Fairdale Parser Express

The Fairdale Parser Express is built BMX tough for the urban grind, then finished so well you'd think it was a handbuilt.

Fairdale might be a new name to the general bicycle world but the person behind the brand is well known in the BMX world. (For more on Fairdale see our preview.) What you get when a BMX pro designs bikes is a very strong bike because BMXERs demand dependable components.

The Parser Express is at the top of the Fairdale range. At £800 for a single speed bike this is almost what you'd expect to pay for a handbuilt.

Construction

The tubes are 100 percent chromoly steel and the main tubes are double butted, the choice for most BMXes. It isn't a particularly light frame set, the top tube ping test (flicking the tube with your finger nail) comes back as a fairly dull resonance but then this bike is designed to be tough and abused daily on the streets so there shouldn't be much worry of getting a dink on in the frame.

The fork uses a one-piece machined steerer tube, again something found on BMXes, making it super strong.

The pillar box red powder-coat paint job resists the barrage of abuse the daily commute puts on to your bicycle's coat. It certainly looked pretty good and got many pleasant remarks, with many people thinking the bike was a hand built thoroughbred; it definitely looks like it is worth the price tag.

Components

The considerate choice of components is what adds the £150 difference in price to the Parser's flat bar sibling. Sharing the same frame and forks, the Parser has very well thought-out and chosen upgrades.

The most notable is the chainset, the SRAM S300 GXP. It is light and stiff with its large hollow axle held in the external bottom bracket bearings gives the Parser a notable responsiveness when you turn the pedals aggressively.

The 48-tooth chain ring turns an 18-tooth Shimano freewheel giving a manageable 71.4 gear inches. The Shimano freewheel is better than the usual rubbish supplied as OEM but it still isn't a top choice for ultimate reliability and when it dies we'd go for a White Industries freewheel or the bargain Halo Clickster.

The home brand wheels were well built with tight spokes, laced into 24mm deep rims and spinning on smooth cartridge bearing hubs, further contributing to the bike's solid feel. The colourful graphics on the rims and hub matched the decals on the frame and really help to complete the pretty aesthetic of the bike making it look more like a bespoke build.

There's no fixed sprocket on the flip flop rear hub. It's something I would have expected to see at this price even if most people who buy this bicycle never use it; I think it is nice to give people the option to try it.

The 28mm Continental Contact tires are pretty big and weighty but their large air chamber mean that you can run them at 80 psi for a much more forgiving ride without sacrificing puncture protection.

At 600g a tyre, the compromise for comfort and security is weight and with the deepish rims, they ad up to a lot of inertia to be overcome to get this bike rolling. But when you do, it glides lightly along and you don't have to worry about picking a line around man hole covers and other uneven road features.

The unlabelled Selle Italia Turbo style saddle is one of my favourites for town riding. It works well with jeans and isn't too soft and padded, just a nice classic shape.

The ride

The 56cm top tube is a centimetre longer than I normally ride but married with the fatter tyres and very neutral geometry, the bike felt very stable and the extra stretch wasn't an issue.

The Parser Express is pretty smooth, with no chain clatter or rattles which encourages you to pedal through everything. It is built tough and it's unfazed by rougher terrain. I found it perfect for rural firepaths and on some occasions proper off road tracks.

This is where I found the Parser Express's short fall: the road calliper brakes don't cut it in the mud. This bike would become a true all-rounder if it had some decent stoppers that worked in the gloop.

The 71.4 inch gear was low enough for me to manage some pretty big climbs without getting out of the saddle and offered great acceleration. On the flat streets of London, the gearing was good to keep a high cadence, and this bike likes to pedal through everything, Bishopsgate felt like newly laid tarmac rather than a training ground for the Paris-Roubaix.

Mounts for mudguards and rear rack are all present, and Fairdale offer a cool rear rack that can carry your skateboard, so dig out your old pool board and shred Vicky park!

If your commute isn't too hilly then this bike makes a great commuter work horse. It is reliable and built to take abuse and can happily take being bumped up curbs, ridden down stairs and across muddy short cuts, all with a smile on your face.

This is a pretty bike so sadly it will be desirable to thieves; get a good lock.

It is a bit pricey but what you get is a bike that will keep you rolling without much worry and robust enough to take on the daily grind and keep looking good.

Verdict

Like a handsome rugby player, it's strong and tough, easy on the eye and can take on most things in its path.