Duke of Kent

Sound advice, guys. Thanks.

Having seen super strong people come up REALLY fast on both the road and MTB, I know the feeling of being in a race with a guy who has more legs than skill. So, I don't want to be that guy. Although, I suppose at some point I was that guy in MTB racing, before my skill level caught up to my legs.

That said, I'm hardly a sprinter, so surfing the field for the first 98% of a scratch race isn't going to work so well for me. Not trying to put the cart before the horse, but what would people recommend I do in races, if not attack? When I lived in OR I got my upgrade to the 1s by attacking in crits and making it stick on occasion.

topflightpro

I think the point is to not worry about winning and just get used to racing on the track. I started racing track this year, and it is different.

tobukog

If you launch your attack with about 1000m remaining (give or take a few hundred meters), you'll get plenty of experience of riding in the field.

carleton

+1

Don’t focus on winning. Focus on being a good racer. This means learning to roll a pace line in a race and taking pulls, learning when and how the pace changes in each type of race, learning the rules, learning to count points of the other leading racers (underrated skill for sure).

If you aren’t familiar with those concepts (you aren’t expected to be) then ask.

dunderhi

There's a whole lot more to track racing than scratch races. During this past season, we've had the following track events at T-town:

1) Sprint
2) Team Sprint
3) Keirin
4) 500m/1000m TT
5) 2k/3k/4k Pursuit
6) Team Pursuit
7) Italian Pursuit
8) Scratch
9) Moto Scratch
10) Points
11) Point-a-Lap
12) Snowball Points
13) Tempo
14) International Tempo
15) Elimination
16) Super Elimination
17) Miss-n-out
18) Win-n-out
19) Unknown Distance
20) Chariot
21) Wheel
22) Madison
23) Tandem Sprint
24) Tandem Scratch
25) Longest Lap

I guess for most any race listed above, riding off the front early and staying there until the finish wins the day, but where's the fun in that?

ruudlaff

Just a question born out of curiosity.

I saw that Ribble (UK) has brought out a new track bike that was full carbon, long and low and looked pretty sleek - wondering if anyone had actually had a chance to play on it? I've only seen one person on one of them in the wild and the red is really nice.

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-eliminator/

If it's as stiff as they make out it could be a smashing bargain for someone. I'm not looking myself, for now anyways.

queerpunk

I've seen bikes from that mold around before, both at the track and on the screen. Looks decent, but I haven't heard many specifics about it.

What's curious is the sizing - the reach is 322, 366, and 408 mm (for XS, S, M, respectively). Those first two sizes are VERY short* (and then there's quite a jump up to a more conventional medium size). While at a glance the size chart is a little strange, I think there's a case to be made that this bike is good for pretty short people or, in the medium sizes, average-sized people with short legs (given a uniformly low stack across the board).

*By comparison, I'm 5'5" - Ribble recommends the size S to me. It has a 366mm reach. I currently ride a bike with a 382mm reach and a 120mm stem. There's no way either the S or the M would fit me with a reasonable setup.

ruudlaff

Yeah I had noticed that, I was looking at the medium. With the differences in geometry I had actually started to think they had made errors in the figures

sarals 

@dunderhi, I heard recently that Masters Nats and Juniors Nats were actually going to be "layered", same dates. When I saw the announcement a month or two ago, I assumed the dates were placeholders. I guess not. Do you have any insight on how the two Nationals will be run?

dunderhi

We don’t have our annual officials meeting until February, which is where I’d expect to get some details about the upcoming Nats at T-town. T-town hosted the Elites and Juniors in 2016, so the link below might be an indicator on how it will look.

https://legacy.usacycling.org/myusac...permit=2016-28

I’ll post the details once I have the info in hand.

sarals 

Thank you!

Clythio

I have one same mold - Cobra was its name at velodrome.org.uk.
I like it.
Stiff, easy "drivable" etc, but I have problems with too wide horizontal stays near the BB - impossible to use low Q-factor cranksets like Omnium, for example - had to order a 4mm larger ISIS BB and use FSA Carbon Track cranksets. Even with square BB crank options, one would have to buy the larger BB axle option.
Now I have a set of square Campy classic track set on it, but had to buy the 115mm axle, not a regular 111mm.. and it's near like 2mm from the horizontal stays..

MarkWW

has anybody here tried a "the black line" track bag? Not the "black line sprinting" bag, but the canadian company. This guy:
The Black Line?s Standard Gear Bag ? The Blackline

topflightpro

Masters and Junior nationals will be run concurrently July 7-15 at T-Town. Elites will be a Aug. 4-7 in Carson. https://legacy.usacycling.org/national-championships?

I suspect the events will run similar to how Elites and Juniors were run last year.

