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I could be wrong, but the track frame looks like a 1970s Charlie Roberts senior frame. (I have a couple of his '70s track builds with similar features.) It has the straight seat stays typical of his builds, designed for six-day riders. It also has a '70s-style fork crown. The 531 stickers will be non-original, but the rest of the paint could be.

Nice seat cluster on the 753.

The Langster Pro was indeed more track orientated (well, more Redhook, but a few people used them on the track). Not as aggressive as many full-on track bikes.

I've seen a couple of people on Langsters on the track. Strictly speaking, you're meant to tape over any braze-ons before using it on the boards. I'm not sure what the geometry is like. BB drop is important. I prefer 50mm drop and wouldn't ride anything with more than 55mm drop

Personally I'd wait for a different bike.

Reminds me of Obree's setup in 1989

Such an amazing frameset. Not only is it an MXL pista, it's a 90's high-pro. Oh, and it's got Backstedt's name on it.

Thanks Tom. I got Geoff Roberts to stick new dropouts on the Ron Cooper and track the frame. Enjoying tinkering slowly with many, many projects.

I saw that AC-3 in the flesh. Hot as hell and light as a kite.

Just found this thread after your comments on another. Awesome project and a cracking name. Did you ride Saffron Lane? I have some great memories from there. The rattling and weathered boards did scare me a bit, though.

Thanks. Having lusted after beautiful track bikes for 38+ years, I know what I like by now. I've also collected a few nice bits and pieces. Gotta love steel pista.

Here's my Omega, owned from new in 1999. 631. Blue, brown and white cos I was in the De Laune CC.

I used all the parts from my previous track bike. This is also due a rebuild with some sexier period parts.

Looks lovely: nicely understated. Very upright position. Fine if you're used to it. I have found that having my saddle a long way forward does make handling on a 250m track twitchier. Derby's a nice balance track, other than the strange undulations.

Makino build now slowed as a previous owner had bodged an NJS crown race and ISO headset together, which damaged the fork a little.

59 and 62 c/t. The 59 is in the Raleigh Panasonic team colours. Raleigh Weinmann also rode the same colours.

Where are all the long-legged peeps with good taste in steel?

Two Raleighs I'm also building up. Top is a 1984 with a Zeus 2001 fork crown. Bottom is a 1986 Service des Courses SBDU - too big for me, unfortunately, but I'll make it work for a while before letting it go to someone taller.

I went up today and bought a bike. Welwyn Wheelers have a great set-up. It was fantastic seeing lots of volunteers and coaches helping youngsters get into cycling - even in the pouring rain everyone is dedicated to the cause.

If you feel like you're getting a bargain off them, why not give them a little more cash for your bike? I did. It's going to a good cause, after all.

Proper street machine. Love that fork crown.

Also, is anyone good at interpreting NJS frameset numbers?

My Makino's frame number is 0812 358, which I presume makes it December 2008, right? Or is it a Japanese date in disguise?

The Samson is 80913. I can only guess that this is Heisei 8, which is 1996.

I heard that there is a website where you can look up the year and spec of each Samson frame, but I've not been able to find it.

I'd say the Rourke is one of those '90s funny bikes that did away with the negative-sloping top tube and had a loooong seatpost instead. Back in the day we would have called it a lo pro.

For anyone interested in buying, go off the top-tube measurement. For comparison, my 650/700 track lo pro has a 52cm horizontal top tube and I like a 57cm top tube on my normal bikes.

@flash, nice Paginton btw.

Any 120-140mm Nitto stems out there for an NJS build? Ideally 25.4, but 26.0 would also do. Technomic, Dynamic, NJ Pro, Pearl etc. Thanks!

I agree. Even for a Nuovo Mexico with non-fluted cranks and the gen-3 brakes I think it'll struggle to make that. Lovely bike for someone, though.

I've stuck pics of my Samson on the NJS thread here.

Keeping this thread alive with some pics of my Samson. I bought it from @willdman a few months ago.

I've only changed the bars and saddle so far. More changes still to come. It's a gorgeous ride.

Classy

Thanks chaps.

A couple of the projects waiting in the background:

A 1977 Rondinella, as previously owned by @mashton, @dammit and @user71093. This is a great, tight ride. I plan a mix of Japanese and Italian for this.

A late '90s (?) Makino with a few war wounds. Kaisei tubing. Lots of NJS going on it without it being a pure build. A steel Nitto Jaguar stem will feature.

I've got lots of track builds on the go. I'm starting this thread to give me a kick up the backside to finish them off.

Anyway, for starters, here's my '70s chrome Geoffrey Butler. Had this a few years. I raced it at the 2018 Herne Hill Revival meeting. Geoff Roberts confirmed it as one that his dad, Charlie (Chas) Roberts senior built. Columbus PS and mainly Record Pista. I've just put the Cinelli steel bars and mod. 3 stem on.