My first project on the forum: EXS Track

[Mauzinette]

Ikuisuusprojekti, n.

1. A project that has no end, seems to have no end or has turned out to be considerably longer than expected.

In this thread I am putting together a custom track bicyle. The bicycle will be built around an aluminum EXS track frame, which I got from a rather peculiar French bike shop called Speed Cycles.



This bike will have two setups for different occasions. A brakeless drop bar setup for riding on the velodrome and a flat bar setup for riding to the velodrome. The flat bar setup will include a front brake.

Stay tuned

 

[pontiac428]

Are you going to make it out of aluminum, or just copy the geometry? I've run track bikes in CrMo and carbon, and I'm a big fan of the rigidity of steel. Also aluminum has to be heat treated after welding, then realigned after the stresses set in the oven.

 

[Mauzinette]

Ahh, I’m not building a frame here! Just assembling a bicycle

Sorry if the first post was unclear.

 

[pontiac428]

What are you using? Miche makes the best track stuff, like BBs and cranks. For street or training, the Cane Creek Volo wheelset is hard to beat.

Have you spent much time on an aluminum frame, or are you a small/light rider? When the dropouts go horizontal and the power levels rise, alloy shows its colors right away.

 

[Mauzinette]

What are you using? Miche makes the best track stuff, like BBs and cranks. For street or training, the Cane Creek Volo wheelset is hard to beat.

Here's a list of parts acquired so far:

​

Frame: EXS Piste​

Fork: Supra​

Headset: Hope Pick’n’Mix​

Headset Top Cap: Blue Lug Cog Lion​

Stem: Cinelli Lux​

Handlebar: Nitto for Shred​

Grips: Lizard Skins DSP​

Seat Clamp: Hope​

Saddle: Fujita Conpy Boy​

Bottom Bracket: Dura-Ace BB-7700​

Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace FC-7710​

Hubs: Shimano Dura-Ace HB-7710​

Pedals: Shimano M520​

Tires: Gorix G to Air​

The frame has now been properly faced and chased, there was quite a load of paint in the bottom bracket threads. I have also cut the fork and installed the headset and the bottom bracket

A Park Tool nut setter just arrived in the mail and the next step is to install the star nut into the steerer tube. I will post more photos when there is light outside

Have you spent much time on an aluminum frame, or are you a small/light rider? When the dropouts go horizontal and the power levels rise, alloy shows its colors right away.

I’ve had an aluminium Aventón track bike in the past. It was stiff as hell and basically destroyed my knees. I guess I haven't learned my lesson

 

[pontiac428]

Sounds fantastic. I have had a long time Hope fetish myself, just about everything I've built has some Hope in it.

Even in peak form during successive seasons of racing and year-round training I was rarely below 240 lbs. I'd buy jeans a size up to get my legs in, so that's where my aluminum bias comes from. I can't find pictures of my Teschner track bike, probably on another computer. I still have my KHS track bike, that's a steel frame (Tange Prestige tubing) with a bend in the seat tube to keep the stays short.

I really need to get back into riding, I haven't much since moving back to the US. The area I live in is awful for it. People die here on bikes. Makes it less accessible for me.

 

[Mauzinette]

Sounds fantastic. I have had a long time Hope fetish myself, just about everything I've built has some Hope in it.

Even in peak form during successive seasons of racing and year-round training I was rarely below 240 lbs. I'd buy jeans a size up to get my legs in, so that's where my aluminum bias comes from. I can't find pictures of my Teschner track bike, probably on another computer. I still have my KHS track bike, that's a steel frame (Tange Prestige tubing) with a bend in the seat tube to keep the stays short.

I really need to get back into riding, I haven't much since moving back to the US. The area I live in is awful for it. People die here on bikes. Makes it less accessible for me.

I can easily relate to your "fetish" I even have a separate storage bin at the shop for those cool black and green zip-lock bags Hope parts come in.

Please try to find some photos of your bikes and share them with us!

 

[Mauzinette]

Sorry, I was supposed to upload photos on the progress yesterday. It was my birthday so I had to entertain my family instead.

Here’s the current progress and some Hope close-up eye candy for @pontiac428.

 

[Mauzinette]

I didn’t make as much progress today as I would’ve liked to.


The star nut went into the steerer like a charm, thanks to this chunk of metal.


Here’s the stem attached together with a beautiful Blue Lug Bike Shop stem cap.

After this, pretty much everything went south. A wheelset I got from a friend proved out to be a proper pain in the ass. I was fully aware that the rear wheel needs to be trued, but the front wheel non-drive side axle support won’t nudge. WD-40 it is.





In the end I couldn’t even install the grips to the handlebar because it turns out I’m out of rubbing alcohol. How could I let this happen

Any tips on how to remove the rust before bluing the parts? Steel wool, evapo-rust?

 

[pontiac428]

Instead of rubbing alcohol for the grips, try hair spray. Slips on and stays.

Just wire brush the cone nut or use evaporust. I liked the Ellipse wheelset, but the spoke tension needs to be checked regularly- not enough spokes to distribute the stresses if one goes slack.

I have a question, is EXS related to Elf (France), or is EXS another badge for Leader Bikes (Taiwan)?