Vintage Track Bikes

[jeff424]

New to the forum so hullo everybody. I did a lot of track and road racing as a kid as a member of Dulwich Hill and Bankstown Sports. I also returned as a Veteran and did another 10 years road racing. Unfortunately now, the mind is able but the body is weak.

My Father is a bit of a hoader and he still has some interesting gear. I found today an old Ferretti track bike. Old Dad bought it from Turrini, the Italian Champion on one of his tours to Australia. I rode it for a couple of years before I became too big for it. The bike is mostly complete and is in reasonable condition, given its age.

I also found a track tandem that I rode in the NSW State Championships in the very early 70's at Wiley Park. It has the brand name "Jack Taylor" and has 1" pitch chainwheels etc. According to an online search, it was made in 1965. Dad, who is in his 80's has finally decided it is time to sell. Is therr much of a market for this type of equipment?

[LoveMiyata]

Welcome!

I'd definitely be interested in the Ferretti track bike if you do want to sell! Depending of coarse on the size and price etc... been chasing a nice track bike I can restore and ride for a while!

Would love to see some photos!

The tandem sounds great aswell!!

[LoveMiyata]

......out of curiosity.... any dura ace 7402 road cranks by any chance????

[GaryF]

I would bet that there would be quite a bit of interest in your old bikes especially with the history that comes with them. There's no one to pass them down to is there?

[munga]

hi jeff. this week, you're going to get about 40,000 people asking you to sell for less than they're probably worth.
ignore them.
take mr fountain's advice, and pass them down to someone who can keep the stories too. they're arguably worth as much as the bikes.

[jeff424]

Thank you for the replies. I keep coming across lots of stuff but no Dura Ace. The Ferretti is a small frame. Tirruni was a relatively short man and I grew out of the frame. The frame I went to was 21" and I reckon the Ferretti would be about 19.5". I will measure it when I can.

I would like to pass the stuff on, but I am downsizing and the kids think the stuff should be at the tip. If they want to go track racing, they just get an app and challenge their friends online.

I have also found a bike that is branded "Carbine". Old Dad reckons it was his father's bike. Anybody know anything about this one?

There is also a road frame that was built by Bruce Opperman for Dad in the late 60's. Bruce was an old friend who raced against Dad at the Sports Arena. I doubt if it has ever been ridden.

[HLC]

Take some pictures of the frames and other gear and post it up. I get off over steel track frames and love riding them and generally just buy anything that tickles my fancy ha ha!!

Whatever you do don't take this stuff to the tip! If you decide to sell you may not make a great deal of cash from it, but there will be plenty of hoarders etc who will take it off your hands to ride/hang on the wall!

[lunar_c]

hi jeff. this week, you're going to get about 40,000 people asking you to sell for less than they're probably worth.
ignore them.
take mr fountain's advice, and pass them down to someone who can keep the stories too. they're arguably worth as much as the bikes.

+1 to that.. once they're gone, that's a sizeable chunk of you and your fathers history gone my friend. That'd be a damn shame.

If the mind is willing why don't you restore them? I find it's almost as enjoyable as riding them.. and when they're shiny and new looking maybe the kids will re-think their harsh judgements!

[silverlight]

Hi Jeff
Looking forward seeing pictures, especially Carbine etc. and the Jack Taylor sounds great.
Happy to help with information you may have,

SL

[brentono]

Hi Jeff
Welcome. I rode Wiley Park at the Aussies in 1970 as a Junior from W.A.
- we stayed at the "Three Swallows Hotel" at Bankstown.
Raced Turrini at the Worlds. Like to hear your price on the Frame.
Cheers
BrentonO

Is this the blue frame here (in the first photo) the one you have? (maybe the Frame was a Paletti?)



Here's a mid '70's look at Giordano Turrini.

[scratchman]

love to see photos, and if they are in good nick, don't repaint, keep them original.
any how, pics please, we love to see em.

[feelthewheel]

Ignore your kid's advice about the tip! Preserve it all and sell to those truly interested in preserving our vintage cycling (and your) history Munga's correct about the buyers trying to get a bargain (don't we all love one?), but don't buckle. A fair price helps everyone. Good luck finding appreciative homes!

[jeff424]

The blue bike looks the same and it is definately a Ferretti. The picture was taken at Camperdown and I was there that day, riding as an A grade Juvenile. You may notice that the name on the frame is covered up, as I think Turrini may have changed teams by then.

I remember an open meeting at Lidcombe Oval. During the warm up, Turruni rode up to me and said "thatsa my bike".

Sorry that I have not put any pictures up, but I have a lousy pre-paid internet connection. I'll post piccies and maybe even a high def video on youtube.

[HappyHumber]

If they want to go track racing, they just get an app and challenge their friends online.

