bartonfink

Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you all well, having had a wonderful holiday. I've posted this up in C & V, and over on the Track thread, but thought I'd turn to the experts.

I found and bought a lovely Pinarello track bike last month on eBay. With my pre-Christmas coupon, and only one other bidder, it was an incredible deal. And it's a stunning bicycle. Nearly new, it seems to have gone almost unridden.

I think it's an '85 or thereabouts, because it matches almost identically the 1985 Pinarello catalog listing for the 'Amatore,' which was their amateur track racer/trainer. I would very much like to ride the bike as it was intended to be ridden, both on the track and off.

Here's my problem: Because these were to be used as off-season trainers, the bike came from the factory with a drilled fork. Trouble is, the reach from the drilling to the rim is so incredibly short that no brake of which I'm aware will fit. I even tried an old Aero Compe-G - a brake with only 37mm of reach - on it last night and it's not close.

Is there a brake (other than a Keirin assembly with a mounting plate) anywhere that might fit? I know that the Delta has a 36mm reach, but looks ungainly and probably won't fit the tight space between the drilling, the fork crown and the head tube. Or should I try to hunt down an old Campagnolo front drop-bolt and use it upside down?

And how much effect might my tire size/rim size have on the problem?

To further compound the mystery, it's clear from the fork that the bike has had a brake on it.

Any and all thoughts are welcome and very much appreciated. Thanks.

peabodypride

por favor*

bartonfink

*Italian.

Or did my Google translator steer me wrong?

dlee1

per favore' is correct for italian.

sashae

Dia-Compe made a couple of ultra-short reach aero brakes in the 80s that'd work for you. They pop up on eBay occasionally.

Geordi Laforge

that's a gorgeous bike, my friend. congratulations.

and thumbs down on the deltas. they are more of a speed modulator than a what we consider a brake.

what is the measurement from the brake hole to the surface of the rim?

devilshaircut

https://www.benscycle.net/index.php?m...oducts_id=5511

Something like this? It's usually used on Keirin frames though and you said no to that so maybe this isn't what you want, but it does have a short reach.

bartonfink

Thanks, everybody. From the drilling to the rim, center to center, looked to be about 35mm. Shortshortshort. I can't be more exact because the bike's over in the shop.

And thanks for the link, d-haircut. I'll look into those. I might be able to round-file another mm or two of clearance from them. Although I suspect I'll have trouble with my antique long bolt/nut arrangement versus the more modern recessed allen bolt.

devilshaircut

Missed it by 1mm, damn.

REALLY classy bike, hopefully you can get em in chrome or something equally nice. You can probably find something a lot better, I just happened to come across those the other day avoiding work in my office.