Track

[Percrime]

Just wondering what we can do to get more women to try track. Or at least try riding a track bike.

Track is brilliant for bike control skills....for bunch skills....for teaching sprinting and spatial awareness and bike chess and also for simplifying issues in a way really difficult to explain.

Track also is way less picky about body type than road. Larger women may thrive. Smaller ones are conversely not disadvantaged. Its short and sharp and focused. Its not elite or special as you might think looking at it from outside. The people involved are mostly not superhuman. I can't hang on in E grade in crits atm but I am doing ok in D in track and even C in some events. So forget thinking that its for quicker people.

Track bikes are cheap.. And last forever. And cost nothing to maintain. Mine has not been washed in years. And clubs have loaners. And regular training sessions. Its true track bikes are 'different' and that you do actually need to ride one to know what 'different' means in this context. But they are not lethal.. or evil or unpredictable. They do not require superhuman skills to ride. Its just a bike.

No cars.

Kid friendly.

Crashes are rare. Way rarer than C grade at St Kilda. Probably rarer than commuting. I have had one fall in the last 5 years on track. And no damage from it.

Safe and supportive.

Jenny said she thinks that maybe people look at track and they see either people on rough old bikes .. or $15000 bling and don't see where they fit in being neither rough or blingy. But in fact you can get a perfectly good trackie for $1500 or so new.. and all the old stuff is still competitive at all but really high levels.

What do you think?

[michael_w]

Quarterly come try track days run at Darebin. Next one is 25th May. Details here. If you've ever thought about it, give it a crack. I would have in March but somebody broke my arm

[Percrime]

Indeed. BUT.. I think some may find a 43% wooden indoor velo a bit intimidating. I still do occasionally after all. We can organize a ride someplace less scary pretty easily. Its still a fantastic idea tho.

[JAC]

DISC Come and Try days are a great idea - women are welcome in either the mixed time slots OR the women specific time. Riding on the boards at DISC is a real buzz - and being at the very top of the slope is both scary and amazing. (I think Bleve's ears will have recovered from me screaming by now)

BUT in my opinion, it is useful to have ridden a fixie or track bike somewhere a bit quieter first.

I haven't yet spent near as much as $1500 on a bike - and have a suitable bike for club and masters competition.

[Percrime]

Hmmmmm. I 'think' I begin to see the issue here.

[Percrime]

Yup got it.
Complete disinterest is the issue.

[zen navigator]

For me it's not disinterest, it's TIME (I don't even have time to look at the womens forum regularly, so didn't see this until this morning!)

I did a womens come & try at DISC a couple of years ago, and had a blast, such an adrenaline rush, BUT, at the moment I don't have enough time to get out on my 1st priority bike (the mountain bike) as often as I'd like, so adding another cycling discipline ain't going to happen.

[Percrime]

MMmm. Well I would have thought track way easier to fit into a busy lifestyle than MTB. Hell there is after dark training available at DISC tonight.. racing on many nights. But thats up to you guys.

I have returned all extra track bikes and now just have mine.

[JAC]

"Come and Try" session at DISC this Sunday 25th May. There are still spaces in the women and girls only session at 1.30 OR in the general sessions at other times during the day. Cost is $20 (includes loan of a track bike if required).

[JAC]

"Come and Try" session at DISC this Sunday 25th May. There are still spaces in the women and girls only session at 1.30 OR in the general sessions at other times during the day. Cost is $20 (includes loan of a track bike if required).

http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/Track/Com ... k-Sessions

No cars , no doors , no tram tracks , no pedestrians or dogs off lead .

No brakes!!!!

[Canuck]

was hoping to get out for a ride on Sunday, but if it lines up .... MAYBE

Session 4: 1:30pm – 3:00pm (Women’s Session)

Although I have extremely limited interest in track riding, I must say. And the angle at the 'drome kind of freaks me out ... and I've never ridden fixed....

[Percrime]

Well DISC is somewhat in at the deep end for sure. But the come and tryr days are very very well run and structured. I would offer you the loan of my trackie.. (I reckon it would fit and you could go do some laps of Preston and get used to the fixed bit) but I destroyed a DISC safe tire the other day and have to get a replacement (Actually I loaned it.. sigh..)

It will take you 10 minutes to have riding fixed sussed. But the first time you stop pedaling will be an eye opener. That will be on the duckboards tho and it wont end badly. DISC is seriously scary..... but ummmmm you will love it.. you really really will Its.. how do I put it.. its very real. Do it and come and write a brilliant ride report.

Daryl Perkins usually runs those. Hasn't lost anyone yet.

[Canuck]

I've registered.
Just not in the women's session.

[Percrime]

THats so cool. Adam (JAC's Adam) will be at one session.

WHen they say runners? ANy firmish shoe you cannot pull off will work fine

Have fun.
I,ll turn up and watch a session at some point.

[Canuck]

Well.... I now know why they do the try days at DISC.... but more on that in a minute - a little reportage first.

Not sure what possessed me to go to this - boredom, novelty, brain damage. I say this because I have had no inkling of interest in track for...forever. Tried crits once and...meh. Maybe again at some point, but the going in circles didn't do much for me; so, really, I guess I saw track as an extension of the going in circles...just tighter ones! I'm not a sprinter strong type. Also, as previously posted, I was a fixie virgin, and not sure how I'd feel having my first go riding brakeless on what looked to this newbie like a very intimidating WALL of an angle...



Anyway, rode down to DISC this morning, thinking at least I was getting in some recovery after a little XC (foot) racing yesterday. This was my first mistake. Dead legs in need of recovery were expecting twirling around in fear mode at low speeds on the track.... Um, noooooooo. We did some whistle sprints, and my legs were like jelly, so it was hard to feel like I was getting any good power out of them. Initial set up of my seat had to be altered, as they kept telling me I was arching my back too much when out of the saddle - but this was mainly due to the fact that I was hitting my crotch on the nose of the seat! I'm sure some of my fatigue was also contributing to poor form; my muscle balance is pretty off with my stuffed up biomechanics, and I can really notice it when I try to get any power out of my lower half. Anyhoo....

It was ok. And more and more ok with each passing lap and activity. And then at the end they took us up the WALL - called it something like the Big Dipper? - but essentially climbing over three laps then sprinting down and along the black line.

Top of the track...This. Was. Awesome. I was lucky enough to end up with one trainer all to myself, and got to have three goes at this. Again, wish my legs were fresher to really push it more, but still enormous fun! Initial reaction at the top of the wall was just 'Farrrrk yeah!!'

I can see how crap my technique and form is, and would've been sooooo much better clipped in, but still, overall synopsis of the experience and feeling was rockstar...



Now, about that initial comment re: trying at DISC - I like the boards. I'm not sure how keen I am for a concrete track So they get you hooked (it is ADDICTIVE) there, but then you're off elsewhere depending on the club you join. Anyway, will be looking at whether I'd like to give this a bit more of a serious try, although my schedule/time and other obligations make it not immediately practical.

Huge kudos to those who ran the sessions - practical and well suited to trying it out. I'd definitely encourage others to give it a whirl. The slog home into that headwind almost cancelled out the exhilaration ... Almost