gtrob

That is a lot. We run a 2hr try the track that is only $30 and includes your rental. I doubt we are making money off it though, its really just to get people in the building.

6 sessions (or I guess 7 if the first one is required) is a lot of time to get certified. Ive coached at 3 tracks now and they are all 2 x 2hr classes to go through everything except racing.

bouldergeek

First post for a lurker!

I got a chance to ride out at the new Velodrome in Erie, Colorado, the other night! Wonderful! So smooth, and the boards were grippy even at 40F. Awesome to have lights for night-time racing.

It was my first time seeing the facility from the inside, and I was so impressed. Doug, Frank and everyone involved have done a great job. Since i live three miles from the facility, I am beyond stoked for a fine summer of racing.

fixiejunkie

I took 5 hour classes once while in a Velodrome in France. I learned so much. I really recommend to everyone to try it at least once. It is a really nice experience.

gtrob

88 Tooth Campagnolo Nuovo Record Compatible Chainring | eBay

its not enough...

dunderhi

Just what a guy needs for a land speed record!

myth001

You think that is big, check this one out with 17" diameter and 105 teeth:



Fast fixie: Bicycle with giant chainring aims for 100 mph - CNET
and
Fastest Bike on Planet? Massive chainring, fixed-gear

Now that will take some serious time just getting going...

TurtleRacer

Burnaby is almost $500 (not including insurance) and doesn't include racing - but it is indoors, heated, and they have coached workouts a couple times a week. Even at that price, the track is popular/busy and the coached workouts are always well attended.

Membership & Fees | Burnaby Velodrome Club

The learn-to-ride sessions are a comparative steal though - something like $60 for 6 x 1 hour sessions, including bike rental and insurance.

wens

$285 up front seems pretty steep, although they do at least have a track community there already. It really seems like learn to ride/certifications just to train on the track should be loss leaders though, I think a high barrier to entry puts you in a bad place.

700wheel

The certification is possibly misnamed as it is a 9 hour session, coached by USAC coaches and
world class racers, and riders learn how to race the more popular track races. If one joins a track club the training along with 3-hours per week track time are included in the club fees.

If one considers the cost and time involved traveling 90 miles south from Boulder to the Colorado Springs velodrome the Boulder velodrome costs suddenly appears attractive.

Incidentally one nice feature of the Boulder facility is the infield bathrooms.

carleton

No offense to the folks teaching the course, but for rank track newbies, they could have Eddy Merckx, Chris Hoy, and Anna Meares teach the classes but only so much will be covered in the intro sessions:

- Enter the track on the back straight. Exit on the front straight.
- "Stick", "Stay", "Rail", "Boards"
- sprinter's lane, stayer's lane
- Pass on the right
- etc...

There's no world-class advice given in a beginner session. It's kinda like Michael Jordan hosting a middle school basketball camp (again, no offense to the instructors). Their wisdom and experience are best applied when the athlete is ready and usually works more on a macro (annual program) level.

But, maybe they are asking those folks to teach to bring in fans...which is cool.

+1

This is a big deal.

If you've ever been to LA (Home Depot Center or ADT or whatever it's called these days) you'll realize how cool this is.

Actually, the only track I can think of that has had a restroom in the infield is TTown which puts 2 (glamorous) port-a-pottys in the infield during the season. Every other track that I know of requires you to leave the infield.

dunderhi

Marty Nothstein taught us at our USAC track course to both enter and exit on the back stretch. Maybe the top riders do have something different that they can teach.

Should I assume DLV does it the way you suggest?


With as little as only ten minutes between races, I found those infield port-a-pottys a necessity.

MarkWW

What's "boards"? Is that the same as "rail"?

And for that matter, how many people here use "rail" at their track? I've always thought it was the stupidest command and is completely counter to everything else that's learned at the track.

dunderhi

I guess it depends on whether your track has boards(Ttown) or rails(Kissena).

wens

The drive to Colorado Springs was what I was getting at with saying there's a track community. If I was running that track I'd be concerned few people are going to try the track though, because the cost to just get going is half of a used cross or mtb, and I don't think anyone who hasn't already been on a track will recognize the value of that instruction.

Hida Yanra

+1, I'd know - I helped teach the classes - the basics are basic.

Add Marymoor to the list, at least one port-a-loo in the infield, sometimes two.

queerpunk

When I went from racing at Kissena to racing at the NSC I was surprised at some new pieces of etiquette I learned. At the NSC, during warmup, everything below the stayer's line is pretty much off-limits unless you're entering the track or doing a short hard effort.

Correspondingly, many hard efforts during warmup take place along the rail - especially since it's a steep track, so there's an uphill/downhill component. So the lateral organization of the track (inside to out) is entrance, effort, empty, paceline, free-for-all, effort. Since people above the stayer's line aren't used to having people pass them on the right at speed, i think "[give me the] rail" makes sense.

queerpunk

Also I'd forgo an infield bathroom in favor of an infield water source!

Many track facilities have an underpass to get to an external bathroom, but too few have a tap. It was something of a revelation when I went to Indianapolis...

carleton

The best thing I've seen in an infield is a portable changing room. LA has these. This way, you don't have to go to the restroom to change in a nasty stall.

Think about it. Most of the bathroom traffic is people changing clothes.

queerpunk

yeah. that's nicer than a changing skirt.

bouldergeek

I had done the orientation and pre-racing classes at the Boulder indoor velodrome a few years ago. I'm currently going through the BVV classes and open track time.

I'm very pleased with the level of instruction and tutorial I am getting. I get group, small group (4) and individual coaching whenever I go to the track. Skills and comfort are increasing rapidly. BVV doesn't have the violent, tight-radius turns that BIC had. But it is a lot higher from Cote d'Azur to rail. Lots of climbing and dropping.

The BVV has infield water, bathrooms, separate men's and women's changing rooms with storage, and shop, storage, rental all integrated. There's pretty consistent activity and participation very day. I don't think anyone is staying away due to cost. Boulder is a pretty costly environment. $500 a year isn't much compared to the $10K bikes everywhere, the proliferation of golf communities, Teslas everywhere, etc.

gtrob

Not to brag, but the facilities are the best part of the new track lol. 2 full size locker rooms, showers, etc. New riders don't appreciate this, I try to tell them "its not normally like this! I have peed outside at a track before!".

carleton

Jack Bobridge's Hour bike being assembled

queerpunk

it's starting to make me want a budget forklift...

carleton

Yeah, those are pretty awesome. I'd love to have one. Park PRS-20.

MarkWW

I find it very interesting to see the three latest hour record bikes are all using lightweight rundkurs discs. I wonder if the wind tunnel shows something special about them. Their road wheels certainly are uninspiring aerodynamically. The weight difference between a rear lightweight disc and a comete is only 100g, and I've always been told lightweight has never and will never sponsor riders. So what's the appeal?