100 Pinarello Pistas & 100 Colnago Pistas... In the Basement of the Forli Velodrome

For all of you people who dream of owning a real vintage Italian Pista bike. At the Forli Velodrome they have them. Lots of them. 

And ok, let's say it here before all of you run off to buy your flight tickets to Italy, the bikes are apparently NOT for sale. 

Pics From 2007 Finnish Track Cycling Championships

After posting the pics from Finnish Track Cycling 2008 Championships, I just came across pics of the last summer's event, here (taken by Mr. Antti Haavisto). I guess this was in Turku. There were lots of expensive bikes. And the weather wasn't apparently so good then. 

Finnish Track Cycling Championship 2008: And Some Old Men On Hot Track Bikes!

The Finnish Track Cycling Championship 2008 happened at the Käpylä Velodrome in Helsinki about a week ago. Don't ask me about who won or what kind of times people got 'cos I wasn't there and I don't actually even really care. Anyhow, they apparently also had series for different age groups because if you look at the photos here, you will notice that all the hot bikes seem to belong to the older dudes, some of who you'd maybe rather not see wearing those skin suits... 

But just look, for example, at that Bianchi pursuit bike pictured, could that guy possibly have any more hipper bike, now could he? Ok, he maybe could have had a Campy disk wheel in the rear with a MASH SF sticker on it, but still. Forget about those road double cranks and notice instead how he has put some tape over the valve hole of HED3 front wheel to make it even more aerodynamic!

Masi Pista FTW!

Again, somehing lovely on Ebay. But these don't come aroud often. 1982 Masi Pista, all kitted out with classic vintage Campy & Cinelli parts. Here, click. 

And yeah, everyone knows that Keirin bikes are cool but Italian vintage Pista bikes are million times cooler, period. 

But what's so special about Masi bicycles and Faliero Masi as a framemaker? Well, he's one of guys who embodies the magic of vintage Italian bikes and artesanal framemakers. He raced himself before starting making bikes, he had his workshop beneath the Vigorelli velodrome in Milan, there was a time when his bikes had the tightest geometry of them all, the best riders rode his bikes (for example, Fausto Coppi had a Bianchi sponsorship, yet the frame he rode was actually a Masi) and so on. Read more here.  Or here. 

And as if this wasn't enough, the same Ebay-seller has this for sale too, a 1977 Medici Pro Pista. 

Velorution 12.7.2008 at Helsinki Velodrome

Fun at the Käpylä Velodrome in Helsinki Saturday 12.7., organized by the BC-Hellsinki people. 

For more info click here. 

Vintage Cycling Photo Of the Day

Colnago Master Track 1979 Prototype

Bike pron from Ernesto Colnago's personal stash. Dirty anodized pink. 

I told you I like these. And these. 

'Speed': Three Track Bike Themed Random B&W Images For Saturday

'HAVING BIKES IS FORBIDDEN' at the University of Helsinki

The other day I had lunch at the Olivia Unicafe student canteen in University of Helsinki Behavioural Sciences building. I had a nice chicken breast filé at a reduced price and all that but what did I see outside? This sign: 


WTF? People have been parking their bikes by that wall to left of the sign for about three year since the building was opened and NOW they make it forbidden. And not only that but what was the dimwit who made the sign thinking really?

I mean, "PYÖRIEN PITO KIELLETTY" actually means "HAVING (or 'keeping') BIKES FORBIDDEN". They obviously meant that 'keeping bikes by the wall is forbidden' but just like in the english translation, in Finnish it really says 'HAVING BIKES IS FORBIDDEN'.

Pretty funny, yes, but f*ck whoever made the sign all the same. We, as cyclists, need to fight this kind of stupidness. In addition, smoking by the wall, behind the sign and outside of the building main entrance is allowed but not parking your bike there? Right. 

Tallinn Fixed Gear Scene Report Part 1.

I visited Tallinn the capital city of Estonia on business for two days last week and as a result of my trip here's the first part of my admittedly rather limited Tallinn Fixed Gear Scene Report.

So to cut to the chase, apparently there are no fixed gear bikes in Tallinn, period. 

I mean, I didn't see any during my stay and when I visited the city last time and spent five days there last September I didn't see any fixie bikes or stuff either. 

No disrespect to my Estonian sisters and brothers but it kinda looks a little like the Tallinn people have been all too busy making money-money during the recent few years' credible economic boom that cycling trends such as this hasn't really registered over there.

I did see, though, lots of people on boring supermarket mountainbikes and one bike messenger but he was riding a geared MTB/ATB bike. I also saw one hipster/art student-ish looking girl who was riding an old men's coster brake bike (didn't catch a photo, sorry...) with fenders and shit taken off and the bike had been very recently painted bright red so obviously she was trying at least a little bit. 

On the other hand, I did see several roadies all clad in spandex and riding nice looking and very expensive road bikes, so at least there's some serious cycling thing going on there. This also fits nicely to my hypothesis about all the money-making and the cultural yuppie-aspect to do with that. 

