Newport Velodrome Have a go...

[EnPassant]

A question for the pro people hereabouts. Newport is 50 miles down the road from me so....

Has anyone done or can give me any insight into the taster session (60 mins) at Newport? I have filled in the form and am going to do it anyway but it'd help if anyone has done it or knows anything about it?

Not in any way for racing I'm far too old and far too slow. And not in any way prompted by a curiosity piqued by watching the Rio stuff, oh no, not at all.

15 quid including bike hire (plastic hat hire....included) and a free pair of gloves. For an hour including a timed lap. What's not to like?*


*I'm originally from London and still have a lot of friends I could stay with there if needed, so for comparison I checked Lea Valley.... also an hour but 40 quid not 15, hat hire extra, gloves that they give you a free pair of in Newport, you can hire....
pfft.

 

[Donger]

Sounds good. Not quite my thing, but hope you enjoy it, bud. Next time I see you, you'll have to let me know how you got on.

 

[13 rider]

I did a taster session at Derby and loved it first hour is about getting you riding a fixed wheel stopping and starting . Within the hour I was riding the whole track including top of the banking . The last 15 mins were a free time with overtaking . All done under a watchful instructor and felt perfectly safe I would reccomend trying it great fun if a bit scary . I have since done the second session which involved riding like team pursuit .

 

[13 rider]

You might need to hire shoes Derby use look Keo cleats so I had to hire shoes

 

[EnPassant]

Understand the principle of fixie, but no experience so am looking for exactly what you got at Derby @13 rider . I fully expect to make a complete berk of myself but I do like to try a few things at least once for the experience (well, base jumping might get a miss on that front...). If I need to hire the shoes that's fine, didn't really expect my spd's would do the job, but that's ok. Thanks for the input.

@Donger will do mate, if I can't in the meantime convince you to tag along for the giggle . I half suspect they'll say the next available session is March or something anyway, given that I also suspect I'm not the only one who's interest has been jogged by the current Rio goings on.

 

[13 rider]

There were riders of all abilities in my session and everyone got on fine . You start by just pushing off from the rail you see on the inside of the track . Pootle round the bottom of the track and then the azure bit of the track then as you get quicker black line, red line ,blue line then up to the top off the track . Everything was step by step and instructors were really good . We didn't do a timed lap but the last 15 mins we just rode the track with overtaking allow . I really enjoyed it but . When you see the track at first and see how steep it is you think you will did not be able to do it . But after the hour I stopped thinking about the track

 

[EnPassant]

I don't think I really appreciated just how steep until I saw that Brazilian carpenter doing repairs with a ladder...
And the part of the track that Dutch girl was on will not be seeing any action from me.

This is what was going on as they went out of shot on the video

 

[HF2300]

First track experience was a taster at Manchester and I'd echo what @13 rider said - very much the same format, though we did some lines of 3 - 5 riders which is an absolute pig first time if you're at the back. Started riding round the safety, then cote d'azure, then progressively up the track to the stayers' line individually, then some rider lines, then 10 - 15 minutes of fairly free practice. I was up at the top of the banking by the end, absolutely hooked and the only reason I don't now go very regularly is the lack of a track near me.

 

[theclaud]

If I need to hire the shoes that's fine, didn't really expect my spd's would do the job, but that's ok.

IIRC it's toe clips on the Newport hire bikes, so take trainers or cycling shoes without cleats. I've done it as part of a group with Swansea CTC. Great fun.

 

[summerdays]

This thread has reminded me that I'd said I'd give it a go sometime.... I wonder what the waiting list is going to be like after the Olympics!

 

[EnPassant]

IIRC it's toe clips on the Newport hire bikes, so take trainers or cycling shoes without cleats. I've done it as part of a group with Swansea CTC. Great fun.

Thanks @theclaud , @50miles each way I'm going to have to dust the car off anyway, because I'm not doing a 100 miler on the same day* so I'll be driving in ordinary trainers.

*Or in fact anytime soon.

 

[HF2300]

At the Manchester one, the bikes were fitted for Look Keo cleats (IIRC) for those who had them, with clip & strap adaptors as an alternative for flat footwear, but I don't think there was any provision for other cleat types.

 

[EnPassant]

This thread has reminded me that I'd said I'd give it a go sometime.... I wonder what the waiting list is going to be like after the Olympics!

From the email I received this morning:

Thank you for your recent enquiry to Newport Live for one of our amazing Velodrome track taster sessions at the Wales National Velodrome.

Due to the success and popularity of our track experiences we have put on new dates throughout the summer. These 1 hour sessions are only £15.00 per rider which includes free bike hire (normally £10), helmet hire and a pair of track mitts!

There are limited spaces so please call 01633 656757 to book now!

Adult Track Taster

28th August 7pm-8pm

8th September 8pm-9pm and 9pm-10pm

9th September 8pm-9pm and 9pm-10pm

16th September 8pm-9pm and 9pm-10pm

23rd September 8pm-9pm and 9pm-10pm

29th September 8pm-9pm and 9pm-10pm



Junior Track Taster (10 years+)

15th August 1pm-2pm, 4pm-5pm and 5pm-6pm

30th August 6.30pm-8pm

10th September- 25 March 2017 8am-9.30am (Ongoing Saturday Sessions)



Family Track Taster

17th August 5pm-6pm

31st August 5pm-6pm

7th September- 21st December 5pm-6pm (Ongoing Wednesday Sessions)

Not booked it yet, but that's not as bad as I'd anticipated.

 

[summerdays]

From the email I received this morning:


Not booked it yet, but that's not as bad as I'd anticipated.

Thank you I will contact my two friends who said they would give it ago with me! I thought it might be next March or something silly!

 

[HF2300]

@summerdays carpe diem!