Alfredo Binda toestraps

I've just acquired a set of white leather Alfredo Binda toestraps.
From my own experience I can tell that there is just one decent brand for toestraps: Binda. Long time ago, when there were no clipless pedal systems, everybody raced cage type pedals with toeclips and straps. Whenever you tried a cheaper set of straps, you quickly found out that, when you pulled hard with your feet, your straps were coming loose and so did your feet. So, no Christophe, Lapize or another type of leather straps. Not to mention plastic or nylon...
Also Alfredo Binda tried to do some product innovation. Once I've tried the steel mesh or Kevlar reinforced leather straps, but after that I stuck to the basic Binda's.
I needed 1 or 2 pairs Alfredo Binda per year, but in those days I rode all season with one single bike. Other straps wore much faster and besides that you had the problem of self-loosening.
Note: almost all toestraps, even very old ones, are well suited to fix your bike on a bike rack behind or on top of your car, to bind a spare tubular under your saddle, to keep your jeans out of the chain, or to hold your spare wheels together.
For incidental track use, these straps will last for years, I hope. I'm not sure if the white color will go well with the new frame, but white is quite neutral. And because I'm not a 1 km time trialist or match sprinter, one set at a time will be enough for my bike.

Campagnolo Pista (C Record) crank set

To be honest, I do not really need it and it's also not "vintage" or "classic", but if you can buy such a crank set for just a "small" amount of money, you simply have to get it.
Now the big question is: will I keep it or resell, to make some $$$ and buy other stuff, that is on the wish list ?
Maybe it will go on my Giant bike, so I can put the old Record crank set on the new classic bike.

170mm, 51T, 50 km used but I can't see it.
Anyone interested ? It will not go for less than € 150.- and even for better offers I have to think twice.

Macario frame set

Not the ultimate dream bike, but more or less my size (58x58cm).
New paintwork, so only new decals will finish it off.
Besides the technical aspects, I had the honor to shake hands with the old Macario himself and that gives an extra personal touch to this frame.
Unfortunately, the seller does not reply my e-mail.
Cuadro de pista Macario 58x58 con horquilla nuevo
tubería acero Dedachai 01
200 euros

Cinelli track frame set

What a pity. Just a littlebit too big/large/long.
For £ 300.- I could have bought this. Needs a new down tube and respray, but after that, for a relatively low price, it will be a beautiful Cinelli track frame.
What an opportunity, if it's your size!

Vintage parts for sale

I'm selling (or trading) the following goods.

SOLD: CAMPAGNOLO RECORD pedals, chrome plated, steel cage.
With or without aluminium toeclips, size L.
I like to trade these pedals for a pair of PISTA pedals.



SOLD: CAMPAGNOLO RECORD SUPER LEGGERI pedals, black, aluminium cage.
With or without aluminium toeclips, size L.
I like to trade these pedals for a pair of PISTA pedals.



SOLD: CAMPAGNOLO RECORD front derailleur, for braze-on.



SOLD: SHIMANO DURA ACE shifting levers, SL-7402, 8-speed, indexed, for down tube.



SOLD: CAMPAGNOLO (SUPER) RECORD toecips, aluminium, size L.

Nice example Alan

Holy shit, nice bike.
Forget about the components. Imagine that it's a real track bike with Campy stuff on it.

Status 17. April 2009

NOW MINE:

