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@polybikeuser
I originally bought this to build up as my track bike, but then realised it was going to be too big for me, so was going to build it up for my brother, but he wants something newer and lighter, rather than classic, so going to build up the Fort with a carbon fork. I'm having a bit of a clear out, but also need to raise funds to purchase a piece of exotica from Roberto, so this needs to go. Thought I'd offer it here first before stripping to put on eBay.
It's a lugged steel frame, I'm fairly sure made of 531, it's not heavy, but not featherlight enough to be made of something more exotic. I've not been able to find anything out about Bob Weston, but it's a beautifully built frame. Both the seat tube and top tube are 55cm centre to centre. Neither the fork crown or the rear brake bridge are drilled for a brake, it's a genuine track bike. It takes a 26.8mm seat post. The rear dropouts are stamped Gipiemme, the fork dropouts are stamped Campagnolo, both are "plug in" type rather than slot ins and both are nicely chromed. Worst aspect of the frame is that the paint is pretty badly chipped in places, especially on the rear seat stays and the fork blades, if I was keeping it I'd have got it resprayed, but you may just see it as part of its aging patina. No rust at the moment, but with this many chips in the paintwork rust will at some point become a problem.
Bike is fitted with a Gipiemme track headset, Ambrosio adjustable track stem and no name bars. The track stem is pretty battered, but works fine and these are sufficiently scarce that even in this condition their desireable. Wheels are tubulars, large flange 32 hole Campagnolo hubs laced to Mavic GP4 rims. The tubs fitted are perished, but have I have a pair of new, boxed, ones you could have for £20 the pair. The front hub has a hollow axle and quick release instead of a solid axle and track nuts, great for transporting the bike between meets, but I realise this might not appeal to the purists. I have a set of pretty good 28 hole Gipiemme track hubs and NOS 28 hole tubular rims that I was going to build up into a set of wheels for this that if the buyer preferred I'd substitute for the Campagnolo wheels.
The chainset is a 144 BCD, single speed, Campagnolo chainset, with 165mm crank arms. I hestitate to call it a track chainset as it's stamped Strada, not Pista. It is definitely a single chainset, not a double with one set of shoulders machined off. Someone told me, sometimes Campagnolo stamped track chainsets Strada, someone else told me this was rubbish, but that in the 80s Campagnolo briefly sold their track chainset as a BMX chainset and that this was stamped Strada. I don't know what the truth of the matter is. It's fitted with original Campag chainring nuts and dust caps and fitted to a Campagnolo track BB. I have a variety of Campag chain rings and track cogs, so will try and furnish the buyer with whatever combination they desire. The Cinelli Unicantor saddle would have been a real find if it was in better shape, but is in reality in quite poor shape. Not sure if anyone would want to use it without getting in recovered and note sure how doable/worthwhile this would be, so not pretending I'm doing anyone any great favours by including it. Sorry for the long description and sorry it it reads like an eBay listing, but that's where this'll go if no-one here's interested. Also hope that posting so many pictures isn't breaking any etiquette.
I'm looking for £275 for the frame, forks, headset, seatpost and saddle,
or
£360 for the frame, forks, headset, seatpost, saddle, cranks, BB and chain,
or
£425 for the frame, forks, headset, seatpost, saddle, cranks, BB, chain and wheels,
or
£460 for the frame, forks, headset, seatpost, saddle, cranks, BB, chain, wheels, adjustable track stem and bars. I realise these aren't bargain basement prices, but I think they're fair and like I said I'm raising funds to buy a piece of exotica from Roberto. I also have a Gipiemme Lo-Pro frame that I'd consider offers on, couple of picture below, I'm not desperate to sell this but will sell if I get a tempting offer, frame would come with the 650c front wheel, but not the gear shifters or the 700c rear, which I just stuck on to take the picture.