“What is the best first fixed gear bike you recommended?”
We often get this type of question.
To be honest, it depends on your riding environment and personal preferences.
But since you’ve taken the time to open our blog and are reading this article, I’d say you probably have at least some interest in LEADER bikes, don’t you?
LEADER’s fixed gear bikes are basically designed for city riding. If you want to ride gravel or compete in races where every 0.1 second matters, they might not be the best choice.
Any LEADER model is suitable as your first fixed gear bike, but if I had to recommend just one, I would say the 725TR is my top choice.
Let me explain the reasons why, divided into three chapters.
1, It Looks Cool
This might be the most important point. No matter how great a bike is, if you don’t love how it looks, you probably won’t ride it.
The 725TR is a bike that has been ridden by riders now considered legends. Where exactly does this unique, hard-to-define coolness of LEADER come from?
LEADER is all about attention to detail, starting from the manufacturing stage.
The tubes used for the frame are specially made and designed.
They are engineered at highly skilled factories and produced to perfectly match each frame size.
And, the welded sections of the frame are filled and hand-polished, achieving a beautiful finish while maintaining both lightness and strength.
It’s rare to find a city-riding fixed gear bike with this level of detail and craftsmanship.
The 735TR and 725TR go through the same production process up to this stage.
So, you might be thinking – “If that's the case, why not just go for the high-end 735TR?”
But…there’s actually a secret reason why the 725TR lets you ride in a way that looks even cooler.
2, You Can Set the Saddle Higher
The 725TR is designed with a lower standover height compared to the 735TR and 721TR.
No matter which model or size you ride, the actual saddle height remains basically the same.
However, with a lower standover height and the same saddle height, more of the seatpost is exposed, making the saddle appear higher.
For example, in size M, the standover height of the 735TR is 785mm, while the 725TR is 740mm.
Simply put, even when riding the same size, the 725TR makes the saddle look over 4cm higher.
Additionally, the 725TR is the only model in the LEADER lineup available from XXS size, making it a rare fixed-gear bike that’s also suitable for smaller riders, including women.
If you’re going to ride a fixed gear bike, you want to look cool.
That’s exactly why the 725TR is the bike I recommend for you.
3, Stability
In addition to the lower standover height I mentioned earlier, the 725TR has another unique design feature.
The 725TR has a longer wheelbase compared to other models.
This gives the bike a more stable ride overall.
Some people feel that fixed gear bikes can be a bit twitchy or aggressive, but even beginners can ride on the 725TR with confidence.
The distance to the handlebars is slightly increased because of the longer wheelbase, so I highly recommend customizing it with something like a rise bar that allows for a more upright riding position.
What do you think about the 725TR?
Rather than being just a middle class model stuck between the 735TR and 721, it has its own unique character that makes it stand out as a true standard model.
If you’re considering your first fixed gear bike, the 725TR is definitely worth adding to your list of options