Frame: ALAN Super Record Pista 57x57cm, from Pordenone, Italy Edited 15. May
Fork: ALAN Super Record Pista, from Pordenone, ItalyEdited 15. May
Wheels: Campagnolo Record Pista 36H hubs, Mavic silver (?) 36H rims for tubular tyres, soldered spokes, from Amsterdam via Marktplaats
Headset: Campagnolo Record Strada, for decades in my garage
Edit 15. May: Campagnolo Record Strada, comes with frame
Crankset: Campagnolo Record Pista 170mm BCD 144mm, chain ring Campagnolo Super Record Pista 53T BCD 144mm 3/32" (still looking for additional 165mm crank arms in the same style and a Campagnolo chain ring 1/8")
BB set: Campagnolo Record Pista BSA threading, maybe I need a new set with Italian thread
Edit 18. May: Bought a set with Italian thread and a 110mm axle (70-SS). Not exactly the right model, but perhaps it works. Maybe I have to use 1 or 2 washers. Otherwise I have to keep on searching for an original set.
Shoes: Vittoria, size 43, from Berlin, Germany via forum Tour magazine
Handlebars: Cinelli 66-44 (looking for 65-42 or other more track-like Cinelli -67?- bars)
Handlebar stem: Cinelli 1A 14cm (May be replaced by a shorter and perhaps more beautiful one, depending on new frame. Same brand as bars.)
Edit 18. June: 14 cm. it will be.
Toeclips: Campagnolo Record Medium (steel)
Toestraps: Alfredo Binda, leather, white, from Neerkant via Marktplaats Edited 22. April
Saddle: San Marco Rolls, black. Now brownish, has to be "painted" black or replaced by a new one. Could be Rolls, Concor, Cinelli Unicanitor, Regal, etc.
Seat post: Campagnolo Super Record, comes with frame, from Pordenone, ItalyEdited 15. May
Sprocket: Shimano Dura Ace 14-15-16T 1/8" and 3/32". But Dura Ace 7700 on a classic bike with mainly Italian stuff ???

STILL LOOKING FOR OR BIDDING ON:

Frame: Alan, Bianchi, Colnago, Masi, Ciocc, De Rosa, Eddy Merckx, Cinelli, Faggin, Rossin, Pogliaghi, Guerciotti, Bottecchia, etc...
Edit 15. May: ordered an ALAN Super Record Pista from Pordenone, Italy!
Fork: see frame
Edit 15. May: ordered an ALAN Super Record Pista!
Decals: May have to be renewed, depending on frame. Original or fake. There's one in Australia on Ebay...
Edit 18. May: ALAN doesn't have them anymore, so I have ordered a set from Australia.
BB set: Campagnolo Record Pista Italian threading 36x24T, 109mm axle 70-P-120
Edit 18. May: Bought a set with Italian thread and a 110mm axle (70-SS). I'll keep on searching for an original set.
Seat post: Campagnolo Record if possible. Diameter depends on frame.
Edit 15. May: Comes with the frame. Campagnolo Super Record, 25.0 mm.
Chain: Regina ? 1/8"
Sprocket: Campagnolo ? 16T 1/8"
Pedals: Campagnolo Record Pista (steel). I've got a pair of very good Strada pedals. Who wants to trade for a set of Pista?
Edit 15. May: Sold. Ordered Campagnolo Record Super Leggeri Pista from London.
Edit 18. June: Didn't like the Super Leggeri pedals. I've just received a regular set of Record Pista from Northern Ireland.
Toestraps: I always insisted on Alfredo Binda leather. So, preferably...
Edit 22. April: just purchased a set of "new" white Binda's!
Tubular tires: Clement, Vittoria, Continental (got some old stuff, but I have to check what is still usable and nice).
Edit 15. May: ordered a Vittoria Corsa CX from Germany. Now biding on similar tubulars.
Bar tape: Cotton, Benotto, Bike Ribbon
Shoe cleats: TA J. Anquetil
Edit 18. June: No J. Anquetil, but T.A. Criterium, bought from Mr. H. Stone, Bristol.
Jersey: Acrylic, wool
Shorts: Acrylic, wool
Mitts: Full leather or crotchet back with leather palm

