Track Supah Stah!

[smurfalicious]

So I sucked it up last Friday and went to the velodrome. As it stands I'm trying to figure out what "outfit" to wear tomorrow.

I have to admit I was insanely nervous! The track itself is visually intimidating. It's pretty short, like 140 meters? And has 45 degree banking. Oh, and I did I mention this was a crash course in fixie and track? Yeah baby! I cannot get on a bike without gripping the brakes, it's a mental thing but ugh, so hard.

We got a basic primer about track safety and Staci and I played with the fixies while the boys went out on the track. Problem number one was the idea of pedaling through a corner. Body says NO! We glide through corners on the bike, slow the horse down before them. That out of the way track bikes handle funky on the flats. I was pretty content to stay on the infield but I couldn't suss out.

Once we got on the côte d'azur which is just barely banked I felt much better. This what the bike wants to be one, okay, cool. At that point I didn't want to go slow and check it out, I wanted to get it. When it came time to get up on the track I was chomping hard at the bit.

I must say it was like a roller coaster, a tilt-a-whirl and a bike all in one. The girl who was scared to get up there was all about getting up high on the rails. We did some drills and some follow the leader getting high in the corners and low on the straight. Fun stuff especially when all your internal organs drop back into place only to be spun back up again!

Anyway, it's super dark in there so pics kind of suck, but here is proof I did it! I'm the chubster in blue/black in the front.



There are lots of pics of the track here so you can get an idea of what the whole freegin scary thing looks like.

http://www.boulderindoorcycling.com/...ling-News.aspx

[kermit]

Holy crap, thats super cool. We have one here but its outdoors. Thats a little creepy around the corners on the high side. I bet the ceiling felt like it was dropping down.

[Tokie]

I was just thinking this week.....why doesn't TE have a Track category? My womens team went to the Encino (outdoors) velodrome a few weeks ago for an intro class. My biggest glitch was clipping into pedals knowing that the cranks were going to keep turning as I did it - it took a bit of concentration! One of the Juniors told me "after about 20 laps, you don't even notice that its banked" she was right, and it was really fun. I'm going to try the Carson velodrome in Feb - track is great for honing your cycling skills and smoothing out your pedal stroke! Do you think you'll get into racing on the track? Tokie

[katluvr]

WOW! Awesome! I can't imagine doing that. What, no breaks? Going fast in curves? Maybe one day. I don't even know if there is something like that around here!
Thanks for sharing...wow!

[OakLeaf]

Sounds like great fun! It's about 3 hours to the nearest velodrome from me, and I've never had the burning desire for such a long trip, but you sure do make it sound tempting. And you look great on the bike!

[ehirsch83]

Smurf- you look awesome! You do not look chubby, actually you look like a track rider!! I think you may have found your calling:-)


I love the track!! My only problem is stopping, haha I have to continue until I get close enough to grab something to stop,quite humerous to watch.

My track frame actually came in yesterday so today I am going down to my old work(one of the LBSs) to pick it up and then take it up to the SOs shop to order parts so I can build it up and start training again!!

We have an outdoor banked track(Brian Picollo Veledrome) which is concrete. I remember the first time I went out I went all the way up to the top!!(the guy who runs the program is semi coaching me when I go out there, so I did whatever he told me to do!!)
You girls are so lucky to have other girls out there. I am one of the only girls to go, sometimes 2 others go, but I have never been there when they are there:-( But the guys love to see a girl out there.

[Aiacha]

There is one super-close to me (in fact, checking the map, I've passed it but never noticed it) and I've thought about giving it a try. According to a webiste, they are closed for the season (outdoor), but opening back up end of next weekend. I'll have to take a day off and go by!

[kermit]

Hey ehirsch83,
I know some nights at Brian Piccolo they have races. What day do you go? I think I would like to try it. I'm in Miami. So what are the bike requirements? I see some have brakes, some don't. Is that just a weight issue?

[bouncybouncy]

ehirsch83 & kermy.....is there a schedule??? I will be in town the first week of March and would love to go watch!

Do NOT even try to coax me into trying it!!! I am doing good just getting in a paceline on a road ride...not about to get on a track and risk a major anxiety attack!

I used to live around the corner from that park, I would go to the crit track while hubby played softball and practice turns and just basically get used to the bike (I am sooo a mtbiker at heart) I would watch the kids at the skatepark (on bikes and boards) and watch the velodrome riders...never saw a race tho. I think it has grown since I was there.

I have a friend who rides there often, Graf, you know him?

and Smurf...go get 'em girl!!!!

[wnyrider]

That looks so totally intense. Way to go! My stomach tightened up just looking.

[ehirsch83]

Ok Brian Piccolo is totally unorganized when it comes to the track!
It is pretty far west, so it is sporadic who goes, but there is a hard core following of some guys(who happen to be top guys in the nation). Wed night is beginner night, which is when I will be going out once I get my bike built up and Tues and Thurs nights are hard core work outs. I rode Tues and Thurs nights last year and the guys rocked and helped me sooo much!! But I was on a rental bike(umm at least 15 year old KHS bikes, maybe older!!) and I just rode solo. Now that I have my own bike I am hoping to get comfortable and stronger to be able to hop onto some of the pace lines.

Kermy, I will let you know once I get my bike set up and maybe you could come up on a Wed night and we could ride together??(I am coming from southeast boca). In March there is the fastest mile race which is fun b/c all the roadies come out and then throughout the spring and summer are the track races. Usually the track race schedule is listed on miamimasters.com but right now there is nothing up.

Kermy, do you ever go to Rosewood to race or watch?

Oh and on bikes with brakes,etc. As I mentioned above they have rental bikes, so you can get used to the feeling of being out there and they all have cages on them, you can bring your own pedals if you want and attach them.

[kermit]

Cool. Looking forward to it. Can you use a regular road bike on the track or need a rental, like on beginners night? Sorry I am completely not schooled in the track bikes. Where's Rosewood? I used to ride in Parkland when I lived in Coral Springs, now in Miami I ride mostly Key Biscayne. Will be doing some sprint tri's and EBC rides when they come up. Who's doing your build up? Racers edge?

[smilingcat]

If its anything like Carson Velodrome in LA, no road bike allowed. I drive by there on my commute

One of the evening is set aside for ladies night . And you have to take their safety class first. And something about having to have a license (USCF)... Not too terribly sure.

All I have heard is that the guy who runs the track has his electric scooter on the track and you are supposed to keep up with him. On his nice day, one or two guys stay with him for the duration of the training. And when he is feeling bit grumpy no one makes it to the end.

I'm a strict roadie so I'll pass the opportunity for track.

[ehirsch83]

No road bikes allowerd, so you have to use one of the rentals. Even though Wed. night is beginners night, there is no skills clinic. But... I am friends with the guy who runs the program, so he will help if I ask him to(he is also an interesting old man who is the race official down here, and if you will listen- will fill your ears with tons of stories of when he raced 40 years ago).

Rosewood is in Miami Lakes. It is a local crit series that is held at an office park. It is a fun place to go watch/race!

I don't go to Racer's Edge much, I have to get some HEED but that is it. My SO works at Bicycle Generation and I race for them, so most of my work is done there but.... I used to work at Downtown Bicycles, so I go there sometimes.

Parkland is pretty, I work in the ranches out there so sometimes I take my bike out there and ride midday when I get a few hours.

[solobiker]

very cool. I went for a run with a friend last saturday and her BF is big into racing and she mentioned that he goes there every Friday night. Maybe you saw him. Looks pretty intimidating to me. We still have to hook up sometime to do some riding outside.