WolfRider

Hey guys, fairly new here but fully back into cycling after a lot of years off.

Was wondering about a Panasonic track bike similar to the one pictured. Dura ace all original. Frame and lug work look nice. Great racing angle tubing into seat post lug work. This one looks to be in VG maybe with potential to restore to better. Any idea on what I should pay for something like that? The one I got my eye on fits me and I like the color.

What type of tubing would be on a bike like that?

exxongraftek

Bare frames going around $300, with a full DA group double that if indeed in VG or better shape, maybe more.
Likely Tange or Ishiwata tubing. Others shall weigh in soon I'm sure...

3alarmer

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...I read your other thread. I admire your enthusiasm, but wonder if maybe you ought to get those other projects rolling before youi get too much deeper in here. And I speak to you as a guy with a two car garage full of some pretty nice bikes and a project line of about a dozen of them, one of which is a tark bike I just finished restoring.

In order to ride one legally on the roads around here, you need one working brake.

It would be a shame to drill that one, as it would have been very traumatic to drill the one I just lovingly restored. And we are not getting a Velodrome anytime soon. So I ended up building a new set of wheels using a SRAM Automatix hub with a coaster brake for the rear.

It's fun to do, but it all takes time, and a certain amount of either cash or knowledge to do something like that. There aren't that many wheel builders in town I can recommend, and I'm not sure you can buy something like that off the shelf.


Anyway, I guess if you want it for a hanger, it's pretty enough. But it might be something you want to postpone until you've got a little more mechanical going for you. Just an opinion. It's free, and probably worth about that.

DMC707

If you have any aspirations of riding down in San Jose (Hellyer park) -- then that would be a very nice "get" -- track racing is one of the last remaining "run what ya brung" holdouts where if you have the legs, you can ride the nationals on a bike like that pictured

that's because the difference between "good" and "great" can sometimes be margins like we see in this years TdF sprint finishes, --- but that old roadster can still compete with no apologies

Can you win? That depends on you, and that is what is cool about track ----

That looks like a helluva nice start for an aspiring Cat 5, and will be an equally nice wall hanger when you upgrade to 3 and start hankerin' for a BT

exxongraftek

LEAST friendly reception I ever received from any cycling group was at Hellyer Park a year ago. City-funded park run by some local group who don't appreciate visitors who are not members of their little clique. Just be warned...

oddjob2

I wouldn't throw out a value without seeing the actual bike. Paint condition can greatly affect value of a collectable.

WolfRider

Again i wasn't looking that hard but came across this. Alot of times if you pass something else might come along, oh well just wait. Sometimes though you just have to jump on stuff. The bike is complete all work done with single brake. The work looks good and all original custom w/Dura Ace 7600 track wheels. I guess they had to drill to fit a rear brake I don't know with custom brake enclosure? but it is clean job on whole bike, really nice fittings on wheels Fits me & it is 59cm so I don't know if I should expect to pay less. I wouldn't attemp to try to get something like this built, but if it is all ther complete and fits me there is some appeal there. I'm thinking I would pay $650 for something like that.

I wasn't really thinking of trying to go San Jose Velodrome or anything. I'm 50 anyway. Not trying to jump on the fixie band wagon either. I guess you could call a bike like this an original "fixie". (I hate that word BTW.) I would like to have it to keep as original, but try to make it a little streetable by changing the bars and stem maybe.

A NOS frame like this is going for $1100 a rough one for $350 and a clean one for $550

Panasonic Pink Metallic NJS KEIRIN Frame Track Bike Fixed Gear Single Speed | eBay

New POS Panasonic NJS Track Frame 460 630mm FPC08 | eBay

DMC707

That's a bummer --- as small a sub-set of cycling as track racing is, you'd think they would embrace visitors

I've typically gotten a warm welcome at the tracks I've visited, from BAton Rouge to San Diego and many others in between, --- but maybe the Silicon Valley crowd is too good for the rest of us

exxongraftek

Exactly why I was so surprised and disappointed - never met a more surly fellow (outside of state prison) than my "greeter" - but he inspired me to get active in local cycling advocacy again so I can figure out how to get that bunch un-chosen to run that track.

WolfRider

Yeah the more I think about it. I am not sure what to do with a track bike on the road. Even with a rear brake that it has.

I got a flickr account and pics of the yellow Panasonic should be viewable there.



or heres a link. One image is a roll of multiples that you can magnify for close up.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/142424813@N04/

Bandera

Riding fixed gear on the road requires a serious commitment to rider technique, machine set-up and real cycling fitness.
Lacking any of these requirements things might not go so well.

Fitting only a Rear brake on a FG machine is just plain wrong vs. fitting only a Front brake which works well (enough) with proper foot retention.
The explanation of "why" is too lengthy for a BF post, look it up on that there Inter-web.
That other single track vehicle site the Motorcycle Safety Foundation will explain.

A track bike is optimized for use on the Velodrome which has very few manhole covers, potholes or hills making them less than ideal for actual road use which has all of those and much, much more.

As always, suit yourself.

-Bandera

DMC707

IDK --- Alkek VD (Houston ) used to have some bumps coming out of turn 3 you could catch air from ! --- LOL

It is wrong to put a brake on a pure bred track bike -- it is a bit akin to putting turn signals on Sammy Swindell's sprint car so he can double duty it to be an occasional grocery getter

I know the hipsters do it right and left though ---- a front brake is all that is required on a trackie on the street though