Bicycle Mechanics - Bianchi Pista 49cm Frame

I am posting this for my daughter who is not near a computer at this time. She recently had her commuting bicycle stolen. She purchased another bicycle, but after she got it, she finds it is a little too big for her nd she is going to return it 9seller has agreed to return her money).

She found an ad for a 2009 Bisnchi Pista frame. It includes the following:
49 cm Bianchi Pista track frame w/ barely any miles
comes with:
bottom bracket
165 truvativ cranks
cane creek headset
stem
seat and post

As this was originally a track bike, I guess it would not have had derailleurs?
She has a pair of alloy wheels which a prior room mate left behind.
Would she be able to fit front and rear gear sets and derailleurs to this frame as well as handle bars and brakes and have a decent bike to use riding around the city? Her real difficulty in bikes is finding one that fits her as she is rather short at 5'4"

Thank you.
Gary

IIRC the Pista was drilled for brakes, but fitting derailers to it will be a chore and definitely not worth the time and money IMO. Some sort of adapter claw will have to be used for the RD, and since it doesn't have cable stops full length housing will need be used. It will be full of kludges and never really work as well as a bike meant for gears.

Better to leave the Pista as a single speed or hold out for a frame that is meant for gears. How about an old MTB? They're commonly available cheap in smaller sizes and make great commuters with slicks, and have plenty of room for fenders and racks.

IIRC the Pista was drilled for brakes, but fitting derailers to it will be a chore and definitely not worth the time and money IMO. Some sort of adapter claw will have to be used for the RD, and since it doesn't have cable stops full length housing will need be used. It will be full of kludges and never really work as well as a bike meant for gears.

Better to leave the Pista as a single speed or hold out for a frame that is meant for gears. How about an old MTB? They're commonly available cheap in smaller sizes and make great commuters with slicks, and have plenty of room for fenders and racks.

Thanks. You confirmed what I suspected.

Okay, spoke with my daughter and it turns out that she doesn't care much about gears and being a single gear bike is fine for her. So, she would need handlebars, brakes, a gear wheel for the front crank, a chain, and probably a hub for the rear wheel which incorporates a single gear that free wheels (that is the correct term, isn't it?).

What do you suspect that would run her?

You can also build it with an Internal gear hub in back too ..
. sturmey archer , 3 or 5 speed .. still offers a few gear ratios
what they are. is determined by the cog on the hub and the chainring.

What do you suspect that would run her?

Used parts or new? Even if you're doing the work yourself stuff adds up quickly. Figure a couple hundred in parts, unless that wheelset you have will fit. Unfortunately, building up a bike from a bare frame is the most expensive way to do it.

Very rough estimates:
stem: $10-20
bars: $20-30
crankset/bottom bracket (front gear): $50+
chain: $10
seatpost: $20
saddle: $20
brakeset: $30
brake levers: $20

Then the odds and ends I forgot.

if you are in USA and she doesn't mind orange, how about this?
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/nano.htm

She found an ad for a 2009 Bisnchi Pista frame. It includes the following:
49 cm Bianchi Pista track frame w/ barely any miles
comes with:
bottom bracket
165 truvativ cranks
cane creek headset
stem
seat and post


Wheelset - $120-150 at Velomine or Retro-gression.com, 700c fixed/free wheelset
Freewheel $20
Tires - $16 + Performance bike has the Strada for $16 a pair ATM
Tubes - $8 +
Chainring - $20-35. Need to figure out BCD. The Truvative single speed cranks I found have a 104 BCD, dunno if they have others, though.
Chain $12 +
Bars - $10 +
Grips, or bartape if she's gonna roll drops - $10 +
Brakes and Levers - $40 +
Brake cables and housing - $10

Someone to put it all together $0-100

I told her to check with the seller as whether the parts on the frame are original. Looking at Bianchi info online, it appears the crank and headset are the original. Need to check same for seat, seat post, bottom bracket, stem.
I will find out what wheels she has. If they are decent and wlii fit, will need single gear. I don't know what is involved for that.
otherwise, need bars, chain, front sprocket, brakes and levers. I would suggest flat bars as that would be a better riding position. So assuming her wheels are fine and appropriate and a single gear can be fit, then it looks like about 100-150 plus labor. I am assuming labor is minimal as most everything is bolt-on (but I mat be wrong). Frame and what is listed as attached to it - asking 200, she may be able to get it for less.
So 300-400 for the completed bike (maybe less if she is patient and can source some good used bars, brakes. I think I would recommend new gears and chain).
I know the Pista new with flat bars and brakes retailed for $819.

When I find out what wheels and hubs she has, I will post that info.

Any thoughts as to how "good" this would be for riding around the streets in Phila? Is there anything about the geometry of the frame that would make it not suitable?

Thanks.

It's a track frame with track oriented geometry, so that would make it rather twitchy and not very comfortable for longer distances.

