Just in: SE Bikes Lager

Like your favourite band hitting the charts and selling out the O2, I'm sure there are those of you out there who will take the fact that fixed bikes are now available in mainstream superstores as final and irrevocable proof of their not being cool any more.

You can discuss that one below. But the other reasons for owning one – they're good-looking, inexpensive, low on maintenance and fun to ride – still hold true. And this is a bike with a pedigree, too. SE bikes trace their lineage back to the very earliest days of BMX racing; the PK Ripper is widely acknowledged as a classic and is still in production. They've been making singlespeeds for a long time then, and bigger wheeled ones for a good few years too. They even do a 29" version of the Ripper. That's how on trend they are.

Anyway, back to this bike, the Lager, which can be yours for £429.99 from your local Halfords*. It's built around a plain gauge Cromoly frame and fork, and obviously the first thing you'll notice is that anodising is back here, in a big way. Stem, spacers, headset, seatpost, cranks, rims... all of these get the electric blue treatment to set off the matte grey frame.  A wallflower it ain't.

Wheels are semi-deep alloy rims laced to SE's own hubs, and you get good quality Vittoria Randonneur tyres. The 46/17 transmission gives a 72" gear that's pretty challenging for hilly Bath but just right for flatter town riding.

Stopping is taken care of by either your legs, if you swap the wheel round to fixed (a sprocket is included), or Tektro R316 callipers and sissy levers on the bullhorn bars. A classically-styled SE saddle tops things off. All in the bike weighs a touch over 10kg without the supplied clip and strap pedals. There's rack and guard mounts if you want to utility up, and bottle bosses for longer rides. That would be kind of missing the point though. Watch out for a full review once we've pulled some skids...

*If you're thinking of wandering in to your local Halfords to pick one of these bikes up, be aware that they're only available through a select few stores right now. Specifically:

London - Stoke Newington, Wimbledon, Kilburn, Putney, Twickenham, Wandsworth, New Malden, Tottenham, Mile End Road, Charlton
Manchester - Manchester Fort, Manchester White City
Bristol - Brislington
Cambridge - Cambridge