Big Shot Bikes Custom Single-speed Review

PRICE $429 USD

FIND IT AT  bigshotbikes.com

AVAILABLE online in US and Canada

SHIPPING $34 USD for continental USA/ $125 USD for Canada (no returns granted for international orders)

Available in an indefinite combination of colors, Big Shot Bikes offers a diamond frame city bike in three frame sizes with five handlebar styles. Frames are made of 4130 chromoly and all tubes are precision tig-welded. Bikes are shipped 80 percent assembled and require just a number 4 and 5 allen/ hex tool a 15mm wrench to complete assembly.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Big Shot Bikes offers quality tig-welded 4130 chromoly single-speed/ fixed gear bicycles available online through their bike builder website. The customization options give you complete control over the look of your bike and, with the included flip-flop hub, your riding style as well.  

WISH LIST

While there are five different handlebars to choose from, I would love to see a swept-back option included in the future. The riser bars put you in the least aggressive position, but for me it is still a little too far forward as I like a more upright position. Big Shot keeps things simple here, to their benefit, so any additional add-ons – fenders, racks, chainguard, etc – are left up to you.

IDEAL RIDER

A Big Shot Bikes custom single-speed is a bike to make a statement with. You can build up the bike of your technicolor dreams with nine frame colors and nine tire and wheel colors, not to mention a vast selection of colors for pedals, grips, saddle, chain, and cranks. The possibilities are almost endless for a blast of creativity and color in our often too-grey urban environment.

ORDERING/ ASSEMBLY

We ordered the Big Shot single-speed with a riser bar in a 60 cm size (52 and 56 cm also available). After putting together a short list of color combinations (and having endless fun with the “randomize” button) we came up with a purple/ orange/ yellow color scheme. We also chose no decals and had the bike sent “clean.” The bike arrived within the stated shipping time and was well-packaged for transit. Upon unpacking, it only took a short time to assemble the brake levers, install the front wheel and saddle, thread on the pedals, and inflate the tires. A quick safety check at our local bike shop and we were ready to ride. This was the first bike we tried out, and it was an easy entry to the world of online bike shopping.

SUMMARY

Big Shot Bikes is a pioneer in the online, customizable single-speed market and after five years have now expanded their line to now include custom cruisers as well. It had been some time since I rode such a simple, fast bike and it was a real pleasure to cruise the streets with the agility a skinny tire single-speed provides. The frame construction is solid and the included parts work well with the setup. I didn’t go “fixed” but instead opted for the freewheel as coasting is a big part of my riding pleasure. While the bike has eyelets for a rear rack attachment, a messenger bag or backpack is a better match for this style.

It’s been a great bike to have at the office for quick lunch runs and speedy errands in the city. If I were to go a step further, I would swap the riser bars for a swept-back handlebar and upgrade the low-profile saddle (I am partial to leather myself). With that, I would have a great setup in a no-fuss city bike for those carefree times I’m not hauling my stuff around with me.

This bike was self-assembled at Momentum Mag.

David Niddrie is Momentum Mag’s Photo Editor @davidniddrie