Hi Gang,
I am after the groups advice and consensus again. This time regarding the ethics of drilling forks and seat stay brace for brakes on a track bike.
I have a mid-eighties Bianchi track bike (Columbus 3-tubes) that is basically a virgin, being bought a couple of years ago by yours truly from a dealer who had it nos. I've used it on my trainer, and on a couple of road rides. I was going to use it on the track, in an attempt to join our local racers in their weekly summer series. A crash on the track last summer (on a different bike) has lead me to re-think this path, and I am now tempted to drill the fork and seat stay brace for brakes.
Will I be spoiling a perfectly good track bike?
Alternatively, how much would I effect the geometry and handling of the bike if I bought a road fork to substitute for the track fork? The trail would be reduced with the road fork, and the rake increased slightly (by the amount that the road fork would be taller than the track fork).
The crown is quite shallow on the track fork, which also makes me a little nervous about it's strength after drilling it.
There are lots of couriers riding around Toronto on track bikes (with and without brakes), so drilling the crown is common. That still might not make it right.
I'm not in a panic to do this work, but it has been spinning around in my head for a while. For the moment, the bike is safe until the snow melts outside and I loosen the clamps on the trainer.
Larry - going downstairs to spend another hour with Phil Ligget - Strung