Today you're going to meet Tosca's predecessor.
That is to say, you're going to see the fixed gear bike I rode before Tosca came into my life.
If you want an old-school European steel track bike--or, at least, one that has geometry more or less like what you'd find on a real track bike--you'd do well with the De Bernardi Pista I rode for three years.
The frame was constructed of Columbus "Thron" tubing. So, it's a bit heavier than what most professional racers would ride on the track, or anything NJS would approve. Still, it has that "riding on rails" quality track bike aficianados like. It didn't respond or handle quite as quickly as Tosca does, but it was, I think, a little better than the KHS I had.
I set the bike up for runs along the north shore of Queens and Nassau County, or spins down to Rockaway or Coney Island Beach. So, of course, the bike didn't have pure track--let alone NJS-approved--components. Still, most of them served me well.
I rode the wheels you see in the picture for most of the time I rode the bike. Velocity laced their own Deep-V rims onto Velocity-rebranded Formula hubs with bladed spokes in a gold finish that matched the rims and hubs.
After nearly three years, the rear spokes started to break. At that point, I had Hal at Bicycle Habitat build me another set of wheels with Mavic Open Pro rims on Phil Wood hubs. A few months later, Tosca arrived and inherited those wheels. I bought another set of wheels with Formula hubs from an eBay seller. Those wheels--in black--were on "Dee-Bee" when I sold her.
"Dee-Bee" was, I believe, a worthy predecessor to Tosca.
That is to say, you're going to see the fixed gear bike I rode before Tosca came into my life.
If you want an old-school European steel track bike--or, at least, one that has geometry more or less like what you'd find on a real track bike--you'd do well with the De Bernardi Pista I rode for three years.
The frame was constructed of Columbus "Thron" tubing. So, it's a bit heavier than what most professional racers would ride on the track, or anything NJS would approve. Still, it has that "riding on rails" quality track bike aficianados like. It didn't respond or handle quite as quickly as Tosca does, but it was, I think, a little better than the KHS I had.
I set the bike up for runs along the north shore of Queens and Nassau County, or spins down to Rockaway or Coney Island Beach. So, of course, the bike didn't have pure track--let alone NJS-approved--components. Still, most of them served me well.
I rode the wheels you see in the picture for most of the time I rode the bike. Velocity laced their own Deep-V rims onto Velocity-rebranded Formula hubs with bladed spokes in a gold finish that matched the rims and hubs.
After nearly three years, the rear spokes started to break. At that point, I had Hal at Bicycle Habitat build me another set of wheels with Mavic Open Pro rims on Phil Wood hubs. A few months later, Tosca arrived and inherited those wheels. I bought another set of wheels with Formula hubs from an eBay seller. Those wheels--in black--were on "Dee-Bee" when I sold her.
"Dee-Bee" was, I believe, a worthy predecessor to Tosca.
