Originally Posted by dutret
Wow! No "road equipment" unless the owner lacked good taste or money? No 3/32" chainrings because they couldn't deal with the force of skidding on the track? Circular tubing only on forks? Steel stems? Special track headsets? Track parts command more money becuase the are stronger?
I think everything except maybe the first two sentences in this post can be disregarded.
I'll try to enlarge on the issues you mentioned. If you want to disregard them, that's fine, but perhaps I wasn't clear in my earlier post -- I'll try again for you.
As far as the 1/8 vs 3/32 chainrings (and chain and sprocket) are concerned, there's a reason they are thicker on track bikes: to enable them to withstand increased force due to sprinting and stopping. This does not apply to other types of bikes converted to fixed gear with handbrakes. I have seen a fixed bike (no handbrake) with a 3/32 chainring throw it's chain during a highspeed skidding stop -- not because the chain broke, but because the 3/32 chainring was bent from the force of the stop. If anyone has heard of this happening with a 1/8 chainring, please let me know. I believe Greg Goode has written an article about this very subject.
Circular tubing was standard on track bike forks (I ride 70s and early 80s track bikes) and the tubing was circular, not eliptical as on road bikes, to withstand the increased lateral forces encountered in track racing. Modern forks may of course be different, I was referring to vintage track bikes. But don't take my word for it, just do your research. Perhaps you could start with Sheldon's site, if you don't find anything there get back to me and I'll point you in the right direction.
Headsets specifically designed for the track were (and presumably still are) made by Shimano and Campagnolo -- again, they are stronger than road headsets in order to withstand the increased stress. A NOS (New Old Stock) Campagnolo Super Record Pista (track) headset will usually command more money on ebay than a NOS Super Record Strada (road) headset. This also appears to be the case with Super Record Pista cranks vs. Super Record Strada cranks. Check for yourself. Same goes for Dura Ace. Perhaps they command more money because they are more scarce, which may be true. Presumably Campagnolo and Shimano have produced more road components than track components and so there are simply fewer track bits out there, hence the increased price. If anyone has noticed that track components are less expensive than road components, please post and let us know where we can get them.
As for the question of taste, well, there is no accounting for taste, is there? I've even seen people drill holes in track bikes to mount brakes levers . . .
Do let me know if you have any other questions.