Velodrome/Bike Hilfe! [english]

[medion]

Hallo!

I'm from Australia living in Berlin - apologies for not attempting to write in German (you would be horrified!).

I am looking for a track bike to ride on the Radsporthalle in Berlin - I would like to buy a complete bike in the 200-300euro range, and 54-56cm if possible, but I am open to anything. If there is anyone out there from Berlin that rides at the Radsporthalle, I would also like to learn about how and when the track is open for people to ride on, and also maybe how much it costs?

Thanks so much, and sorry again for writing in English.

nick, http://fixed.org.au

 

[lelebebbel]

you could check out cicli berlinetta
www.cicli-berlinetta.de

the owner, dustin, is a canadian. I think most of his bikes are more in the high end / vintage range, but he might be able to help you anyway.

 

[medion]

thanks lelebebbel,

i have checked out cicli and also keirin, which are i might add great shops - however i am a cheapskate! i'm used to hauling track frames off of junk piles or unsuspecting owners...

i will talk to dustin though - he wasn't in today when i went passed, i will see how i go on tuesday.

any tips for buying parts/bikes in or around europe? i had some kind of fantasy i would be buying vintage campagnolo cranks off of ebay in italy for $10... but how wrong i was!

nick

 

[lelebebbel]

2 years ago it would've been rather easy to score a used track frame on ebay.de
today, everyone and their mother seems to ride a fixed (also, Berlin has the biggest messenger crowd in germany), so prices have gone up for everything trackbike-related. i guess the same thing happened in the US a few years earlier.

you could look around for an old "DIAMANT" track frame - former eastern german brand. The frames can be had for cheap, but they have some quirks, like ~25mm seatposts and strange headset measurements, so i'd suggest to look for a frame with fork. the stock cranks are oldschool cottered type but the bb shell is BSA threaded.

a couple of people on this forum ride Diamants in and around Berlin, maybe one of them can help you if you want one (I'm expecting them to jump on this thread any minute )


A few months ago, a guy from Berlin had a bunch of these frames in different sizes, probably sold them all by now though.

then, you could also check out the cycling clubs ("Radsport-Verein") at the local velodromes. I'm sure some of them still have a shed full of old trackbikes and fall into the "unsuspecting owners" category

 

[tumor-pdm]

hehe, hi nick !

to ride in the velodrome you need imho a license and must be in one of these cycling clubs which have practice times in the velodrome. for a trackbike ask in keirin or cicli. u can also try bike company in "Samariter Strasse / friedrichshain".

 

[makrue911]

hey nick,
this is the link to:

www.hoeblich.com

a former east german pro rider.
he is able to get some used diamant complete bike's from some teams in leipzig.
if there is no one in the market of mr. hoeblich who speaks english, feel fre to get in contact with me and i will check it out for you.
best regards

 

[automatic_sheep]

finally! another native speaker The guys have said pretty much all there is to say so here's me just wishing you luck!

 

[medion]

tumor! ha! fancy seeing you here! of the one cyclist i know in berlin... here you are

tumor: maybe when i have a bike (and if you have time) you could help me figure out how to get a track licence and join a club? i will need something warm and undercover to ride for the winter! i'm not used to this idea that i can't just ride whenever i want all year round...

makrue911: thanks kindly - i will email mr hoeblich this evening and see if he can help me out. these diamants sound interesting.

automatic_sheep: thanks! where are you from?

 

[PHR3AK]

ah, hello.

what ever will be happen - don´t buy a red bike!

join rv 1888, than there is a real track team.

 

[medion]

aber... aber rot ist schneller

was ist 'rv 1888' ?

don't reply in german, i won't be able to understand... i only know a few words, most of which were used above

n

 

[Amnesia]

RV1888 is most likely a cyclingclub which might be able to hook you up with a track bike if you become a member.

 

[automatic_sheep]

i'm not used to this idea that i can't just ride whenever i want all year round...

ozzys

automatic_sheep: thanks! where are you from?

I'm the resident yank

See ya around (not a track fiend though, just going fixed now)