adele87

What's the difference between Track and Road Cycling?

MinnMan

thigh circumference

colombo357

Track and field is a sport which includes athletic contests established on the skills of running, jumping, and throwing. The name is derived from the sport's typical venue: a stadium with an oval running track enclosing a grass field where the throwing and jumping events take place.

Road cycling is the most widespread form of cycling. It includes recreational, racing, and utility cycling. Road cyclists are generally expected to obey the same rules and laws as other vehicle drivers or riders and may also be vehicular cyclists.

dabac

Track cycling is done on an oval, banked track using fixed gear bikes with drop bars and no brakes.

Road cycling is done on roads, usually on bikes with brakes, several gears and the ability to coast.

atbman

Info on the two disciplines on the attached web pages from British Cycling' site. they include videos and brief explanations.

I'm assuming that you're very new to cycling. People on this site are usually pretty helpful to newbies, usually. I was once pretty sarcastic to a newcomer like you and have regretted it ever since.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ge...adcycling?c=EN
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ge...ckcycling?c=EN

Ignore Columbo357. He either didn't understand your question or he was being rather sarky/patronising

adele87

Track cycling is done on an oval, banked track using fixed gear bikes with drop bars and no brakes. Road cycling is done on roads, usually on bikes with brakes, several gears and the ability to coast.


I am glad someone got what I was asking. I know in the olympics there is both track cycling and road cycling, and they are different areas in which one can compete. I really enjoy watching track personally. They seem like the skill set in which to ride might be similar. But since the track is often on a slated oval, I would imagine it takes a lot of skill.

I'm assuming that you're very new to cycling. People on this site are usually pretty helpful to newbies, usually. I was once pretty sarcastic to a newcomer like you and have regretted it ever since.

I think it depends on what you mean by new to cycling. I have been biking since I was 8. In college, I bought my first bike store bike and used it to commute to class every day to save money on gas. I am just starting to get interested in biking as a sport/form of exercise, it hasn't been something I was interested in before. In the past I mostly used it as transportation. I hope that makes sense.

caloso

USAC requires bikes in road events to have two brakes. I assume UCI does too.

adele87

It'd be cool to race someday, but I am spending time currently on just learning to ride my new bike. I rode a 2008 Fuji Nevada 4.0 in college that I still have, but it's so old I decided I need one to fit what I'm using biking for now. The Fuji I used as a commuter, and weather where I lived in college was often cold and rainy, so having a mountain bike worked in that situation.

I'm currently using a 2017 Trek Emonda S and am learning on how to use the gears currently. It's a road bike and I have had a mountain bike my whole life, so the experience is very different.

fietsbob

Even within track racing, there are several events.. in # 2, those legs are on the match sprinters..

Pursuit races , for just one, they are racing their opponent over longer distances, starting from opposite sides of the track, 1 wins when they catch the other,
or the relative difference when they cover the event distance, of say 10,000 meters..

Brian25

Men's pursuit race distance is actually 4,000 meters.
There are lots of track (velodrome) racing on you tube. You can even see Steve Hegg win the pursuit final at the '84 Olympics.
The most exciting is the Kerin races.

caloso

If you're near a velodrome, I'd encourage you to check it out. It's an absolute blast. You need a track bike, of course, but most tracks have rental bikes for beginners. There are training sessions for newbies and there's a bit of an adjustment if you've never ridden a fixed gear. But it's a great way to get into racing, or just to try something new.

adele87

The closest velodrome is outdoors and about 300 miles north of here. :-)

Doge

How come the one with the smallest circumference is in the winners spot?

Doge

UCI has been switching things around for the Olympic track events. Winning the track omnium is a different combo than it was. Roadies can win Olympic track overall/omnium now more easily than they could in the past.

It used to be the traditional way to win sprints was go slow/mark your opponent and jump hard at the right time. The builds were more like those two on the ends.
More riders are hitting it early, and going faster. They are not as big, but can maintain speed longer. Some stuff is the same of course, but other is changing.

atbman

Makes perfect sense. Good luck with your expanded area of interest.