State Bike Co. 4130 Core-Line | Fixed Gear Bike Review

State Bike Co. has improved a lot over the years in terms of giving you more bike for your money, but is their 4130 Core-Line fixed gear actually worth it? Find out in this fixed gear bike review.

State Bike Co. 4130 Core-Line:

*note: State has 2 types of bikes called the "Core-Line" that are vastly different. If you're looking to get the bike I reviewed, make sure it's the "4130 Core-Line."

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[thomasgrimes]

I’ve been riding a Carolina Blue 4130 for about a year and a half now. It’s my first singlespeed bike and I am very pleased. I’ve upgraded the saddle to a Brooks B17 and just ordered some Wabi Sub 15 wheels. I would definitely recommend this bike for a first singlespeed/fixed gear. If you’re considering the base Core Line, spend a little more and go with the 4130.

[johnmcclain]

I bought my State 4130 about five months ago, got it about two months ago, and wanted to comment. I had a couple minor issues, a broken brake lever, missing grips, but both were not a big deal. I always true my own wheels, found these were kind of "wobbly" but trued up well, and have held their true over the last two months of daily riding. It rides as described, I got the 55 cm, just right, first time in my life, lol, hand tightened spokes make all the difference, I've been building and truing wheels for fifty years, it's quite easy to learn, and cheap to do easily, with a cheap dial indicator and a spoke wrench. I live rural, riding on roads tractors and log trucks travel on and I'm very pleased with the ride quality, despite the stock, 23c tires, lively, comfortable, I ride with large clips, put my own pedals on immediately, no problem with interference on most turns, quite acceptable. I got the dull black and it suits my taste, looks good, subdued, all in all, I'm quite pleased with my new bike, I've not even put on the grips, got used to the flat bars first off, and find it quite nimble for my sixty three year old body. Thanks for the motivation to get back on "fixed gear", it's as good as it was as a teen. Even better, as I own my own bike, not just borrowed, experimenting. I'm glad to see a young generation enjoying the same effect I first was introduced to in the early seventies, by an older rider, as a high schooler, on a road bike. I really enjoy your videos, in particular, riding and foreign riding.

[ABRAVERICK]

Dude i am so glad your channel is doing well. You helped me so much with getting started with single speed bikes.

[dylan]

thanks for your videos. between your videos and mikes bikes (locked in) i finally decided to buy my first fixed gear bike today. a 2017 felt TK3. i have to say its some of the most fun i have had on a bike on the road in a long time

[christopherseivard]

Thanks. I am currently home, recovering from a stroke. My left hand is paralyzed, but a fixed gear might save my life! Thanks for the review, I will keep trying, to wait!

[sorenmeyer]

Your Video skills are getting better and better! The Outdoor background and bokeh just looked so amazing! Props to you!

[OFFMike]

9:14 Hey thks for all that tips what about the Fuji feather vs the 4130?

[annakissed]

I live in Australia & ordered my bike online. I've put Crank Brothers Mallet's on my Montecore 4130 62cm and am yet to get close to pedal strike. The 'lo pro' wheels needed truing but to be fair I ride it literally everywhere. Since then I've broken spokes but again, to be fair it was because I was riding a MTB trail. I swapped out my stock 23mm tyres & run 35mm pillows now which is brilliant that my bike can accommodate such variance but with 35's it's got to be brakeless. I initially had bullhorns, swapped to pista bars from somewhere else, went back to bullhorns but am now using the risers. I love my bike & it quickly started looking like a bike that gets ridden daily which is what I prefer over shiny 'nice' looking bikes but that's just me. I wish it had another bottle mount because where I live it's really hot. I agree with Zach about the tweaking of things to try and get the right fit & am still playing around with saddle position. My experience with customer service & packaging have been such positive experiences that I wouldn't hesitate to buy another State in the future. For the price even my bike shop was super impressed with the overall quality of the bike & its components. The only change I'd make in the future would be to either try 29er wheels with 165mm cranks instead of the 170mm standard ones or learn to true wheels myself haha. I don't mind the 46/16 gearing but I think I'll probably remove the single speed cog & replace it with a 15 or 17 fixed depending on where I'm riding. I'm no expert by any measure but Zach was right about the bike flex & it being responsive in acceleration. It feels easy to give a burst of speed whenever I need to. As I said, I love my bike. Cheers for your channel Zach.

[arielc]

Zach, do you think you can get your hands of a Fuji feather or Fuji Track classic?

[raidersperez]

When I was in middle school about 12 years old I really wanted a fixie but my parents couldn’t afford it. We came across a green mercier kilo TT at a yard sale and they left it to us for 5$. I’m 25 now and still own that bike. My Gf and I are starting to get into biking again and she just ordered this core line. I hope it’ll treat her well like my mercier has for all these years.

[arielc]

Great review! Been waiting for this one for awhile now

[daijoubu]

If the rim is straight and the wheel is true from the factory, please tension it up so that it doesn't get out of true later on.
Simply go around and tighten the nipples the same amount (do small increments to be safe, say 1/4-1/2 turn)
Machine built wheels are typically undertensioned, if you ride them, the spokes WILL loosen up, ride long enough out of true and you may permanently bend and/or damage the rim.

[baskruitnl]

I have this bike and I think this review is pretty accurate.

[alexc]

Why did you decide to go with the size up frame instead of the size down? I thought you should usually try to go a size down and use a longer stem. Could you explain why and if that made that much of a difference?

[leopj]

Hi there ! Do you think that the state 4130 worth the extra money over the 6ku steel frame model ?

[hopetofly]

Although deep v copies are heaps heavier, I feel like the engineering and design of them inherently makes them stronger...

[dariusmolotokas]

I am a bike courier/messenger, just ordered State 4130 locally after working for some time with Decathlon elops 500 single speed. I guess for the price of a first bike Decathlon maybe okay, but I've quickly found out that pretty much all the components on the bicycle are garbage after it got used everyday on the road. On the good side, I liked how it handled in the city, but that's about it. Now on the bad side - the rear wheel axle(or hub machined badly...) was bent out of the factory, the cones need to be adjusted from time to time, because they loosen or have too much friction, front fork has too big dropout. Overal the bike is very heavy. Brakes are very weak, and need adjusting out of the box to even be called brakes. Bottom bracket is made of plastic and barely holds inside the frame! Tires are extremely heavy, found that out by upgrading to michelin dynamic classic, and boy what a difference it made. Later down the line I've got Miche xpress wheels and this was very big upgrade too. I've upgraded pretty much everything on elops 500, but now I want frame :), so ordered 4130, will see how it goes for 5 day a week 50-70km everyday ride. Will be putting miche wheelset on the state, because I liked very much how it improved the bike on my Decathlon. So the moral of the story - if you buy the bike for heavy daily use buy the proper one from the start.

[ianmagnuson]

Zach, what is your opinion on the Soma Rush as well as the Pake Rum Runner?

[johnbravodemicoli]

Craigslist fairies have presented me with the choice between a basically new state 4130 core for 230, and a well maintained 6ku urban track bike + lock for 180. If you were me, which do you get? I do have to climb some hills and bridges...

[Rot]

Video suggestion: Black Friday deal alert video on bikes and gear. Thumbs up if you like this idea.