# How do I buy a cheap track bike?



## gordy748 (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi y'all. I've recently moved to Redmond in WA state, which has Marymoor velodrome just down the road. So I thought I try the track for some training, not to mention see about getting into the racing on Friday nights.

Now I'm looking for a bike, not just any bike but a cheap, second hand dependable track bike that won't break the bank but won't be a lemon either. I have done occasional sessions on tracks before so know there is a big difference between a specific track geometry and a fixie with a single gear.

I've gone on fleaBay and have been surprised how little there is in the way of real, used track bikes that aren't an ex-Keirin pro's bike or a Cinelli $900 frame-only ride. Not even a used Visp or a Dolan. There are a lot of cheap fixie bikes out there but they seem more designed for hipsters.

Any advice on where to go to get something used but decent?


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## bonefamily (May 17, 2011)

Without trying to sound like a Bikes Direct rep lately, which I am in no way affiliated with, have you looked at their track bikes?

Save Up To 60% Off Track Bikes, Fixie, Fixed Gear, Singlespeed and Track Bicycles from bikesdirect.com Up To 60% Off List

I agree that you would most likely get more for your money buy buying used, but if you can't find anything the BD bikes might be another option...


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## SpencerM (Dec 5, 2007)

+1 on Bikes Direct. Picked up a Mercier Kilo TT Stripper of their site a few years back.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

OP - I race at Marymoor. I won't be doing Friday nights unless I have a killer offseason and don't move next year, but Wednesdays were fun this summer.

This was my first season racing there. I didn't want to spend a lot on a bike, so I set up a saved search of Craig's List. Ended up getting a Raleigh Rush Hour from a woman who bought it to race and didn't beat it up before it came to me.

How much do you want to spend? At $900, you can get a complete track bike from quite a few brands.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

gordy748 said:


> . I have done occasional sessions on tracks before so know there is a big difference between a specific track geometry and a fixie with a single gear.


There is a difference, true. But at this stage in your track career, it's not all that significant to your performance. Sure, you don't want a hipster fixie with dog-slow wheels and a neon chain. But some of the used bikes that get sold as street fixies are fine on the track, like the Bianchi Pista. In fact, the "fixie" Pista's geometry is very close to Bianchi's real track "Super Pista" frame. I raced a regular Bianchi Pista and time-trialed a road-geometry Wabi Classic on the track a few years back and I can assure you that it wasn't the bikes that helped or hindered my performance.


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## gordy748 (Feb 11, 2007)

Have looked on Bikes Direct, some interesting rides on there. @ AndrwSwitch, thanks for the advice, I didn't know I could set up a saved search on Craigslist. @ wim, don't I know it... Bradley Wiggins' old bike wouldn't help me. 

In truth I was hoping to pay less than $500 for a full track bike, hence why I was looking to go secondhand. I reckon I will have to up my budget (always the way in cycling) but would like to keep it under 4 figures.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I forget how much I spent exactly. I think it was under $300 for the bike. Since the woman I bought it from bought it for track racing, it came with an 18t, 16t and 15t cog (and the stock 48t chainring.) I've added a 14t cog, and I bought a set of interrupter levers to facilitate riding it on the street without having to rewrap the bars. So I'm still well under $500. It's totally doable.

But fair warning - people are in skinsuits and on aero wheels all the way down into Cat. 5, and it's probably about half the field by 4. I'm generally fairly good about not lusting after gear, but lining up next to that and knowing that we're actually riding at the speeds where it starts to kick in has me thinking more gearheaded thoughts than usual.


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