Glasgow / Chris Hoy velodrome

[zizou]

I've not been in yet but online there's space for next week so if I pass then I'll book it on the way out, do you know if they allow spectators in?

Yeah no problem there - it will be track centre rather than the stand but there are seats there too and they'll be able to see everything. Quite exciting walking in the first time as the entrance / bike hire bit is underneath the track. Make sure you get there with time to spare (20 minutes before will be fine) so you can get the bike and get saddle height sorted. Also remember to take some water - you cant drink while riding obviously but you can leave a bottle at the gate and get a drink during one of the breaks - It is thirsty work.

 

[Martin McNeely]

Great, brilliant advice. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[Martin McNeely]

Just back from the accred 1, it went well. Shoes,helmet and bike included in the price. I used my own for comfort. It was a very mixed group, some had never used clips or ridden fixies. It was a good experience although we where short of time due to late comers so we didn't get ant free time. Booked myself for Saturday, just missed out on the accred 2.

One thing that wasn't explained much was the overtaking/undertaking, for some reason some of the slower riders rode on the outside of the red line and I had to undertake due a slower rider on the inside of the blue, I meant to catch up with the instructor but he was busy starting the next level.

It is really breath taking walking into the velodrome, it really is a work of art...how big an angle do the corners and half hour later your flying round them,session went to quick

 

[zizou]

Just back from the accred 1, it went well. Shoes,helmet and bike included in the price. I used my own for comfort. It was a very mixed group, some had never used clips or ridden fixies. It was a good experience although we where short of time due to late comers so we didn't get ant free time. Booked myself for Saturday, just missed out on the accred 2.

One thing that wasn't explained much was the overtaking/undertaking, for some reason some of the slower riders rode on the outside of the red line and I had to undertake due a slower rider on the inside of the blue, I meant to catch up with the instructor but he was busy starting the next level.

It is really breath taking walking into the velodrome, it really is a work of art...how big an angle do the corners and half hour later your flying round them,session went to quick

Well done What coach did you get?

For overtaking/undertaking. Basically at the typical drop in session then the standard position will be on the blue line. If there are riders doing sprint efforts then they will go below you and be in the sprinters lane (between the black and red) but at the same time if there are riders going a bit faster than you (but not sprinting) then they will overtake above. If you are doing a sprint and want to overtake someone in the sprinters lane then overtake above them, not below. If however they have moved above the sprinters lane then you can* undertake them so long as you dont go on the "cote d'azur". It sounds a bit more chaotic in words than in practice because in many respects it is more about the person in front than the person doing the overtaking - the important thing for everyone to remember is to hold their line and if moving up or down the track then to check shoulder before doing so. It gets easier too as you progress. Partly because you will have gained some experience yourself but mostly because when things are going faster they also become more predictable.

*It depends alot on how they have moved above the red line - if they are going hard and have just drifted up coming out a corner then be very careful with going by on the inside as they are likely to drift back down again. If they are just riding around above it though then proceed with caution and maybe tell them to stay up if they look like they may move down again without looking.

 

[Martin McNeely]

His name was David.

Your explanation of over and undertaking is how I thought it be but it seemed different. I think it was just other riders positioning that was putting me of. One time I remember overtaking above the blue line as a women was toddling along slowly between the red and blue lines going into the corner, I remember thinking about going under but decided not to incase she moved down. Can't wait until Saturday now. Hopefully there'll be more time to pick there brains.

 

[Rasmus]

Tons of fun was had at the velodrome this evening.

Scottish Cycling had been in during the day to do timed efforts, so the temperature was still close to elite conditions (26-27 degrees). It might make you go a bit faster, but it also means plentiful sweating and dry throats!

I also got my first ever taste of victory on the boards, winning one of the intermediate sprints in a points race, so yay me

 

[zizou]

Tons of fun was had at the velodrome this evening.

Scottish Cycling had been in during the day to do timed efforts, so the temperature was still close to elite conditions (26-27 degrees). It might make you go a bit faster, but it also means plentiful sweating and dry throats!

I also got my first ever taste of victory on the boards, winning one of the intermediate sprints in a points race, so yay me

Well done

There are a few riders trying to get Commonwealth Games qualification times at the moment (the times need 3 commissaires present to be official i think) so presumably that is what the timed efforts are for.