Might a good old track frame weigh close to 3kg?

[swee'pea99]

I just received an Olmo Pista track frame that I bought off ebay. It has some nice, though unremarkable, lugwork, and certainly looks the mutt's nuts, but it's a bit weightier than I was expecting, at 2.6 Kg. Is that reasonable for what looks like it might be a 70s/80s steel frame?

 

[biggs682]

thats about right for a steel frame , does it include bottom bracket and headset or just naked frame & forks

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks. That's just the frame - no forks, no BB, no headset.

 

[Cycleops]

Does sound rather hefty, are you sure it's the genuine article? What tubing is it?

 

[swee'pea99]

Yes, that was my thinking too. Hence my query. Apparently these were made in Columbus - but I'm sure it's not that, or it would have the appropriate decal - or Dedacciai, which I don't know anything about. I don't know, if it is a fake, it's a pretty ingenious one...it has decals, but they're pretty old and tatty-looking, which goes with the age and general condition of the frame. It has a serial number stamped under the BB, so it's not a BSO, and like I say, the lugwork looks well done. And it's not like it's really lumpen. I was just expecting something with a little more...finesse?

 

[zizou]

track frames tend to be a bit heavier than road frames - weight (within reason) is not much of an issue whereas stiffness is.

 

[swee'pea99]

Ah. Now that's very interesting. Thanks for that. I feel a bit reassured! I did wonder whether that might be the case. I am looking forward to building it up and taking it out for a spin...

 

[GazK]

Post some photos and the serial number on retrobike, they are very knowledgeable about such things over there.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks - I will. Any thoughts on what bit of the forum I should post it in? I've never been there & I don't know my way around...

 

[GazK]

The classic Road forum is where you want to be. Don't go on the mtb forum, they eat their own there ;-)

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks - much appreciated.

 

[biggs682]

Thanks. That's just the frame - no forks, no BB, no headset.

built with stiffness in mind then

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

What's the internal diameter of the seat tube, ie what seat post does it take? This is a fairly reliable indicator of quality.

What size is it? Larger track frames were sometimes built from heavier tubesets (ie 531ST) than you'd expect, to counter flex.