This bike is well worth the money!

It rides really smooth and is a really clean bike!

Everything came in, in good condition.

Just a few adjustments, and a few new parts, this is a sturdy, awesome bike! (Posted on 3/11/12)

This bike is a replacement for my dearly beloved single speed that was stolen by some heartless alley troll in Chicago.

==Shipping:

It arrived packed well, though I must say that they obviously place far too much faith in UPS, given the thickness of the cardboard used..still, it arrived all in one piece…or rather, it arrived in pieces, but the pieces were in good shape ;)

==First impressions:

It's a nice looking bike. I'm more of a function over form kinda guy but in this case there is a marriage of both. I like the visual and mechanical simplicity of single-speeds and it looks sharp in white with black accessories(not my usual preferred color but what they had in stock).

==The not so good:

-Handlebars:

Included in the box were the drop bars and the "flat bar". I found the flat bar ridiculously narrow(15 inches wide!). I'm assuming this is the "fixie" style meant for tricks and such but I find it much too unstable for my commute.

The drop bars are weirdly shaped such that I could not find a comfortable hand grip. I have small hands but I couldn't find any place for my hands to fit in the drop position.

-Seat

The cheap flat seat was obviously meant for pre-teens or adults without any desire to procreate in the future. I tossed it and installed a WTB Speed V Comp Saddle. My junk is thankful.

==First Ride:

A test ride revealed that either the chain or bottom bracket was "sticking" at certain points if I tried to pedal "backwards" e.g freewheel. Given that every thing I read recommended getting internet bikes set-up, I took it to my local shop.

==Setup/Mechanic Notes:

The tech mentioned that the chain wheel is not perfectly round and that this might cause issues with chain stretch in the future. He also mentioned that the tire rims don't have rim tape so that flat tires would be a very likely possibility.

==PROS(after setup, new seat and handlebars)

-Nice and light. This is a really fun frame! With the slight modifications I've made, it's a great balance between comfort and speed.

-The crankset teeth count(46) is a good balance between acceleration from a stop and top-speed. I might go up to 48 at some point for century rides but for now, I'm good.

-It's 250 bucks with free shipping. This is ridiculous.

==CONS:

-Definitely needs a setup. This is suggested for any new bike, so not necessarily a con but for a bike that you might buy in a store, they usually toss this service in as part of the price of the bike. Obviously, not an option in this case.

-Rims do not include tape so flat tires from pinching are a distinct possibility. 8 bucks will fix this.

-Not sure about the brakes. They don't really seem to grab very well but may just need to be worn in a bit..

-I found both handle bars unusable. Installed a "riser" style comfort bar and am happy with it.

-Seat is unusable except for Ken dolls and sopranos.

===================

Overall, with some time and attention, I am very happy with this bike. I had considered a Redline 925 and even with the expense of the setup, new bars and fenders, I'll still come out way ahead.

Cheers!

-J (Posted on 10/17/11)

This is a 15 month update. The bike is holding up fine, continues to ride and I've put a lot of miles on it, First summer & Fall was basically 30+ mile loops every other day. Since, I've alternated rides with the other bikes I have, but the Vilano still gets quite a bit of riding. I'd say 40% Vilano, 45% atb & 15% road bike for about the same 30+ mile loops. Bike is great for conditioning. Components still are fine, Frame finish is fine too, no paint chips. Wipe her down with a wet rag after every ride, lubricate periodically as well as adjust & tighten the bolts. Wheels are still true, tube needed to be replaced, but all in all, the Vilano has been a positive experience. (Posted on 9/11/11)

i just got the bike ship to my home today, bad thing is one of the the tire got scratch by the ups, the whole box is damage, looks like those ups guy open my box and check is worth to still it, i guess they didnt, but i love the bike, cheap price, there is few things i dont like, the handlebar is too short, not wide enough, and the seat is hard like rock, ex those two things, this bike is good to have it. will recommend to my friends. (Posted on 8/5/11)

i can echo all the positive reviews. if you order the dropped bars, it also comes with the straight bar. i didn't like either one, (too small) but i had planned on using different bars anyway. the brakes are excellent. stops very quick. came with cross type brake levers.

the frame is flexy, sexy, and i love to ride this.

also get several compliments on the looks. (Posted on 7/17/11)

So far I've had to replace:
1. Freewheel (it disintegrated when it had to come off to replace a broken spoke)
2. Handlebars (the drop down bar included put a weird force on my hands when riding in the lower position and I actually had to see a doctor for it)
3. Bottom Bracket (the included one is like something from the 50's, lasted 4 months)
4. Back tire (that was a week ago, the old old had a tumor)
Other than that, it's still awesome. I ride 10 to 15 miles a day since I got it, plus every Critical Mass since September. For the price, it's totally worth it, even with replacing a few things. (Posted on 7/7/11)

Very nice bike for the money, easy to assemble and fast. My first fixed gear bike and for flat Miami nice to ride. (Posted on 4/29/11)

Got my Vilano yesterday, got it white like i ordered. Missing a screw and E-mailed their service ... I put it together myself . They had the hub tightened on too tight for my scrawny little self, paid $5 for it to be switched to fixed. The brakes came all weird, but I ride brakeless so it didnt really matter. Also, most importantly, my back tire popped when i was bombing a hill at around 40mph. Had to ted shred, tires pumped at 100 psi. front tire was fine. I now have a 700x28 tire on my backwheel and the 25c it comes with in the front. Came with flatbar and dropdowns. Had to wrap the drop downs myself. I dont like flatbars because i dont ride fixed for the tricks, but for the speed, and i still don't go that fast. So only problem was missing screw and tire.

PROS:
Its light, fast, and rides smooth. Seat is fine, Came on time
CONS: Tires, brakes(for people using them). Missing a screw.

Great Christmas present for people in the city where there's a lot of traffic.
(Posted on 11/20/10)

just got the bike it was amazing for 249 i ride it fixed with no brakes doing good so far (Posted on 10/21/10)

This bike is a monster! Lightweight and sturdy as a rock. I never thought a chromoly steel bike would weigh the same as my Trek roadbike, but it does. The crankset is great, the gear ratio in fixie is really challenging but good for a beginner, and i love the tiny little flatbar handlebars -- really great for zipping in and out of traffic.

The only problem i have had so far has to do with the wheelset. There were some jagged spots from manufacturing on the inside of the rim and the thin rim strip did not cover them. I went through a few tubes before realizing this, but the wonderful customer service team worked with me and made everything right.

Pros: Price, lightweight, strong, customizable.

Cons: The wheelset is a bit cheap, but just as strong as the rest of the bike. (Posted on 9/21/10)