[CR]WTB used Campy 26.8 NR seatpost, ( plus bonus rant)

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme)

Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 09:55:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Riccardo Bulissimo" <rbulissimo-bike@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <MONKEYFOODyPoHZgzDg00004541@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
Subject: [CR]WTB used Campy 26.8 NR seatpost, ( plus bonus rant)

Hello all.

In my quest to complete my Ed Litton ( ...changing the way America cooks!) 67 cm track bike, I am looking for an "adequate" Campy NR 26.8 seatpost (250mm). A bit of "provenance" is just fine, just please no junkers with rust and gouges all over. ( It will be out to the limit line) On the other hand, I can't justify something NOS or near, so save your time if that is what you have. Searching recent sales on that auction place, I'm thinking $30 shipped is what I want to pay, so if you have one to part with, I am ready to pay for it. A pic would be nice if you have it. Just missed one recently, there are plenty and I can wait for one.

AND NOW, a rant/rag section about that auction place. skip this if you can't stand this sort of thing....

If you got this far, the big track bike now has a proper 180 mm NR crankset sort of. Why sort of? Well, true to the snakepit that is ebay, I went after a recent auction for a "Campy Pista crankset". There has been much bs going on with anything labeled "Pista" these days and if it wasn't so dishonest, it would be funny. My favorite auction so far was for the "pista" crankset that the seller boasted "...allows you to put the chainring on EITHER side of the spider arm!..." Wow, who knew!? Also up right now are 'Pista BRAKE levers"! Did YOU know about brake levers for track bikes! Wowagain. Other frauds of late have been a road headset that was listed ( and sold high) as pista, and high flange road hubs (highly sought after now in their own right) described/listed as pista hubs. Never has caveat emptor been so neccessary as when it comes to anything for the velodrome.

In my case, the dishonest seller dragged his feet and never sent me the promised pictures since he cleverly cropped the one auction photo so as to not reveal that he had swapped out the campy c/w bolts for cheap crap and failed to reveal that the LEFT arm was marked strada. (he doesn't sell much so I won't trash him here) He sent me a pista crank for the right side, but imagine my horror when the first thing out of the box when it finally arrived was the strada left arm. Oh well, I know and you know that the arms are identical save for the marking strada/pista. I and I took a wild hope that it was going to be 151 b/c, unlike the current auction for a "pre-1973" pista crank with a clearly visible 144 b/c.

So to end on a positive note, I did pull together a proper bottom bracket with thin wall cups etc with the help of listmembers and now with a nice chainring from the eminently honorable Vance from CBS, my Litton is pretty happy, I ride it twice a week for the all important fixed gear leg training ( right on Ted Ernst!).

I went after a beautiful set of track hubs last night, but it went stratospheric and well, I will wait.

Should anyone who is ebay adverse want to cut loose of some campy High flange track hubs/wheels in any condition or drill for something like $150 I will pony up quick.

thanks so much,

ciao for now,

Riccardo Bulissimo

rainy Verdi, Nevada