She isn't into long distance touring. Mostly a couple of miles to and from work, to the store, etc.

just buy a good lock for the bike then.

When I find out what wheels and hubs she has, I will post that info.

Any thoughts as to how "good" this would be for riding around the streets in Phila? Is there anything about the geometry of the frame that would make it not suitable?


Probably easiest to buy a rear wheel, at least. Unless the wheel she has is already single speed, it will likely have to be respaced and redished. If it has a QR, the axle will have to be cut to fit 120mm rear dropouts or replaced it with solid axle.

I like track bikes in the city personally.

Should I infer from your reply that the dropouts on track frames are normally 120mm and that is narrower than those on road bikes with rear gear clusters? Would the same be true regarding the front forks or would there be no problem with the front? I couldn't find the dropout spec on the Bianchi website.

OK so what parts do I definitely need for this bike? I already bought handlebars on ebay for under 20 dollars. I'd like to find all the parts I need online.

Also when I get a chance I will post pictures of the wheelset I have.

Should I infer from your reply that the dropouts on track frames are normally 120mm and that is narrower than those on road bikes with rear gear clusters? Would the same be true regarding the front forks or would there be no problem with the front? I couldn't find the dropout spec on the Bianchi website.

A vast majority of front road wheels will fit that frame no problem.

Road wheels from way back in the 5-speed era are generally 120mm, fit fine.
Road wheels from the 6 and 7-speed era are generally 126mm and you can try just spreading the frame a bit to drop the wheel in.
Road wheels with 8 or more speeds (and some newer 7-speeds) will have 130mm spacing, for this much of a spread I'd have a professional spread the frame for me, but probably cheaper, easier and better just to get a purpose built singlespeed rear wheel in this instance especially.

Something like this:

http://www.velomine.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87_89&products_id=785&zenid=s03r746k7gjtagdv1fqiftniv7

Gary still sniffing this track bike frameset out, before purchase?

Actually I am helping my daughter out. Trying to make sure she/we aren't getting into something we can't handle. At this point, she is planning to go see it tonight and is planning to purchase it if all is right. (She too posted here as rissacat). Being only 5'4", she has a difficult time finding a bike that fits.

I spoke to her a little while ago and the wheel set she has should fit, though she will get me the brand, model, etc. She says the rear wheel is from a single speed bike and has both a fixed gear wheel and a free wheel gear on it - one on each side - so the wheel can be flipped over to switched. Wheels have tires and tubes.

So all she will need are brakes, levers and cables, handlebars (and grips or tape), front sprocket, and chain. We recognize we need to get a front sprocket and chain that matches the rear gear. And, of course, a new (and better) lock.

Are we missing anything?

small mens frame still tends to be a longer top tube,but maybe this is compact
for the type of racing it was made for.

Bars are a personal preference, stem is part of fit and riding posture, also a preference
hers not from here.

bike shop's inventory to pick thru is a good step, hold the bar in the hand,
place it as if riding, then the stem length can be estimated..

the prior bike would give an idea of fit,

and get a really good lock , that will be a tempting bike to take,
given the big fixie craze..

and get a really good lock , that will be a tempting bike to take,
given the big fixie craze..

+1

If your daughter's last bike got stolen, there's a good chance this one will be too... Unless she changes her locking method/storage location.

My commuter is ugly enough to leave unlocked overnight in front of my apartment. But then again I don't live in a big city.

OK so what parts do I definitely need for this bike? I already bought handlebars on ebay for under 20 dollars. I'd like to find all the parts I need online.


Actually I am helping my daughter out. Trying to make sure she/we aren't getting into something we can't handle. At this point, she is planning to go see it tonight and is planning to purchase it if all is right. (She too posted here as rissacat). Being only 5'4", she has a difficult time finding a bike that fits.

I spoke to her a little while ago and the wheel set she has should fit, though she will get me the brand, model, etc. She says the rear wheel is from a single speed bike and has both a fixed gear wheel and a free wheel gear on it - one on each side - so the wheel can be flipped over to switched. Wheels have tires and tubes.

So all she will need are brakes, levers and cables, handlebars (and grips or tape), front sprocket, and chain. We recognize we need to get a front sprocket and chain that matches the rear gear. And, of course, a new (and better) lock.

Are we missing anything?

Updated list:

Chainring - $20-35. Need to figure out BCD. The Truvative single speed cranks I found have a 104 BCD, dunno if they have others, though.
Chain $12 +
Grips, or bartape if she's gonna roll drops - $10 +
Brakes and Levers - $40 +
Brake cables and housing - $10
Lock - $30-100

Someone to put it all together $0-80[/QUOTE]

I usually like having a spare tire and several spare tubes around the house at all times. I carry a spare tube, tire levers and pump with me on short rides, 2 tubes and a tire on long rides.