and I shall keep an eye Redbikes Solo on ebay.


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## MajorMantra (7 Aug 2010)

Solo Solo Solo. Much classier.


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## RedBike (8 Aug 2010)

> Tried fixed with mine for a couple (or three) months and did like it very much but I have since changed my route to avoid a crap cycle path and now I have a rather steep descent on the way home. Anyone familiar with bread and cheese hill in Benfleet, Essex? I went down it a couple of times on fixed gear and it scared the crap out of me. Granted I was not using SPDs then, I have since tried SPDs but am back on flats for the moment.


Steep hills in Essex? I fitted top bar mounted cyclo-x style brake levers to my solo so that I could easily drag a brake on the steeper hills. I would definately stick with spds when riding fixed / single speed. They help pulling up on the pedals to heave your way up steep climbs and they help with leg braking.


> So my bike is setup for free wheel at the moment and I won't try fixed again until I get a geared bike. The new single speed will probably then be set aside for winter. Again, not sure if that makes a difference for which bike to go for.


If you've got a geared bike for those quick summer runs then its probably worth setting this new bike up specifially for commuting / winter. IN other words, full length guards, wider tyres, and a pannier rack. You can get sks guards on the Langster if you use narrow tyres and you're really patient, but it's probably easier to use the new crud guards. The Ridgeback has got loads of clearance. I've had 30mm tyres and guards on mine.


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## crumpetman (9 Aug 2010)

Well it's not a proper hill, it is very short and steep. Going up is ok but coming down I like to free wheel it and have a little breather. I'm not training or racing.

No geared bike at the moment but will be getting one, just waiting on the cyclescheme voucher.

I think the Ridgeback is going to be the one I order, it looks more suitable for winter or at least it will be easier to setup for winter given the extra clearance. It is only because the Langster came up at the same price that I considered it, trying to watch those pennies! Still need to think about a new saddle and am looking at the Carradice saddle bags.

Thanks for your input RedBike.


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## clarion (10 Aug 2010)

Well, it hardly needs saying that I'm enjoying my Solo. It's also a fair comment that it rides a bit like a fast tourer/audax bike with track ends. But it makes an excellent showing on the CS7 Tour de Commute, passing several Langsters every day, as it happens.

Depends what you want. I wanted something understated and deeply unflashy so it wasn't nickable. I also wanted guards and a rack, so I wanted the fittings. But I wanted something nippy too. Ticks all those boxes.

By the way, I took it off-road proper for the first time yesterday. It was fine.


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## Coco (10 Aug 2010)

+1 Solo. A great little bike.


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## iendicott (10 Aug 2010)

Not ridden the Solo so can't comment on it but I suspect it is a very good bike, I bought a 2010 Aluminium Langster last weekend and I can't believe how smooth the bike is overall.

Went out for a blast with some friends who were riding geared road bikes and had no problem keeping up with them. The bike is comfortable overall especially the seat which is well paded.

Been riding it with the freewheel setup until my SPD's arrive and replace the caged pedal  Weird how after only a year of riding using SPD's how much I miss them when I ride a bike without them.

It comes in a standard matt black finish and yes I can see the decals will peal off easily but I want people to know what I am riding. 

Love the aero sytle wheels but I suspect they do not have any real function on this type of bike. Total weight is circa 19lbs so it is very responsive when you really need to push.

One thing I did notice is how sticky the tyres are, the road bike I own I though was soft compond with these are super slick and super sticky, don't relish riding in the rain over a manhole cover on the bike as it could easily test your reactions.

Front forks are Carbon fibre blade and are very light to turn in which makes the overall handling and turning lightning fast.

Best thing to do is find a dealer that does both bikes and try then for yourself. I looked at the Giant Bowery 72 but didn't like the style, did look at the Solo but again didn't like the style but that is a personal choice.

Ivan


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## clarion (11 Aug 2010)

I suspect that finding a dealer who does both Langster and Solo will be hard, though some branches of Evans might, or Cycle Surgery, or Edinburgh Bike Coop.


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## crumpetman (11 Aug 2010)

I think if I tried a langster then I would be swayed by the lightness of it. I would like the bike to use now for a month and then set it aside to be the winter bike so it needs to be able to easily take guards and slightly wider tyres. So, I ordered the Solo and hope to have it in a couple of days. Went for some continental grand prix four seasons and a charge spoon too.

Thanks to all for your comments.


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## iendicott (11 Aug 2010)

Good choide but there again both bike are a good choive.


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## RedBike (11 Aug 2010)

crumpetman said:


> I think if I tried a langster then I would be swayed by the lightness of it. I would like the bike to use now for a month and then set it aside to be the winter bike so it needs to be able to easily take guards and slightly wider tyres. So, I ordered the Solo and hope to have it in a couple of days. Went for some continental grand prix four seasons and a charge spoon too.
> 
> Thanks to all for your comments.



