State Bicycle Core Line Review

Get this bike if you want a simple ride with no fuss. I got the State Bicycle Core Line in Wu-Tang style in the mail a couple of weeks ago to do a State Bicycle Core Line Review and finally got around to riding it. My first ride was up and over to get to Muir Beach from the inland side of Marin. I wanted to give myself a challenge with a single gear bike to get up and over the pass. Also, I thought that since I am used to riding typically derailleur controlled bikes, that using a fixed gear for a test amongst the hills would be very telling for others. All in all this ride is about 10 miles and 600 foot of incline to get through the pass with the decline being pretty spectacular.

If you are looking for a higher price point, then Marin bike company may be a good brand to look out for or the Poseidon Triton which may be the best choice for a value bike with a 10 speed cassette setup.

I will start out by saying that I am over 6 foot, so I chose to ride with the large size. Overall it fits true to size, and I found myself able to stretch my leg out the correct angle true to bike fit fashion. I was a touch concerned about this when initially getting the bike though I found the bike to be the right size. I put on classic clipless pedals and I switched the hub to the freewheel position because I knew that I was going to need some moments of rest for my legs as I was ascending.

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What do I think about the State Bicycle Core Line?

How do I feel about the bike? The State Bicycle Core Line may be one of the best bicycles to begin or have as a reliable commuter around at the moment. The prices are steadily dropping, but the quality is remaining the same which is not an affect that you will typically see with a value brand. My initial thoughts are that the ride is smooth – stiff – if anything, though this is to be expected from a steel straight gauge framed body. My initial thoughts are if you are looking for a reliable, first rate value purchase for your first foray into the fixed gear bike space, then this is the bicycle for you.

How does the bike look?

So we can briefly begin with aesthetics. The bicycle is very cute. By nature I chose the Wu-Tang model. In comparison to my road bike which feels like a hulking machine next to it, this feels like a bike that if I feel at a moments notice that I want to take out, I can pick it up and take it for a ride around the corner. It does not feel as if I am beginning some sort of operation by taking the bike out of my apartment to set up and go for a ride.

How does the bike ride feel?

The ride as I said before is smooth, and the adjective that comes to mind is clean. When you are on the road, you feel every bump and rock along the ride. This is not to make the point that the ride is uncomfortable, but what is being said is that the ride has a sporty feel. This is useful to me for descending hills where I want the bicycle to feel that it is responding to me rather than needing to jerk the bike over for the needed response.

For the handlebar there are three choices – straight, drop handlebars and bull horns. For the most part, I have noticed that many are choosing the bullhorns that ride in the city and commute. Much of the riding that I find myself doing is outside of the city and at distance, so I opted for the drop handlebars. I would say that the drops give me more of the angle that I was looking for and was happy with them. There was nothing good or negative to report there. The tape was adequate and worked as expected for my hands – though I do choose to use cycling gloves for cold in the majority of my rides in the bay area.

A note on the Saddle

Before choosing to work with this bike, I was concerned about the saddle because I have read around that it is not very comfortable. I was surprised by this because to my delight, I found it to be very engaging into my sits bones. It is riders choice to upgrade to something with more cushion or remain in these, though I will not be surprised if I keep this saddle in the long run.

What are others saying about the State Bicycle Core Line?

When I did some more research before choosing to work with the State Bicycle Core Line – I noticed there was a ton of reasons to buy the bike and then there were two points of concern.

Positives

• Fast, sporty feel: The ride is smooth. There are other rides that will absorb the road and bumps, whereas this, the handling and the wheels’ connection to the ground helps you feel that you are operating a legitimate machine with your body.
• Great Value Purchase: Price does not equate to quality when purchasing this bike. With the single gear set up, State Bicycle has been able to choose to focus on items like the frame, handlebars and components to make sure that they are giving the customer a simple, easy to work with bicycle that will not fail over time.
• Weight: For a steel frame bicycle, this is a fantastic weight to it. This could be because of the steel frame being straight gauge which gives weight saving bonuses to it. I feel that this provides an equal amount of strength and weight saving additions to the bicycle.

Concerns

• Straight Gauge Steel Frame: Some have made the point that a straight gauge, as opposed to a double-gauge may be a second-rate choice for bicycle building. In my opinion, if you are choosing this to be a commuter where you are not intentionally riding the bicycle through potholes, the steel frame will more than make up for the build quality strength over time.
• Saddle: There are some complaints of the saddle being uncomfortable over long rides. This sounds like a personal observation though, as I enjoyed the saddle for my test runs.

Conclusion

Is the State Bicycle Core line a good bike? This might be your best bet is you are looking for a value bicycle under $500. The bike will teach you how to be very handy with repairs. The components are at a level where they will give you zero problems, and if your legs are up to it, you can go on rides where you rise 1200 feet in elevation in one day. Perhaps my head believe that, though my legs after the run are saying no.