Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Photos: The DCC heads up to Washington Park Velodrome, Kenosha, Wisc.

The leaves are turning golden and the days are brief. The air's cool and staying warm is key. Track fever hasn't died down much for the DCC -- we've been going every weekend all summer long and into the fall for as long as we can get transport out to the two velodromes accessible via train to us.

We need our track fix!

Our local velodrome is of course, Northbrook, only a 40 minute train ride away, while our long-distance train system also goes to Kenosha, home of the Washington Park velodrome, the oldest operating velodrome in the United States.

We're mighty lucky and fortunate to have two different and classy velodromes within easy travelling distance to us. Each velo is less than a mile from the train station. Did I say we're lucky?

The suspects: myself, teadoggg, steaktaco, [165], monkey and last (never in a race) but never least, oytie.

We start the day at one of the ubiquitous Golden Nugget/Waffle/Apple pancake breakfast diner houses. Teadoggg sips the caffeine while Steaktaco opts for the sugar and slurps the syrup.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/01.jpg

Waiting for the Metra out, teadoggg no handed.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/02.jpg

Obligatory (or not) self-portrait.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/03.jpg

Welcome to Kenosha, home of Washington Park Velodrome!
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/04.jpg

And another. Note the mini warm-up circle.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/05.jpg

[165] and teadoggg do warm-up laps.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/06.jpg

teadoggg hits the banks.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/07.jpg

The view from the bottom of the banks.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/08.jpg

[165] up on top.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/09.jpg

And then down low.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/10.jpg

Oytie hits the skids.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/11.jpg

After the mandatory 20 lap warm-up, more stretching. Steaktaco, teadoggg and monkey (l-r).
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/12.jpg

Sometimes [165] forgets how to ride his Gan Well.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/13.jpg

Steaktaco smiles as he zooms on by. "Oh happy day!"
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/14.jpg

Monkey takes the high road.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/15.jpg

Trackstanding in the sun.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/16.jpg

Truth is, [165] wants to be in the circus.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/17.jpg

Oytie hits his flying 200.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/18.jpg

As does Monkey.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/19.jpg

A brief interlude for a late lunch at La Hacienda, where Tecate comes in frosted boot mugs! As modelled by monkey.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/20.jpg

Motor pacers, beware!
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/21.jpg

As the sun sets and we get a few more laps around the velo before we leave.
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/22.jpg

Ummm, not quite sure what's going on here. Latex gloves, switching cogs...
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/23.jpg

Steaktaco, teadoggg and I have time to kill so we head out to the lakefront and pose. Our bikes, that is. (L-R: bareknuckle, colnago, cannondale).
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/24.jpg

Kenosha, we'll be back!

Looks like a good time. Do you swap out cogs everytime you ride on the track?

Looks like a good time. Do you swap out cogs everytime you ride on the track?


I just flip the wheel. Street gear vs. track gear. I gear up (or down?) for the track.

Most of us have fixed/fixed hubs so we warm up on a lower gearing and then switch over to a higher gearing for sprints, flying 200's and the like. Of course, if you have only a single sided fix, you probably want to switch over if you ride a different gear on the street.

In my case, I ride either 49x18 or 50x18 for the street which is 72 and 73.5 gear inches respectively.

When I ride on the track, I go higher and run 49x15 or 50x15 which is 85.8 and 87.6.

I gotta ride warm-up squares next time out there. I kept getting pushed outside the sprinter line (steakums hit the stayer line!) coming out of turn 4. Yikes!
All said, I dig 333m. Yeah, ona windless day, I will hit sub-13 200m.

Sweet.

']Yeah, ona windless day, I will hit sub-13 200m.


I don't doubt it - you're one fast mother****er.

I'm right behind you, though! I hit 14.2/flying 200 at northbrook the next day.

Ummm, not quite sure what's going on here. Latex gloves, switching cogs...
http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/20051014_kenosha/23.jpg


I don't want to talk about it!

yikes! I look like my dad.

sorry T, I didn't know that was you.

great pics... looks like a blast

Kenosha is beautifully empty. After my winter build I'm going to have to hit the track next spring.

That looks great... I'm sorry I missed out. Naz, that bike is hot.

Great pics Naz. Hopefully the wind won't be as bad next time we get out there.

just curious.... but is the flying 200 different at different tracks. I imagine the size of banks and all could have something to do with it. Just wondering what those of you that have been on different tracks think.

[165] what was your flying 200 time? if you don't mind me asking of course.

just curious.... but is the flying 200 different at different tracks. I imagine the size of banks and all could have something to do with it. Just wondering what those of you that have been on different tracks think.

[165] what was your flying 200 time? if you don't mind me asking of course.

all things being equal, it's likely to get faster times at kenosha, I think.

why do you think that is?

Kenosha is a faster track, you can feel it. It never really flats out, it's slightly banked even in the "flats" so you're always on a roll up or down. The shorter length takes advantage of that and you can build up some speed. If the wind coming out of one side of the track wasn't stoppingly so, we could have had some really good times. That said, we did pretty damn well.

What kinda gear would you run on a track that size?

I was runing 48x15 and it felt pretty good.

BFFGMG won't come soon enough ... these pics have me psyched to hit the track with you guys.

Flying 200s depend totally on the track.

In Blaine, MN I was doing 12.231 Flying 200s. I would be lucky to push a sub13 in Kenosha and a sub13.2 at Northbrook.

