For Hippy - Track Bikes

"NickZX6R" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Have you been riding the track bike much yet?

Other than on my driveway, I've only been to the track
once. I've been doing longer road rides to prep for ATBinaD
and combined with the dodgy weather here, I've not gone to
the track more

Quoted message said:

I've been fantasising about trying out track riding for a while
now.

Sick puppy! ;-)

Quoted message said:

What advice can you give about:
- where to ride

Well, if I had a different fork I might fit a front brake and
take to the road but for now, with no brakes, I will stick
to Blackburn CC's track. If you are in Melbourne, check
out: http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/circuits/track.html

Quoted message said:

- does it cost anything (ie. fees for track use?)

I'm a Blackburn member so it doesn't cost me anything.
That being said, at the moment there is no official training
on so no one would stop you riding on the track (unless
they started doing training perhaps?). Of course I didn't
tell you this...

Quoted message said:

- whatever else I'd need to know

Hmm, I just bought a track bike and took it down to the
track. There were two or three other guys there and they
told me to jump on (you literally have to jump the fence).
I made it clear I'd never done this before and they were
helpful and explained I should get used to the whole
track, i.e. ride down the bottom, up the top and
transition from both. You should keep above the middle
line so that others can do their fast efforts on the bottom
of the track.

I'll see if I can find some links for ya...

http://www.fixedgearfever.com/faq.htm, has 5 or so links
down the bottom of the page - very helpful!

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed/index.html
Sheldon.. need I say more? ;-)

http://www.velodrome.com/, I haven't explored this
yet so don't know the content, but a few other sites
mention it.

http://www.63xc.com/gregg/101_2.htm, these guys
ride fixies off-road! This is a direct link to their fixed
gear tutorial page though which is useful for all fixie
riders.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/f29, CyclingForums
track racing forum.

<http://forums.consumerreview.com/crforum?13@@.efbc183!RANDOM=5925546>
RoadBikeReview's Fixed Gear forum.

I'm still a fixie virgin (kinda) but I'll help with
what I can.

hippy

Nickzx6r said:

Hey Hippy
Have you been riding the track bike much yet?
I've been fantasising about trying out track riding for a while now.
What advice can you give about:
- where to ride
- does it cost anything (ie. fees for track use?)
- whatever else I'd need to know
Cheers -Nick

Seeings Hippy's never raced, I'll give you my two cents:

In summer, most tracks are used by the club on most nights. Which means
only club members are allowed on the track, and only on track bikes.
(Fixies with no brakes).

Trackies are pretty intolerant to bad riding, because the potential for
stacks is huge, but most of us will endeavour to help new riders out, as
long as people listen to you. If you're a smart [censored] you'll get hammered
in every race until you quit.

Track always hurts like hell, but it's fun when you're winning. Most
people are under the misconception that trackies are all Sean Eadie/Gary
Niewand style sprinters, but in actual fact you need to be pretty fit
aerobically as well, as most club racing is pointscores, scratch races,
motorpaces and handicaps.

Oh, and if you think you're an OK sprinter, you'll find out pretty soon
that you're not.

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Shabby said:

Nickzx6r said:

Hey Hippy
Have you been riding the track bike much yet?
I've been fantasising about trying out track riding for a while now.
What advice can you give about:
- where to ride
- does it cost anything (ie. fees for track use?)
- whatever else I'd need to know
Cheers -Nick

Quoted message said:

Seeings Hippy's never raced, I'll give you my two cents:

Quoted message said:

In summer, most tracks are used by the club on most nights. Which means
only club members are allowed on the track, and only on track bikes.
(Fixies with no brakes).

Quoted message said:

Trackies are pretty intolerant to bad riding, because the potential for
stacks is huge, but most of us will endeavour to help new riders out, as
long as people listen to you. If you're a smart [censored] you'll get hammered
in every race until you quit.

Quoted message said:

Track always hurts like hell, but it's fun when you're winning. Most
people are under the misconception that trackies are all Sean Eadie/Gary
Niewand style sprinters, but in actual fact you need to be pretty fit
aerobically as well, as most club racing is pointscores, scratch races,
motorpaces and handicaps.

Quoted message said:

Oh, and if you think you're an OK sprinter, you'll find out pretty soon
that you're not.

Quoted message said:

--

Quoted message said:

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Thanks for the tips and info guys.
At the moment it's still a vague plan. I haven't fantasised as far
as racing, just trying it out for curiosity's sake.

I'll check out the links hippy gave and come back with some stupid
questions 🙂

Oh, and I have no illusions about being an OK sprinter - I'm way too
[censored] to consider myself 'OK' 😉

Cheers.
-Nick

NickZX6R said:

Hey Hippy

Have you been riding the track bike much yet?

I've been fantasising about trying out track riding for a while
now.

What advice can you give about:
- where to ride
- does it cost anything (ie. fees for track use?)
- whatever else I'd need to know

Cheers
-Nick

If you're in Sydney, check this out (came in my email):

HTH,

&roo

---------------------------------------------------------------

******** SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN ********

*** Cycling NSW Members only ***

Holidays are nearly here so why not get organised and come to
Dunc Gray to either hone your track skills or learn new ones.

Adults and juniors welcome

Organised training sessions:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 7, 8, 9, & 10 October

Session Times 8.30 am thru to 12.00 Noon

******** Qualified coaches on hand and derny available *******

If you have not ridden on Dunc Gray no problem we will teach
you how in your own time.

Guaranteed to have you going around the fence in no time.

Don’t have a track bike?…no problem!
Track bikes available at no charge for these sessions check sizes.

8 Bikes 46 cms and 1 bike each 52, 54, 55 cms.

Cost:

Juniors $10 per session or $30 for four sessions
Seniors $15 per session or $50 for four sessions

Please book in advance using the application form.

Application form available at www.nsw.cycling.org.au

Want to organise your own group? - min 6 riders required.

We will organise a training session just for you.

Maybe you have riders who have not ridden Dunc Gray
before and would like to learn as a group.

Contact Barrie McLean for group bookings.

Barrie McLean Phone: 9738 5850
Email: [email hidden]

Andrew Swan said:

NickZX6R said:

Hey Hippy

Have you been riding the track bike much yet?

I've been fantasising about trying out track riding for a while
now.

What advice can you give about:
- where to ride
- does it cost anything (ie. fees for track use?)
- whatever else I'd need to know

Cheers
-Nick

Quoted message said:

If you're in Sydney, check this out (came in my email):

Quoted message said:

HTH,

Quoted message said:

&roo

<Good Stuff Snipped>

What a shame.

Anyone know of a similar deal in Melbourne?

-Nick

Nickzx6r said:

Andrew Swan said:

NickZX6R said:

Hey Hippy

Have you been riding the track bike much yet?

I've been fantasising about trying out track riding for a while now.

What advice can you give about:
- where to ride
- does it cost anything (ie. fees for track use?)
- whatever else I'd need to know

Cheers -Nick

If you're in Sydney, check this out (came in my email):
HTH,
&roo

<Good Stuff Snipped>
What a shame.
Anyone know of a similar deal in Melbourne?
-Nick

Blackburn have club bikes you can rent, but you'll need an ACF license
to train on the track. Not sure if it will be the same this year, but
Friday night used to be a novice/learners skills night.

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