Greetings all!
Regarding the light blue Legnano track bike on eBay:
The rear dropouts are chrome... they're just dirty and in need of a good polishing.
The fork appears to be correct... it's just lost most of it blue color over time. Using my system's magnifier I can see blue near the crown and along the back side of the blades. The lacquer was probably applied directly over a fully-chrome fork, while the frame was painted silver or grey beneath the blue, and when the paint oxidized there was nothing to hold it onto the chrome of the fork.
Also using the magnifier, there are no eyelets for fenders.
Obviously this bike would not have originally included brakes, so the front Weinmann is merely an addition for road use.
I don't see any problems with this bike... except that it's way too tall for me ;-)
I'll ask the seller if I can add the pictures to my Legnano album on wooljersey.com:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Aldo Ross
(Still job hunting in...)
Middletown, OH
> Don Wilson asked about the Legnano. It looks to me like the real deal,
> although the dropouts do look a little odd. I am amused by the
> description of the stem and brakes. The stem is obviously an Ambrosio,
> while the brake looks to me like a Universal Extra and the lever is
> certainly Universal as well.
>
> Cheers,
> Mark Ritz
> Easily amused today in foggy Arcata, CA, USA
> http://www.kinetic-koffee.com
The shots of the fork are just not good enough to make a judgment as to whether it is Legnano or road or track. The photos aren't that good, but it does look possible that the front dropouts have fender eyes -- very un-track. The biggest surprise to me is the brake boss at the rear -- I can't imagine any self-respecting track bike having one of those.
In short, I don't know whether it is what it purports to be, but I agree that there are grounds for suspicion.
Hugh Thornton Cheshire, England
Did Emilio ever make a 17 pound, 531 tubed track bike like this, or did somebody remake a roadie into a track bike? The rear drop outs that are not frame color make me wonder. So do Weinmann brakes. Also, I don't recall a Legnano with a chrome fork. But if Emilio did make'em this way, this would probably be a required addition for Legnanisti. Either way, the components alone ought to be worth quite a bit. A fore-aft adjustable Campy track stem, anyone? Ebay number: 130072897517 Specs: * Legnano Chrome Fork * Campagnolo Light Blue Frame (56 cm) * Campagnolo Seat Post * Campagnolo Handlebar Post (Fully-Adjustable) * Campagnolo Pedal & Toe Clips with original harness * Cinelli (Milano) Handlebars * Weinman Brakes * Fiame Rims (Double-butted spokes) * Avocet Seat * Brooks (England) Saddle * Reynold 531 Tubing * Silca (Milano) Pump * Campagnolo Wrench (in saddle pouch)
Don Wilson Los Olivos, CA USA
D.C. Wilson dcwilson3(AT)yahoo.com