XB3 Спорт track bike

This XB3 Спорт ("Sport") may become ANOTHER new, vintage track bike project.
I may acquire this ex-USSR track frame set from a friend in Kiev. It would be funny to have such a former eastern European piece. The amateurs from GDR and USSR have always played a very dominant role in cycling history, on road and track. Besides the sponsored Colnago bikes (and some other exclusive machines from e.g. De Rosa, Ciöcc, Rossin), they always used their own bikes. While the GDR riders rode their Textima bikes (special sports division of Diamant bicycles, located in the basements of sewing machine manufacturer Textima), the Soviet bikes all came from the Kharkiv Bicycle Factory. This company was in the city of Kharkov, which is nowadays in Ukraine. It was called XB3, Харьков Велосипед Завод, Cyrillic for KhVZ, Kharkivsky Velosipedny Zavod, Kharkiv Bicycle Factory.
XB3 did product several qualities and "brands". For the regular or entry level racers, there were "Record" bikes, while the most exclusive products for the world class riders were the well known Тахион ("Takhion").
XB3 bikes can be placed in this sequence: рекорд ("Rekord"), Sprint/Meteor, Спорт ("Sport") , Квант ("Kvant"), Тахион ("Takhion"), Москва-80 ("Moskva 80").
XB3 Спорт come in different versions, like: ГИТ (g-i-t = "Sprint"), "Track Time Trial" and perhaps some others.
If it all goes on, it will be a surprise how the full bike will look like, even to me. But this could be it. Parts I already have and also use for other vintage track bikes: Campagnolo track wheels and pedals. The frame set may already have a special sized KhVZ headset, a BB-set and a 26.2 mm seat post. The BB set and the seat post may be replaced buy something else, but the headset has to stay. Then, there is a Cinelli Unicanitor saddle, a Cinelli 1A handlebar stem, Cinelli "Criterium" No. 65 bars. Actually missing is a crank set, but perhaps I will borrow the Campagnolo Record Pista crank set from the "3ttt" project for a while. But maybe everything will be totally different.
To be continued...

Giant TCR 26" track

Not exactly "vintage" but it's possible to ride on the track. With two 24" and two 26" road bikes, my kids have some nice tools to ride on in future. But I thought that it would be a nice challange to convert one 26" into a real track bike. The frame has horizontal dropouts, so it's possible to tension the chain. For a geared bike you need a certain minimum chain stay length, so the clearances are not as tight as you would expect from a nice road or track bike. Anyway, with the correct components, it will make a very nice track bike.

Frame and fork: Giant TCR 26" alu 6061 frame, fork with carbon fork blades, alu steerer tube

Cranks: Miche Young 155mm cranks, 44T

BB set: Miche BC

Front hub: Shimano Dura Ace 28H HB-7400

Rear hub: Shimano Dura Ace 28H HA-300 (I think)

Rims: Mavic GL330 S.S.C. 94 28H tubular

Tubulars: Vittoria Competition Juniores 21-26" (and some expensive Vittoria and Conti Time Trial and track tubulars)

Sprocket: 19T 1/8" (others available)

Chain: KMC Z410 silver coloured 1/8"

Pedals: Shimano Dura Ace PD-7401

Saddle: Selle San Marco Concor Junior Light

Seat post: Zoom I think).

Stem: Truvativ Holzfeller 40mm. Have a Look Ergostem available, but hard to set up nicely and short extension. Maybe can use it later.

Handlebars: Zoom Buckup 37cm c-t-c, drop 145-ish mm

Bar tape: Cork white

To be done:
Cut internal thread into front axle and fix with bolts and flat washers
Cut steerer to length (will wait until bike will be ridden)
Add chain tugs
Find out correct gear ratio and adjust chain length. Now it's 1/2 link too short. Sprockets available, may have to buy extra chain ring. 

