Track cycling - Induction session

PostieJohn
PostieJohn Posts: 1,105
edited June 2010 in The bottom bracket
I'm sure a few of you have done this before, but I had my first session at Calshott last Saturday, and blooming good fun it was too.

I highly recommend it for anyone close enough to a velodrome.

It's very daunting to walk in, see the 'wall of death' and think I can't ride round that, only to be doing it, an hour later.

Top stuff.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12792776

Comments

  • Flasheart
    Flasheart Posts: 1,278
    I keep thinking that I should give it a go seeing as Calshot is so close too me.
    Maybe this Summer....
    The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ...Stapp’s Ironical Paradox Law
    FCN3
    http://img87.yfrog.com/img87/336/mycubeb.jpg
    http://lonelymiddlesomethingguy.blogspot.com/
  • Bunneh
    Bunneh Posts: 1,329
    Have the Manchester Velo on my doorstep but the idea of riding a bike with no brakes and no gear ratio scares the poop outta me!
    http://www.youtube.com/user/Eurobunneh - My Youtube channel.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    Don't worry Bunneh, they'll give you a bike with one gear ratio. :wink:
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Been to 3 in about 10 years at manchester... 1st one was scary as, pulled my foot out of the pedal and crashed, but they made me get straight back on "otherwise you never will".

    2nd one was with the club as an end of season jolly. We hired it to ourselves and had a coach giving us games and exercises to do, was great fun.

    3rd one wen to nmy own again as I was thinking of getting into track racing. They had us doing the riding in a paceline. One guy must've weighed 19st, had a really expensive track bike and was unbeliveably slow. I got shouted at firstly for overtaking him then for not riding close enough to him. Problem being that riding at his pace had my back wheel slipping on the banking.

    never went back after that, put me right off!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    Bunneh wrote:
    Have the Manchester Velo on my doorstep but the idea of riding a bike with no brakes and no gear ratio scares the poop outta me!

    My girlfriend is excellent at track riding esp. the Derny pacing. Not my thing but if if all those kids can do it then you can. With no gears/brakes you can just concentrate on riding. Remember everyone should be moving at the same speed in the same direction
    M.Rushton
  • Matt the Tester
    Matt the Tester Posts: 1,261
    Bunneh wrote:
    Have the Manchester Velo on my doorstep but the idea of riding a bike with no brakes and no gear ratio scares the poop outta me!
    i'm going to manchester veledrome this month! going with SouthportCC on the 19th June i can't wait!!

    @OP make sure you do it again! you will get the buzz again :D
    Coveryourcar.co.uk RT Tester
    north west of england.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Just completed the improvers course at Newport and waiting for my accreditation date now. Doubt I'll race much but the velodrome is on my doorstep and I'll do one or two sessions a week there through the winter once I've got the cash for a bike.
  • tebbit
    tebbit Posts: 604
    Its great fun, I enjoyed the sessions I had at Manchester Velodrome, but the scary thing is when the kids are off school, they have no fear and no concept of pain, very scary, as long as the little snot snoggers aren't trying to knock you off, you'll have a great time. :D
  • ScaldedCat
    ScaldedCat Posts: 111
    I'm really looking forward to us getting a Velodrome here in Derby (supposedly). I'm hoping when it does arrive they have special OAP rates for sessions on the track.
  • lemon63
    lemon63 Posts: 253
    Pross, I think think I was on that course with you, I was the one who crashed the other week. :oops:
    I missed the last sesh on monday, (had a funeral that turned into an all day wake & was in no fit state to ride a bike), did I miss anything ?

    Mike
  • dizzydane
    dizzydane Posts: 322
    I was at Calshott a couple of weeks ago for my first session and absolutely loved it!!! At first it seems daunting, the steepness of the track, no brakes and not being able to free wheel, but when you get the hang of things, you're flying!

    I can't wait for the Velodrome to be built in East London so I can take up track cycling for my winter riding.

    Glad you had a great time PostieJohn and I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever thought of giving it a go.
  • DubaiNeil
    DubaiNeil Posts: 246
    Do they normally have bikes for rent/loan at these events?

    We are "supposed" to be getting access to a velodrome built near-ish to me (which was originally built solely for the UAE National team to train in) - but I don't want to buy a bike before trying...

    Neil
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    DubaiNeil wrote:
    Do they normally have bikes for rent/loan at these events?

    We are "supposed" to be getting access to a velodrome built near-ish to me (which was originally built solely for the UAE National team to train in) - but I don't want to buy a bike before trying...

    Neil

    Most UK velodromes have a fleet of hire bikes available.

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