Mikey58 

Hello all. First post after lurking the past couple of months. I attended the "Try the Track" clinic at Ttown yesterday. Tons of info to absorb. Excellent instructors led by Marty Nothstein (he still knows how to get around the track, obviously). Unfortunately, the day was cut short by rain but there will be a future makeup session. Looking forward to spending a lot more time on the track.

And, I gotta say that this forum has a wealth of information for somebody such as myself who is trying to test the waters. Thanks!

Mike

Here's a pic of my Felt TK2. No complaints, so far...

Lew.

Congrats on the track bike and going to a clinic!
Good luck!

carleton

Welcome to the sport! There are so many threads with good info. Even older threads. Track racing hasn't changed much in 100 years

Mikey58 

Thanks Lew & carleton for the warm welcome. I feel right now that I'm in the baby steps phase. Lots of threads to sift through on this forum. And fortunately, I'm finding that, by virtue of living in close proximity to Ttown, there are a lot of local resources available to bring me up to speed (both literally and figuratively!). Still, you have to learn to walk before you can run...

Thanks again.

Mike

carleton

I believe that your track is open until like August or September then it closes for the winter and won't reopen until spring (April?). So get as much track time as you can. Also, MABRA (Mid-Atlantic Bicycle Racing Association) should have the Regional Championships there soon. It's a 2 day event. You may not be ready to race yet (not sure) but it would be great for you to go watch and see. But, if you feel up to it, maybe do a time trial if you are comfortable. Understand that warmup on the track will take place with LOTS of other riders. Maybe up to 30-40. That's hectic for a newbie.

Not the Slowest

Carleton is correct, but with the TRY THE TRACK makeup date a few weeks out the season will be pretty much finished.
Check with Marty if there is training time available for you and take advantage of it.

Oh Yeah, the white handlebar tape is sharp. But like myself you'll discover that it will not stay white for long.

Good Luck

Mikey58 

Carleton and Robert - Yes, you guys are correct. Things will be winding down quickly at Ttown within the next few weeks. The Try the Track makeup is Sept. 7th. The good news is that I am also registered for the final Adult Fitness sessions (2 hr X 4 wks) at Ttown which will take me well into September and should provide some good additional training info and track time. I hope to get a feel from Marty and the staff to see if there might be some informal training sessions that I could join in on in the off season.

Also, I'm a member at a gym located in Trexlertown about 5 minutes from the track. I do know that there is a fair amount of training activity that takes place there over the winter. A coach/trainer by the name of Andrew Harris offers an indoor program using both stationary bikes & rollers that I would like to participate in. So, for now, "baby steps" to build on.

And Robert - I hear you on the white handlebar tape. I'm hoping that I have to replace it at some point because it's dirty and not because it's shredded . And, when it does get replaced, I'm thinking red or black. We'll see....

Thanks again for your tips and encouragement.

Mike

carleton

When the track is closed, it's closed. Meaning the doors are locked and no one is allowed on the track. It's essentially off limits to all for any reason. They will take this opportunity to make repairs and whatnot.

Most spend this time riding road rides, racing MTB or Cyclocross, lifting weights, etc...anything but actually riding the track. Other tracks, like Dick Lane Velodrome in Atlanta or Home Depot Center in LA, are open for training in the winter. But, not TTown.

That's a good plan. Do what suits your schedule and budget. Training on indoor spin bikes works. Many high-end models are very sophisticated. So don't buy into the old adage that "there is no replacement for road miles." Studies and results have shown that, yes, there are replacements for road miles

That's why we are here

ftwelder

I attended the same event, It was fun!

The rain was a drag but that's life in the east. I think my next track date will be at Bromont in the Spring but who knows. That is sure a nice facility and hope I have a trip to T-town for a race in the spring.

Kayce

This is a totally off topic question, but started here*. Are there any tracks other than Penrose that are 100% open at all times?


*Kissena is in a public park, so I thought that it would be open all winter to ride, and was going to suggest that. But checked first and found out it was not true.

Mikey58 

Sure was! Great bunch of people - both students and instructors alike. Always nice to be around people who are tuned in to the same frequency...

Dang!, sounds like you won't be able to make it down for the make-up session (although I see that you're from Vermont - a good ways from Ttown, needless to say!). Don't worry - Spring will be here before we know it..

Mike

Sprinters Edge

Mike, Great to hear of your start in track cycling! A friend directed me to this post. I am the coach of the Sprinters Edge Track Development Team. We do our winter training out of the gym you are speaking of. We have spots open for our winter training sessions, which will begin the first of October. We would love to have you train in our group. You can contact me at (484) 239-5947 for more info.
Thanks, Andrew

Mikey58 

Great! Thanks Andrew. I'll give you a call.

Mike