DMC707

Kind of looks like my old Track Sack , ---- no complaints -- holds just the basics, --- whip , a 3 way, cogs, chainrings and maybe a crack pipe (crack pipe being nomenclature for a disc wheel presta adapter for your pump )

Granted , a lot of these guys are far more active at the track than me - so may have a need for the more extensive BLS bags ----
For a bigger event I just used a plastic Stanley (maybe Black/Decker) tool cart with extendable handle and rollers -- shoes, flip flops and gloves in the bottom, the rest of the junk distributed throughout the rest of the box, and my air pump bungee corded to the side of the thing -- and rolled the whole thing into the infield

rensho3

I have an old Trak Sak, literally over 20 yeas old now, and still working like a charm. I haven't used or even seen the Black Line version, but a lot of folds at Carson use the Track Assistant: Track Gear Bag - The Track Assistant

MarkWW

I'm currently using a chicago velocampus bag, but it started to show its age a few seasons ago, and now is basically unusable. Prior to that I actually used a nylon shower caddy type thing that I pulled out of the trash in college. I honestly liked that a lot better than the CVC bag. The problem I have with the CVC/EAI/standard track sack is the 2D nature of its construction. pack it with rings and cogs and the thing literally bursts at the seams.

My buddy uses a Track Assistant bag, but I'm not that big a fan of the separate holder for the chainrings, plus it's twice as much as this bag.

Long story short, I ordered one of these bags, so I'll let you all know how it is.

carleton

I think track sacks need to evolve significantly from being EAI Keirin Tote clones. This includes the one I designed for myself:



I think the move should be towards modular pieces instead of "one bag to fit all things".

Making a "version 2" of my track sack is one of my winter projects.

EDIT:

Professional camera bags have made such a quantum leap in the past decade, going from basic box-shaped bags and camera vests to utility belts with modular accessories based on your style of photography and what gear you need to have on hand at the moment.



I'm not suggesting that we go to a Batman utility belt system for track sacks. I'm just using the example from the photojournalist world of a big shift in how things were done that was well-received.

Notice the old style (big rectangular bag) and new style (utility belt) in the same photo (who is more mobile with free hands?):

topflightpro

I have a BLS bag, and it works fine. It's not perfect, but it's fine.

I also saw BLS made a duffel bag with it's track bag built in to one side. That seems neat, but I think I'd prefer it more if it were a backpack. I've been looking at triathlon transition bags and thinking they would be perfect for the track. I could fit all my stuff in the backback and easily haul it with me and still have two hands free.

I've been using a basic duffel and on big days, a folding cart to be able to haul my gear, track sack, cooler, chair, extra wheels...

carleton

My current setup:

- Military spec Camelback rucksack. It has a water bladder but I don't use it.
- Inside:
- - Track sack (see above)
- - Shoes, kit, extra clothes if needed (arm warmers, skull cap, etc...)
- - 2 water bottles (Gatorade, Water)
- - Canister of Gatorade powder.
- - Heart rate monitor
- - 1 or 2 helmets can clip on to the D-rings attached to the outside (normal helmet, Casco case)
- - A camping chair can be attached
- - Random stuff

All of this fits on my back. I can also put a double wheel bag on my shoulder after mounting the backpack. This leaves my hands free to handle the bike with one hand and hold rollers with the other.

1 trip from the parking lot

I don't carry all of that every time I go to the track. But it's not uncommon to have that much on a big race day. The key is the backpack as a firm foundation. It's designed to hold a lot of weight without sagging or stretching.

Mine is similar to these but black. Mine is still sort of different. It's a few years old. Note the big side pockets. Each one can hold a huge Nalgene bottle. I took off the drinking hose

carleton

A minor gripe: I don't like the material that a lot of track sacks are made of. Track sacks are often laid out on infield cement and dragged/kicked about. This prematurely wears on the canvas. They often get saggy and floppy with time, too.

taras0000

I have thought about this too. Maybe a second layer of PVC coated Nylon on the outside. It can even be retrofitted to older bags/saks/folders. Just take out the binding on the outside perimeter of the bag, and rebind with the PVC coated Nylon on the exterior.

carleton

It's funny that you mention that. When I made my current track sack, a fellow racer (can't recall his name) asked me what I was gonna do with the old worn one. I said he could have it. I think he saw that it was reparable and upgradeable. I pointed out the things that were worn and he said he could fix them.

Godsight

I have the BLS velodrome bag and I like it with some caveat and some possibilities to make it better.

It can carry everything that I need for s single day of racing except cold food and the expected bigger parts/tools/accessories like racing wheels, floor pump and rollers.
I can fit in the middle part: helmet, shoes, skinsuit, race number, a bottle of water, a second water bottle or a bottle of sunscreen, snacks, sunglasses and gloves.
The side part can take all the usual that a track tote would: 5x Chainrings, 5x cogs (which I instead use for more allen keys), a small torque wrench (even more necessary now with the TK FRD stem system), a full set of allen keys 2mm- 10mm, chainwhip and my 15mm box ratchet.

This setup makes it that the tools unbalance the bag and make it awkward to carry. This could be fixed by adding some chainring pockets to the other side (cause we always need more chainrings right ?). The switch to a backpack would be appreciated too.

taras0000

After having used one for work for over a year now, I would definitely buy the Milwaukee jobsite backpack (Model 48-22-8200) as a dedicated track day bag.

https://www.protoolreviews.com/tools...-review/12941/


The back pocket has a laptop sleeve and is deep enough to accomodate shoes and some riding clothes. A helmet can fit into the front bulk pouch. There are plenty of pockets inside that will hold your tools, and there is enough room in the tool section to accomodate a chainring bag.

Just weighed my work bag and it's been holding 52lbs of tools daily for the last year and a bit, so it is durable and will last.

Edit: The CLC (Custom Leathercraft) 1134 backpack is a less expensive yet similar version. It seems to be larger, just not as durably built.