Bicycle racing

Dunno about websites, but the best way to learn is to try it out. Over on this
side of the pond I've been to the velodrome at Manchester a few times, as you
can book taster sessions where you get to try out the track under the
supervision of a coach. It's *excellent fun*. The only problem I have is that
it's four hours car journey from me on the other side of the country :-( In
school holidays I've taken my son there, for sessions with the local club,
Eastlands Velo, who are extremely welcoming and supportive of kids from outside
the locality, as they know velodromes in the UK are few & far between. he's
learnt a lot from his time on the track.

Why not look up the phone number of the velodrome you refer to and see if they
do similar sessions there?

Track is great fun.

Cheers, helen s

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Quoted message said:

Why not look up the phone number of the velodrome you refer to and see if

they

Quoted message said:

do similar sessions there?

Track is great fun.

Cheers, helen s

The velodrome here is a pubic one that is only closed when there is a race.
I have ridden on it and thought it was pretty cool with the banked bends and
all. There is no number for it, being a public place.

I did a search on it and really came up with nothing. Next time I see them
race I may just stop by and talk to them. I am lucky. It is only a few
miles away and I can just ride there.

Curt

You could start at www.usacycling.org.

Which velodrome is in question?

Chris Neary
[email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

curt said:

I have never raced yet and I was driving down the road the other day and saw
a bicycle race in progress at the local velodrome. I was wondering if there
is a web site to learn more about races?

The web's great for lots of things, but to me, it sounds like you need a
book.

You might start with a general book on bicycling, reading the chapters
that discuss racing. One I liked is _Bike Cult_ by David Perry (ISBN
1-56858-027-4). It's got some information on almost every aspect of
cycling, and most of it is in an easy-to-read magazine format. Sort of
fits my short attention span!

Anyway, starting there, you can dig into its extensive bibliography to
locate other, more specialized books on training & technique, or on
racing on road & track (which are two sections of the bibliograpy).

Books are cool. Libraries are even cooler. Check it out.

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curt said:

I have never raced yet and I was driving down the road the other day and saw
a bicycle race in progress at the local velodrome. I was wondering if there
is a web site to learn more about races? I guess these people are rated
from 1-5, 5 being a beginner. Can someone supply me with a site or some
information on racing, if I wanted to try it?

Information like your location helps. Curt, you're in Pittsburgh,
right? That's not an actual velodrome, but the "Pittsburgh Cycling
Oval." (On the site of the old driver testing facility I think,
but I don't live there anymore.) The best way to start is to
hook up with some people with experience, i.e. a local club.
A couple of places to start:

http://www.pacycling.org/
http://www.acaracing.com/

Thanks for the links and information. I do have a stupid question though.
Why is it called an oval and not a velodrome? Please be gentle.

Curt

"Benjamin Weiner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:40ac08b4$1@darkstar...

Quoted message said:

curt said:

I have never raced yet and I was driving down the road the other day and

saw

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a bicycle race in progress at the local velodrome. I was wondering if

there

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is a web site to learn more about races? I guess these people are rated
from 1-5, 5 being a beginner. Can someone supply me with a site or some
information on racing, if I wanted to try it?

Information like your location helps. Curt, you're in Pittsburgh,
right? That's not an actual velodrome, but the "Pittsburgh Cycling
Oval." (On the site of the old driver testing facility I think,
but I don't live there anymore.) The best way to start is to
hook up with some people with experience, i.e. a local club.
A couple of places to start:

http://www.pacycling.org/
http://www.acaracing.com/

curt said:

The velodrome here is a pubic one that is only closed when there is a race.
I have ridden on it and thought it was pretty cool with the banked bends and
all. There is no number for it, being a public place.

I did a search on it and really came up with nothing. Next time I see them
race I may just stop by and talk to them. I am lucky. It is only a few
miles away and I can just ride there.

Pass on the 'pubic' as it has to be one of the most common fun
misspellings on the net, but I assume that you are talking about the
Lehigh Valley Velodrome, formerly the Trexeltown Velodrome AKA T-Town
Velo. They have a site www.lvvelo.org .

