Showing posts with label Track Bikes Are Choppers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Track Bikes Are Choppers. Show all posts
Check out these crazy bikes, evolved (as the best looking do) through the specialised competition of pacing.
Popluar in the 1920s onwards this was sort of like the European version of board track racing. Teams consisting of a motorcycle and a bicycle (or 'Stayer' bikes) would race around a velodrome at up to 75mph. The bicycles keeping up with the motorbikes which provided an aerodynamic slipstream, often 'regulated' through the leather suits worn by the riders.
Both riders recieved medals though it wasn't unknown for the motorcyclists to fix the races. Crashes were painful and once a fuel tank exploded in Berlin killing nine spectators.
The motorcycles had a roller behind them to control how close the bicycle could get. They were also MASSIVE in both engine and size. They had to accelerate smoothly (for obvious reasons) and so scrapped gears or clutches and just chugged up to speed.
1928 Anzani 2400cc ioe (above). Next three are by Meyer and also 2400cc:
Recognise those forks
Cool cylinder fins
Three cylinders. Mad seat position and handlebars.
Tandem motorcycle!
The bicycles were also specialised and designed to get the rider as far forwards as possible into the slipstream. Small front wheels and minimal rake helped and reversed forks gave extra trail for high-speed stability. Highly geared, no brakes. I also love the saddle and handlebar braces.
So ugly I want to *ahem* ride it.
Moser's stayer bike. He almost died during a pacing race. Didn't stop his career though.
Nice ear protectors.
Still one of the fastest ways through central London.
One-way streets, red lights, riding on the pavement, bus lanes... What they gonna do? Take your number plate down?
This is the fastest bike I have ever owned or ridden. Extremely rigid and light TT track frame. As track frames are de-raked compared with normal bike frames it's agile through traffic. And less leverage is needed so narrow bars give the best control. Carbon-fibre front wheel is aerodynamic and has a low moment of inertia. It also runs a tubular tyre which can hold about 200psi so there's almost no tyre rolling resistance (the main form of drag on bicycles). 48x15 gearing. Pedal cages. I run a rear brake only but combined with a fixed gear gives great braking feedback and sense of traction.
It's cold in London.
Bicycles have been trendy for a while now but only recently have prices got to silly levels. Here's one that just ended on eBay:
I bought my first track bike on eBay for £50 including postage from Newcastle. I could probably sell one its pedals for that now. Instead I'll just keep it until it corrodes away or until the hipsters are riding penny-farthings and nobody wants it. I'm smart like that.
Reading an Italian bicycle blog I found a post about my very own bicycle! The picture is when the last owner had it, he's a Hungarian racer and sent me that very pic when we were e-mailing.
It's an Italian Pinarello Prologo (Lo-Pro in English) track frame. The smaller front wheel design is for time trials and gives better aerodynamics. The curved tubing is for sex-appeal. Speaking of which, donne nude..
Angelo Fausto Coppi. Nicknamed Il Campionissimo, he was one of the most successful and popular cyclists of all time. Twice won the Tour de France (1949 and 1952), and five times the Giro d'Italia. Plus the man had style for miles, check those tights!
My new daily raider.
Italian steel lo-pro frame. My favourite frame style it has a sloping top tube for aerodynamics. Gives a good aggressive stance. Rear wheel is tight up next tot he post, chromed rear legs.
Sideburn sticker! Lovely hand-filed lugs also on view. Steel Nitto NJS stem and Japanese headset. Rear brake. Admittedly the handlebars are a bit 'fixie' but are comfotable. This bike is fast though.
700c rear wheel and 650c carbon-fibre front. Still got 700c forks on it but I can't afford new 650s. It's kinda like the 70s choppers where they increased the fork length but didn't rake the frames so the bottom rails sloped upwards. It looks "wrong" but because it worked and they just did, it's OK.
Japanese Vivalo Keirin Track Racer.
Keirin racing is big in Japan and the bicycles are some of the best in the world. There are strict equipment regulations and every part has to have an NJS stamp. For some conponents there are only one or two manufacturers worldwide who are awarded the NJS standard.
Sturdy track dropouts. The whole frame is chromed under the paint. Some Keirin builders even design their own specialist steels. Note the NJS stamp on the chain. It's still in the condition I got it but I'm going to add some bling. White ostrich leather Keirin saddle is already waiting.
The forks are tight! Pure racer. Regulation states no brakes. If none of them have brakes then they can't suddenly slow down and cause a pile up in the velodrome.
German Bauer Gymnasts' Bicycle
Got it off eBay 3 years ago from Germany at about 1/3 value. Only bidder, he had spelt the English word 'bicycle' wrong. Bycicelle or some shit.
The best bit is the frame. It's used in gyms for balancing dance routines. See the video and prepare to have your head blown off. And you thought you were good at balancing at the traffic lights. The pedal height is abnormally high - the tube behind the chain is almost horizontal, on racing bikes it slopes down) . This also throws the vertical tube pedals to saddle back - it's normally vertical not diagonal. This throws the saddle back, good for balancings acts, and gives it that beautiful long top tube. The frame is actually really tight but takes smaller specialist wheels. This, coupled with the straight forks, allows the front wheel to spin 360 degrees. When it's not in the gym all this gives it a kind of 'old man' stance. It's cool.
Would be worth owning for the hubs alone.
The gearing is <1 and I can't bring myself to change it to something normal. So no road use but I ride in slow tiny circles around my Harley. Like a pagan ritual.
Gymnasts' saddle, handlebars (thick enough to stand on - see the video), pedals, tyres and hubs.
VIDEO:
http://bikehugger.com/2006/07/bikrobatics.html
Blows my mind duuude!
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