Hahah.. classic!

[dayne]

Theres plenty of young track racers and collectors out there like my self,
Im 30 and have two Llewellyn's
two tommasini's a Harry Quinn ridden by Kenrick Tucker in the 79 worlds
A Frezoni track and a cecil walker.
The thing is selling them, The best and fairest way is ebay other wise Take some photos email them to me and ill post them up for you if you like.
These bikes should go to a good home and i think they will if sold on here.

[brentono]

The blue bike looks the same and it is definately a Ferretti. The picture was taken at Camperdown and I was there that day, riding as an A grade Juvenile. You may notice that the name on the frame is covered up, as I think Turrini may have changed teams by then.

No worries, Jeff. Just some info, and as you say the name was covered.
FME. In those days it was just stickers, and the bike underneath could be anything.
In the photo, Gordy was probably on his own frame, stickered as a Carlton, my guess.
It wasn't about the bike, it was the RIDER... and in comps, as you probably know,
you wouldn't even look at their bike. It's such a modern thing.
My own experience, had a commisioned Track & Road frame built in Paris, by a private
builder, who built for most of the World Champs in the 1970's, and who you had to be
referred to, as I was by the World Sprint Champion, at the time. Didn't even get them decaled.
And to help with your identification, Italian pro team Ferretti operated from 1969-1972
and their team colours were the dark/light blue, and from my understanding the frames
for the team were built by De Rosa. Hope that gives you a bit more info.
Cheers

[BRLVR.v2]

Put them up on ebay, and be willing to box, for a buyer to arrange shipping at their cost.

it will then be highlighted on Fixed.org in the members marketplace, and you will have serious interest from hardcore track tragics.

Sit back and watch the bids fly. Be sure to list with full history/back story in your listing.

[ldrcycles]

Jeff, i just want to say, please stick around the forums, it sounds like you have plenty of stories to tell (like BrentonO and others) and i for one LOVE to hear them! .

[jeff424]

Brentono

Thanks for the information. I do know it was a great bike to ride. Very stable and handled like a dream.

I have a Legnano road bike that I got in the early 70's, again an Italian frame. This is a great unit and has done by my reckoning, in excess of 50000 klms. It originally was a metallic light limey green and about 15 years ago I had it repainted Italia Red, of course. In all this time, I have had to replace only the Zeus gearset and the cranks. One of the Campag cranks gave way during a sprint( I must have kicked too hard) and spat the pedal off. It came very close to being very ugly. The crank cracked below the thread for the pedal. I replaced the Capag stuff with some very nice Sugino gear. Not surprisingly, this bike will not be sold. I think I'll be buried on it, with my bottom glued to the saddle.

[LoveMiyata]

Put them up on ebay, and be willing to box, for a buyer to arrange shipping at their cost.

it will then be highlighted on Fixed.org in the members marketplace, and you will have serious interest from hardcore track tragics.

Sit back and watch the bids fly. Be sure to list with full history/back story in your listing.

If you want to get the most amount of money for your bike and bury it through ebay then thats the way to go but I bet you that it would most likely be baught by some fixie rider destroying the bike on the streets! If its about the money and not the bike then ebay is the way to go! In my opinion that is... and no offence intended towards fixie riders...

[LoveMiyata]

I am actually curious though... the Ferretti frame is too small for me... you dont have any 53-55cm track frames you want to get rid of?

[jeff424]

I have a Bruce Opperman frame. It is about 21". I think it was Columbus tubing. I really don't know how good it is as it was built for me, but ultimately ridden by my Brother. After I had outgrown the Ferretti, I had another Bruce frame that I preferred. He was prone to falling off, so it has had a few knocks. If you saw him ride, he looked like a cross between a duck and a cement mixer. No style, no speed. Little wonder he kept falling off.

[ghostpoet]

If you saw him ride, he looked like a cross between a duck and a cement mixer. No style, no speed. Little wonder he kept falling off.

Classic brotherly love there...I am adding a plus one for Munga's sentiments. Pass it on to someone who will care about its providence. It is great to see the fixie kids out riding instead of Playstation or whatever, but that frame certainly doesn't deserve to have its fork drilled and risers , aero, spokecards put on...

[vaeske]

Jeff, i just want to say, please stick around the forums, it sounds like you have plenty of stories to tell (like BrentonO and others) and i for one LOVE to hear them! .

+1...absolutely those stories are brilliant and i wanna hear more.

[HLC]

it will then be highlighted on Fixed.org in the members marketplace, and you will have serious interest from hardcore track tragics.

Sit back and watch the bids fly. Be sure to list with full history/back story in your listing.

So hilarious but so true, and even frustrating! You think you've got one over them, and boom, thread posted, it's all over, no more bargain lol