Trying to "get my legs back"...

For those interested, being there is such an eclectic lot on here, I have been starting to drag out a few of my road and track bicycles after a long hiatus from racing and riding. This particular track bike is one that I have drug out and fitted with fresh tires and tubes, and have been rolling around the neighborhood with... just "trying to get my legs back". She's very British. I have had her for a few years now, but am not quite sure how old she is as I have not done the research thoroughly, and I am one of an unknown number of owners. She's a Harry Quinn "path racer", versus a full-on track bike, but she is a "fixed gear" (like a unicycle... you cannot coast). She was drilled for at least one brake for road use, the idea being that you would ride her to the race venue, change over to a racing gear ratio, race, and then put a road gear back on, and ride home.

She's in very good shape, as you can see. I like track bikes because they are "bicycle art" to me... so simple and elegant. I also have a very pretty early '70s Raleigh Pro that I have to clean up a bit; she has "sew-up" tires that I have to replace. There's also a classic Diamond that I actually used to race; she lacks a brake, as do all competition track machines, and she still has the big gear that I used to turn in mass start events.

Anyway, here's the Quinn.

TC

I have an early Viscount that I ride.

Fixed gear? Good god, I can't imagine riding that thing... sounds scary. I'd swap the gears around and ride wheelies up and down the street

good to hear you're getting back into riding. I've been commuting on my track ready bike for years and road raced for a handful of seasons. but, I've not been on a group ride in a good year or so. with the time change, I hope to jump in on a Tuesday nighter once I get my legs back a bit more. I imagine it'll be embarrassing and painful. it's no wonder I've been avoiding it.

rubber side down,
avenue.

Hi, gents.

Tony and avenue... you guys are welcome to toss a pic or three up. I'll post some of my Raleigh Pro and the Diamond Track when I get them out and cleaned up.

SINKING... it can indeed be scary... especially when you first throw a leg over and have to get used to the driveline, which never stops. On the road (commuting, training, etc.), one generally runs a front brake. But on the track, there are no brakes, so it's a very specific skill set.

avenue... neat to hear that there is another afixionado on here.

TC

These are two of my prized two wheelers.

When I can find the time between life and other projects, I've managed to put together a few steel lugged road frames for myself and a couple of friends. The fixed hub bike was the first frame I built in 2006 and was constructed only using a drafting table and hand tools. It has been my daily driver these past years as I have no car and the XS is still in pieces. The green road bike, also built with hand tools but designed with CAD, is my latest build and was finished about a year ago. Frame aside, it's by far the nicest bike I've ever owned. Although, I'm pretty happy with the frame, too. And even though I'm not concerned with counting grams, at 15lbs 0oz (race ready) I'm happy to rub it in my racing buddies' faces that my steel lugged bike is lighter than most of their full carbon setups. You non-cyclist XSers would not imagine the amount of retail money people spend on pro-grade cycling gear.

the member name Avenue comes from my quasi bicycle frame company. "Business" is slow right now as Avenue's 10ftX12ft world headquarters is currently taken over by a certain motor bike project. The next goal is to build a touring bike for a someday-cross-country-ride. Now, if I could only figure a way to bring both pedal bike and motor bike on the journey.

rubber side down, friends. all of you.
avenue.

avenue... now that is impressive, my skilled friend! Frame builders are peeps that I have long admired, especially since I see bicycles beyond their function; I see them as art. Wow. I am impressed! Beautiful work, indeed!

Do I see that you run no front brake on your fix? I run a front here. In fact, it may be illegal not to.

Again... beautiful work!

TC

avenue said:

Now, if I could only figure a way to bring both pedal bike and motor bike on the journey.

Click to expand...

2 in 1! I sell single cylinder 4 stroke EZ Motorbike motorized bicycle kits that work with or without the engine.

I've had many officers mention the no brake law but have yet to be cited. The only people I know of to get slapped with that ticket are reckless riders running lights in downtown rush hour traffic who then decide to talk back to the officers.

here's the rest of the fleet.

and TeeCat, Thank you.