ALAN Super Record Pista

This frame is on my demand list.
When I started cycling in 1979, ALAN was popular.
The special ALuminium ANodised frame (tubes threaded and bonded together, not welded or brazed) was lightweight and had a very special appearanced.First, there were only silver ALANs, later there were blue, red and black frames as well.
The road frames were available in two kinds: the more economical Competition, with the seat stays bolted to the seat lug, and the Super Record with the seat stays integrated in the seat lug.
ALAN was well known as a road bike, but even better known as a cyclocross bike. There were many re-badged ALANs.
Jos Lammertink (Dutch Nation Champion amateur roadracer) was member of the famous Amstel Bier team, equipped with ALAN those days. Jos, a very strong and tall guy, also tried track racing (individual persuit) and he was the first racer I ever saw on an ALAN track bike.
Jos was not very successfull on the track and his bike was also not so suitable for this occasion. ALAN used to be no. 1 in cyclocross for many years, but was never the brand with the best reputation and quality in road racing. Especially not when it came to tall riders.
But let's honest: nowadays an ALAN (and especially a track version) will stand out in the crown for its beauty, odd looks and high classic value.
Let's hope it will work out well for me and that one frameset will come to my home.
There would be easier bikes to assemble, because an ALAN does not use the most common components. It needs at least a special size seat post, Italian threaded BB cups and perhaps some other special things.
The photo shows one of the number (!) of ALAN Pista frame sets that is offered by an Italian Blogger. I guess I will need a bigger size than this, but it seems that it is still available.
When it will be mine, for sure it will get other decals. I think it will be the second generation. So, not the ones in plain white or black, but the ones with the rainbow-backing. It will cost a bit extra to get these (imitation) stickers or decals, but it's worth it. The nice thing with an ALAN is, even when it's very old, it is not necessary to respray it. The anodised surface should be nice forever. Maybe some cleaning or polishing is needed, but I can save a few hundreds of € for the paintjob.
Fingers crossed.

My Giant track bike

This is how the Giant bikes looked just after I completed it and before it was ridden on the velodrome.
It look a bit (or very?) strange, because the frame is so small and I had to do everything I could to get the position of the saddle and the bars correctly.
I succeeded more or less. It's ridable, but not very comfy because of the short top tube & stem length. It should be a couple of cm extra.
I placed this picture over Abraham Olano's bike for his world hour record attempt (failed)and the similarity of the rider's position is stiking. However: the riders' capabilities cannot be compared.

Vittoria shoes size 43

When the new bike is ready (hopefully around September/October 2009), I will ride it on the track. Of course it is not stylish or classy to ride such a nice bike with modern hi tech clothing.
I think I cannot avoid to ride with a modern helmet (a classic Cinelli or Rogelli hair net would look much better) , but shoes and clothing also have to be more or less in the same style as the bike.
Such a pitty that I threw away all the wool and acryl stuff 30 years ago. And the Detto, Rivat and Sidi leather perforated shoes.
But, even when there is still no vintage track frame, I already bought a pair of shoes. I saw these on the German " TOUR" forum and I guess that the shoes will fit me. If not, I will sell them again.
Although they're probably not really classic (threads for Look cleats), these shoes have the right look and they're Italian. The right style and hopefully the right size.
I just have to take them to the local Mr. Minit key and shoe service to get the heel protector / anti-slip repaired. A pair of TA Jacques Anquetil steel cleats will complete them.

Progetto Pista Vintage

After completing my Giant track bike and racing it on the brand new Omnisportcentrum velodrome in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, I considered to start a new project.
From the 1980's I know that track racing is fun and it has a good influence on other cycling disciplines. Besides the activity of cycling, I also love cycles. Road, MTB, cyclocross, but also track. A track bike has the beauty of simplicity. No distraction of cables, bottle holders, pumps and other accessories. Just a frame, fork, drivetrain, steering components and something to sit on will do the job on a track.
This simplicity or nudity also makes that track bikes hardly devellop or evolve. A bike of the 70's or 80's is still very competitive and the quality is still very good (when well maintained). Besides that, the value just increases!
Given the fact that the Giant frame is too small for me and that it's a weird mixture of new (Giant) parts and classic / vintage items (Campagnolo cranks), I decided to look for something different.
A classic frame and fork, that fit me well, will be equipped with classic components of good quality. Some of these parts I already have for decades, others I have to collect. It's fun to look for the right components, to get them, build up the bike and, of course, ride it on the velodrome.