carleton

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Go do a few track workouts and you'll quickly realize:

1) Why having a basic set of chainrings and cogs is a necessity, not a luxury.
2) Why having such short dropouts prohibits the point listed above.

If you really plan on training and maybe racing on the track, start working on getting a proper track frame now while it's winter and you have time to shop leisurely. Being locked into one gear ratio for warmup and racing will simply suck balls.

Those horizontal dropouts were installed on those frames in order for tri-geeks to tuck their rear wheels as close as possible to the seat stay for the (perceived) aero benefit. It's is suitable for track use as a standard road bike vertical dropout.

Not trying to rain on your parade. Just offering friendly advice.


More friendly advice:

Get standard handlebars...preferably 40cm, give or take. 44 is too big. Sphinx bars are not popular for a reason.

The vast majority of track bikes are on 144BCD, again...for a reason. You aren't the first person to think they are getting ahead by doing this. You will eventually buy 144BCD. Don't throw good money after bad.

rainstar

I have noticed most people with nicer bikes are on 3T scatto's instead of Sphinx. Only reason I am using a Sphinx is because I found one for $50. I kind of like how long the drops are for the Sphinx, helps my short arms( i do think people cut them shorter but they are just stock) Mass Start races do not like aero bars, I have access to 3T aura Pro(42CM, a 40cm does exist as well) and 3T Ventus(original ventus 42cm the ventus II is 40cm) Should I be using those instead? I am more used to aero bar setup coming from Tri and learning how to sprint better seated. But if i choose to use aerobars I will have to find the bar end plugs.

queerpunk

aero bars are for time trials (on the track, the 500m or kilo, the individual pursuit, and the team pursuit). if you intend to do mass start racing, you will use drop bars and only drop bars.

the sphinx bar is designed to provide a second way of holding the bar that provides a comfortable and aerodynamic mass-start position (for soloing, trying to lap the field), for endurance races (see cam meyer, below). the scatto bar is designed to be a narrow aerodynamic bar primarily for sprinting. many people who focus on endurance events use a standard road handlebar; many people who focus on sprints also use deep-drop track sprint bars.

consider which type of racing you do when you consider your handlebar choice.

dunderhi

Also, the OP needs to be aware of local track rules. I believe Kissena's rule is ride on the drops at all times and Ttown allows the Pro-1-2 to use top position, but the cat 4-5 definitely need to race in the drops.

Dalai

Nice gtrob!

carleton

Oh, and I forgot to mention:

The UCI all but banned the Sphinx bars in 2012.

Rainstar, those bars were $50 for a reason. Scattos retail for similar MSRP prices as the Sphinx and retain like 60-75% of their retail value when sold used. Not so for the Sphinx.

Unless you actually plan on taking laps using the Sphinx position above, these bars will literally be disadvantageous to use. Listen to queerpunk and dunderhi above.

A LOT of people think the Sphinx bars look cool and want to try them...2 weeks later they sell them.

taras0000

To make Sphinx bars legal, you pretty much have to run a 60cm or shorter stem. Unlike Tri, cycling has stringent regs when it comes to bike set up.

Dalai

Bars are unfortunately not UCI legal regardless of the bars being Sphinx as the tops of the bars must be below a horizontal line drawn from the contact point of the saddle.

Rule 1.3.022 https://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/R...NG_English.PDF

“In competitions other than those covered by article 1.3.023, only the traditional type of handlebars (see diagram «structure 1») may be used. The handlebars must be positioned in an area defined as follows: above, by the horizontal plane of the point of support of the saddle (B)

queerpunk

A few points though:
Rainstar might not be racing UCI events, so the UCI illegality of the Sphinx bars might be a moot point.

And secondly, though the Sphinx bars were all but banned, they never really caught on, and are ugly as sin... a lot of people modify bars to accommodate a sphinx position, but starting with more traditional road bars. A perfect example is the Predator that Guy East was riding last year or whenever. I've known several people bring their favorite carbon bars to their local carbon builder/repairer and add similar protrusions to them... although one of these folks had UCI commissaires at master's worlds tell him that his bars were illegal.

And, even without modifying bars, you'll see a lot of high-level euro trackies use compact drops with a wack angle so that the tops/ramps are horizontal, giving them support for the sphinx position.

Dalai

I keep forgetting you guys in the states don't run all your events under the UCI rules. Here in Australia every event from your local club race up is under UCI rules.

In regards to modifications to bars, I'd expect those to be illegal.

wheelsucker8263

Cervelo T1 with American Classic wheels, Easton track bars, 7710 crankset.
I am running 3/32" 9-spd chain rather than 1/8" track chain, cogs and chainring for convenience (sharing with my road fixie).

gycho77

I think you should use track chain. Road chains are more flexible than track chains.
But I'm not an expert
So you might want to listen to other people like carleton

Nice Cervelo bike!!

taras0000

3/32 is fine as long as you're not creating a massive amount of flex. If you're going to stick to the Enduro side of track, then your set up is going to be perfectly fine.

queerpunk

plenty of enduros use 3/32nd chains, even at the highest level of the sport.

hell, every single road racer at the highest level of the sport, including top sprinters, use chains that are narrower than 3/32".

the best reason to use 1/8" is to borrow the more common chainrings, cogs, or in a pinch, wheel (with cog on it).

carleton

One note: Get a single speed 3/32 chain as opposed to a road 3/32 chain. Road chains are designed to move laterally to allow for gear switching. Single speed chains will not move laterally (very much). So, you have less of a chance of a chain jumping off.

Also, single speed chains are usually beefier and road chains are often trimmed a lot to make them lighter and to fit between tight cassette cogs. Beefier chains will not stretch as fast.

3/32 will work. But, borrowing chainrings/cogs might be a problem. It's like being an O- blood type. You can donate to anyone, but you can only receive from O-.

taras0000

Chain stretch occurs because the rollers wear out over time, not because the sideplates stretch.




O- over here, but I still run 1/8th. Living dangerously!
(This may also explain why I have lost so many cogs over the years)

carleton

All these years and I didn't know that. Heh. Thanks!



Ha! I'm O+ So, similar, but I can only donate to + and receive from O- or O+

Roadieonthetrac

sloar 

Voodoo76

Winter Project.

Still working on handlebar and position so I left some extra steerer for now. Currently using my preferred road bar and reach/drop. Feels pretty close, looking forward to a few laps this year.

Muddlfuc

So after my bike got stolen two months ago, i have a replacement, 2011 Fuji track pro.
the back end is beautifully stiff, though the same cant be said for the stock wheels.... not only heavy but they have a loose spoke that i cant seem to find.
I have new set of wheels that i'll fit as soon as i have had the tubs glued. (DA hubs to velocity rims)
Also have a set of 165 Omnium cranks.
here is a photo of her down at one of my local tracks... Got to love living in the northern suburbs of melb. 3 concrete tracks and and indoor timber track all with in 7kms of home

Dalai

Definitely blessed with tracks in Melbourne! Looks like Coburg velodrome?

Muddlfuc

spot on.. that was coburg

gycho77

Training set up.
Sorry about the brakes........
Total weight with brakes and other is 8.8kg!!!!!

Today I received my order from velodromeshop.
They gave me a bag of jelly

Baby Puke

Classy set-up! Glad you're using brakes if you're training on the road.