clinchers for the boards

Bleve said:

Google Groups is a lame NNTP client, won't let me add to the old
thread ... sorry for the somewhat context-free post. Those of you that
read the thread will understand this post 🙂

I spent 3 hours at DISC on Sunday at the masters track training
session (just 2 of us and Liz Randall, thanks Liz! (How under utilised
is DISC? Trackies whine & moan about having no velodrone, and then
when there is one, they don't use it!). It's quite a lot faster than
BBN's concrete velodrone, pushing 90" was a doddle, which at BBN I'd
not fancy much. I raced all summer at BBN on 88" and never felt
undergeared.

Stu Vaughn recommended Veloflex Records as the 'only' clincher to use,
and we have some on order (the Aust distributor has none in stock
ATM ... and no idea when they'll have them next, so it's an Internet
order ...) - but in the mean time, my well scrubbed-in Bontrager Race-
Lites seemed to hang on just fine up at the top of the bank at around
30km/h. One of the other lads was using Vittoria Rubino Pros and they
were ok too, we can say that Michellin Pro Race 2's are *not* suitable
for the boards. Greg Griffiths from Irony cycles suggested Vittoria
Open Corsa CX clinchers
as the best of the clinchers, but I'm inclined to go with Stu
Vaughn's recommendation (cheaper too .... a lot cheaper ... the
Veloflex record RRP is around $85)

I hear that Tufo do a tub that you can use on a clincher rim, but with
Velocity track wheels so cheap (around $450 RRP for a pair with very
nice hubs) I'm leaning towards a set of Velocity tubular wheels for
racing at DISC, will see how I go on Turdsday night. Keep the
clinchers for outdoors.

First time racing there, should be interesting. I just got up into B
grade for the second half of summer at Blackburn, not sure what grade
I should ride at DISC - one of the stronger B grade trackies (Mick
Thomas) from BBN rides C grade at DISC, and one of the others (Ben
Schofield) rides B (but B is often combined with A at DISC, which
sucks balls through a straw for all involved), I'm tempted to sandbag
a little and ask the organisers if I can ride D and promise not to win
it (assuming I could, of course .... which may well be a flawed
assumption) just to get the hang of racing there before I move up. I
don't want to be the muppet that can't hold a line around the bend at
speed in C or B grade and brings down the bunch!

It seems that the fine tread thing is indeed the case, I'm still
trying to work out why though. I know Michellin Pro Race 2's are a lot
stickier than my Race-Lites, but the fine tread on the Bonties maybe
is the difference?

now that the track season is over, I think you will find that people are having a wee bit of a break now (from the boards anyway).

There is some debate as to whether tubs are actually faster/better for racing than clinchers. I suspect the hub is more important 😉 Check out the forums on fixed gear fever, if you haven't already Bleve, for ongoing (yaaaaawn) discussion on rubber.

I'd drop down to C grade for your first couple of races at least on Thurs night. I haven't race Thurs night, but will start in the next few weeks, before the hordes rush in for the winter season. From what I've heard, it's full on, so it may be a little different to what you are used to at BBN.

And.. PBK do good prices on Vittoria, if you are so inclined.

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

Quoted message said:

Bleve said:

Google Groups is a lame NNTP client, won't let me add to the old
thread ... sorry for the somewhat context-free post. Those of you that
read the thread will understand this post 🙂

I spent 3 hours at DISC on Sunday at the masters track training
session (just 2 of us and Liz Randall, thanks Liz! (How under utilised
is DISC? Trackies whine & moan about having no velodrone, and then
when there is one, they don't use it!). It's quite a lot faster than
BBN's concrete velodrone, pushing 90" was a doddle, which at BBN I'd
not fancy much. I raced all summer at BBN on 88" and never felt
undergeared.

Stu Vaughn recommended Veloflex Records as the 'only' clincher to use,
and we have some on order (the Aust distributor has none in stock
ATM ... and no idea when they'll have them next, so it's an Internet
order ...) - but in the mean time, my well scrubbed-in Bontrager Race-
Lites seemed to hang on just fine up at the top of the bank at around
30km/h. One of the other lads was using Vittoria Rubino Pros and they
were ok too, we can say that Michellin Pro Race 2's are *not* suitable
for the boards. Greg Griffiths from Irony cycles suggested Vittoria
Open Corsa CX clinchers
as the best of the clinchers, but I'm inclined to go with Stu
Vaughn's recommendation (cheaper too .... a lot cheaper ... the
Veloflex record RRP is around $85)

I hear that Tufo do a tub that you can use on a clincher rim, but with
Velocity track wheels so cheap (around $450 RRP for a pair with very
nice hubs) I'm leaning towards a set of Velocity tubular wheels for
racing at DISC, will see how I go on Turdsday night. Keep the
clinchers for outdoors.

First time racing there, should be interesting. I just got up into B
grade for the second half of summer at Blackburn, not sure what grade
I should ride at DISC - one of the stronger B grade trackies (Mick
Thomas) from BBN rides C grade at DISC, and one of the others (Ben
Schofield) rides B (but B is often combined with A at DISC, which
sucks balls through a straw for all involved), I'm tempted to sandbag
a little and ask the organisers if I can ride D and promise not to win
it (assuming I could, of course .... which may well be a flawed
assumption) just to get the hang of racing there before I move up. I
don't want to be the muppet that can't hold a line around the bend at
speed in C or B grade and brings down the bunch!

