Per seller ''1977 Colnago Pista
This particular track bike has an interesting story behind it. This
frame was built for professional racer Dietrich "Didi" Thurau, who raced
for TI-Raleigh in 1977 and wore the yellow jersey for 14 stages in the
'77 Tour de France with four stage wins. During the off season Thurau
switched teams to IJsboerke-Colnago, and Ernesto built several frames
for Thurau, including this track frame. Thurau's palmares are impressive
including 29 Six Days victories, for which this frame was presumably
built. Before the beginning of the 1978 season, the IJsboerke team
switched from Colnago to Gios and became IJsboerke-Gios. This really
ticked off Ernesto and this frame, built specifically for Didi Thurau,
was never delivered to him. Ernesto hung it up in the rafters,
unpainted, and forgot about it. Several years later, a U.S. Colnago
importer was in the shop and asked about that unpainted track frame
hanging up there in the rafters. Ernesto told him the tale of the bike
and was more than happy to rid himself of it. The importer added the
frame to his order and had Colnago paint it in the famous Molteni
orange. The frame was brought to the US and displayed in a bike shop for
years with a prominent "Not For Sale" sign on it. A persistent collector
finally managed to buy it, and it was passed along to me where I've kept
it in my collection http://www.theracingbicycle.com .The time has come to pass
it on to another caretaker.
Dimensions: seat tube: 58.5cm center-center, 60cm center -top. Top tube:
57.5cm
I've ridden this bike sparingly on the track and it flies. Maybe it's
the Molteni orange that inspires the rider to think of Merckx and his
Hour Record. The Dugast tubulars are expensive but are well worth it.
They are amazing on the track, which is the only place this bike has
been ridden. There are no scratches, dings, dents, the only blemishes
are the cracked Columbus Tubing decal and the World Champion stripes
decal, both easily replaced if you're inclined to do so. The front fork
has never been drilled for a front brake, and hopefully never will be.
If this bike is destined to be ridden on the street as a fixed gear and
the owner desires a front brake, PLEASE have another fork made for it
and save this fork as it is. The wheels are not period correct but are
an excellent track wheelset, straight and true, Campagnolo hubs.
Campagnolo Pista crankset is 170, Colnago engraved headset. Campy
pantographed seatpost, Cinelli Pista handlebars and stem, unmarked. No
pedals included. Colnago track bikes are very uncommon compared to
Colnago road bikes, and finding one of this vintage in this
exceptionally nice state of preservation is truly a rare find''
ON Criagslist Guam. It is worth having a look at photos on listing
Not Seller
Charles Nighbor
Walnut Creek, CA
http://micronesia.craigslist.org/