Saturday, March 21, 2009

bianchi pista vs. fuji kids track 650





Image from www.bianchiusa.com

Frame Geometry

A Seat Tube (center to top)
B1 Top Tube (actual)
B2 Top Tube (virtual)
C Chainstay
D Fork Rake
E Head Tube Angle
F Seat Tube Angle
G Wheelbase
H Standover Height

Ok, here is the deal: YES, Fuji does make a tiny track bike, the Track 650 (see it here: http://www.fujibikes.com/Kids/Track/Track650.aspx. Now, technically this bike fits riders between 4'10" and 5'5" and is labeled "for kids," but it would clearly fit most women (should I take offense to that?). Here's a comparison between a Bianchi Pista and the Fuji Kids Track 650, in a handy dandy graph:




From their specs, it's clear that there are plenty of differences between these bikes.

The Bianchi has:
-a longer top tube (+15mm)
-a shorter chain stay (-15mm)
-a smaller fork rake (28 to 40)
-a larger head tube angle (+2degrees)
-the same seat tube angle (76)
-a smaller wheelbase (-24mm)

I haven't had a chance to ride the smaller Fuji, but I would definitely be interested in comparing them. According to this review from Urbanvelo.com, the Fuji's remedy for shorter (or younger) riders is smaller wheels. Although they are less common than 700c wheels, having 650c wheels shouldn't be a problem. If you are a "shorty" and riding a bike that is 49cm or 50cm, UrbanVelo suggests using short riser bars instead of track drops. No matter what handlebars you choose, if you're worried about too much reach, I would suggest finding a shorter stem!

There's a Fuji for sale on craigslist right now: http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/1081556034.html.

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