Progress new track bike project

I'm making some good progress on the newest track project. It started at the beginning of this year, when I had the chance to purchase a NOS set of Campagnolo track wheels. Suddenly the seller decided to cancel the deal, so the project was on hold.
The project got some direction when I acquired a 3ttt Pista track stem. 3ttt bars are not that hard to find. I have a "Gimondi" on my other track bike and a friend sent me a message that he would reserve one for me.
It took me a while, but I succeeded to find a very nice 3ttt SL saddle via Ebay.
A bit later I got myself a 3ttt Record seat post, also via Ebay.
Last Saturday I picked up the 2 3ttt Competizione Gimondi bars, so the whole 3ttt set is complete now. Okay, I could use a pair of 3ttt bar end plugs and some bars tape. I'll look for that once there's a frame. At least, the colour of the tape has to match the frame. I may have some bar end plugs, perhaps not from old vintage and with the correct logo. And it's questionable if these accessories should be considered as real 3ttt products.
Funny enough, the seller of the Campagnolo wheels re-listed the wheel and with some dirty cheating and bidding, I managed to get the wheels that I missed earlier this year.
Another good friend had a Campagnolo Pista 165 mm, BCD 144 mm crank set going spare, Marktplaats provided chain ring bolts and Ebay a 53T chain ring.
So, basically, I completed my next track bike. All I need is a nice frame set.
I'm looking for a very small, steel frame set, ideally Italian, Columbus, but I leave all options open. 49, 50, 51 cm frame size would be perfect, but anything up to 59 cm centre to top could be possible. Italian, English, Dutch, GDR, USSR, Japanese, you name it. As long as it is nice, good and affordable.
For the remaining components? Well, I do have Campagnolo Record 1" threaded headsets and I may still have a BSC threaded Campagnolo Record Pista BB set. I will not source other track pedals, because the ones from my Alan are perfect and can easily be swapped from one to the other bike. Just in case there's a good occasion to buy another pair, I may consider that. No hurry though. I'd better find some good shoes first, otherwise I'm not going to ride with toe clips and straps again.
Tubulars? Oh, I have some nice tubulars left and whenever I see some nice ones, I will not hesitate to buy them. Always come in handy.

Summary:
Frame: ???
Front fork: ???
Head set: Campagnolo Record Strada
Bottom Bracket set: Campagnolo Record 70-P-120 ???
Crank set: Campagnolo 165 mm, 53T 3/32" Super Record chain ring
Pedals: Campagnolo Record Pista
Toe clips: Campagnolo
Toe straps: Alfredo Binda white
Sprocket: Shimano Dura Ace SS-7600, 3/32", 14T, 15T, 16T. Looking for a Campagnolo 16 or 17T.
Seat post: 3ttt Mod. Record, 27.2 mm
Saddle: 3ttt SL
Handlebar stem: 3ttt Pista Mod.3, 12 cm, 58°
Handlebars: 3ttt Competizione Gimondi 44 o-o bars
Handlebar tape: ???
Chain: ???
Wheels: Campagnolo Record Pista with Campagnolo Victory Strada tubular rims
Tyres: ???

3ttt Record Competizione "Gimondi" bars

Got these 3ttt bars with Gimondi bars from a friend, widths 43 and 44 cm outside to outside. The engraved logos match the 3ttt stem, seat post and saddle. On one of my other track bars, I have another pair of Gimondi bars, but a newer edition with a lasered logo and that corresponds with the laser etched logo on the stem on that bike.
The Gimondi bars are not as deep as the Pista bars, but the bends are very nice for a track bike. Especially together with the 58° stem, the Pista bars would be not very practical and are the Gimondi bars the better solution.
3ttt Gimondi is the equivalent of Cinelli's Criterium, Nr. 65. We used to call these bars "half road, half track".

3ttt Mod. Record seat post

In my opinion not a very nice seat post, but it's a wonderful combination with the 3ttt stem, bars and saddle. The seat post was not that easy to find and buy, because they are not offered very frequently and most times shortened or damaged badly.
I found these in Germany and there are very light screatches on the post, but I can live with that. It's a 27.2 mm post and that will fit most frames (most popular Reynolds and Columbus tube sets), but it's a bit of a gamble, since I still don't have a frame for it. May need an inverse shim.
This must be a "Record" post, because the flutes and the head are polished.
The Competizione post is the same, just flutes and top section anodized in gun metal blue grey.

Gazelle tiles for sale

I've got doubles of these tiles, so I can sell these.
EUR 30.- for the three, excluding postage.
More Gazelle tiles, not for sale, see here.

Saddle 3ttt # 30 Superleggero

I've been looking for a 3ttt saddle for a while. These saddles are pretty rare and usually go for serious money. I've been lucky and won a very nice "SL" from Ebay and it was quite affordable. Not new but in very, very good condition.
I must admit, I cannot remember that I ever saw a 3ttt saddle in the flesh. Stems and bars are very common, but seat posts and saddles didn't and don't show up that often. But, as with all other "vintage" 3ttt parts, they come very close to top end Cinelli products, both in appearance as in features and performance. So, I have all reasons to believe that this is a good and comfortable saddle.
From the 3ttt catalogue:
"#30 saddle. Superleggero (superlight). The ultimate saddle, same highest construction as No. 20 but comes with beautiful alloy frame, makes this 3ttt the state of the art for racing saddles. Weight: 290gr."
Earlier I've mentioned that 3ttt goods were a bit poorer than Cinelli, at least the image was. But in case of this SL saddle, I think it's certainly not worse than any Cinelli Unicanitor, if not better and nicer.
Now I'm in the possession of a 3ttt pista stem, SL saddle, Gimondi bars reserved and waiting to be picked up. The only missing element is a good 3ttt Mod. Record or Competizione seat post, preferably 27.2 mm. I've got to stay very alert to finish this 3ttt mini project.
Together with the Campagnolo track wheels that I already have and the Campagnolo Pista crank set, also waiting to be picked up, it's a solid base of the next track bike. Just need a very, very nice frame set now.

