Originally Posted by Evil_Gilligan

First let me say that I am very impressed with the postings and opinions expressed in this forum. I stumbled across it for the first time last week and I've read EVERY post in this folder to date - you've aleady helped me quite a bit in my search.

Interested in trying out track riding / racing this spring and would like any/all recommendations for a track bike. I have extensive road experience (24 years), a pragmatic but somewhat indulgent taste in bikes (read: if there is a good reason to buy the good stuff I'll find it!) and am interested wholly in bike quality and not bling factor. My current road bikes are a custom steel Landshark with all Chorus and Tufo elite tubies and a C'dale badboy ultra (rain bike/ commuter). I ride about 125 a week in winter and 2x that in summer, weight 180# in gear, and am 5'10".

To be honest I'm not really considering the Fugi track, binachi pista or Surly whatever ... I am a bit more serious about bikes, live 5 miles from a velodrome (so the thing will get used twice a week for 9 mos out of the year), and am willing to spend a moderate amount for a good track bike. I'd like to stick with tubies (I buy the elites by the lot to save $$) unless anyone has really strong reasons to switch to clinchers. I'd like to keep this first bike in the $1000 to $1500 range, and will consider good used bikes as well.

If you have a suggestion I'd like to ask that you are an experienced track person, have owned more than one track bike, are not a messenger (not the kind of riding I'll be doing at all - no offense), and can back up your opinions with reasonable arguements. If you have a killer ride with a 55cm tt that fits the bill all the better!

~EG