Taster Session At The Velodrome In Manchester

[chipmonster]

Dear All

I have booked in for a taster session on the 29/04/2013 (5 weeks away).

I am extremely nervous as I am not the strongest riders out there. I have an average slow pace on my road bike. I do more mountain biking and I use my road bike to do the occassional commute to work.

I really wanted to try track cycling, hence I have booked on. Just wondering, shall I go ahead with my taster or cancel it. Guys at work who are a lot better riders than myself, have been sayings its well danagerous, you need a really fast pace, etc etc (freaked me out even more).

Finally, on the Manchester Velodrome instructions it says "you need to wear two tops, a t shirt and a cycling top". Just seems a lot of tops to me, is this correct?

Thanks everyone!

 

[zizou]

If the Manchester taster is anything like the Glasgow one then it is much more about being taught to do the right thing and riding safely with the coach making a point that speed/ fitness is not that important at the taster stage (obviously this is within reason you need to go above a certain speed so you dont slide down the banking but thats not that fast).

I suspect the guys in your work who are stronger riders are roadies or mtbers who dont themselves have much experience on the track, because if they did they wouldnt be trying to scare you off and would instead be telling you how much fun it is....so yeah go ahead with you booking, you will probably - like most of us - be a bit nervous at the beginning but you will quickly end up loving it.

 

[LinkoVitch]

I am on the Taster Improvers (the next stage) at Manchester, and as zizou has said it's a lot of fun!

Pace wise, you don't need to go terribly fast to stay on the banking. It is pretty nerve wracking at first (riding a fixie, clipped in), but the coach will talk you and any other new riders through starting and stopping. You will do your first few laps on the flat blue area at the base of the track anyway at a nice slow pace. Once you have done a start and a stop you should be a lot less nervous anyway... next step is getting on the bottom of the track, which is easy! For me I did keep thinking I was going to slide etc etc, but as long as you are pushing the pedals around it just works.

I certainly didn't get any epic speeds up in my first sessions, and now when riding at the top of the banking I am not exactly blazing along.

Don't cancel it! you'll never know if you never go, and it's honestly not that bad at all!

I think they recommend 2 jerseys in case you do slide on the banking, it's an extra layer between you and the wood. Myself and others I have seen riding with just a single jersey.. although it can be quite cool in there as well, so probably worth just bunging on a baselayer and jersey/t-shirt anyway.

It's certainly bloody good fun and different to roads. Let us know how you get on (may see you there )

 

[DTD]

I (think) I quite fancy this, but like Chipmonster am a bit nervous by it all.
I'm trying to do a new cycling related thing every month, so it has to go on the list.

 

[Paul_L]

Don't cancel!

Do it. You won't regret it.

The information you've been given by your workmates is not correct. It isn't dangerous at all. The sessions are well planned with a maximum of 16 riders on a taster session, some of whom will have been on before, but most will be novices and you will be given very good tuition and guidance. In terms of speed, i'm sure i've read somewhere you need to do 18mph to get round the 42.5 deg banking. This isn't very fast at all riding indoors where there is no wind.

You don't need to wear two tops, but it's advised to do so. This is just in case you fall off and will mean the two layers rub against each other rather than one layer against your skin, and should mean friction burns on your skin are lessened. It can get very hot inside the velodrome and i've never seen anyone turned away for just wearing a single layer.

Two pieces of advice:
1 - Always listen to the coach
2 - Never stop pedalling!

I'm pretty sure after the session, you'll come away absolutely buzzing, and wanting to do it again as quickly as possible.

 

[alicat]

So - how was it?

I did a taster session a couple of years ago. I enjoyed it but not enough to make the five hour round trip to Manchester.

 

[oldroadman]

The two jersey/jersey plus T shirt is good advice, for all the reasons stated above. Works on the road, too. The main thing is to relax and enjoy, the coaches want you to gain confidence and have a good session. Best thing you can do to help smooth pedalling and improve bike handling. Go for it.

 

[Hacienda71]

If you get the lady with the ginger hair make sure you do exactly what she says.