Velodrome riding

[hatler]

Great excitement at the hatler household. We're heading off for a weekend in the Midlands including a group session at the Derby Velodrome.

We're going with some friends which means four kids in the 12 - 14 age range.

This will be the first time for everyone on fixed (except for a couple of laps around the block for me) and also the first time on a track. Everyone is very comfortable on bikes.

Does the panel have any useful hints/tips which will help prepare us all ?

Many thanks.

[Kim]

Dress for $sillyhot and don't forget the salbutamol.

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=89675.msg1854959#msg1854959 refers.

[jsabine]

It'll be more tiring than you expect.

If you're going slowly, the banking is quite scary. If you're going quickly, it mysteriously flattens out.

Do a shoulder check before you change lanes (and its obvious dance partner, watch out for people not doing a shoulder check before they change lanes ...).

Don't stop pedalling.

[Kim]

Oh yes, probably the most critical piece of advice, at least for those to whom it applies:

They have a SEEKRIT box of women's saddles hidden in a corner.  This is vitally important, as you can't stop pedalling, which has consequences if you try to make do with the default men's ones.

[Kim]

Don't stop pedalling.

But conversely, when they say "just ease off and the bike will slow down" what they actually mean is "just ease off and the bike will carry on rolling, so you'll have to actually apply retarding force if you want to slow down at the same rate as the rest of the group".

(Your lard:c_d ratio may vary.)

[Phil W]

Listen to what they say, and pay attention.

When finishing a session don't unclip on way to gate or you'll find yourself doing an extra lap one legged fixed.

They'll get you riding round the top of the bank, don't back pedal, don't slow down.

If you do Aussie pursuit be prepared to be knackered after 2 laps but still to have going for many more (assuming you're not caught early on).

You'll be riding a lot faster than outdoors, enjoy it.

[jsabine]

Don't stop pedalling.

But conversely, when they say "just ease off and the bike will slow down" what they actually mean is "just ease off and the bike will carry on rolling, so you'll have to actually apply retarding force if you want to slow down at the same rate as the rest of the group".

(Your lard:c_d ratio may vary.)

Heavy legs FTW ...

(Actually, I'm used to riding fixed, so knowing how much to actively retard and how much to just ease off came fairly naturally.)

Listen to what they say, and pay attention.

Yes, definitely. Especially <stereotype> any 12-14 year-olds¹ who already know everything </stereotype>.

enjoy it.

That too.



1: Of whatever age.

[Kim]

Ideally, get someone who knows what they're doing with a proper camera to take the obligatory silly grin while flying round the banking photos.  Simply waving an iThing in the appropriate direction won't cut the mustard, as Millimole found out.

[Jurek]

You should really give fixed a go, Rob.
More than just round the block.
Your fitness will increase by exponential levels...

'Least that's my experience of it...

[chrisbainbridge]

Hi
If you are going as a group then you will be doing level 1 accreditation.  It is one hour and it goes really fast.

They are really good with kids and a level 1 is about everybody having a good time.  There are 3 mantras of track riding

• ride the line
• squeeze the gap
• manage the pace

The lines on the track are to guide you round.  You do not need to steer the banking does it all for you.  Remember to bend your elbows and relax the fingers.  Be gentle with acceleration.  This is all about riding a pace line.  If the guy in front of you accelerates and slows then the oscillation ripple through the group and the last man is either 3 bike lengths back or touching wheels.  So if the gap opens in front of you plan to close it over half a lap not 10 metres.  All of this comes down to managing the pace.  You DO NOT attempt to brake by pressing down on the upstroke as that is as bad as accelerating hard and leads to crashes.  Just ease the pace up and down with more or less pressure.

If you are almost two groups of kids and adults they may well split you and have you as two separate groups and then the adults may go a bit higher etc,

Basically have fun, listen to the instructor and you will be fine.  I love the velodrome here in Derby and cycle 1-2 a week if I can.

[Robh]

It'll be more tiring than you expect.

If you're going slowly, the banking is quite scary. If you're going quickly, it mysteriously flattens out.

Do a shoulder check before you change lanes (and its obvious dance partner, watch out for people not doing a shoulder check before they change lanes ...).

Don't stop pedalling.

All of this.

I had a go at the London Velodrome in January and I was very disappointed to be let down by my lack of confidence. What jsabine says above was certainly my experience, but an hour (or was it 90 minutes?) wasn't enough for me to get past the scary part of riding on the banking.

Good luck, enjoy yourselves. Despite being disappointed at my performance, it was a hugely enjoyable experience.

