Anthony La Paglia’s Trackshark

Hey, yeah thanks for the input, think that may be what I’m trying to subconsciously achieve with the wheel switch as well

I have found the Pirellis, they are actually P Zero Velo 4S, but one is more worn than I remembered as it has sort of gone to a flat shape in the centre of the tread and they both have a few small cuts, but nothing too scary. Obviously not worth it to send me the Rubinos in exchange for these, but as I said maybe worth trying for cheap as they may not fit under the fork crown which looks tight in your pictures.
I do also have some Vittoria Corsa Graphene 2+ in 28 in pretty good shape, no noticeable wear and just a couple of small cuts on one of them, you are welcome to those if you prefer. I have a couple of fat inner tubes I’m never likely to use again as well although the Corsas can be tubeless. Take your pick between the tyres or you can have them all if you like and see which you prefer the look/feel of. Either way give me a PM with your choice (and address) and I’ll pop the selection in the post.
I do already have two bikes running 25c, Rubino Pro and Corsa and like them both. I just don’t seem to get on with 28c as they make me feel I’m riding a MTB!
Yes, I have the black Super Pista and thanks! I am a fan of subtle colour coordination if you can call it that, so I don’t have Celeste all over my Bianchi with the Celeste frame I have the saddle and bar tape in red haha.I like to think the Pista gets away with it as the frame is mostly black. I think the Track Shark would look even better with that pink tape and also draw the eye to make it longer and sleeker (maybe!). Not sure the wheels from the Rossin would make it look much different TBH and love the Rossin as well. BTW what size is the chainring on that, it looks huge in that pic? If it was me, I’d have a black saddle, but really it looks good with the white one and one thing is obvious and that’s that everyone has their own preferred look so go with it.

I should also have said thanks for sharing this project and keeping it updated as it’s so interesting!

That would be fantastic, I’ll pm you my details and please let me at least cover postage costs on the pirellis! Had a read and I think the corsas sit a little wider than specified so think they’re going to be too big and a bit of a waste for you to send up, sure if you put them in the classifieds for a reasonable asking price they’d disappear pretty quickly! Know exactly what you mean about the wide tyres, with the original fork I had to put a 20c on the front of the rossin so even 25 felt huge, never mind when I got the steamroller!
Yeah you’ve put together a really lovely build there, is your celeste Bianchi a road bike rather than track?

Haha I’m so tempted that I’ll probably at least wrap the bars with the pink just to try it out and see. Might be a couple weeks until I can be arsed doing that but if I do I’ll definitely get a picture loaded up to hear people’s views on it!

Haha yeah that’s a monster isn’t it?! It’s a 57! Need to size down really, or look at a larger cog so it’s more fun getting up these hills around here.

PM sent.
I think you're right about the Corsas they look pretty fat to me, even the 25s and yeh I may offer the 28s for sale.

Thanks I really like the Pista and have used it much more than I expected to and keep looking at more stuff like Ellipses and aero seatposts etc (reign me in someone...). The Pista is the only track bike I have or have ever had. I do have a fixed Roberts conversion and rode my mother's Claud Butler fixed when I was a teenager. The Celeste Bianchi is an Infinito road bike which was intended to replace my Bianchi 1885, but somehow kind of didn't haha.

I really think the pink tape would look great seeing how the green breaks it all up so just do it please and obv post up some pics!

Blimey didn't think it was that huge, you been talking to Sean Yates or something? Not surprised you're thinking of gearing down, I have enough to do on what passes for hills around here on the 48x18 of the Pista! Do you race on track at all? I never have despite living near Hearne Hill for years (not now) I have done many evening TTs on the old Eastway, but not quite the same thing.

Swapped the wheels over with the rossin to see. Think I might stick with this, the rossin looks a little fancier and would rather those profile racing hubs weren’t out in the weather too much. Got pink bar tape through but still to mess around with that and a black saddle, thinking maybe a flite if the pink tape works?

2 Attachments

So I got some pink bar tape just because I was intrigued.. excuse the mess of it, I’ve just run it quickly over the white tape to see.
It was way too much with the white saddle!
However, with the black saddle it’s kind of too much, but in a way that I’m not really angry at..?
Stole the regal saddle it came with just to try but thinking of grabbing the max flite off my steamroller if I stick with this and have a spare set of black straps to tie that in too..?

I think the white saddle and tape probably suits it better, but is that too predictable for a frame like this?
I also swear I’ve seen a pink concor before!

2 Attachments

Definitely looks better with black saddle; I would go for black bar tape as well.

I think that looks great with the pink tape and black saddle, I'd keep it like that, but I'm not you.

See I thought the same, and when it was shipped to me it did have black tape, but don’t know if that just makes it a bit flat or uninspired? It’s such a fun frame, both in terms of colour and how it rides and kind of want to reflect that if I can..? That and I generally try to squeeze some pink on a build when I’m able..

@fc cheers! Haha I think I might! I’ve got a couple saddles kicking about if I remember right so going to steal the flite off another bike for this and then dig something else out for that. I like the look of the smaller saddle on this frame. I love concors and have used them on a bunch of different builds, but sometimes them and rolls saddles can feel a bit like the orthopaedic shoes of the saddle world when they look so heavy on a thin frame..?

Needs this!
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebar-tape-grips/velox-cotton-cloth-adhesive-handlebar-tape-black/

Yeah could look good but reckon I’d need something with a bit more padding than that unfortunately.. haha with the roads up here I’ll have rattled out my remaining teeth by the end of the week

So I think I’m team pink tape black saddle after fitting the tape properly! Question now is, which saddle? I thought the flite would work better at first but looking at it, and even after my orthopaedic shoe shit talking, I think I prefer the concor?

4 Attachments

Concor for me definitely.

I think so too, hides all the seatpost gubbins so just looks a little cleaner?

As much as I love a Flite, it looks like Squidward with a sad nose on such a tall bike. Don't quote me on that tho. The Concor looks much more elegant on this.

No. The answer is always flite. Big fan of the black saddle/pink tape btw!

Concor.

You need to lose the bent post. I’m on a one-man mission to eradicate all of them!

I love a Flite and this application is no exception imo of course! Pink tape is certainly a win though...

Not a fan of the bent seat post either as the subject has been brought up... Soz

Either saddle is fine

Bendy post is hurting me

@Jonny69 @fc I completely agree!! Currently saving up for scaffolding so can’t really purchase any new parts for it right now.. any suggestions of a straight post with a decent setback at the top? Although I hate the bend the riding position is really comfy!

@vpCogworks @SideshowBob @russmeyer having had a wee go on both I’ve left the concor on so think that’s going to be it for now on the saddle and pretty happy with that. With all the shuffling I think the regal saddle might end up on the rossin..?

Glad the pink tape is going down well, I really like it

I think you've nailed it with black saddle & pink bar tape.
Chain needs to go though!

Cheers bud, are you not a fan of the wee bean chain? Think I’ve got an Izumi chain kicking about somewhere but I kind of like it?

Nah, never been a fan; needs a super toughness!

any suggestions of a straight post with a decent setback at the top?

A kalloy uno. Just acetone the logos off. £10 here