Cyfac Piste Max

I recently bought a cyfac track frame in columbus max with (what I believe are) genius forks. The forks are original since they have the matching frame number embossed on the steerer. The frame has been through various hands: Originally it was blue and yellow, the next owner got it powdercoated in baby blue and the owner after that had the frame re-sprayed in green. Before the reapray, he also had the dings in the TT filled. Judging from the photos of the repair prior to the re-spray, it looks like a good job. He then sold the frame to another guy whom I bought it from. I had already considered buying it when it was still blue and a second time when the guy who had it sprayed in green offered it on facebook. So when the frame came back up again recently, I took the chance and pulled the trigger. Before I bought it, I contacted the two previous owners to enquire about the top tube dings and the re-sprays to make sure they were of a cosmetical nature and not to cover any damages.

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I received the frame a couple days ago and been thinking about build plans. I'm not a big fan of the green so atm my plan is to get it re-sprayed by a friend in fluro fades from pink to orange. I also want to get cyfac decals made in the same style as the original ones but probably in white with a black outline. @Tijs kindly photoshoped some fades on the bike to visualize my idea. It'll be pink to orange and not pink to yellow though.

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Yesterday I built up the frame with parts from the vanhaelen which I disassembled after a long, frustrating and unsuccessful attempt to find a french threaded bb which gives me the right chainline for iso taperer track cranks. I won't give it up though, it'll be built up again eventually. Anyway, I took it out for a quick spin with the parts bin build. The bar angle is to test the position with flat tops since it'll get compact bars. Excuse the shitty pics, took em on the way home from a friends place.

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Future build plans atm:

• deda piega 40cm
  
• Mavic 631 w Fyxo custom chainring in 1/8 that resembles the incredibly rare 1/8 mavic pista 130bcd
  
• KMC K710SL
  
• Searching for a 1/8 19t EAI cog, if you have one or see one, please let me know!
  
• Wheelset: Mavic 520hubs x Wolber GTX2 box section clinchers in anodized grey
  
• Saddle: A classic flite not the alpes which is currently on there
  
• BB: Campag centaur 111mm
  
• Will probably keep the stem, but it looks like it has a little crack in the top cap. In the long run, a ti finishing kit would be nice
  
• Seatpost: not sure, must be long since the frame is 52c-c and I usually ride 55 for track bikes, possibly zero setback, will have to see what the position is like with the compact drops
  
• I'll probably wrap the flite and the bars in alcantara
  
• Conti tyres
  
  

That's it so far :)

I also enquired orlowski and rychtarski about drilled custom max forks with 35mm rake to run a brake without spoiling the geo. The whole project will probably be a slow burner so I have some more time to consider this option.

pink/orange fade should definitely look better than green, curious to see where this goes.
I might have some french threaded bb cups you could have for your Vanhaelen (love your purple stuff thread)

Ah very nice you ended up with this frame
Lovelly frame
And very underestimated the Cyfac brand

Cheers! I'm pretty excited, too :) What cups do you have? The main problem on the vanhaelen was the spindle, the cups were fine but I couldn't find an iso spindle with the right length that works with 1/8 ball bearings.

Thanks! I'm glad I finally pulled the trigger after passing twice in previous sales. I like the fact that cyfac is commonly little known despite its impressive racing heritage.
I already posted this in another cyfac thread:

although cyfac is not particularly famous, they were considered one of the best framebuilders in the late 80s & 90s. Cyfac built the 'Raleigh' Castorama Frames for Lauren Fignon and he's also the builder of the famous maxi sports frames. Quote from an article in cycling weekly: "By the early 2000s the company was, by its own estimation, supplying a third of the professional peloton. Peugeot, Gitane, Carrera, Fondriest, Decathlon, MBK, Hinault, Wilier and Look bikes had all come from the factory in La Fuye."

Trés beau velo!

French threaded bb is a pain in the ass though-Hillary Stone might have some cups or BB's if you need but he's generally not very cheap ;(

I usually ride 55 for track bikes,

If only someone was selling a 55cm Cyfac Tark frame...

Zeus might be a good option for french threaded square taper. Ill keep my eyes peeled for you if you want?

Merci! Well, it wasn't for sale when i bought this... Would be cool to buy yours, paint them in the same colour and make a matching sprint/pursuit double project. Mine has a very low front end, the top tube is 54 so should be roughly the same as yours, if I don't like the set-up with the drop bars I'll get some mavic pursuit bars and extensions.

Cheers, that would be cool, although I'm not in a hurry. There is a french threaded campa victory bb with 111mm spindle on ebay which would tick all the boxes but it's 50€ and I didn't feel like spending that much on a 100€ frame and also because I'm saving up money for the cyfac build.

Will have to look through some stuff, recently got some old bb parts in, will let you know. What spindle length are you after?

Cheers! Ideally 111mm iso tapered which gives me a 43mm chainline since 42mm might cause chainring clearance issues.

found a set of french threaded cups (35x1, right?)with a matching axle, it's 116 mm though (not sure if iso or jis either, can upload a pic if you want)
edit: it's a shimano spindle, so I'd guess it's jis. Also found a miche 114mm one if you want.

Yap 35x1, thanks for your efforts unfortunately 116mm won't work regardless whether it's jis or iso :( 114mm iso is still 2.5mm off. Is the miche bb also french threaded?

miche cups are ita, sorry.

No worries, thanks for your efforts :)

The forks are original since they have the matching frame number embossed on the steerer

Funny you should say this - I noticed recently after dropping a mismatched frame and fork off to be sandblasted that they came back with matching frame numbers on bottom bracket / steerer. Seeing as the frame is MKM and the forks are Olmo I doubt very much that its just a coincidence !

Not saying it's the case with yours just food for thought :)

Well that's a bit odd, do the forks and the frame have olmo/mkm pantos? For custom builders like cyfac it was common to mix and match tubesets and given that the forks were already on the frame when it had the original livery, I wasn't surprised that they matched the frame despite the different tubing.

No pantos, bought from different forumers. I have a feeling they stamped the steerer for ease of matching them together again when they came back from the blasters, as they do it in batches

So you think the blasters embossed the frame number on the forks?

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And some details:

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