kim klakow wrote:
I find it amusing that you frequently find bikes on US eBay that are called "track" bikes or were "converted" to "track" bikes. This can only be done by replacing the drop-outs, so these bikes, as Sheldon already pointed out, are just coasters with a fixed gear. As a learning pedant I must say that this is wrong. A track bike is defined by it´s frame (and, too add, ridden without a brake!). Just go and watch any fixie messanger in any large city ride their bike (straight drop-outs, no freewheel and no brake) and learn. The skidding WC holds the record with 224 meters!
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OK, guys, in the pure sense there are track bikes (several varieties, indeed, for different events), road bikes, criterium bikes, club bikes, and so-on. We could classify by intended use (track v. road, etc), or by fixed v. fw, but we should recognize that these are different ways of classifying. Round fork blades have been a hallmark of track "iron" but my Roma has elliptical ones (with all the other marks of track bikes, so maybe it was set up for the km?); and in the early 60s I had a Swedish Avanti road bike with round blades (Didn't Herse do a bunch with round blades, too?).
Going back in time, my '38 and '53 paramount frames both have rear-opening rear drops, but I suspect at least one was never meant for the track. Wasn't this common in GB, too?
So, I'll keep riding my fixed gear Sears 531 DB "town" bike conversion, until I build an FW wheel, and riding the old paramount with an ASC, and enjoying being able to ride.
harvey sachs
mcLean VA