Benotto Modelo 24 Ragazzino update Oct/2010

The Benotto isn't finished yet, but something's going on. The bike got a facelift and is almost fully ridable.
My intention was to made the bike a bit more period correct (get rid of the BBB bottle cage, Olé brake levers), prettier (2 similar tyres, silver coloured brake callipers, matching bar tape) and more functional for a kid (short reach brake levers, other pedals, index gear shifting).
I got most of the parts I wanted.
A summary:
- Concor Junior saddle
- Vittoria Juniores 24" tubular
- Lyotard M. Berthet Nr. 23 pedals with Christophe toe straps
- 13-18T Maillard screw-on freewheel
- Alhonga brake levers
- Shimano Ultegra Dual Pivot brake callipers
- Benotto Cello-Tape blue bar tape
- Shimano SL-1050 6 speed indexed RH shifting lever
- Shimano RD-1050 rear mech
That's about it. I'm waiting for a pair of Shimano BR-1050 silver colour brake callipers that will be a bit more period correct (still light action operation I hope) and I'd love to get another pair of Tektro R100A or LR341 silver coloured brake levers (much better and nicer than the current Alhonga stuff).
Then, several rusty parts may have to be replaced or polished and the whole bike needs cleaning and some new grease. Especially the spokes don't look that great, but it may be too much to replace all of them. Maybe I'll leave it as it is.

Benotto Cello-Tape application

As I've written before, application if this handlebar tape is a headache.
The material almost doesn't stretch and it's not self-adhesive.
The application itself is do-able, but it doesn't really stay on the bars neatly.
You can either start at the end or near the stem (in the centre), but when riding, you simply move/shift/slide it.
The solution is rather simple: before wrapping the tape, apply a layer of glue to the bare handlebars. Depending on the glue used, let it cure for a while. I used Bison Kit, curing for approx. 15 to 20 minutes. After that, wrap the tape as usual.
If you use the standard Benotto bar end plugs, start with those. Use a small piece of bar tape to cover the clamps of the levers. Then, start wrapping the tape from the ends all the way up to the centre.
I always wrap clockwise on the RH side (view from the back, riders position) and counter clockwise on the LH side. Don't know if that makes a big difference but it works for my bikes.

Benotto Cello-Tape

A Benotto bike needs Benotto bar tape, simple as that!
In the days almost everybody was using cloth (cotton) bar tape, just the cheapest bikes were equipped with cheap slippery plastic (Polyurethane/vinyl?) tape and only a few bikes had fancy leather wrapping (Almarc!). All of a suddon, bike brand Benotto introduced a new kind of bar tape that looked gorgeously, many pro riders used and was easy to maintain. And the marketing trick worked! The whole peloton moved to Benotto tape. Benotto was one of the leading bike brands (supporting top team GIS and others) and Francesco Moser, the absolute star racer, used and promoted the tape. The special appearance of the Benotto tape and the wide range of colours and the image of the stuff were the success. However, the tape itself was almost as slippery as the old plastic tape, very difficult to apply and slid down the bars very quickly, because it wasn't self adhesive. Besides that, it has odd bar end plugs, that don't go in, but over the end of the bars.
After 1 or 2 years, the Benotto tape more or less disappeared and other, better ribbons like Bike Ribbon, fading Ciclolinea and Pelten and "cork" tape replaced it.
There was a weird story about Benotto tape. Rumours that it was made from fibres of a Mexican plant or tree. All bullshit, as confirmed by the Benotto people. Truth is that it was made in Mexico, just like a part or all of the Benotto frames and bikes in that period.
There were 2 versions of Benotto bar tape available. The smooth variant with the fibre or flake design was used by almost everybody. The second, waffled variant was far less popular, but if I remember well, this was the kind of tape Francesco Moser used (Celo-Cinta?).
Finding Benotto tape is not too difficult. Don't expect to find it in your local bike shop or at a regular web shop. But when you go to auction sites, you'll find out that there's still some new tape available.