Newport Track Accreditation

StrangelyBrown

Does anyone know exactly what form the Newport accreditation session takes i..e what drills / exercises are done etc?

Cheers

oldwelshman

They make them up as they go along
I suppose it depends who is the coach taking it.
I did mine just on a normal training night with the coach watching me during training routines.
They will be doing routines that look how you ride in a bunch, following wheels, going up and down banking etc, basically routines to show you have good bike control, pacing and awareness on the track.

StrangelyBrown

Cheers - much as I thought. Got mine coming up.

oldwelshman

I am fed up no road milage I might go down for a few days and get some training done on the track.
Is your accreditation in a normal session, drop in or specific session?

andrewgas

I passed my accreditation in December at Newport. As far as I know Courtney takes all the accreditations now and they are all done to the same format.

The basic format is:

1: Go up and ride on the cote de azur for a couple of laps . This is done so that it is immeditley clear if there is anyone thats never ridden a fixed gear bike before, or never ridden on a track etc.

2. Ride on the track in single file at a steady pace making half laps changes. This shows you can ride close to a wheel in front and signal when moving up the track andlook over your shoulder.

3. Ride around the track 10 metres apart on the blue line and when the whistle blows the last rider goes inside and outside between all the riders untill they reach the front. This is repeated till everyones done it. This shows you can move around others.

4. In groups of 5 or 6 you ride around the track in a line parallel to each other so that someone is on the black line and someone near the top of the track with the other inbetween. Then when you are approach the banking the rider at the bottom has to climb on the banking to the top of the group before the end of the banking. Everyone does this once or twice. This shows you can climb around people and overtake etc on the banking.

5. The whole group goes up and rides as a group then everyone has to manouever around each other and change to another place on the track a few times. This shows you can move around in a group and get into spaces safely e.g. for when racing.

Thats basically it. It's all explained to you before you do it and you can ask questions etc. As long as you ride sensibly and always look over your shoulder and signal when moving you will be fine. There is an improvers session 6-9pm on a Sunday where you go through most of these things if you still got a few weeks.

Hope that helps.

StrangelyBrown

Cheers guys.

andrewgas: I've done some coached sessions at Newport with my club and an improvers session with Courtney. We've covered at least all you mention, and I'm pretty confident on the track so should be ok (famous last words there). Courtney did talk through what was required, but I wanted to see what others actual experience has been. I don't think he is taking my accreditation session.

oldwelshman: my session is a specific accreditation session on Sunday, which was booked weeks ago, although it's looking dodgy due to the weather I've got a fair hack to get down there.

oldwelshman

StrangelyBrown wrote:

Cheers guys.

andrewgas: I've done some coached sessions at Newport with my club and an improvers session with Courtney. We've covered at least all you mention, and I'm pretty confident on the track so should be ok (famous last words there). Courtney did talk through what was required, but I wanted to see what others actual experience has been. I don't think he is taking my accreditation session.

oldwelshman: my session is a specific accreditation session on Sunday, which was booked weeks ago, although it's looking dodgy due to the weather I've got a fair hack to get down there.

Good luck getting the certificate, I have been waiting 2 years still not got it

StrangelyBrown

Accredited

Pross

I'm just looking at getting on the beginners course there. It's a shame it starts so early in the evening though as I will struggle to get there on time. Am I right in thinking the hire bikes have Look pedals?

TommyEss

That's the information I got from my club re. a session coming up in Feb.

Look Deltas (old school) on the hire bikes.

Or toe-clips and straps if you want.

Pross

Cheers - will need another pair of shoes!

TommyEss

Surely just some cleats?

Pross

Nah, can't be bothered switching cleats and both my road bikes use SPD-SL. I know someone with a spare pair that I can borrow for the course though.