The Solo will never be a light-weight bike but if you were to temporarily remove the mud-guards and that very heavy freewheel you would significantly lighten the bike. 


I know new bikes often come with rather crap tyres but from memory the original tyres on the Solo wern't too bad.


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## crumpetman (11 Aug 2010)

I think the Solo is a bit lighter than my bike so it will feel light to me! Why is the freewheel so heavy? What do you replace it with? Another (but lighter) freewheel or a fixed sprocket? 

The Solo comes with continental ultra race which get good reviews but I hate punctures so thought I would go for the highly recommended four seasons.


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## RedBike (11 Aug 2010)

> Why is the freewheel so heavy? What do you replace it with? Another (but lighter) freewheel or a fixed sprocket?



Theres nothing wrong with the standard freewheel. It's more or less exactly what you'd find on virtually every other singlespeed bike in this price range and it works just fine. Its just that all those bearings, ratchets, pawls etc (made to a price) obviously result in a freewheel being a lot heavier than a fixed wheel sprocket. 

So a cheap way to lighten the bike is to swap that heavy freewheel for a fixed wheel sprocket. (I know you don't want to do this, I should have put a smiley after my comment.)


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## clarion (11 Aug 2010)

I hate getting punctures, and do 200km a week commuting, so I fitted Marathon Plus 25s. Heavier, but worth it. I also changed the original saddle for a Charge Spoon. Not as good as my usual Specialized Indie XC, but I was grateful for the change last week when I got back from a few days cycle camping with the tandem and had something differently shaped to park my arse on to commute. Besides, for £25 it's a bargain - how can it be wrong?

I geared down to 48x19 when I went fixed (but I haven't removed the freewheel yet - haven't got the tool). Bit low for a lot of people, but fast enough for me most of the time, as I like to spin at around 100rpm most of the time.

Crumpetman, I hope to see you on the road very soon, and we can compare notes.


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## crumpetman (11 Aug 2010)

Redbike, I had no idea that switching from freewheel to fixed would save weight!


Clarion, I had read reviews of the Solo which mentioned a poor saddle and the Spoon gets fantastic reviews. I got Evans to price match it so it was only £20. Got them to price match the tyres too, £29 each I think.

I just cannot wait to get the bike! I am not riding my bike at the moment as I noticed something wrong with the rear, it kept feeling a bit spongy like there was a puncture. But no, it appears that a couple of spokes are loose and the brake rubs intermittently which I guess could mean the wheel is buckled. I have no idea if it is worth fixing as the whole bike was under £200. Perhaps at some stage I could upgrade the wheels on the Solo and put the Solo wheels on the current bike.

Oh, BTW Clarion, please can you tell me which saddle bag and support you had on your bike in this:

http://www.cyclechat...87#entry1327887

I am planning on getting a Carradice nelson longflap and a bagman expedition quick release.


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## RedBike (12 Aug 2010)

> Redbike, I had no idea that switching from freewheel to fixed would save weight!



Some of the very cheap freewheels are irronically cheaper than fixed wheel sprockets. These weigh a ton!

The freewheel fitted as standard to the Solo is quite good but you're still talking something like 200-250g. A track sprocket will be about 20-50g. So you'd save ~150/200g of rotational weight. 




> I just cannot wait to get the bike! I am not riding my bike at the moment as I noticed something wrong with the rear, it kept feeling a bit spongy like there was a puncture. But no, it appears that a couple of spokes are loose and the brake rubs intermittently which I guess could mean the wheel is buckled. I have no idea if it is worth fixing as the whole bike was under £200. Perhaps at some stage I could upgrade the wheels on the Solo and put the Solo wheels on the current bike.



I have no idea what your current bike is but I take it that you know that the wheels on the Solo are track wheels and therefore the rear wheel will not fit onto a normal geared bike.


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## clarion (12 Aug 2010)

crumpetman said:


> Clarion, I had read reviews of the Solo which mentioned a poor saddle and the Spoon gets fantastic reviews. I got Evans to price match it so it was only £20. Got them to price match the tyres too, £29 each I think.



I got my saddle for free! But that was because Evans cocked up and thought they were about to lose a sale.



> I just cannot wait to get the bike! I am not riding my bike at the moment as I noticed something wrong with the rear, it kept feeling a bit spongy like there was a puncture. But no, it appears that a couple of spokes are loose and the brake rubs intermittently which I guess could mean the wheel is buckled. I have no idea if it is worth fixing as the whole bike was under £200. Perhaps at some stage I could upgrade the wheels on the Solo and put the Solo wheels on the current bike.



