View Full Version : Questions on relatively inexpensive track bikes
I posted this here, because there are way too many retards in the FG/SS forum. What I want is a frame with a true track geometry that is relatively inexpensive. To me, relatively inexpensive is the Fuji Track or the Soma Rush or the like. The upper price range is more along the lines of the Felt TK2. I have a conversion fixie, but I'm looking to get something with a higher bottom bracket and the same short wheelbase. Looking at the geometries, the Soma Rush has the same basic geometry as the Fuji Track.
The Fuji and Soma have a 58 mm bottom bracket drop, while the Felt has a 45 mm drop. Is the 58 mm drop more along the lines of that of a road bike, or is it still a good bit higher? The Fuji Track Pro has a 50 mm drop.
I guess this is more a question of opinion, but I'd rather get it from people who actually race on a track.
Since I assume you are going to be coming down here I can assure you that the clearance on the fuji is completely adequate.
However, the felt is a much nicer bike with much nicer parts. The felt is going to be a much better option for the track not just because of the bb but because nothing on it really compares to the fuji. The fuji(rebranded as the windsor the hour) is only $300 dollars though. The two really don't compare at all.
If you are not coming down to the track then are you actually having problems with pedal strike when turning? Do you have 165mm cranks? If not replace the cranks and keep riding the conversion. For most road riding an old road bike is, amazingly, going to ride better then a new track bike.
samburglar
05-04-07, 09:48 AM
I recently finished building up my new track bike on an EAI Bareknuckle frame. It's wonderful! Not too much money, I paid $600 for the frame and fork at my LBS, which I believe puts it right smack in the same range as the Soma frame. It has a nice high BB (not sure what the drop is, but the BB is plenty high enough), nice steep angles (75 head tube and 74.5 seat tube), and it's STIFF. Supposedly it's Italian hand-made too, not bad for that kind of money! Oh, and no decals, so it looks very clean. The only drawback I think is that it's drilled for brakes front and rear, so if you don't want to run them, it can look cheesey, but if you do it's no problem! Check with John Dacey at businesscycles.com, I think he has some, and the guy is great. Oh, and I've heard some good things about Bob Jackson off-the-peg frames, but I don't know much about their geometry, I think it's a little more relaxed.
I realize the differences between the bikes in terms of price and parts. I didn't really know what to compare BB drop with, since I don't actually know what it is on my road bike, but the Fuji actually has less drop than the Specialized Langster, so I'm sure it'll work fine with 170 cranks.
Checking the geometry of other fuji road bikes, the track does have a much higher BB.
genericbikedude
05-04-07, 12:13 PM
regarding your signature, I think your formula is wrong. if you were to drink gasoline, you would not be able to ride for very many miles.
mickster
05-04-07, 12:39 PM
can't help much re the felt vs Soma etc but what I can tell you is that the cheap Fuji's BB height is more than sufficient for riding on Velodromes with banking of 46 degrees. A mate rides one at both Calshot and Manchester in the UK and has no clearance issues with his 170mm cranks and Look keo pedals. The BB height (this is how this is generally measured in the UK) on his Fuji is about 11.5 inches - this is higher than on my Koga track frame and exceeds the 11" minimum BB height that Manchester velodrome recommends.
HTH
I plan to ride the bike on road for training as well. I think I'm just going to go for the full Fuji Track. I can get a Track Pro frame for about $400, but I'm really not sure if I'll stick with it, so I don't want to spend too much. If anything, I'll switch out the parts [I'm not too concerned about the steel fuji frame vs the aluminum fuji frame]. I can switch the cheaper crank and wheels without issue. I'm also not above running a road crank and 3/32" cog like on my conversion.
Thanks for your help. I'm actually glad I asked here instead of the fixed gear forum. Looks like I'm going for the Fuji Track.
Also, about the sig, If you take the limit where gallons of gas used by the vehicle per mile, the bicycle uses no gas so, it's gas mileage is infinite, and thus it is the value of the limit. It's a little obscure, but it makes sense.
I plan to ride the bike on road for training as well. I think I'm just going to go for the full Fuji Track. I can get a Track Pro frame for about $400, but I'm really not sure if I'll stick with it, so I don't want to spend too much. If anything, I'll switch out the parts [I'm not too concerned about the steel fuji frame vs the aluminum fuji frame]. I can switch the cheaper crank and wheels without issue. I'm also not above running a road crank and 3/32" cog like on my conversion.
Thanks for your help. I'm actually glad I asked here instead of the fixed gear forum. Looks like I'm going for the Fuji Track.
