Takara Sugiyama Flat Bar Fixie Bike

While the color scheme and graphics was the first things that stood out on this bike, after discovering that the Walmart Thruster is almost identical, except for the pedals,front wheel hub, graphics and bars, for $100 less. I became very disappointed; and the first thing that came to mind was to return it, but being that I ordered the 58cm size for $196.99, while the Thruster is a 54cm. I chose not to take the $40 hit to return it. The first thing to go was the graphics, BTW; the Takara Sugiyama as well as the Thuster are both made by Kent International.So being that I decided to keep it, putting it together was pretty simple, although I did have problems adjusting the rear brakes at first, but after a few Google searches I nailed it. After my initial test run I found the this chunk of steel to be heavy on the front end, and the tires to be very noisy while having too much resistance while rolling. If you want to get rid of that Thruster look and performance be prepared to spend another $250 for triple walled aluminum wheelsets, tires (do not buy thicker (beefier) tires it will add more resistance making it slower, like a cruiser), replace quill stem with threadless 1" adapter & 24.6mm threadless stem, and a lighter 170mm x 46Tx 103 alloy crankset and sealed cartridge bottom bracket 68x103cm, for starters. Or buy a State Bicycle fixie made of chromly 4130 and call it a day.Before riding this bike I recommend assembly by a bike shop, due to bearings & crank components come poorly lubed. Also to ride in fixie mode; the rear tire has to be rotated, so it's not just fliping the wheel, because the tires are directional. Those who recommend this product are unfamiliar with fixies. I should have got a Thruster from Wallymart for $100 then putting another $200 wouldn't have been so costly. However, I'm 6'1" and needed this framsize. Just waiting for my parts to come in, and I'll probably end up selling it and build my own with a chromly 4130 frame.

This bike is great.if you read some of the other reviews for this bike you'll see the tire popped or it fell apart on them, but i think it's because these people didn't assemble it properly. yes this bike comes in pieces but if you enjoy puzzles like me than you should be fine, i don't even have any experience assembling bikes and i was fine. i had to put on the front tire, the handle bars, the front brake, and the peddles, it wasn't all that hard, all you need is a few wrenches (or 1 adjustable) and some hex keys. just make sure you tighten everything enough and your golden. i understand that 1 reviewer's tires blew out which worried me, but after taking it 50 miles i haven't had any problems, even after going down my stone driveway, just don't overfill them but make sure you do put enough air in to make them solid or you'll be riding on flat tires.Like i said i've taken this 50 miles already and haven't ran into any problems, i've peddled at top speed down hills and it's as solid as a rock. my old bike would creak and the chain would pop off which put you in a bad situation but this one had a chain that was already on that had barely any slack so you won't have to worry about that. you can feel how powerful this bike is as soon as you start riding it, it takes off with ease and flies down the road. it also comes with the option of riding fixed gear or freewheel, i prefer freewheel because i like to coast but it's nice to have the option, plus the fact that this is a single gear is great because from my experience bikes with multiple gears are a big hassle. i also love the color of this bike, it's simply beautiful, the 2 different color tires were a great touch and so was everything else they chose.I'm 5' 9" and i ordered the 58cm frame, i'm pretty much the minimum height for this frame size but i wanted to sit as upright as possible so i have the seat all the way down, so if your 5'9"+ i'd go for the 58, anything under and you'll need the 54 just in case you needed help with sizing.All in all i'd suggest this bike, i've experienced no problems, it feels 100% solid and is powerful yet beautiful. if you don't have the tools, borrow them from your neighbor, tighten everything, if you get stuck and the directions confuse you there are plenty of youtube videos, remember to keep it in a nice dry spot and you'll be fine. nice job japan, a quality product at an affordable price

I purchased this single speed bike as alternate exercise to running. This was my first bike purchase and after using an online sizing chart I went with the 59cm frame but eventually I realized that the frame is slightly to large for my 6'0 body (with short legs). Although it is technically too big I just put the seat all the way down and I am quite comfortable. The bike has wider tires than a traditional road bike which helps to soften bumpy surfaces. The tires are also quite loud with tread not unlike a car tire which keeps plenty of traction on wet roads. The frame being steel helps to absorb bumps and provides comfort. The combination of wide tires and steel frame come at a cost of weight and speed although I have been able to hit 31 mph. A downside to buying a bike online is that it comes only partially assembled in a box. I was a bit reluctant to put it together myself but did so in about 30 minutes. I've only experienced one problem and that is that the handlebar quill stem has come completely loose twice at low speeds. Had the problem occurred at higher speeds it would have resulted in a nasty crash so I always make sure the quill stem is tight before I ride. If it wasn't for this problem I would rate the bike 5 stars instead of 4. The bike has withstood 30+ miles every week with no other problems. Overall I am quite pleased with this bike considering it's low price. I am also happy with the noticeable health benefits that come with cycling.

I was really satisfied last Sumer (2020) when I received it. This year (2021) not so much. When I got it out of the shack in spring, I saw there was (and still is) a nice big spot of rust on a front fork. Since day 1 it has been covered from the rain by a raincoat that I received the same day as the bike and it was stored for the winter. Still, I got rust as an extra!Disappointed