Redbike's right. The Solo's wheels are 120OLN, and your other bike, if it is a recent road bike, will be 130mm, or an MTB, 135mm. If it's an older (80s at least) road bike, it could be 126mm, but that's still a bit of a squeeze to fit.



> Oh, BTW Clarion, please can you tell me which saddle bag and support you had on your bike in this:
> 
> http://www.cyclechat...87#entry1327887
> 
> I am planning on getting a Carradice nelson longflap and a bagman expedition quick release.



That's a Super C - massive bag (though slightly smaller than the Camper Longflap) which takes everything I need - toolkit, FAK, spare clothes, work clothes, personals etc. It's sitting on a Carradice Bagman Expedition QR. I'd recommend using a QR, as it makes putting a saddlebag on & off your bike an absolute doddle.

For information, since that photo, not only have I changed the tyres for the ones being carried, and swapped the shiny new bottle cage for an old battered one, but I also fitted a rack so I can occasionally carry panniers. It spoils the looks slightly, but I'm sat on the bike and I'm not interested in impressing anyone else, especially not potential thieves.

Because the rack now supports the bag, I just use a Bagman QR bracket without the steel support. Works well.

A Bagman fits securely to the saddle rails with just one allen bolt. Dead easy. And, when the bag os off the bike, it can barely be seen.


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## crumpetman (12 Aug 2010)

Current bike is a year old carrera subway zero single speed (42/16 I think) which is why I thought I might be able to just swap the wheels over. It won't be for a while anyway and I shall do some proper research into if it is worthwhile.

Thanks for the info on the Carradice stuff. I have a pannier at the moment and fancied a change to the saddle bag system. Bike _should _be here tomorrow or Monday!


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## clarion (12 Aug 2010)

Remember to post photos!


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## crumpetman (13 Aug 2010)

It arrived today while I was at work, just been unboxing it and taking the bubble wrap off. It feels quite nice and can definitely feel it is lighter than my current bike. Not sure if I will have a chance to try it tonight as not much light left and it's raining. Also got to take the pedals off my other bike as I don't like the look of the ones supplied.

Some minor niggles, not sure if this is usual for Evans Cycles, despite the bike having supposedly been fully assembled and tested prior to delivery it seems that front and rear brake pads are rubbing on the rim, the rear mudguard is rubbing on the tyre and the front mudguard does not look straight but it does not seem to be rubbing. I also asked them to fit the new tyres as it says on their website that they will fit for free any accessories purchased with the bike but alas they did not fit them. Perhaps tyres do not count as accessories?

I'll take some snaps tomorrow and hopefully get out for a ride if the rain stops for a little while.


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## crumpetman (15 Aug 2010)

I have been out for a few little rides on the Solo and made some adjustments to bars and saddle, and swapped over the saddle for a Charge Spoon. I am quite liking the bike so far. The real test will be tomorrow morning when I ride to work. 

I was wrong about the brakes and rear mudguard rubbing, they're not. The front guard does rub a tiny bit when turning right but I cannot see an easy way to adjust it without taking the whole thing off and fitting it again. There is also a little rattle coming from the left brake hood. If I have my hand on the hood it does not rattle but with my hand on the bar near the stem, or on the drop (or anywhere other than directly on the hood) it rattles. I shall leave investigating that further until next weekend.


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## RedBike (15 Aug 2010)

One of the things I liked best about the Solo was the way it is completely silent. The only noice it seems to make is the rumble from the tyres (Not that slicks rumble much). It took me ages to get the sprockets lined up perfectly an the chainring fitted centrally so the chain was always taught and completely silent.


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## clarion (16 Aug 2010)

If you find out why the brake lever is rattling, let me know, because that's exactly what I have on my Woodrup, which has Shimano 600 aero levers.

I've had a couple of scrapes & rattles with my Solo, but they've been solved. The guard clearance under the fork is a bit tight, so you need to have your stays carefully adjusted. And I had to bend the front of the guard up a bit. It'll all need readjusting when I stick a Cyo on the front, but it's OK.


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## crumpetman (16 Aug 2010)

Rode into work today and am really enjoying the new bike. So much easier to ride than my hybrid, it just rolls faster down hill and is easier to heave up the few inclines. Having the drops helped today as it was so windy. I did the 12 miles a little quicker too (between 5 and 10 minutes!) for no extra effort.

Only downside is a very sweaty back as I could not get my pannier rack to fit. It should fit but I just didn't have a suitable tool to get the screws out of it to make right adjustments. Not to worry, I have placed my order with Carradice just now.

