good points all. thanks for posting a pic... that's nice, what kind of frame is it?

1971 Nishiki Comp...later became Super Comp/Competition i think....kinda rare. 70's frames are often very simple as most cables were attached with metal clampesq thangs. Since stolen, but i feel it will return to me sooner or later. Surly hubs+ma3 rims=not so expensive and high quality. Old Sugino cranks look like campy and work just as well for street use atleast.

<that is the real beauty of track bikes. they really are utilitarian works of art. the challenge to the conversion builder is to be able to spot the right qualities for their sensibility/aesthetics/use as opposed to being able to buy it off a website.>

i agree with you here, but this statement ONLY applies to off-the-shelf track bikes. many people on here with track bikes started with a track frame and thoughtfully built it up, just as one would with a conversion. money issues aside, it takes time and effort to locate parts for either a conversion OR a fully njs equipped whip.

me, i have a conversion AND a track bike, both built up by me. the conversion is nice if i have to lock it up for a long time, but i ride the track bike to work every day because i like the tighter geometry and higher bottom bracket.

here you go: nishiki conversion and schwinn madison.

killsurfcity you said it yourself that you want a track frame and wish that you could afford one. So why the argument?

I don't care what type of bike you ride just be honest with yourself. You started the thread by saying there is more self expression in the type of bike that you ride - that's offensive - why be a separatist? enjoy all bikes - while you are at it enjoy everything.

I am just stirring things up when i should really be doing some work.

The funny thing is, my track frames (the ones I just bought) were cheaper than my conversion... it -can- be done.

It's crazy the local bike shop in my town is selling 70's road bikes for $25 a piece. Reason being the shifters/chain basically don't work, but otherwise the bikes are in moderately good condition and easily convertable.

what makes this thread different from the sticky -- your ss/fixie pics?

really just post your pics/stories there.

the whole thing about track bikes being expensive, about the 'bling', etc is a bunch of crap. you can get good/great parts by trading, swapping out parts, being diligent on ebay, etc. money only really becomes an issue when you 'need' the bike right away.

if you want to go anal/stingy/frugal/cheap whatever and see how little money you can spend, then get a crummy old road bike and get all your parts from the parts bin. but granted there are good parts in those bins if you dig.

bah.

Eeek, and I was almost on your side.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

slopvehicle, what kind of tensioners are those! they look like they really work...i've been on a mad search for ones that stay put on a conversion.

It looks like a Surly Tuggnutt to me, but it's not that clear in my eyes. I'll post some thought as well. I started out riding conversions, one of favorites being an old blue Benotto that was quite heavy but just my size, 61.9 cm to be exact, at least what I saw my lbs measure. Anyway, it was fixed up nice with a Brooks Pro, Profile Airwings. Alex rims and some cheap Suzue hubs. It was a beast to get up to good speed, and it really got me in pretty good shape. Then a Pista and now a Steamroller. My point was just trying to get a feel for different style frames that could be fixed or already were. Got bored with one frame, went to another, and so on.....
I do have a digicam, but it's back in Minneapolis. Oh wait, my sister has one. I'll post a pick of my Steamroller, my Pista is here too, but not all together. You can only bring so much bike stuff on the Greyhound for free, me was broke.

That's a really sweet looking bike, but I never saw it on the streets of Mpls when I was there. Is it new?

They're the spur tensioners that people have occasionally mentioned in this here forum.

I wrote about 'em here:

https://www.slopvehicle.info/blog/?p=14


I mostly use it to:

1) keep the wheel sorta in place when I adjust tension
2) feel safe whilst skidding / appplying lots o' back pressure-- I don't want the wheel popping out the front of the dropouts, and I suppose this makes it a bit less likely to happen.

<killsurfcity you said it yourself that you want a track frame and wish that you could afford one. So why the argument?>

please i beg you... THINK before you post! my point is clear... i don't need to spoon feed it to you. this is not what this thread is about, and this is my last post in regards to it.

<I don't care what type of bike you ride just be honest with yourself.>

you got some nerve.

<You started the thread by saying there is more self expression in the type of bike that you ride>

read... think... post. i hate to be mean... but if you refuse to make an effort to understand very simple statements WITHOUT reading into them, than i'm sorry, but i can't help you.

<that's offensive - why be a separatist?>

i'm sorry to offend... i didn't realize this was such a sensitive issue.

<enjoy all bikes - while you are at it enjoy everything.>

read previous post again with an open mind.

<I am just stirring things up when i should really be doing some work.>

then you're wasting both our time.

that must be some conversion! post please!

very nice filtersweep!

that's rad! the deals that can be had on road frames in some places are amazing. if i had more room i'd start picking some up... when i finally get a decent size living space it's on.

<You started the thread by saying there is more self expression in the type of bike that you ride>

read... think... post. i hate to be mean... but if you refuse to make an effort to understand very simple statements WITHOUT reading into them, than i'm sorry, but i can't help you.


and I quote "but there's something about a personally customized conversion that i think shows a bit more self expression "


What exactly did he not understand?

Oh, and if you could try and be a little less of a nazi about what people post in "your" thread, that would be great.

sorry... i'm much nicer than i sound i can assure you. you have to admit, your post didn't make it sound like you were on... wait... i don't have a side. lol

nice bike by the way... i dig miyatas, and that one has pretty tight geometry too.

i know what i posted. it's very frustrating that you can't tell the difference between these two statements. i am however, sorry to offend.

I should probably buy myself a tensioner. This is my Colnago Sport conversion with gold deep Vs laced to Miche Primata track hubs.

wow... that's beautiful. nice work. how do you stay in that saddle tho?

Please expand on that and tell me the difference between these two statements.

"You started the thread by saying there is more self expression in the type of bike that you ride"

vs.

"but there's something about a personally customized conversion that i think shows a bit more self expression "

Also...
There is obviously a fair amount of confusion over your original post. And if, as you insist, all these people are either not reading or misinterpreting your original post then why don't you please enlighten us all and elaborate on your original thought as opposed to debasing everyone.

Thanks. I rest my haunches on the very back of the seat. It is a bit weird to look at, but I kinda worry about that whole impotence thing.....hasn't happened to me, but I still stay mindful of it when I ride.