[lslance]

I'm looking into going to the dark side 29-single speed-ridgid or bright side cheaply. So I'm thinking on pulling the trigger on a 2009 SE Stout, Dawes Deadeye, or Windsor Cliff from BikesDirect.

Basically I want a cheap bike to ride the fire trails and some single track. I also have a lot of spare parts for upgrading.

Now the Windsor is aluminum, is that a good thing or bad thing for ridgid single speed riding? Is steel still real? I take it that the Windsor is the lightest of the three, I really want a quick bike.

Now I'm 5'11 with a 32" inseam. I'm thinking of going with a 19" for all three, since I need a longer top tube.

If anyone has one of these bikes or has ridden them in the past, please chime in. I welcome your input.

 

[Jlee197853]

The windsor is actually a pretty heavy frame. I have both an SE Stout, but it is the aluminum version, and a Windsor Cliff. I am the same height and inseam as you, and I went with the 17" on both. Very happy with both bikes. I like the Stout a lot better, only because it is rigid singlespeed. As far as aluminum on an all rigid bike, I think a lot of the talk is overblown. I find both to be very compliant, expecially with 29" wheels. I rode full squish for years, and now have a full rigid and a hardtail, and I don't miss the suspension any. I think both are a great value.

 

[lslance]

I kind of like the looks of the SE Stout over the Windsor Cliff, I'm actually looking at the single-speed Cliff.