Test: There has been a lot of hype in the cities for years about classic fixies or single-speeders. However, these are usually less comfortable due to the translation and are not particularly well suited for hilly regions anyway. But if you still don't want to do without the classic look and the necessary coolness factor, you should take a look at the Pure Cycles Veleta - pragmatic equipment, gear shift, clean look - at a very reasonable price.
Pure Cycles Veleta – The frame
Only steel is real - that could be the motto of the Veleta. The slender steel tubes are connected with discreet weld seams and result in a classic Diamant frame, as known from the heyday of road cycling. The bike is also very classic when it comes to the paintwork. A subtle white "Pure Cycles" lettering stands out on the down tube. Yellow and orange stripes, slightly reminiscent of the rainbow world champion stripes, complete the classic look. A classic black rigid steel fork with two threads for attaching mudguards or luggage racks was installed to match the frame. Mudguards or luggage carriers can also be easily mounted on the rear triangle with the appropriate preparations, which significantly increases the suitability for everyday use. In addition, Pure Cycles gives a lifetime guarantee on the steel frame. The frame is offered in six frame sizes. The sizes are between 49 cm and 60 cm in 2 cm increments.
Pure Cycles Veleta – The equipment
With the Pure Cycles Veleta you get a complete racing bike for just €549 that doesn't have to hide optically. At this price, the question naturally arises as to which parts are installed there. A look at the bike immediately shows that the equipment is cheap, but by no means junk. For example, shifting is done with a 2×8 Shimano Claris groupset. 2×8 may sound almost puny these days and is certainly no longer state-of-the-art for sporting use, but who needs more in the city? Braking is done with a Promax RC-469 brake in connection with the Shimano Claris brake levers. Hutchinson Nitro 2 tires are used. Otherwise, many parts, such as wheels, seat post, stem and handlebars, come from our own company. These make a solid and high-quality impression. You don't expect a light racer here, but at 11,8 kg the whole thing is still within limits.
Pure Cycles Veleta - On the road
When you first take a seat on the bike, you notice that the seating position is also rather classic. Due to the long top tube and the long stem, you sit quite stretched out and quite sporty on the bike. When you first start, you can feel the extra weight compared to a modern racer. The bike seems a bit sluggish rather than lively, but once you get up to speed it rolls great.
In terms of comfort, the Valeta makes a good impression. With 28 mm wide Hutchinson tires and the pleasant comfort characteristics of a steel frame, the bike can still be moved quickly, for example on cobblestones, without damaging your entire back. The 2 × 8 translation was completely sufficient in the test use in the city. With the smallest possible gear ratio of 34×32, even steep ramps shouldn't be a problem. In general, the Shimano Claris gears worked very well and made a good impression for the price category. The add-on parts on the entire bike were also inconspicuous during the test and made a reasonable impression. The brakes require a lot of manual effort and in practice are certainly the weak point of the cheap steel racer.
Petra dome says
I've been riding the bike for a good 6 weeks now and I really like it. I wanted a sporty, stylish, steel frame road bike at a fair price. If you look up information on the Internet, there are now many great "manufacturers" who produce steel wheels again, but the price is then at least double. What I don't like about PureCycles is their delivery system. You can choose between three options (send fully assembled, pre-assembled to a bike shop in your area and unassembled for hobbyists). Depending on the option, it costs nothing or more. Information is available on the homepage. The downside was that I don't live in a big city, but rather in the countryside. I gave PFC 2 addresses of bike shops in my city. The contact did not work, the shops probably thought this was spam. The company is based in Los Angeles, the retailer in Rotterdam, and everything is done in English. In my case it was really an odyssey until I had the bike, which I don't want to go into detail about, but that's certainly not an unimportant point. At the beginning the bike cracked slightly on the chain and treadles and I thought, oh dear, the quality wasn't that good after all. After a good 6 weeks and several longer rides, that's gone and I really enjoy riding the bike. Since I ride an aluminum trekking/cross bike at the same time, the weight is not an issue for me. To me it feels light, fast and stable (due to the steel frame). Visually also a hit, classic and cool. With an original racing bike from the 80s, I no longer have confidence in the material. I hope this information helps one or the other, as I said, the delivery system is a bit immature for the "province", but the bike itself is a great and cheap alternative to others on the market.