eBay prices on the rise, good time to sell old junk?

[ironhanglider]

Track tandems are pretty rare.

Not a lot of call to use them except in para-cycling and even then the opportunities are limited.

I'm not bidding on it as it is too far away and likely too small, but I see that it has attracted bids.

I would consider racing it mainly on the basis that it is a "proper" track tandem, although the headset might concern me.

I wonder who else would bid on such a thing?

Cheers,

Cameron

[Torana68]

Track tandems are pretty rare.

I would consider racing it mainly on the basis that it is a "proper" track tandem, although the headset might concern me. I wonder who else would bid on such a thing? Cheers, Cameron

not me thats for sure , it looks heavy and old, may have been raced but don't think its a "racing" tandem, looks solid enough to be an old touring tandem modified (originally with hub gears and brakes maybe?) I'm no tandem expert though. What's wrong with the headset?

[ironhanglider]

Track tandems are pretty rare.

I would consider racing it mainly on the basis that it is a "proper" track tandem, although the headset might concern me. I wonder who else would bid on such a thing? Cheers, Cameron

not me thats for sure , it looks heavy and old, may have been raced but don't think its a "racing" tandem, looks solid enough to be an old touring tandem modified (originally with hub gears and brakes maybe?) I'm no tandem expert though. What's wrong with the headset?

Old certainly, and probably heavy, but there are not many tandem frames around for reasonable cost at any weight. Besides there are no hills to climb on the velodrome, and the difference between a heavy frame and a light frame is only 1 or 2 kg - which is hardly a game changer when you are trying to get 200kg moving off the line.

I raced last track season on a bike that was clearly a road tandem (dropouts not fork ends, cable guides and cantilever studs). The rules at the local velodrome specify that only 'track bikes' can be used ostensibly for pedal clearance issues because the banking is too steep. I had to be prepared to argue that the clearance on that tandem (60mm BB drop and 165mm cranks) was exactly the same as my track bike (55mm BB drop and 170mm cranks), although in the end no-one challenged it. If it looked like this one there would be no questions, even if the clearance was actually worse. BTW my (531 Tandem) frame weighs 5kg when completely stripped with another 1.5kg for the forks. Aluminium road frames are typically around 4kg but I suspect Carbon or Magnesium frames can get below 3kg. Even so several of Australia's elite tandem teams use Perkins steel frames.

I'm only wary of the headset because of my own lack of familiarity with the type, and concern that if parts were worn/pitted that replacements might be harder to come by.

Cheers,

Cameron

[Torana68]

I'm only wary of the headset because of my own lack of familiarity with the type, and concern that if parts were worn/pitted that replacements might be harder to come by.


your LBS wont be able to help but they are available, those are usually pretty bullet proof.

[find_bruce]

It may be old and heavy, but it is probably still better than what Mockridge and Cox had to contend with at the Helsinki Olympics in 52

[WyvernRH]

Track tandems are pretty rare.

I wonder who else would bid on such a thing?

Cheers,

Cameron

Me for one, a confirmed tandem fanatic. As mentioned elsewhere track tandems worry more about stiffness than weight and steel frames have carried on in this sphere more than elsewhere.
Track tandems can be made roadworthy by use of drum brakes or Resilion cantilevers if you are rich. I have fond memories of a Claud Butler Short Wheelbase trackie we had 'on loan' with mixed Resilion and rear drum, steel Chater cranks and a hybrid 4 speed Sturmey/3 cog conversion and Cyclo clamp-on derailleur. Screamed around Essex like a banshee!
Parts are available for 'odd' headsets from the Tandem Club in the UK.
If it was not so far North I'd be in it!

Richard

[koen]

It may be old and heavy, but it is probably still better than what Mockridge and Cox had to contend with at the Helsinki Olympics in 52

A bit off topic ..sort of..As I recall from Mockridge's excellent book, they had to figure out how to put the bike together and had never ridden tandems before they got to Europe and it was decided they could race that event.
Having ridden tandems and track alot ...and then getting on a track tandem, I can only be in awe of their achievements. Track tandems at speed are a handful.

