Suitable Track bike - alternative to Pre-cursa

dru

Hi all.

After last winter getting my track accreditation at Newport Velodrome and attending lots of drop in sessions the spring came along and I got out on my road and TT bikes.

Our club however has recently started some track sessions at the Maindy outside velodrome and I’m getting right back into it – in fact I’m loving it.

I’m now considering buying or building a track bike. Up until now I have borrowed a club track bike, a Dolan Pre-cursa – which has been great – I just wonder if bikes which are £800-£1000 are significantly better?

Has anyone got any opinions or alternative suggestions as a suitable track bike?

If the pre-cursa is a good sensible choice then extra money could be spent on up grading the wheels/tyres – or getting a track pack etc so can run other gears etc etc.
Also as I maybe interested in trying other track events etc (pursuit etc) then the extra money could help purchase a separate pair of TT bars etc for easy swap over.

My thoughts are to either buy a pre-cursa or try an build a track bike sourcing individual components, but not sure if I could build a significantly better bike for similar money.

Cheers,

Dru

colinsmith123

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/track-bikes/Car-bon/DF3%20Track%20Bike

dru

colinsmith123 wrote:

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/track-bikes/Car-bon/DF3%20Track%20Bike

I don't think my budget would be able to stretch to 3 times the cost of a pre-cursa to get the DF3.
Certainly would not get my 17 second laps down by 3 times would it!

BTW - are you still running your alloy Moda - happy with it 12 months on or have to upgraded or changed some bits and pieces?

dru

Anybody got or have experience of the Fuji track range of bikes with the model 1 and 2's - both discounted at the moment and under £800

edhornby

I think that the precursa is a very good buy for the money and considering that the frameset is 200 quid from Dolan at the moment, you could get stem and bars off ebay, don't skimp on bb/chainset and some planetx AL30 track wheels and you'd be laughing, you would have to spend a lot to get a significantly better bike

I have a precursa for commuting (with a brake) and it's a hoot :-)

dru

edhornby wrote:

I think that the precursa is a very good buy for the money and considering that the frameset is 200 quid from Dolan at the moment, you could get stem and bars off ebay, don't skimp on bb/chainset and some planetx AL30 track wheels and you'd be laughing, you would have to spend a lot to get a significantly better bike

I have a precursa for commuting (with a brake) and it's a hoot :-)

Thanks for the advise.

I guess the question is weather or not I could source all the parts for under the £450 of the Pre-cursa.

Do you know of what exactly I would need to purchase.

Frame, Fork, headset, bb, chainset, chain ring, track chain, track wheels, tyres track wheel nuts, seat post, saddle, stem, bars, bar tape, rear sprocket, lock ring.

Think i could source a better spec for under £450 - think it might be tough...

oldwelshman

Dru why do you keep asking these questions on here ? your in cardiff ffs with loads of people in your club and at the velodrome who can advise you and you could probab;y get a good second hand one where you are.
Give Pete Saddler a call.
You have more knowledgeable people where you are than you will get on this forum.

dru

oldwelshman wrote:

Dru why do you keep asking these questions on here ? your in cardiff ffs with loads of people in your club and at the velodrome who can advise you and you could probab;y get a good second hand one where you are.
Give Pete Saddler a call.
You have more knowledgeable people where you are than you will get on this forum.

I know - just looking at what else is out there apart from just in/around Cardiff etc.

I've spoken to Pete so he has a Dolan Pre-cursa although I don't realyl have the funds to go up to any sort of carbon type track bike.... just yet

AlunJ

I ride (well I say ride I haven't ridden in nearly a year ) a Planet X Pro Carbon Track Ltd, nice to ride and it certainly grabs peoples attention as well as being different to the dolan's everyone else rides, but then I guess everyone rides them for a reason! The non limited edition model is £900, seems to have gone up mind, I'm sure I paid less than £800 for mine.

PhilPub

A PX carbon track bike is hardly exclusive, probably just as common a sight as a Dolan IME at Herne Hill. Still, that's beside the point - bloody good VFM, I've got one myself and I'm very happy with it. Seems to be a popular choice for competition as well. I see they've put the price up recently (I managed to get the £800 special offer last year) so might be worth waiting till they throw in a pair of carbon wheels or something. They have more sales than DFS.

AlunJ

PhilPub wrote:

A PX carbon track bike is hardly exclusive, probably just as common a sight as a Dolan IME at Herne Hill. Still, that's beside the point - bloody good VFM, I've got one myself and I'm very happy with it. Seems to be a popular choice for competition as well. I see they've put the price up recently (I managed to get the £800 special offer last year) so might be worth waiting till they throw in a pair of carbon wheels or something. They have more sales than DFS.

I'm not saying they're exclusive but they don't seem as common as the dolan's at Newport.

warrerj

Dru

Don't forget we get club discount with Dolan. Not sure how much it is (think 5-10%) on the web price.

I'm looking at a cheap track bike as well to save the hassle of finding a biek the right size then playign with pedals etc every week. Also if we do get soem track time in Newport it'll save having to hire a bike. Depending on your size there's a few good deals around (on the net or the board at Newport).

See u at the track

Rob W

dru

Well thanks all!

I've just picked up my first Track Bike a secondhand Dolan Pursuit Champion running a Campagnolo Record Chainset and new handbuilt trackwheels.

Bought it off an ex Masters National Pursuit Champ, its currently got pista track bars (new) but has a 50/14 config. Also it came with spare 51/15 rings. I'm guessing that it would be ok for Derny, TP and IP but might be over geared for general Newport Velodrome riding.

Should I look to go for a 48/14 setup for normal riding then I only need to swap the front or should I be prepared to swap both front and back at a meet?

Also, what ring combinations would work on the same chain length?

Currently the 50/14 setup means that the wheel is very close to the seatpost. I've been given spare links to enable to increase the chain length (if I use the 51) but I'm wondering how many I need to add to enable me to run the 51/14 but that the chain will also fit a smaller ring setup - such as 48/14)

Any replies would be gratefully received.

Gear ratios and chain length are something that confuses me greatly!

oldwelshman

try searchimng this site or the internet thois is all basic stuff. Who did you buy it off?

dru

oldwelshman wrote:

try searchimng this site or the internet thois is all basic stuff. Who did you buy it off?

Specifically I'm looking for what gear ratios people would run at Newport for warm up - what would you suggest?

Bought it off of a nice chap called David Barnes

oldwelshman

Dru wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

try searchimng this site or the internet thois is all basic stuff. Who did you buy it off?

Specifically I'm looking for what gear ratios people would run at Newport for warm up - what would you suggest?

Bought it off of a nice chap called David Barnes

It depends on the individual. Sprinters like to change chainrings or sprockets for warm up, endurance riders tend not to lol. I just warm up on rollers.
I used to race 91.8 but now mostly 94 or 96 depending what the even is but most use 91.8 or 88 for training.
To work it out just do chainring divided by sprocket and multiply by 27. Its easy to make your own table using excell.