I notice that Evans do a free first service (or inspection service) and that they have opened a store that is not that far from me so I might take the bike to them in a week or two (how many miles before the first inspection?) and have them fiddle with the mudguard and rattling brake lever.

Thanks again to everyones comments (particularly Redbike and clarion) which helped me choose the Solo.


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## RedBike (16 Aug 2010)

I boxed mine up and posted it off this morning. I was very sad to see it go


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## clarion (6 Sep 2010)

Any more news, crumpetman?


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## crumpetman (13 Sep 2010)

I have not had the time to take it into Evans for it's first service (the free one) to get the little problems looked at but have done a couple of hundred miles on the bike and am really enjoying it. Got the carradice nelson longflap and bagman expedition quick release and am happy with the setup.


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## clarion (13 Sep 2010)

I'm not going to bother with the Evans service. Their mechanics are mainly rubbish. The assembly of my Solo was late & shoddy. I've put it right, and just accepted that I got a good price anyway, so no problem.

Niggles with mine: I have a mudguard rub at the front, because the bracket on the guard is too long for the fork.

Um... that's it ;D


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## redjedi (21 Sep 2010)

clarion said:


> I'm not going to bother with the Evans service. Their mechanics are mainly rubbish. The assembly of my Solo was late & shoddy. I've put it right, and just accepted that I got a good price anyway, so no problem.
> 
> Niggles with mine:* I have a mudguard rub at the front, because the bracket on the guard is too long for the fork*.
> 
> Um... that's it ;D



I had the same problem with mine. to fix it you need to loosed the small nuts on the mounts and also the brake (from behind the fork). You can then lift the bracket up over the headset shell giving you more clearance. 
You'll then need to bend the top of the bracket forward otherwise it will rub against the headset shell. Tighten all the bolts and you shouldn't get any more rubbing.

Don't do what the "engineer" in my Evans did and just lift the guard up so the mounting bracket jams into the headset 

I've done similar upgrades to my Solo as other people. Saddle replaced with a Specialized GB Avatar which I already had, seatpost wasn't long enough so replaced it with a carbon one I found on sale for £18, pedals replaced for SPDs, bar tape replaced for padded Spec tape (also already had lying around), shorter stem fitted, tyres upgrades to Vitoria Rubinos in red and rack fitted for panniers.

Next upgrades will be the freewheel. Mines a bit noisy, could just use some new grease but I don't like the deadspots on it. Then the brake calipers, possibly for some Dia Compe ones in red for some added bling 

I recently rode mine to Amsterdam and back and it was very comfortable.


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## clarion (21 Sep 2010)

Yes, that's the solution, all right.

Actually, I'm having a bit of a problem right now, though. I've had two rear spokes go on the drive side. I replaced the first one, but I've not bought the spoke to do the second yet. The wheel goes a long way out of true with only one spoke broken. I had to adjust the tensions in order to get home.


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## Aperitif (21 Sep 2010)

Luke and Clarion - got any crunching coming from the BB? Mine is creaking and groaning like the Hesperus (I oiled my knees all weekend and I know it's not them!). I tend to put a bit of 'gentle pressure' on the pedals around a bit og Hampstead but apart from that mostly flat so no great straining thing going on. I accept that it will be a bog standard BB - *got any ideas on a replacement?* (Ta  )
Otherwise, no big noises from the back - 48 x 16 - rack, mudguards are crap but hey - they work! Rolls saddle instead of the plastic knife they sell with the bike and some leftover, nice comfy blue tape to 'add' to the black rubbish that split apart after five rides or so. M+ 25 front (I had two new Gators on mine but one tangled with a swashbuckling sabre of glass going downhill and came off second best  
Apart from that - solid, good and a lifetime guarantee for a crash bang wallop - I don't think any of us three are particularly lightweight..."in oh so many ways..."


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## clarion (21 Sep 2010)

No BB woes to report here. That's a bit crap though, to be getting a BB fail so soon. How long you had yours?


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## redjedi (21 Sep 2010)

Same here. No BB problems yet. 

I think it may be a cheap RPM BB like this so perhaps an upgrade to a Shimano one would be better (never thought I would use the words upgrade and Shimano in the same sentence, especially as my Campag Ultra torque has been so good to me )


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## clarion (21 Sep 2010)

Well, I've replaced my second rear driveside spoke. Looking at the fracture, they are pretty crappy spokes in the OE wheels, but I want to change them for S3X/Chrina rear and SON/Chrina front. Seems like I should just get on with it. The rims distort badly with just one spoke missing, which is not what I'm used to (which admittedly has been Mavic for many years).


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## clarion (22 Sep 2010)

Ah, now, that's a lot better. Hope the other spokes hold out a bit longer.


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