A combined TT and Track bike in one?

velo.2010
velo.2010 Posts: 48
edited April 2012 in Road buying advice
HI guys,

I was on another thread querying about TT clip on bars. Started wondering whether there was such a thing as a combined road going TT and track bike in one - ie, you don't have to buy two separate bikes. I know they are different disciplines but the bikes share alot of similartities. Swapping out chainsets/handlebars and removing brakes/cables may or may not be a hassle. Maybe a bike like that wouldn't pass the track reg's with derailluer mounts etc?

Anyone know of any such bike? :)

Comments

  • graham_g
    graham_g Posts: 652
    Just TT on fixed - only have to fit a front brake then. It was good enough for Graeme Obree. Or should that be Graeme Obree was good enough for it.

    You'd want different wheels of course so that you don't have to swap tyres around.
  • velo.2010
    velo.2010 Posts: 48
    Thanks Graham. Yeah, I know of guys who'll pedal out to the outdoor track with the front brake on a track bike then promptly whip it off when they get there. I'm certaintly no Obree and wouldn't fancy riding a fixed gear TT setup on Irish roads!
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Some tracks need a higher bottom bracket ?

    You could just get a track bike and add a front brake to it to make it road legal, but it wouldnt be ideal for either discipline.
  • tremayne
    tremayne Posts: 378
    per previous post (from Graham) - first question is; do you need gears?

    If the answer is no, then things become very easy(ish).

    If you want/need gears, then I suspect its just not worth the hassle and if you wanted the bike to pass full scrutineering trackside, it could be a custom build.

    1/. Bottom bracket height is required to be higher than std on track bikes. Finding a frame with a rear mech hanger that has requisite bb height could be a prob.

    2/. Perhaps less of a real issue - but genuine track geometry will create quite a flighty beast for road work. Add tri-bars to the mix and you will need to be pretty sure of your skills (honest - and I speak from experience here)

    3/. Track rear dropouts tend not to have gear hangers

    4/. Finding a rear wheel which will take a cassette but doesn't have a hollow axle and QR skewer could be very very hard to source. (won't be alllowed on most tracks without sold axles and nuts on the end).

    No gears - easier, but will still be a bit of a compromise in that your frame will probably have started out life as a track frame and per points already made, great for the track, less great for the road (I'm discounting all the 'fixie' frames with more relaxed geometry on the basis that they prob wouldn't pass scrutiny for BB height).

    Hope that helps!

Categories