I've been a biking nut since I was a little kid and figured that it was about time to add a proper fixie to my family of 6 bicycles. I found a shop a few towns away that had an unused 2002 Bianchi Pista in my size and the price was right ($200!), so I jumped.
I've been using an old road frame with a converted Shimano cassette, but I was REALLY psyched to have an honest track frame in the shed. Unfortunately, when I was giving the bike a 'new ownership tune-up' and adjusting the seating position to fit me, I found out that the stock Bianchi hub isn't a track hub: it lacks the threads for a lock ring! Looking at the Bianchi website, it looks like I don't have a lemon, but that they didn't stock track hubs on any of the 2002 Pistas.
What they were thinking is beyond be, as the frame isn't drilled for brakes, so reverse pedal pressure is the only way to bring the beast to a stop. I'm not looking forward to the day that a car pulls out in front of me and I try to side skid only to have the cog unscrew. I've heard some buzz about using threaded bottom bracket rings with Loc-tite to hold cogs onto free-threaded hubs, but I'd rather have a real solution. Anyone know where I can score a descent track hub cheap? I'd take a Surly or equivalent, used or new. More importantly, anyone know why Bianchi made such a huge blunder and if they've done anything to fix (get it? 'Fix'?! 😄 ) the problem since 2002?
Thanks in advance for your help.
-Troop