# The new specialized langster



## Sore Thumb (22 Sep 2007)

Im a langster owner, the 2006 black version. 

Did not much like last years version and also did not think that much of the new 2008 version for this country. You know, that red and white london styled bike.

However, I went into my LBS and as well as having the red and white version they also have a 2008 racing green retro version. Had a good look at it and I must say I am very impressed. Not with a lot of the parts but the styling of the frame is good.

I also noticed that there is a new fixed/singlespeed tricross with knobbly tires.


The singlespeed tricross







The new langster






Anyone else seen these bikes and what do you think?


----------



## MrGrumpy (23 Sep 2007)

i`m going to look at them soon as thats what i had my choices down to, I especially like the tricross, sounds like an I deal commuter. Apparently also its got the facility to add a rear derailuer etc ? So if you wanna get it geared up you can do that.


----------



## zimzum42 (23 Sep 2007)

Is it just me, or do they fit a very small chainring as standard?

Oh, and it's still wrong, shouldn't be allowed on the street, the wrongster that is.....


----------



## MrGrumpy (23 Sep 2007)

zimzum42 said:


> Is it just me, or do they fit a very small chainring as standard?
> 
> Oh, and it's still wrong, shouldn't be allowed on the street, the wrongster that is.....




Think langster is a 42x16 and the tricross is a 42x18 ? I`ve tried both gears in and out to work on my current bike and they are doable, even tho my journey is undulating. However the 16 is certainly alot harder work. I think anything bigger on the front is asking for knee joint trouble


----------



## zimzum42 (23 Sep 2007)

48x16

I'm hard........


----------



## peejay78 (23 Sep 2007)

me too, as nails. 

48:16.


----------



## MrGrumpy (23 Sep 2007)

yer hard as my first you know what  are there any hills in London


----------



## gkerr4 (23 Sep 2007)

don't listen to them two - they just moan about the words 'compact', 'aluminium' and 'fixed' in the same forum thread.

and god forbid you use the 'lang...' word


sends then over the edge.

I bought a langster recently - I didn't like the london version either, the green one looks ok, but I liked the 07 'rust' coloured one so got it and saved £50. it's a nice bike. The gearing is ideal for around Blackpool - what slopey bits we have are do-able and i can keep it at a nice 17-19mph at a reasonable cadence.


----------



## zimzum42 (23 Sep 2007)

We have inclines in London, yes.....


----------



## Fab Foodie (23 Sep 2007)

There's a Green Langster as you pictured outside our Athletics club (have not located its owner yet), it's a lovely looking bike....I'd not given them a glance before...bit too plain-Jane, but that new one is pretty damn sexy, i'd consider one on looks alone.

I'm not hard enough....42x15 for me.


----------



## peejay78 (24 Sep 2007)

i don't know, but i am fairly certain i went up an incline the other day, the far horizon seemed to be ever so slightly higher than the road immediately in front of me. my heartrate leapt, i stood up out of the saddle and honked all the way up constitution hill. 



did somebody say 'langster'? 

(has minor fit) 

(eats own shoe)

(conforms to type))

someone bought a london langster down to bike polo the other day. everyone was very polite and all, but it was a bit like bringing a bacon sandwich to a bah mitzvah.


----------



## Canrider (24 Sep 2007)

That green one is the 'standard' 2008 Langster. Spesh's website has it as $50USD cheaper than the 'theme city' ones. Which are fugly.


----------



## piedwagtail91 (1 Oct 2007)

what are these langsters like to ride? i'm thinking of getting a stripped down fixed for summer use then i don't have to take all the luggage off the present one. i've looked at the fuji in steel which is what all my present bikes are and have to admit to never having ridden an alu/carbon bike.


----------



## peejay78 (1 Oct 2007)

the fuji is great. very light. 

summer? isn't it winter now?


----------



## piedwagtail91 (1 Oct 2007)

peejay78 said:


> the fuji is great. very light.
> 
> summer? isn't it winter now?



yeh, but i've been riding my winter fixed bike all year and thought of treating myself to something lighter and stripped down for one of those "landmark" birthdays next year - that way i don't have to part with much of my money to get one.
hard to decide between fuji and langster.


----------



## peejay78 (2 Oct 2007)

fuji,

FUJI... FUJI FUJI FUJI


----------



## peejay78 (2 Oct 2007)

or a lemond filmore.

how about a charge plug? i saw one the other day, only £400, looked like a lot more bike for the money.


----------



## spinnakermagic (2 Oct 2007)

peejay78 said:


> someone bought a london langster down to bike polo the other day. everyone was very polite and all, but it was a bit like bringing a bacon sandwich to a bah mitzvah.



the fact that the London version says 'God Save the Queen' on the chainstay kind of says it all.. no way I'd be seen dead cycling around Auld Reekie with that kind of nonsense written on my frame..

that said, I recently bought the racing green version, replaced the stock pedals with spuds and.. well, after about 2 weeks i was able to leave all the commuter hybrid kids for dead - the hills in this place certainly build strength quickly. It is very light and responsive, enormously fun to ride on the road.
The ratio it comes with is a little low for touring perhaps, but i think ideal for dealing with traffic and steep hills in town..


----------



## peejay78 (2 Oct 2007)

riding fixed i kick everyone's ass. especially on my fuji, which is so light it's untrue. with the bob jackson i just get all zen and zone out. you could overtake me (unlikely) and i wouldn't notice.


----------



## spinnakermagic (2 Oct 2007)

mmm tempted to flip over to fixed - just that it makes cornering a whole different thing - i quite like being able to bank steeply through corners without bottoming out. fixed is all good tho, just not sufficiently confident to ride as fast and aggressively as i'd like to while knocking about town.


----------



## zimzum42 (2 Oct 2007)

cornering isn't that much restricted on a fixed. I reckon you get a lot more control all round........


----------



## peejay78 (2 Oct 2007)

agreed - makes no real odds.

i've never come close to grounding a pedal.

apart from on kerbs when filtering.


----------



## zimzum42 (2 Oct 2007)

It's always freaky when you come across a preed hump which you previously only passed on a geared, cruising in the gap between hump and kerb, you can very easily strike the kerb, so make sure you remember to keep pedalling and lift off the saddle as you go over the hump......


----------



## spinnakermagic (2 Oct 2007)

well, indeed - like anything, a trade-off, and a matter of preference..


----------



## gkerr4 (2 Oct 2007)

I have a langster in the ultra-stylish rust brown colour I ride it on the fixed side on standard gearing and it is excellent around town!! I think the cornering thing is always on my mind and it makes you think about your lines a bit more, but I haven't had a problem. 

it's a lot of fun thats for sure.


----------



## piedwagtail91 (4 Oct 2007)

can anyone tell me the chainline of the langster.i've checked the website but there's no mention of it .


----------

