2500W

Hello! Recently I became unwilling to ride anymore my flexible Tommasini edition ca. 1980, except rollers use. Its rear triangle is fine but TT and DT remain just 25.4 and 28.6mm, respectively. After buying it in1990, local craftsmen made it brakes-frienly. Now practically all components stay dismounted after involving in test of a cheap aluminium frame.

New bike shall be intended for sprint training consistently at a concrete track or any new smooth pavement; 116+/- kg rider. Over 53T chainrings and brakes are needed when a freewheel is used.

However, the models offered strikingly decreased last year while geometry and other features were examined. Just four models are available now in the size range L/XL/58/59 i.e. 600+ mm Front-Centre:

* Look AL 464. Considerations: 120-kg rider weight limit declared; unknown stiffness; unknown chainring clearance

* Cinelli Vigorelli Shark. Considerations: carbon seatpost rider; weight limit unknown; unknown stiffness; unknown chainring clearance

* All-City Thunderdome: weight limit was some 125 kg; 60T chainring compatibility; unknown stiffness; shipping time up to 20 wrk days i.e. 13-th September

* Look 875 Madison Crit: 120-kg rider weight limit declared; unknown stiffness; unknown chainring clearance; about 900 Euro more; craftsman/s working here in Sofia successfully repair damaged carbon frames according to some witnesses

Please for advise. Please comment if any experience with some of these models.

1incpa

I raced a Thunderdome for a season and it was plenty stiff for me. I used it for mass start racing on a concrete 333meter track.
I'm not a high wattage sprinter though, so I'm not sure how much help I'm being.
One thing about the new Thunderdome is that they have changed the geometry since I bought mine. They changed it from track oriented to fixed gear crit oriented.
I'm not sure how much that matters, but mine with the track geometry handles pretty good on the track.
PI

2500W

Thanks 1incpa.
Note that there is some new trend in track steering that consists of some 72.5 degree head tube angle and 43 mm fork offset. It produces about 61 mm trail. All that is pretty track geometry. It is presented in top sprint/pursuit models of Look (since R96 and after), Argon 18, Cervelo. And All-City likely just followed this.
Cinelli mentioned this trend as "oversteering." somewhat typical for track, so their criterium frames keep some 53 mm trail. Probably Shark presents crit rather than track geometry.

brawlo

Any reason not to ride fixed with a road fork and brake? I did it for my training on road with road bikes and traffic. Never had a problem emergency stopping......and I’ve got a few kg on you

2500W

I understood you mean track frame w/o rear brake hole + track sprocket + front brake on a drilled fork.
Except track sprocket, I considered the use of a track bike with only front brake hundreds of times.My favorite is Argon 18 Electron alu, 200-300 g heavier and probably stiff enough, 63T chainring clearance. It, however, has 585 mm front-centre. Even paired with a 42-mm road fork, F-C would increase to 590 mm and hanlebars would remain just above Front Axle. So I am still scared of braking from 52-54 kmh wihe rear wheel rotates and body mass inertia pushes on the handlebars.
Another considered choice is Giant Omnium (shipment late August) + a drilled fork (half the price). It would produce some 605 mm F-C but stiffness and chainring clearance remain unknown.

1incpa

FWIW, you may be overthinking the geometry. I rode a track bike on the street with only a front brake for years and never had an issue.
Just make sure you use a lock ring so back pedaling doesn't unscrew the cog.
Paul

2500W

Thank you brawlo and 1incpa for this fresh suggestion and the encouragement!

m@tty

I have rode various track bikes over the years with fixed wheel and tribars and a front brake fitted for time trials. Have never paid much attention to head angle, trial, rake etc and it’s never made any difference to stopping power and have never had a problem would guess I have hit +60kmh on faster sections and downhill sections of time trials.