Jeanne (Robinson) Omelenchuk’s 1956 Track Bike

Omelenchuk track bike

This bike was made by George Omelenchuk for his wife Jeanne, who was a champion cyclist and speedskater.  Among the notable achievements in her athletic career Jeanne won 16 national speed skating titles and five cycling national champion titles. She became the first women to be the national championship in two major sports, doing it concurrently a couple of times.

She competed on three Olympic teams.

In order to be competitive in cycling you need good equipment. 

Jeanne had the best.  Her husband George, along with brothers Walter and Tony, operated one of the most outrageously capable bike and sporting goods shops in the country.  Needed a part?  They’d make it.  Something broken?  They’d fix it.  George, a skilled gunsmith and clockmaker, had legendary machining ability which is proudly on display here.

Dual-plate fork crown

Custom machined stem

The front hub is as wide as the back one.

Two holes between the spokes for the track rims

Campagnolo model Brooks saddle

The wheels are really hand made.  From forging the hub shells to fabricating axles and rims, these wheels were made from scratch.  The rims are real beauties.  George lightened up the already svelte extrusion with some precise drill work (by the way, the wheels are still true). The laced wheels were then tied & soldered at the spoke crosses.  The front hub has the same super-wide stance as the rear wheel (130mm front and back, which is outrageous for a track bike).

The dual-plate fork crown looks great as does the gracefully curved handlebars and stem.

Hey, check out the Campagnolo model Brooks saddle!  No kidding.  This is one of the rarest saddle models you can find.