As Fyxation branched out into bicycle frames a couple years ago, their focus was on very track oriented steel frames. You know, the ones that were really designed for fixed gear riding on the streets.
As they’ve grown, they’ve diversified a bit. There was the Quiver, a slick 1×10 city bike we tested last fall. And announced around the same was the East Side and 3rd Ward, which were essentially the same bike but with different headsets and forks. Now, the 3rd Ward becomes it’s own creature, one more suited to long rides in the country or light touring. The sliding track dropouts are exchanged for sliding road dropouts, and more mounts are spec’d throughout frame and fork to hold all manner of racks and fenders.
The lugged fork remains, but the downtube shifter mounts are new. It’s a steel frame and fork, but other than that we’re waiting on the full details from Fyxation…it’s not up on their website yet.
It’ll also make a rather gentrified city bike with internally geared hub. The sliding dropouts and 132.5mm rear spacing make it possible to get the chain tension right for that or as a simple singlespeed or traditionally geared bike.
The frame is full 4130 chromoly that’s ED coated to help keep rust at bay. Internal cable routing on the top tube for brakes with removable cable guides elsewhere to keep it clean if they’re not needed.
Available in 49cm, 52cm, 55cm and 58cm in pearl and metallic red. Available in January 2015 at $395 for the frameset. Complete bikes will follow, spec is TBD.
The new Blackhawk Fat Bike, however, is online. Fyxation’s cofounder Ben Ginster readily admits it’s a stock frame design from an Asian supplier, but they’ve put it through its paces in testing (seriously, check out the action pics on their website!). They are based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after all, and skinny tires just won’t cut it in the winters.
It’s more than just a fat bike, too. With 26″ wheels you can run up to 26×5.0″ tires and a Rockshox Bluto. When summer comes, swap in your favorite 29er fork and wheels and it’ll handle 29×3.0 “plus” tires. That means 27.5+ will be no problem, either. Frame weight is claimed at 1,360g and the included carbon rigid fork is 455g. Front spacing is 150mm and rear is 197mm with 12mm thru axle included. BB is 100mm threaded. Preorder now for $2,095 and expect delivery around December 15.
Are your knees regretting that fixed gear purchase decision? Their 6Fyx conversion kit will transform any 120mm spaced track frame into a 6-speed bike. It uses a bar end shifter with a Microshift rear derailleur and includes hub, cassette, chainring and hardware for mounting it all up. You’ll need to get the hub built into a wheel, but that’s still cheaper than a new bike. This one debuted at Interbike last year, but is only just now almost available.