Also, about the sig, If you take the limit where gallons of gas used by the vehicle per mile, the bicycle uses no gas so, it's gas mileage is infinite, and thus it is the value of the limit. It's a little obscure, but it makes sense.
no it's completely nonsensical which is the opposite of making sense.
That aside if you know what size you want and don't need to test ride look into the windsor. It is just a rebranded fuji that sells for substantially less.
Also you ciocc is likely a much much nicer bike. Why ride a low end "track" bike when you could ride a mid-high end converted road bike. All the training benefit and more. The only downside would be not getting to claim you ride a track bike. As I said before unless you are having trouble with pedal strike and already have short cranks you're probably better off on the conversion. It's higher quality, better suited for roads just all around a nicer (and far classier) machine. If you are curious about track racing try a rental once or twice before you blow a few hundred on a bike.
anyone know how the Felt TK2 compare to the Cinelli Vigorelli, since they're of similar price
but I guess they're both pushing the limits of "inexpensive" especially built up with new components
piwonka
05-05-07, 01:56 PM
the bobjackson of the peg frames are relaxed head angle and something around 75*seat angles with 11" high BB.
uhh, don't know what to say except dutret makes sense on riding a nice conversion instead of lowend track frame on the street.
you play double bass?
That avatar is off a violin, but double bass kicks ass.
I think it's been a while since dutret has used limits, but one of my calculus professors got a kick out of it.
Fuji is out of the track in my size and it'll take tooooo long to get another, so I've gone with a Soma Rush. It has the tight clearances and same BB drop as the Fuji. The only downside is now I have to build it up instead of getting an entire bike, BUT unlike any other frame, I get wholesale price on the Soma frame.
That avatar is off a violin, but double bass kicks ass.
I think it's been a while since dutret has used limits, but one of my calculus professors got a kick out of it.
Fuji is out of the track in my size and it'll take tooooo long to get another, so I've gone with a Soma Rush. It has the tight clearances and same BB drop as the Fuji. The only downside is now I have to build it up instead of getting an entire bike, BUT unlike any other frame, I get wholesale price on the Soma frame.
It's been a couple years but the basic fact is that a limit is completely nonsensical when dealing with discrete categories like vehicle type. Stating an engine that runs on more complex organic compounds then hydrocarbons gets infinite miles/gallons is just pointless too.
Why would you order a fuji anyway? The windsor is the same thing and cheaper complete then the soma frame(which is really overpriced). Oh well I guess you didn't really want advice anyway. Enjoy the 4130. It'll be perfectly adequate for track and road riding even if not ideal.
streetlightpoet
05-17-07, 10:27 PM
The Windsor is near impossible to find though other than sporadically a frame on ebay. I've been trying to find one for the gf. Bikesdirect keeps pushing back their expected date to restock them.
bikejack
06-08-07, 06:55 AM
. To me, relatively inexpensive is the Fuji Track or the Soma Rush or the like. The upper price range is more along the lines of the Felt TK2.
In my experience go to your upper limit with Track gear, it wears so long and dates so slowly (and holds its value) compared to road gear that it's not worth wishing for what you could have had each time you sit in the centre.
I posted this here, because there are way too many retards in the FG/SS forum. What I want is a frame with a true track geometry that is relatively inexpensive. To me, relatively inexpensive is the Fuji Track or the Soma Rush or the like. The upper price range is more along the lines of the Felt TK2. I have a conversion fixie, but I'm looking to get something with a higher bottom bracket and the same short wheelbase. Looking at the geometries, the Soma Rush has the same basic geometry as the Fuji Track.
The Fuji and Soma have a 58 mm bottom bracket drop, while the Felt has a 45 mm drop. Is the 58 mm drop more along the lines of that of a road bike, or is it still a good bit higher? The Fuji Track Pro has a 50 mm drop.
I guess this is more a question of opinion, but I'd rather get it from people who actually race on a track.
What size do you need? My brother has a frame/fork-headset and other stuff on his Fuji Track Pro, that I am pretty sure he'd sell... I think it's an 04.
Lemme know.
thiskidgotmoxie
06-09-07, 07:43 AM
In my experience go to your upper limit with Track gear, it wears so long and dates so slowly (and holds its value) compared to road gear that it's not worth wishing for what you could have had each time you sit in the centre. +1
Boss Moniker
06-09-07, 09:32 AM
It's been a couple years but the basic fact is that a limit is completely nonsensical when dealing with discrete categories like vehicle type. Stating an engine that runs on more complex organic compounds then hydrocarbons gets infinite miles/gallons is just pointless too.
Dutret, it's a joke. Here's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joke) a Wikipedia article to help you out.
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