Bicycle racing in the U.S. is run by the USCF for amateurs. Their web
site is www.usacycling.org .

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

No, it is in Pittsburgh, but I was told it is an oval. Not sure of the
difference between a velodrome and oval?

Thanks for the link.

Curt

"Curtis L. Russell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

curt said:

The velodrome here is a pubic one that is only closed when there is a

race.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have ridden on it and thought it was pretty cool with the banked bends

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

all. There is no number for it, being a public place.

I did a search on it and really came up with nothing. Next time I see

them

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

race I may just stop by and talk to them. I am lucky. It is only a few
miles away and I can just ride there.

Pass on the 'pubic' as it has to be one of the most common fun
misspellings on the net, but I assume that you are talking about the
Lehigh Valley Velodrome, formerly the Trexeltown Velodrome AKA T-Town
Velo. They have a site www.lvvelo.org .

Bicycle racing in the U.S. is run by the USCF for amateurs. Their web
site is www.usacycling.org .

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

curt said:

Thanks for the links and information. I do have a stupid question though.
Why is it called an oval and not a velodrome? Please be gentle.

I haven't seen the actual thing as-built, but my understanding is
that it's 1/2mile (~800 meters) long and not very steeply banked,
and that people race road bikes on it. A true velodrome for
track racing is usually 250 or 333m long (there are even shorter
ones), banked more steeply, and people race track bikes on it
(fixed gear, no brakes). Velodromes are relatively rare in the US.
Web pages of a couple are:
http://www.lvvelo.org/
http://www.stanford.edu/~roadman/Bike_Racing/NCVA/

curt said:

No, it is in Pittsburgh, but I was told it is an oval. Not sure of the
difference between a velodrome and oval?

Thanks for the link.

Curt

Haven't seen the oval. A velodrome certainly can be built around a
concrete oval. Most velodromes range from 250 meters to 400 meters in
length and have seating for the vast audiences we know show up for
cycling events (generally meaning that you can get by with five or six
folding chairs). I know of velodromes from 175 meters to 500 meters,
so size wouldn't be the issue. Maybe a lack of seating or proper
markings and official posts for USCF racing? Generally the full range
of velodrome events require a sprinter's lane, markings on the
interior 'perimeter', various line markings on the track and two
official posts on the inside. Doubt if missing any one of those would
make it a non-velodrome.

Someone can apply the demerits for misuse of 'perimeter' and making up
'non-velodrome'.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

On 20 May 2004 15:31:56 -0800, Benjamin Weiner <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I haven't seen the actual thing as-built, but my understanding is
that it's 1/2mile (~800 meters) long and not very steeply banked,
and that people race road bikes on it.

Didn't realize that it was that big. Yep, that would be a problem.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I have never raced yet and I was driving down the road the other day and saw
a bicycle race in progress at the local velodrome. I was wondering if there
is a web site to learn more about races? I guess these people are rated
from 1-5, 5 being a beginner. Can someone supply me with a site or some
information on racing, if I wanted to try it?

http://www.usacycling.org/
------------
Alex

It is a velodrome, with seating that would be typical in the US. lol

Thanks Curtis.

Nice first name by the way. I will keep mine Curt as not to confuse, but it
is Curtis.

Curt

"Curtis L. Russell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

curt said:

No, it is in Pittsburgh, but I was told it is an oval. Not sure of the
difference between a velodrome and oval?

Thanks for the link.

Curt

Haven't seen the oval. A velodrome certainly can be built around a
concrete oval. Most velodromes range from 250 meters to 400 meters in
length and have seating for the vast audiences we know show up for
cycling events (generally meaning that you can get by with five or six
folding chairs). I know of velodromes from 175 meters to 500 meters,
so size wouldn't be the issue. Maybe a lack of seating or proper
markings and official posts for USCF racing? Generally the full range
of velodrome events require a sprinter's lane, markings on the
interior 'perimeter', various line markings on the track and two
official posts on the inside. Doubt if missing any one of those would
make it a non-velodrome.

Someone can apply the demerits for misuse of 'perimeter' and making up
'non-velodrome'.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...