Originally Posted by
Duke of Kent
Didn't want to start a new thread just yet, as I'm still up in the air about the whole thing.
My wife and I moved to the Colorado Springs area recently. And, for the first time in my life, I'm near-ish a velodrome. Less than a 20min drive from home to track. While I'd prefer to ride outside every day, that's simply not feasible, and riding/racing would be a welcome break from the monotony of the trainer/rollers.
So, I'm looking to build up a track bike. I've ridden a fixed gear a few times but never raced. I know I'll have to take a certification or training class in order to race and I'm fine with that. I'm a 2 on the road and "pro" MTB, so I anticipate moving up quickly, but the rules are the rules.
I have a lot of parts hanging around the house. Cranks, bars, stem, a front tubular wheel, pedals, etc. Really, the only thing's I'll need are a frame/fork, rear wheel, cog and chain.
So, should I just buy some dirt cheap steel frame off eBay? If I were looking for a road or MTB frame I'd know what to look for, but I'm a bit lost in terms of track bikes. I presume horizontal dropouts are a must, but what else should I be looking for? Any brands known for good quality at the lower price points? I don't care if the frame is a tank or has the aerodynamic properties of a brick. I just don't want to have a catastrophic failure in the middle of race. I'm probably looking at a 50cm or so frame, so, unfortunately the selection is limited when compared to other sizes.
Also, what kind of gearing should I be looking at? I plan on heading to their open training nights, as well as their endurance racing nights as well. Not sure if that will influence recommendations but thought I'd put it out there.
Hi, Duke.
As DMC states, a basic bike is fine until you know what you want.
Being that there are a reasonable number of popular frames and components out there, it's likely that someone here will be familiar with them and can give you a quick "yea/nay" on if you should buy it or not.
The equipment is all pretty basic. On the track, the engine and aerodynamics (rider on the bike) are generally what makes winners. The equipment choices are simply to avoid problems
first then to add some sort of gain second. For example, a tried and true steel or aluminum frame with no issues would be a far "faster" frame than a new carbon spaceship with slipping seatpost due to bad engineering tolerances.
Also, carbon isn't necessarily better. There are aluminum frames that are lighter, stiffer, more aerodynamic, and less expensive than some carbon frames. It's all about the details.
Fit trumps materials every damn day. But, you probably know that.
Clinchers are fine. Use quality tires and tubes.
Chances are, you'll be bitten by the bug and replace whatever you buy now. So, maybe don't go too big right now.
Also, your race front wheel from the road would probably be fine on the track. But, as you take your certification classes and progress through the newbie ranks (as you learn rules, skills, and pay your dues (should only be a few weeks)) you won't need race wheels...and would probably be over kill. You'll know when you need the race wheels.
Chances are, during your first few races, the track director won't (or at least shouldn't) let you simply ride away from the field and solo to the win. That doesn't teach you anything. There is a lot to learn even in the lower ranks about how the "flow" of a race happens and the group dynamics. It would be a disservice if you'd never felt that then a few weeks later you are in a P/1/2 race and can't ride away and are uncomfortable and don't know what to do or what to expect. So, stay in the pack until you hear the bell.