I did also see a bunch cool old old Soviet-era single speed coaster brake bikes like the pic at the top but as I said, no fixed gear bikes whatsoever. I visited two local bike shops (Velo24.ee & RattaPood) but didn't see one single piece of equipment that could have been considered fixie/track specific. There were some BMX parts, though. 

I also visited the Velodrome (YES!) but I'll save that for the Part II of this report. 

However, despite the disappointingly non-existent FG scene, Tallinn does have something cool there bike-wise. The traffic sign design for cycling was super fresh, just look at this nice sign, racing bike, or is it actually styled on a proper track bike(?!), with drops and all, instead of standard bike that most of us are used to in our traffic signs. Well done! 



But hey, if there are any Tallinn or Estonian people reading this and I got it all wrong, please correct me. However, just to strengthen my argument, when I returned home to Helsinki and took a 10 minute tram ride home from the harbour, during that time I randomly saw three fixed gear bikes. So even if there really aren't THAT many FG bikes here, compare that to the time I spent hanging out in Tallinn.

To be continued...

The Perfect Nagasawa on Ebay.

I said it before, blogging about stuff for sale on 'bay is kinda boring but, again, this bike is so perfect that I cannot not do this. 

It's an original Nakano Red Nagasawa Keirin bike, made by one of the most respected framebuilders alive today, the number '8208' indicates that it was most likely made in August 1982, it's full NJS, with classic SunTour Superbe Pro parts and all that yaddayadda, but just look at it. 

And yes, it's just like the bike legendary Koichi Nakano, one of the best Keirin and Sprint track cyclists of all time, always rode, just like when he won the dramatic World Pro Sprint Final in 1982 against Gordon Singleton. It was his 6th Sprint Championship, by the way. You really need to watch all three rounds, here, here and the final one here. The Super Makuri, yeah!

But whoever ends up getting this beaty, just lose the hideous brake right away, ok? 

Fausto Coppi presents Fashion Tips - Again

Still remember when I blogged about Fausto Coppi? Despite being very likely THE greatest cyclist ever known, he was also true hipster forefather (see pic below...) and the picture above proves this even further. 

The picture depicts is of Fausto, his brother Serse (who very sadly died young in 1951 in after falling mid-sprint during the Giro del Piemonte) and some other dudes out on a leisurely training ride. 

Take note, all yo'all fixie hipsters out there!

Now, if only roadies todat would dress like that instead of all that scary spandex kit... 

Seen In Helsinki

You know how Fixed Gear Gallery sometimes has those "Seen In XXX" posts where someone has seen a fixed gear or a single speed bike (wooohooo! who very exciting...) locked up somewhere and taken a crappy mobilecameraphone photo of it and then went thru all the hassle of emailing it to The Fixed Gear Wizard AKA Dennis? It's stupid and boring, right. 

Well, this evening as I was cycling along Pohjoisranta, my regular way to home from the city centre, a saw this bike and * just had to stop, turn back and * take a photo with my crappy mobilecameraphone. It was so nice & idyllic, with the harbor and the sailing boats, and even those big ice-breakers in the background. 

And the bike, so lovely & very retro and simply beautiful. In that setting this is probably the nicest bike I've ever seen in Helsinki. And it wasn't actually even fixed gear but a single speed bike with a coaster brake instead. 

Edit. 

You know what? Yesterday evening I should have - maybe - written this way instead (place this between the asterisks * is in the text above):

"... I just pulled this super long skid with my Tarck Bike and finished it into a trackstand, then I pulled a wheelie on the spot and bunny hopped 180 degrees turn and wheelied back to the spot where that bike was standing and..."

But why? I dunno. This though somehow just occurred to me when I passed a middle-aged roadie in full spandex riding gear this morning on my way to work.  

How To Sell Fixed Gear Related Stuff

Ever wondered how you could get rid of those old Campagnolo Super Record Track pedals your uncle gave you long time ago and which you never used? Well, here's how to do it, on Craigslist:

* * * 

Campy Super Record Track Pedals - $75 (SLO)
Reply to: XXXXXXXXXXXX
Date: 2008-04-25, 5:41PM PDT

You're riding down Osos street on the way to Mitchel park, its a cool spring afternoon. You notice all the women aged 21-35 are standing along the sidewalk, all staring at you. As you stop for a red light, one approaches:

HER: Pardon me, are those Campagnolo Record Track Pedals?

YOU: Why yes... They Are.

HER: [blushes] Wow, you must be a man of true discernment... tell me big boy, do they strap on tight?

YOU: Oohhhhh yeah.

HER: [stammers, begins to twitch] Wha.. what era?

YOU: Super Record...

HER: [tearing off clothes] YOU TOTAL HUNK OF A MAN, TAKE ME NOW!!!!

YOU: [under your breath] Thanks, craigslist!!


Seriously dudes, it could happen to you. These pedals are the real deal!

ARTE Tracks: Reportage sur les pignons fixes Londoniens

'Reportage sur les pignons fixes Londoniens', or a very nice mini documentary on the Fixed Gear scene and riders in London.

ARTE is a Frech TV channel and the commentary is in French, so if your language skills are not up to scratch right now, the 7-minutes long film is still very nice with super clean editing and lots cool riding on London streets.