It seems that the fine tread thing is indeed the case, I'm still
trying to work out why though. I know Michellin Pro Race 2's are a lot
stickier than my Race-Lites, but the fine tread on the Bonties maybe
is the difference?

now that the track season is over, I think you will find that people
are having a wee bit of a break now (from the boards anyway).

There is some debate as to whether tubs are actually faster/better for
racing than clinchers. I suspect the hub is more important 😉 Check out
the forums on fixed gear fever, if you haven't already Bleve, for
ongoing (yaaaaawn) discussion on rubber.

I'd drop down to C grade for your first couple of races at least on
Thurs night. I haven't race Thurs night, but will start in the next few
weeks, before the hordes rush in for the winter season. From what I've
heard, it's full on, so it may be a little different to what you are
used to at BBN.

And.. PBK do good prices on Vittoria, if you are so inclined.

--
warrwych

I use Vittoria Diamante Pro Light for Dunc Grey (Sydney) Cheapish- approx
$85 from memory. Have lasted a season on the boards plus concrete at Tempe
for a season and Asphalt at Hurstville. A good allrounder perhaps??. The
tyres are really showing no signs of wear.

For all you Sydney trackies Friday Night Winter Series starts Mid
June........

Cheers

Beanzy

"Matt H" <mhynes1972@please_no_spam_bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Bleve said:

Google Groups is a lame NNTP client, won't let me add to the old
thread ... sorry for the somewhat context-free post. Those of you that
read the thread will understand this post 🙂

I spent 3 hours at DISC on Sunday at the masters track training
session (just 2 of us and Liz Randall, thanks Liz! (How under utilised
is DISC? Trackies whine & moan about having no velodrone, and then
when there is one, they don't use it!). It's quite a lot faster than
BBN's concrete velodrone, pushing 90" was a doddle, which at BBN I'd
not fancy much. I raced all summer at BBN on 88" and never felt
undergeared.

Stu Vaughn recommended Veloflex Records as the 'only' clincher to use,
and we have some on order (the Aust distributor has none in stock
ATM ... and no idea when they'll have them next, so it's an Internet
order ...) - but in the mean time, my well scrubbed-in Bontrager Race-
Lites seemed to hang on just fine up at the top of the bank at around
30km/h. One of the other lads was using Vittoria Rubino Pros and they
were ok too, we can say that Michellin Pro Race 2's are *not* suitable
for the boards. Greg Griffiths from Irony cycles suggested Vittoria
Open Corsa CX clinchers
as the best of the clinchers, but I'm inclined to go with Stu
Vaughn's recommendation (cheaper too .... a lot cheaper ... the
Veloflex record RRP is around $85)

I hear that Tufo do a tub that you can use on a clincher rim, but with
Velocity track wheels so cheap (around $450 RRP for a pair with very
nice hubs) I'm leaning towards a set of Velocity tubular wheels for
racing at DISC, will see how I go on Turdsday night. Keep the
clinchers for outdoors.

First time racing there, should be interesting. I just got up into B
grade for the second half of summer at Blackburn, not sure what grade
I should ride at DISC - one of the stronger B grade trackies (Mick
Thomas) from BBN rides C grade at DISC, and one of the others (Ben
Schofield) rides B (but B is often combined with A at DISC, which
sucks balls through a straw for all involved), I'm tempted to sandbag
a little and ask the organisers if I can ride D and promise not to win
it (assuming I could, of course .... which may well be a flawed
assumption) just to get the hang of racing there before I move up. I
don't want to be the muppet that can't hold a line around the bend at
speed in C or B grade and brings down the bunch!

It seems that the fine tread thing is indeed the case, I'm still
trying to work out why though. I know Michellin Pro Race 2's are a lot
stickier than my Race-Lites, but the fine tread on the Bonties maybe
is the difference?

now that the track season is over, I think you will find that people
are having a wee bit of a break now (from the boards anyway).

There is some debate as to whether tubs are actually faster/better for
racing than clinchers. I suspect the hub is more important 😉 Check out
the forums on fixed gear fever, if you haven't already Bleve, for
ongoing (yaaaaawn) discussion on rubber.

I'd drop down to C grade for your first couple of races at least on
Thurs night. I haven't race Thurs night, but will start in the next few
weeks, before the hordes rush in for the winter season. From what I've
heard, it's full on, so it may be a little different to what you are
used to at BBN.

And.. PBK do good prices on Vittoria, if you are so inclined.

--
warrwych

I use Vittoria Diamante Pro Light for Dunc Grey (Sydney) Cheapish- approx
$85 from memory. Have lasted a season on the boards plus concrete at Tempe
for a season and Asphalt at Hurstville. A good allrounder perhaps??. The
tyres are really showing no signs of wear.

For all you Sydney trackies Friday Night Winter Series starts Mid
June........

Cheers

Beanzy

I might make the trip down from Newcastle for a few of the friday night
races at DGV.