Bought something really neat today -- one of Connie Carpenter's old track bikes
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Bought something really neat today -- one of Connie Carpenter's old track bikes
First off, let me thank my wife for letting me jump on these various CL deals. As luck would have it, I'd just moved a few things and had some profit money that she let me keep playing with.
On to the bike. The PO was a bit coy with the listing, only saying that it was custom made for a Puch sponsored rider to use in track events as Puch didn't offer a track model. He did include a photo of the bottom bracket shell with the rider's name stamped. Putting together my knowledge of that time period (and a quick google search), leads me to believe this is one of Connie Carpenter's former bikes from the early 80s. The PO also said that he'd gotten it from a seller in Colorado this year, further linking it.
Then there's this article from this spring about Eisentraut having built a frame for her during the same time period. Some of the details don't match, but it was still obviously done by a "builder of quality", as the saying goes. https://www.cyclingnews.com/features...er-that-wasnt/
pics:
blue anodized Campy Tipo hubs
Not the same seatstay treatment as the Eisentraut frame, but still very nice.
Cinelli SC bb shell, stamped "Carpenter"
Campy track ends
Sunlight didn't want to cooperate
On to the bike. The PO was a bit coy with the listing, only saying that it was custom made for a Puch sponsored rider to use in track events as Puch didn't offer a track model. He did include a photo of the bottom bracket shell with the rider's name stamped. Putting together my knowledge of that time period (and a quick google search), leads me to believe this is one of Connie Carpenter's former bikes from the early 80s. The PO also said that he'd gotten it from a seller in Colorado this year, further linking it.
Then there's this article from this spring about Eisentraut having built a frame for her during the same time period. Some of the details don't match, but it was still obviously done by a "builder of quality", as the saying goes. https://www.cyclingnews.com/features...er-that-wasnt/
pics:
blue anodized Campy Tipo hubs
Not the same seatstay treatment as the Eisentraut frame, but still very nice.
Cinelli SC bb shell, stamped "Carpenter"
Campy track ends
Sunlight didn't want to cooperate
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OOH that's a nice bike!!!!!!
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First ride report
Wow, very nice. A bio I found listed CC as 5'9", so an inch shorter than me but with likely longer legs. Frame is a 57 st c-t-t, 56.5 tt.
edit:: I just realized there is a faint FMA stamped along the bottom bracket. I wonder if that might be a clue as to the builder.
obligatory "fixed gear on a fence" photo
edit:: I just realized there is a faint FMA stamped along the bottom bracket. I wonder if that might be a clue as to the builder.
obligatory "fixed gear on a fence" photo
Last edited by Dylansbob; 09-06-21 at 03:07 PM.
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The fact it has the provenance of an Olympic gold medal winning rider, plus whoever the builder was had to be someone of note made it too good of deal to pass up. There's a good chance I'll swap wheels out. While the blue ano Campy hubs are cool and about right period wise, they're Tipo instead of Record. There's a strong chance I can sell off the hubs for most of the bikes purchase price.
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The frame kinda looks bigger than a 57 cm C-T......
I remember being able to look at her bike closely during races she raced in Milwaukee in the 80's and I always thought Connie rode a bigger frame, something maybe at least 58 - 59 cm.
I remember being able to look at her bike closely during races she raced in Milwaukee in the 80's and I always thought Connie rode a bigger frame, something maybe at least 58 - 59 cm.
Last edited by Chombi1; 09-06-21 at 03:27 PM.
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Amazing find. The bike may have been lost but not the rider. Still a voice for women's cycling and Parkinson disease awareness. Not to mention her son Taylor Phinney who retired in 2019.
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Sweeet. How about some blue tape and blue toe clip straps to go with those hubs!
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Steel is real...and comfy.
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Puch had it going on during that time period! Any thought as to reaching out to the CC for a confirmation or stories about the frames races?
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Connie is on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bikecamp
But this being C&V, I expect you to write her a letter.
But this being C&V, I expect you to write her a letter.
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There is also a culled ebay photo on a redirect site that shows it with a different cockpit. The above photo shows it with the undersized 26.8 Kalloy seatpost that I bought it with. I could tell the ears were too tight. After a few minutes of work, I was able to easily slide the 27.2mm post that I suspected it would have taken.
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What is especially cool is now you have a reason to reach out to Connie Carpenter. (Who btw is another alumnus of the park where I skated as a kid, along with Eric Heiden, Beth Heiden and Mark Johnson. All great memories of those folks)
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I saw that. I couldn't quite understand the translation google gave me, if that meant that she had already commented on it
There is also a culled ebay photo on a redirect site that shows it with a different cockpit. The above photo shows it with the undersized 26.8 Kalloy seatpost that I bought it with. I could tell the ears were too tight. After a few minutes of work, I was able to easily slide the 27.2mm post that I suspected it would have taken.
There is also a culled ebay photo on a redirect site that shows it with a different cockpit. The above photo shows it with the undersized 26.8 Kalloy seatpost that I bought it with. I could tell the ears were too tight. After a few minutes of work, I was able to easily slide the 27.2mm post that I suspected it would have taken.
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The PO was a bit coy with the listing, only saying that it was custom made for a Puch sponsored rider to use in track events as Puch didn't offer a track model. He did include a photo of the bottom bracket shell with the rider's name stamped. Putting together my knowledge of that time period (and a quick google search), leads me to believe this is one of Connie Carpenter's former bikes from the early 80s. The PO also said that he'd gotten it from a seller in Colorado this year, further linking it.
Then there's this article from this spring about Eisentraut having built a frame for her during the same time period. Some of the details don't match, but it was still obviously done by a "builder of quality", as the saying goes.
Then there's this article from this spring about Eisentraut having built a frame for her during the same time period. Some of the details don't match, but it was still obviously done by a "builder of quality", as the saying goes.
Cinelli SC bb shell, stamped "Carpenter"
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duh, I forgot to even look at closed ebay. Listing doesn't really do it justice as I would consider *most* of the patina to totally be acceptable, with the exception of the back of the forks. The measurements given were off a bit as well.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40299356854...p2047675.l2557
https://www.ebay.com/itm/40299356854...p2047675.l2557