[Jaded]

Make sure you have something to hold onto when you stop.

[Ningishzidda]

A neat way to slow down is to unclip one shoe and ride straight-legged so the rotation of the cranks lifts your backside off the saddle.
But probably not on your first day at a track.

[robgul]

It's brilliant - my children bought a session for us (family and friends group of 14 people) for a significant birthday present - when you look down at the end of the track from the gallery you'll wonder what possessed you to be there!  BUT within a few laps of riding you'll be up the banking, no problem.

After that first foray I organised about a dozen outings to Manchester & Newport with quite a few from yacf joining in (ChrisN, Jaded, Marin109, AndyGates .... and more)

It is remarkably tiring and the dry atmosphere will mean that you need to drink a lot of water.

.. it becomes addictive ... I bought a s/h track bike and used that for about 6 or 7 sessions. (now sold as I realised I wasn't going to beat Chris Hoy - did I mention Chris Hoy? - he was at Newport on one of our trips, doing some promo filming when Sky first set up their team)

AND riding fixed, with brake(s) on the road is great - a bit different and good for the legs to keep them working (I've graduated from a single gear fixed to a 3 speed hub-geared fixed)

Rob

[Ningishzidda]

If we’re going to start name-dropping, I went to a track session at the Birmingham outdoor track in the mid seventies when Tommy Godwin and Hugh Porter were there.

I rode a Mercian with steel stem and bars. Campag with Milremo sprints.

[Jaded]

Ah yes, the day that I was held up on Newport track by Chris Hoy...

[mrcharly-YHT]

A neat way to slow down is to unclip one shoe and ride straight-legged so the rotation of the cranks lifts your backside off the saddle.
But probably not on your first day at a track.

Have you ever ridden fixed with anything close to a decent cadence?

The advice above is criminally daft, absolutely dangerous.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Not once you are nearly at a stop, when it looks very cool.

[Ningishzidda]

A neat way to slow down is to unclip one shoe and ride straight-legged so the rotation of the cranks lifts your backside off the saddle.
But probably not on your first day at a track.

Have you ever ridden fixed with anything close to a decent cadence?

The advice above is criminally daft, absolutely dangerous.

Unless you have "Skills"...... 

Try reversing up the banking,,, 

PS. What's a decent cadence on a 108" gear? 100 ??

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I generally ran 90-94" gears, except for restricted tracks. 108" was a track tandem gear for me.

[Ningishzidda]

A neat way to slow down is to unclip one shoe and ride straight-legged so the rotation of the cranks lifts your backside off the saddle.
But probably not on your first day at a track.

Have you ever ridden fixed with anything close to a decent cadence?

The advice above is criminally daft, absolutely dangerous.

Unless you have "Skills"...... 

Try reversing up the banking,,, 

PS. What's a decent cadence on a 108" gear? 100 ??

That’s a 52 x 13 BTW. 25 mph at 81 rpm.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Not once you are nearly at a stop, when it looks very cool.

He suggested it as a method of slowing down.

To suggest it to inexperienced (at fixed) riders is irresponsible.

[robgul]

Not once you are nearly at a stop, when it looks very cool.

You should know ... very cool - you've seen me do it several times riding my fixed on the London Sightseer 

Rob

[Ningishzidda]

As long as Hatler doesn’t repeat all this to his kids, all will be fine. I expect he has sense of mind to not say anything about ‘trick-cycling’ on a fixed gear bike.

Like riding backwards sitting on the handlebars while reading the newspaper with one foot pedalling and the other on the nose of the saddle.
( Which I can't do )

[hatler]

Thank you all. This is exactly the sort of stuff I was after.

I pointed the two mums at this site, and one of them said : -

I don't understand even half of what they are they are saying on that site. I'm wondering if I should be the person taking the pictures? Do I really have to  do this?

To which the resounding chorus will be "Yes, of course !!"

Jurek,

I have had a few goes on the Rollapaluza rig so I know how to go flat out on fixed for 20 seconds at a go, and then slow down without being ejected from the front of the bike.

Before I were even to consider getting a fixie, I would need to do some serious sorting in the garage first, but I hear what you're saying and have heard similar from many others.

However, one basic thing I need to do to get my fitness levels up is to simply get on the bike. Since the job evaporated I haven't been commuting every day, so fitness has taken a knock. It's been a few months since I was needed at work on a regular basis and I've only managed this week to get out and about on the bike (Richmond Park laps). I've managed Monday and Wednesday and will be there again tomorrow.