I think bikes are incredible machines. Function, form, clever design, efficient. Motor bikes are pretty incredible, too, but nothing beats the simplicity of a bicycle.

avenue, you have quite a crew there. Holy crap, boy! You need to be in a program!

Hey... you might be interested in this:

I have had this for some few years... paid about a buck for it and an old Gitane. I washed it off this past Saturday and am presently trying to determine if it is a pre-war (WWII) Paramount. If it is, I wonder if it might have been associated with 6-day board track activity. The seat stay tops are rounded instead of typically flat (as in latter day Parrys), and note the oil hole screw in the bottom bracket. That would seem to be pre-war. In any case, the plan is to leave the decals and paint on the front half unmolested if possible, and try to coat the rear triangle in a close blue to stave off rust, the end game being to put her into very light road service (recreational spins/training/conversation piece) as she already has a front brake.

TC

I continue to drag out some of my bikes and hopefully blow the dust off, make some repairs and adjustments, and get them back into some semblance of service. The track bikes will do light road service.

Here is the one of the rigs I have been getting sorted most recently. I'll have to look at the serial, but it's an early '70s Raleigh Professional that I bought from a local guy some few years back. It was not abused... more neglected than anything... but I put a Phil Wood bottom bracket in, tried up the road wheels, fitted fresh sew-ups, added a Brooks saddle, and installed a front brake (the fork was drilled) for road use. Pretty little thing, I think.

I also have a 70s Bridgestone Kabuki Diamond track bike that I actually raced til I got a Bianchi Pista. It's still in race trim, though... big gear, no brake. I'll take some pics when I get a chance.

TC

TeeCat,
I made it out to the local Tuesday Night World's last week. I was a bit nervous riding out to the course with the group of 50+, not knowing the turns, road conditions, when the group normally gets strung out, and so on. But to my surprise, I hung in for a few laps and held my own after being away from group rides for over two years. Now that I know the course and if I'm a bit more disciplined, I think I can hang for at least 3 of 4 laps. I'll be in the sprint in a few weeks, even if I'm sprinting for last. mark my words!

until next week,
avenue.

Hey, avenue... way to go, mate!!!! That's pretty impressive to be able to hang after that long away. One can lose racing level of fitness pretty quickly. I lost mine over the winter before I quit racing; I knew I had not done the work and had a poor showing in the first circuit race of the following year. That was when I quit because I just didn't want to do the work any more. But kudos to you, man! Keep me posted on your escapades in the saddle!

I just finished getting the 70s Kabuki Diamond I started racing track on set up with a road gear and a front brake. It's really comfortable! Popped a spoke on the shakedown, though, and I don't fool with wheels so she's at the shop where the 20- and 30-somethings will fix her and fawn all over her. I'll have her back next week. I'll get some pics up then.

Gotta start breaking that blue beast down for repaint. First two weeks of retirement have been nothing but chores!

TC

I added some pics of the possible Paramount track bike to my Flikr photostream. Since I posted the original pics of the bike in a most forlorn state, I became so frustrated with the research on it (it has most of the hallmarks of a late 30s Paramount, but the lack of a serial and the fact that the bottom bracket is not a keystone is confounding some experts, though they will not discount the possibility that it is a very early example) and making decisions about painting the frame that I decided to just do a "rat track" for now.

Toward that end, I treated most of the rust, installed a bargain set of Alex track wheels with a flip-flop hub and brake-compatible rims, installed a VO leather saddle, put the front brake into service, mounted Michelin Kromion tires and vintage Campy rat trap pedals, and shook her down. The bottom bracket and headset will likely have to be rebuilt eventually, as there is a little bit of slop, but the frame is straight and the bike is stable and predictable in terms of handling. The vintage TA crank and ring, as well as the cog, amount to about an 80-inch gear, which is a little steep for road duty, but I'll just run errands locally and do some light fitness junkets on the bike til I decide to tear it down and paint it deep red.

I still fully suspect that this frame is about 1938 or so, but it sports some upgrades nicely, I think. Why let it continue to gather dust in my little shop?

TC