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Keep an eye out for Planet X Koichi Sans. They're an open mould frame that's based on a Cervelo T3 and you see them with all kinds of different brand names on. They pop up relatively cheaply every once in a while and are absolutely banging frames for the money.
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TOR is TT/pursuit geometry: long and low with a slack head tube. It's also a lot flexier than a pro carbon (had both). People do seem to weirdly overprice them as well (wouldn't pay more than £300 for one tbh). Pro Carbons are famously flexy as well, but the geo is excellent, and unless you're putting out a shitload of watts, you may not notice it anyway.
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Used to be a big crossover with track frames to the fixie/commuter market as well. That's not really there anymore, so could be why they've all stopped?
On a related noted, have Planet X thrown in the towel as well? Can't see any track bikes, frames or wheels on their site...
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They're way less flexy than the HHV Fujis if that helps? Planet Xs are pretty ubiquitous, so if you're unsure, you could just ask someone at the track for a go?
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It'd be a tiny amount slower, you could probably find a measurable difference, but aerodynamics would probably be a bigger factor, so you couldn't be sure (we're talking like a hundredth of a second in flying 200 here - doesn't sound like much, but those hundredths are hard won for true sprinters!)
Personally, I'd go for it over a hire bike - the geometry is so much better. They may be flexy, but they're great value starter bikes. Those Condors are so upright they may as well be Dutch city bikes 😅
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Had a couple, and I'm about the same height (and was the same weight 😂) as you.
Yes, they're flexy. That being said, realistically, how much power are you putting out? If you're a 1600w+ sprinter, you'll notice it, if you're a regular human in the 1000-1200w range, if you're not winning races, it won't be the bike flexing that's the problem. There have been plenty of people riding them at national level in the past in endurance events.
Don't really think I can answer about the sizing question, as that's such a personal thing, but that being said, 59cm track frames are really hard to come by unless you want a 220mm headtube, so you may end up having to pay for a high end frame if that's what you want. Only affordable option out there I can think of would be an XL Hoy Fiorenzuola, but those are SUPER rare, unfortunately (such a shame as they're incredible frames for the money!) Those are even longer than the DF4 though, with 538mm reach (60cm TT).
If you're not so fussed about the smaller sizing, the Felt TK2/3s are pretty much exactly the same geo as the Planet X and way, way, waaaay stiffer. And they go for a song second hand, which is nice! Bought one a couple of months ago, and it's easily as stiff (if not stiffer) than my Pinarello!
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There are plenty of Chinese 3t Scatto-alikes on the market at places like AliExpress. Same dims - 89mm reach, 148mm drop (for 36cm only, mind - narrower and that drop goes to 120mm). I got a second hand set for £50. Decent bars and really stiff.
Other than that, you're looking at Alpinas. They pop up regularly on the Facebook track classifieds group around the £100 mark.
If you don't mind a shim, I've got a set of 36cm Nitto B125s you can have (150mm drop)? Shim's superglued on and other than that they're only used once.
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Ex-cycling photographer here! Accreditation isn't really necessary unless he wants finish line/celebration shots tbh, and those are hardly portfolio material. He'll also be able to drive on the route in advance anyway because it's a rolling road closure for ToB rather than a full closure. Unlikely he'd get accreditation without shooting for a specific outlet, but a quick google gives you this:https://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/about/press/
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I can understand it making people nervous, but I'm not sure they really understand why that case was successful. It was caused by the tyres, no doubt, but if the current guidance (no dual compound, vinegar/isopropyl alcohol etc) was adhered to, that poor guy would still be alive and no-one would have gotten sued.
Case hinged on the publishing date of that current guidance. It was published after the accident and the velodrome's defence was "there was no guidance, so we couldn't have been negligent in its absence." Reason the case was successful was they managed to dig up an article on the BC site, published before the accident, which proved proved they already knew the tyres to be dangerous, with or without the guidance. Guessing that's why it took 7 years tbh!
Do understand the need for caution (very scary, very dangerous) but in regards to that specific case, that window for litigation has been closed for years, so long as people enforce their own regs.
DM'd!