Track Cycling

[Roasted]

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So after looking at some of the Olympic sports one of the things that kind of caught my interest is track cycling. Regular cycling doesn't interest me because I'm just not into road cycling long distances. Track cycling seems to be more about power and is closer to sprinting where as road cycling would be like running a marathon. The top guys look like this:

Instead of this:

For the uninitiated, track cycling is done indoors on a 250m or 333m track on a single speed bike and the turns are banked. It seems like it would be a good sport to get into in Canada because of the indoor aspect so you could do it year round. So I started looking into it and there doesn't seem to be ANY tracks to do this in the GTA. They are building one in Milton but from what I can see it is not complete yet. I guess this is a sport that's big in Europe but no one is really into it in Canada.

Anyone ever try it? What did you think? Did you enjoy it?

 

[invictus43]

There actually is a velodrome near Delhi, Ontario. It's an asphalt track and not great to be honest. I've ridden on the track for fun once..it's odd. I also rode a track bike around for fun..this was an older track bike..80's tech. They're very specific bikes..fixed gear..short wheelbase..unforgiving. Track is a different discipline in cycling for sure. You have to have fast-twitch muscles, not like road cycling where you have exertion and recovery. It's the difference between the 100m dash and the marathon really, although there are longer track events and that's not a completely true comparison. I used to be a mechanic for Lori Anne Muenzer many moons ago, before she won in the Olympics. Very strong. Took her a while to build enough muscle to compete at the top level.

 

[caboose56]

Instead of this:

My lower body is about halfway between these two guys.

There's a velodrome here in London.

 

[rmemedic]

Looks like a sport designed for my build. I have naturally built legs, and love being on the spin bike... I'd actually give it a try.

 

[Gary64]

I actually attended some track cycling events at the 76 Olympics in Montreal as a kid. TV does not show the true steepness of the banking. The velodrome in Montreal was converted into the Biosphere many years ago. This is one of my favorite summer games events to watch.

 

[invictus43]

We tried to get a track built back in the late 80s, early 90s. A lot of Italians were trying to get it done..were willing to donate the labour to build it..gov't wouldn't give any land up. We were trying to get it built at Centennial Park in Etobicoke..no go. No support. I'm not sure it would be used to be honest..not enough to make it pay for itself. So it's a tough road in Canada to be good at it. Have to go down to the States to train...well, train on the track that is.

 

[moosh009]

The top guys look like this:

That's only for the sprint events. In the endurance events, the competitors look like road cyclists. Horses for courses...

 

[fastar1]

Dude on the right isn't strong enough to lift his own bike and helmet? Guy on the left is the athlete in that picture.

 

[Roasted]

Looks like a sport designed for my build. I have naturally built legs, and love being on the spin bike... I'd actually give it a try.

I naturally have chicken legs but I'm always trying to build them and thinking getting into this would help on top of being fun. It looks like I'm going to have to wait 1-2 years for the Milton Velodrome to be constructed before I can get into this. I might drive out to London maybe one time just to try it. Anyone know if they rent bikes there? I'm not investing $300-400 in a bike to just to try it once.

 

[caboose56]

They do rent bikes.

 

[aki]

The london velodrome is a difficult one to master. They say if you can ride this track you can ride anywhere. Because the track is small, the banking is rather steep (50 degrees if I remember correctly). I've raced there a few times, tons of fun! Rob Good is the main organizer there. The best way to start is to get registered in a Track 101 course there. If you just show up and you have no racing experience from another track, they will likely not let you ride. Everyone's safety depends on everyone knowing the right-of-way and riding a straight and predictable line.

It looks like September is the next available course date:
http://www.forestcityvelodrome.ca/news.php#link_187

Contact Rob Good at:
Tel: (519) 897-1447
Email: ForestCityVelodrome@Live.com

 

[Roasted]

The london velodrome is a difficult one to master. They say if you can ride this track you can ride anywhere. Because the track is small, the banking is rather steep (50 degrees if I remember correctly). I've raced there a few times, tons of fun! Rob Good is the main organizer there. The best way to start is to get registered in a Track 101 course there. If you just show up and you have no racing experience from another track, they will likely not let you ride. Everyone's safety depends on everyone knowing the right-of-way and riding a straight and predictable line.

It looks like September is the next available course date:
http://www.forestcityvelodrome.ca/news.php#link_187

Contact Rob Good at:
Tel: (519) 897-1447
Email: ForestCityVelodrome@Live.com

Thanks. Looks good and it's pretty cheap.

 

[Jinniwind]

Funny that you guys are talking about his legs. I just read some news about their legs earlier today.

These two are the German cyclers

Robert Forstemann​

&

Andre Greipel​

...

I'm not sure if it was just the angle of this picture...

 

[ATTS]

These two are the German cyclers

Robert Forstemann​

&

Andre Greipel​

...

Greipel is a sprinter but is capable to ride longer distances as shown in the tour. Definately a sprinter though from winning a few stages.

 

[invictus43]

Greipel is a sprinter but is capable to ride longer distances as shown in the tour. Definately a sprinter though from winning a few stages.

He's generally considered too heavy to be a GC contender. The top GC guys are even thinner than that. But yeah, as a comparison, he's considered a muscular road guy! It's really impossible to compare..the events are entirely different that they're training for. Some track events you're talking 30 seconds of exertion and the race is done. As opposed to the Tour where the top guys are averaging 430 watts for 40 mins going uphill at places like Alpe d'Huez.

 

[D23]

Isn't it called hipster NASCAR now?

Every hipster fixie fag on the planet talks about "the drome" and how they're going to ride it....

You have a chrome messenger bag Roasted?

LOL

Wouldn't that be Ironic.

[video=youtube;NNEIsmkY4Q8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNEIsmkY4Q8&feature=related[/video]

 

[Roasted]

I'm not sure if it was just the angle of this picture...

View attachment 29709

Legs generally look bigger from the side than head on. Notice how his left leg is more angled outward? This is why one leg looks bigger. But yes, I'm jealous as hell, even though I very much doubt these guys are clean (or anyone at the top level).

Isn't it called hipster NASCAR now?

Every hipster fixie fag on the planet talks about "the drome" and how they're going to ride it....

You have a chrome messenger bag Roasted?

LOL

I doubt they do sprints though, or else their legs would get too jacked to fit into their hipster skinny jeans.

 

[aki]

match sprint is where it's at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npcysPZFkBc&feature=related

it's a cat and mouse game. The guy following has the advantage of watching the jump of the rider ahead and has the draft. It's the gamble of the rider ahead to jump early and catch the rider off guard, or be caught/drafted then passed. You may see them come to an absolute stop at times to force the rider at the rear to go ahead. 70 km/h to the line.

 

[aki]

beautifully timed jump in this one....tactics over power

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI3qWekkYtI&feature=related

 

[invictus43]

I always like this guy... Imagine being stalked by him on a bike...

[video=youtube;mNrgKLY6PDg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNrgKLY6PDg[/video]

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