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Photo ©:
Ray Brown
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Olympic hopeful
A fair chunk of metal
Photo ©: Ray Brown
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While custom frame builders are making something of a resurgence
on the road recently, made-to-measure frames have never really gone
out of fashion for the serious track cyclist. Anthony Tan takes
a look at a track machine that will hopefully be ridden to Olympic glory,
Graeme Brown's custom-made Teschner.
Local frame builder Peter Teschner has a formidable reputation as a
custom frame builder in Australia. His close links with the Australian
Institute of Sport have seen the Coffs Harbour-based bike wizard build
frames for many of the country's top track athletes in recent years,
including Sean Eadie, Ryan Bailey, Anna Meares and most recently, Graeme
Brown. Outside of Australia, Teschner also built road frames for riders
on the Mercury cycling team from 2000-2002 under the guise of official
bike sponsor Fuji.
Being an Olympic year, Brown, a member of the record-breaking quartet
at the 2003 World Track Championships in Stuttgart and a seasoned road
professional with Panaria-Margres, will be taking time off from the
road to focus his attention on the boards come Athens. While it's a
certainty he'll be riding the team pursuit, the colourful Sydneysider
also has his eyes on a spot in the Madison and points race.
The base of the seat tube
Photo ©: Ray Brown
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With this in mind, "Brownie" wanted a bike that could adapt to a number
of track cycling disciplines. "I gave Peter Teschner very simple
instructions - that weren't really that simple - on building my new
bike," said Brown. "I wanted it stiff and not too heavy. He
(Teschner) simply replied: 'Is that it? Stiff? Pfft, easy!'"
While the world champion pursuiter pretty much knew what he wanted,
Teschner will build a frame any way a customer requests, although he
will inject his own experience and suggest changes if a rider asks for
geometry that he feels isn't suitable. "Generally, I find out what one
expects; what he/she has previously ridden, what they like or dislike,
what power output he/she produces, what wheels and tyres they will use,
and how he/she likes a bike to handle," said Teschner. "This frame
is made to handle a few disciplines, though we built this frame to reflect
a similar size and geometry to the BT bike that he rode before."
Peter Teschner's custom drop-outs
Photo ©: Ray Brown
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Apart from the fork, which originates from Brown's previous frame builder,
BT (Bike Technologies), all tubing comes from Easton. A US manufacturer
of high-end frames and accessories (Easton make the seatposts for Shimano's
Dura-Ace group), Teschner is also the local distributor for Easton's
tubing in Australia.
When building a track frame, aerodynamics sometimes takes precedence
over comfort - especially in an event like the team pursuit, where thousandths
of a second can mean everything and race times are measured in minutes
and seconds rather than hours. Teschner has taken this into consideration
and gone for some seriously aero and very stiff tubing: Easton's GX2
Scandium Tapered Airfoil for the seat tube and down tube (measuring
55mm x 77mm x 28mm) and GX2 Scandium Profile for the top tube; the more
traditional Easton Tandem and Easton Elite tubing is used for the chainstays
and seatstays. And with the force a incredibly powerful rider like Brown
places on the rear end of the bike when starting off or sprinting, stainless
steel dropouts are required - these are custom-made by Teschner and
can be easily replaced.
Ready for take-off
Photo ©: Ray Brown
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Once out of his North Coast production facility, the frames are taken
elsewhere for painting. From the photos, it's obvious the master builder
understands great looks are just as important as build quality for a
rider like Brownie; Teschner points out that his frames don't use decals,
but instead are masked and airbrushed on, something that tends to be
seen only on the best European brands.
Once pedalling, Brown rolls on Bontrager's X-Lite Carbon Track wheels,
featuring 44cm deep aero carbon rims and a paired spoke design with
26mm spacing between each spoke and 16 holes front and rear. Hubs are
of cartridge bearing design, fully sealed and serviceable and Swiss
made.
Proof in the pudding
Photo ©: Shane Goss
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One of Brownie's first outings on the bike was during the Tasmanian
Christmas Carnivals, where he took line honours in his final race, the
Burnie Carnival Wheelrace,
on New Year's Day. "You can't beat world championships or world records,
but this was definitely up there," he said after the finish.
"I became slightly sceptical before I threw the leg over the
bike the very first time. But that scepticism quickly passed and I threw
it around, sprinted and simply rode it for a while. After only 20 minutes
I was happy enough to race it. I did just about every style of race
on it while I was in Australia and can honestly say that it is the best
track bike I have ever ridden."
Photos
Images by Ray Brown
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Full specification
Frame: Custom made by Peter Teschner
Fork:
BT Superbike Aero, 38mm rake
Colour: Pearl white
Cranks:
Shimano Dura-Ace
Bottom bracket: Shimano Dura-Ace
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace
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Hubs: Bontrager Track
Spokes: Bontrager 14/16G bladed (F), 16G bladed (R)
Rim:
Bontrager Race X-Lite Carbon Track 700c tubular, 600g (F) / 800g (R)
Tyres: Various
Stem:
Deda Elementi Newton Oversize, 140g
Headset: Ritchey
Bar: Deda Elementi Newton Oversize, 215g
Pedals: Shimano SPD-R PD7700, 296g/pair
Saddle: Selle San Marco Turbo Special, white
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