Eddie McGrath Track

First off spoke calculation. Out with the vernier to get some measurements to throw into the DT Swiss spoke calculator...

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DT Swiss competition spokes acquired for the front and it is lace up time. First one side...

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Then the other. I've gone for a traditional x3 lacing plan and I think they'll look quite smart. Quite impressed by the stiffness of the Halos. I think they'll tension up better than open pro's.
So one wheel laced ready for tensioning and another to go, but that can wait for another night.

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Both wheels now trued and tensioned so just a matter of rim tapes, tubes and tyres. One thing I do need are some axle nuts. Campagnolo ones are eye wateringly expensive for what they are so any alternatives? I know I can get Miche ones but if anyone can think of any others?

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Wheels finished and slotted into frameset. Quite pleased with the outcome, traditional polished silver looks good against the metallic red frame

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Next issue is the seat post. One that came with the bike is waaay too short. A longer 400mm from Tredz has been ordered. Might seem like overkill but I’m very long in the leg and want plenty of post in.

One final point. I priced up some Campagnolo axle nuts... forty quid! I don’t think that represents particularly good vfm unless the forum knows different?

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My brother has a McGrath track frame, really nice, has the extended seatpost feature also.

Very interesting. Does he know who built them for McGraths? Would love to see a piccy if possible

Not sure who built them. I’ll get him to get a photo. After he had it the next one I saw of his was that ‘spy’ Gareth Williams that was found dead in a Bath in a bag years back. A keen cyclist and these photo did the rounds in the media 😕

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That is Reynolds 753 so would have been a good builder to allow them to use that tubing. My brothers is SLX new.

Thanks @Simpson that's interesting stuff. Yes i remember "man in a bag". Not sure what the tubeset of mine is. Where you see the tubeset sticker in the Gareth Williams picture above is an Eddie McGrath dealer address sticker on mine. The frame is in very good Nick and there is no evidence of a sticker removal anywhere. I might try the shop itself to see if there are any records.

So having quite long legs I decided there would not be enough seatpost on the one that came with the bike. Out with the vernier and the trusty 27.2mm was established as being the right diameter. A quick google showed a good value 400mm item available at everyone’s favourite...Tredz, which duly arrived today...

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I’ve popped an old spesh toupe saddle on and having done some measuring on my Merckx pista determined I needed a saddle top to bb centre of 87.5cm with 165mm cranks. Having duly inserted I suspect the frame may be about an inch or so too small and really better off with a 6.0’ to 6’.2” rider...

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On the plus side I have plenty of seatpost in the frame so I’m not worried about damage. I estimate it comes down to the top “E” of Eddie...

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In other news every day is a school day. Of course no other company on God’s earth makes 9 mm 26tpi track nuts except Campagnolo. So it looks like I will have to bite the bullet and buy some. Anyone looking to sell a set please hit me up. In the meantime I have some dura ace magic open pro’s I can slot in.

So there we are at the moment. I will finish the build as it is a beautiful bike but anyone who is interested in the frame set (seat tube c-c 58cm top tube c-c 56.5cm) drop me a dm If you want me to let you know if I’m parting with it.

Lovely build and frame. From that original post saying that it's a 63cm seatpost I thought you'd hit the tall rider jackpot! It's interesting to see the seat tube rise that high above the top tube. The c-c measurements came up a lot smaller than I expected after reading through the thread.

Very familiar with seeing that much seatpost. How tall are you?

lovely. Ive gone with exactly the same colors on my new build. Oily seatpost on carpet is a look.

Yes, wife stuck in UK me in the Isle of Man...living the bachelor life!

Just caught up with this thread in one go, was waiting for the denouement on track nuts when you discovered you didn’t have a choice, but was surprised by the “man in a bag” plot twist.

Beautiful looking frame and build, good work.

wow, what a big beautiful frameset! think this would fit me perfectly, my centre-bb-to-top-of-saddle height is around 83cm-ish. Shame bout the axle nuts ! I once went to Cicli Berlinetta for the same issue, they wanted 25,- for a single nut - nutz! I didn't bought any.

It is a lovely frame Jonti but the c-c is not high enough meaning the head tube is in the short side for my 6’5” body. I’m probably too old for such a radical seat to bar drop these days but I haven’t tried it yet

Thanks Andy I now realise Campagnolo Tifosi had stocked up on popcorn waiting for this to unfold. FML I am going to be buried with these tracknuts when I die. I’m sure I’ll need a set in the afterlife

Thanks HK .Yes as I say probably more sized for someone about 3-5 inches shorter than me

Same height as me. What frame size do you normally go for?