I’ve just started riding fixed and in the velodrome, so am looking for a new bike. I was at a bike shop today they had a steel hillbrick (pearl white), with miche primato cranks, cinelli stem (crazy looks machined from billet, not my cup of tea though;) with campag pista singles for $1500 (I’m told wheel price). This sounds like a good deal, can someone confirm this (and my ignorance;). Is this a suitable bike to use for the boards only or should I look at something else?
secondly: does the Hillbrick look like a custom jobbie or an ‘off the shelf’ production frame? Is it a second hand bike? What is the size?
I owned a Hillbrick ‘off the shelf’ white (taiwanese) steel frames (one of their entry level models) and found it a great frame for track. The Campag Pista Singles (if they’re new) reatil for about $800.00 (the fix nazi’s will give you the correct price, Mikey or Nick?). So for 1500.00 bux that’s is still pretty pricey for what you’re getting. Miche cranks are fine if you’re beginning, but the funcky BCD will make finding front rings a little challenging. Have you considered the Hillbrick entry frame, Avanti Pista, Felt TK2 (Nath has one of those), Raceline ‘thingy’. All those frames are are in that round ‘a’ bout pricing.
So for boards work the bike will be fine, but there are cheaper options for starting out track riders.
I’m not sure of the size, it fits me, so I’m guessing its ~52cm. I assume it is an off the shelf frame, it has an ovalised top tube. It is brand new, as are the wheels.
The other bikes I’m considering are Fuji track pro, avanti pista pro, hillbrick ryan bailley and langster comp (if I can find a 52cm 07 for a cheap price).
If the bike fits, that’s half the battle over. The frame sounds like the one I used to own, the Hillbrick entry level model used to be steel, before they introduced their Ryan Bailey sig model (Alloy). I have no experience with the wheels unfortunately.
At this point of the year, a lot of bike stores are trying to get rid of their 07 stuff to make way for the 08 shit (which looks strangely like last years shit). Have you ‘shopped’ around?
I must say, this is weird I have been reading this forum without posting for a few months like a voyeuristic sicko
I haven’t shopped around too much, my LBS doesn’t stock any track bikes usually but can order some in, hence he doesn’t get the usual discount that he can then pass on to me:( Another bike shop I deal with stock avanti and specialized. I saw a langster comp for $999 but missed my size by a day. I live in WA so there isn’t a great selection of shops over here that do track bikes hence price tends to be rrp, would I be better getting something from over east? Le tour said they would ship a bike over for $40 which makes it worthwhile if they tend to be cheaper.
Are they ‘Sheriff Star’ campag hubs? What are the rims (or are they are modern pre-built wheelset?) Sheriff Stars are (allegedly) the business, but really - a nice new set of modern hubs is likely to roll pretty well too… The Campy hubs do look cool however! Have seen them sell for exxy prices… USD$600+ for hubs only (and the rest, I’m being conservative as I can’t quite remember the true silliness that the hub prices have gone up to on US ebay- it’s more than I’d pay, that’s for sure…!)
Seems like a pretty cheap shipping quote - at that price, they’d be absorbing some of the actual cost to make the sale to you.
Something about The S-Star ones being the ‘best that were ever made’… Honestly I reckon it’s more to do with an aesthetic thing- they look hot, simple as that.
Oh, and you can’t buy them anymore = collectible.