[singlespeedscott]

It doesn't look heavy to me. Once it was up to speed it would be like a runaway steam train [emoji1]

[Torana68]

anyway................. if you worship at the alter of Bruce, this may be for you

can you see this in your shed?

[find_bruce]

anyway................. if you worship at the alter of Bruce, this may be for you

can you see this in your shed?

I thought that's a fairly small church, but perhaps you are referring to Mr Small

[barefoot]

track tandems worry more about stiffness than weight and steel frames have carried on in this sphere more than elsewhere.

That is a bit strange.

Stiffness is, mostly, a function of tube diameter. Big diameter Al tubes generally make a stiffer frame than small diameter steel tubes, for the same strength.

You could make a steel frame as stiff as an Al frame by making the tubes big - but to get the tube walls thick enough to not crumple as soon as you touch them, you'd end up with a very heavy (and unnecessarily strong) frame.

I would have thought that where stiffness is a key consideration - which I don't doubt is the case for track tandems - big fat thick-walled Al (or carbon) tubes would be the obvious choice.

I've had two (road) tandems, both steel framed. The current one, a KHS, is noticeably far stiffer than the previous, an old Gitane, but that's got more to do with the frame design... the Gitane was a mixte rear cockpit, which is never going to be a great success on a tandem

tim

[feelthewheel]

One for fans of the Hoff in Brisvegas:

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/camp-hil ... 1084726310" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Imwit]

A couple of diamonds in the rough?

Really fancy lugs but a bent top tube. coolum

decent Speedwell under the red. Mt Druitt

[morini]

Check out this wacky bike. It crosses a number of decades and component levels and is only $3250.00.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-road ... 419a493476" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Really interesting Italian frame from the 60's

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Circa-1960s- ... 1761363062" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ldrcycles]

Check out this wacky bike. It crosses a number of decades and component levels and is only $3250.00.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-road ... 419a493476" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"I have rebuilt the bike to a high standard", and then didn't trim any of the cables .

[2wheels_mond]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/margate/ ... 1085418913" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Old Look in Hobart, amazed it hasn't sold yet for $300.

[ironhanglider]

Track tandems are pretty rare.

I wonder who else would bid on such a thing?

Cheers,

Cameron

Me for one, a confirmed tandem fanatic.
...
If it was not so far North I'd be in it!

Richard

I did discuss it with John and in the end we did bid on it. Had we won it we would have definitely raced on it. No loving, historically accurate builds here though, the thinking was to put some deep cheap wheels on it and whatever else was required to get it running.

However there were two bidders who were each willing to pay more than we were so good luck to them. I'd like to know what happens to it though. I used to race with David Browne, son of Ian. It is possible that Ian may know more of the provenance of this bike.

Cheers,

Cameron

[WyvernRH]

Ah, wasn't me, too far away...
Richard

[hiflange]

Dunsborough WA seller has a Mercian King of Mercia and a panto'ed Kenevans up they both look pretty decent. If you're tall

[morini]

and he says he might split the frame and the groupset on the Ken Evans.

[munga]

Check out this wacky bike. It crosses a number of decades and component levels and is only $3250.00.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-road ... 419a493476" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"I have rebuilt the bike to a high standard", and then didn't trim any of the cables .

is it a legnano?

[singlespeedscott]

Dunsborough WA seller has a Mercian King of Mercia and a panto'ed Kenevans up they both look pretty decent. If you're tall

They look nice. Looking at his seatposts they must be a little to big for him. They look a little to small for me

[ldrcycles]

Check out this wacky bike. It crosses a number of decades and component levels and is only $3250.00.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-road ... 419a493476" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"I have rebuilt the bike to a high standard", and then didn't trim any of the cables .

is it a legnano?

Is the under top tube seatpost clamp bolt a sign for that? My first thought was MBK?

[morini]

Good spotting Munga. Maybe it is? Did any of E. Bozzi & Co's Frejus frames have that as well?

At the current price he knows something but is it that frame or the Camgegnolo (sic) parts?

[ironhanglider]

and he says he might split the frame and the groupset on the Ken Evans.

Are they 8spd levers with a 9spd RD?

Cheers,

Cameron