It all depends on the banking. While some people think that Kenosha is faster I think that Northbrook has a faster surface than all of the tracks I have ridden(Kenosha, Blaine, Piccolo in Miami). But, the key is being able to come down the banking hot at the base of the 200m line. At Northbrook that is next to impossible be cause it is near the start of turn3. So your acceleration using the banking is negated...also at Northbrook there is a slight uphill coming out of turn4. Another fact I found interesting about riding on all of these tracks is that on Northbrook and to a lesser extent Kenosha you have to steer coming out of the turns. On a 250m you can fly out of the turns and come out on the same line that you entered the turn on...so you can literally go pass your threshold!

Whoo.

I just got my asskicked at the YMCA. It really sucks when you are working out and some old man comes in and goes the same machine you were on and adds like 50lbs and busts out 15 reps like no ones buisness and then goes and has a cigarette!

I just got my asskicked at the YMCA. It really sucks when you are working out and some old man comes in and goes the same machine you were on and adds like 50lbs and busts out 15 reps like no ones buisness and then goes and has a cigarette!

maybe you should go to crunch.

Thats the funny thing right! It is the YMCA. Only weaklings go there. Hence the super rookie workout hour.

Good choice on La Hacienda for lunch! We hit it after our preseason training sessions, but alas, it is closed by the time we get done on race night.

Turn 4 does require a little concentration to stay in position. I just give the left hand a little extra pressure when exiting it.

I'm mostly jealous, mostly. The gan well is, as always, an awe inspiring piece of machinery, as is sophia and the rest. [165] just looks like an effing bulldog on that thing, no? Some day...

No Sophia that day. She's been more of a street machine lately. It's all Greta: http://flickr.com/photos/absenter/sets/1080720/

http://static.flickr.com/24/50091463_b8bed5b7b5_o.jpg

mrowl.
i can't wait to see that purdy bike in action. so choice.

Naz, I love that you waited so long for pink Phils and roll on mismatched tires.

Not the wheels for Greta - those are borrowed from Sophia (http://flickr.com/photos/absenter/sets/257177/) of course.

Greta's getting her wheels rebuilt (which I'm hopefuly going to be doing this week with the help of steaktaco and teadoggg) with these hubs and hopefully (if Marcus can still get 'em) FIR EA10 super chrome polished rims. Gotta keep it Italian.

I polished these a few days ago with their matching Campy steel cog.

http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/misc/campyhubs_01.jpg

http://dcc.absenter.org/foto/misc/campyhubs_02.jpg

ooh, campy steel cog... hot stuff sho' nuff.

mrowl.
i can't wait to see that purdy bike in action. so choice.

And thanks to you, she'll have her non-Italian Strong-G grips in red.

Now all I need to settle is a yellow Selle Italia SLR.

ooh, campy steel cog... hot stuff sho' nuff.

Yep - I didn't even really know that Campy made cogs so that was a nice surprise.

Pre-polish:

http://static.flickr.com/26/49781067_8ca1e90da0_o.jpg

they are superior, pretty much. the alloy ones, on the other hand, are softer than they should be.

you should tie and solder the spokes on the wheelbuild, that would be period correct and ultra fresh.

Not the wheels for Greta - those are borrowed from Sophia (http://flickr.com/photos/absenter/sets/257177/) of course.

Greta's getting her wheels rebuilt (which I'm hopefuly going to be doing this week with the help of steaktaco and teadoggg) with these hubs and hopefully (if Marcus can still get 'em) FIR EA10 super chrome polished rims. Gotta keep it Italian.

I polished these a few days ago with their matching Campy steel cog.

If anyone saw 60 Minutes on Sunday, you'll understand if I call this "The Lord God Bike."

Damn, shiny Campy high-flange with cutouts. If anything could relegate anodized Phils to beater status, I guess it's those.

you should tie and solder the spokes on the wheelbuild, that would be period correct and ultra fresh.

Not to mention ultra-solid. I ride mine on the street no problem. And I'm a heavy sonabich.

they are tied & soldered, i think.

Both sets are (or rather, only the other set is now) tied and soldered. One set for street/regular use, the other for track.

[165] what was your flying 200 time? if you don't mind me asking of course.
best time at Kenosha was 13.98 I think - tough day.
best time at Northbrook was 13.63

pretty good for an ex-smoker if you ask me. Just over 15 months now.

pretty good for anyone. I long for the sub 14 second mark. I'm trying to get it before the end of the year.

only .13 seconds to go!

']best time at Kenosha was 13.98 I think - tough day.
best time at Northbrook was 13.63

pretty good for an ex-smoker if you ask me. Just over 15 months now.

Those are awesome times! I'm kind of an ex-smoker too, but it has only been about 7 months for me. I really have to get on a track more often so that I can be somewhat competitive in november. I can't wait to see what Northbrook is like.

Super Rookie- When did you ride Piccolo? I've only ridden it once and it was my first time on a velodrome so I had no idea what I was doing and it totally kicked my rear end all over the place. I really want to go back so that I can ride those huge banks again. Would you say that northbrook has a faster surface but lower banks? Have you been to kissena? How do kissena and Northbrook compare?

WithNail-

I rode at Piccolo two summers ago. I rode on it for fun with a borrowed track bike from buisnesscycles.com. It was a disaster trying to find a bike shop that supports that track besides buisnesscycles...but i digress.

When I rode Piccolo it was only the second track I had ridden on outside of Blaine. It is an awesome track except for the apron where there is that tire width ridge between the lane and the apron...ouch. I will be riding on Piccolo this spring for a week over St. Patricks day for training. But, those banks are something else. They kind of remind me of the track in Edmonton(add that one to the list) that I rode at the Messenger World Chumps...in '04. 333m with about 12m width. I think it is awesome.

I have been to Kissena. But, that was before they repaved the piece of crap back in '05. It was all rutted out and had some damage on the corners. The banking at Kissena is steeper than Northbrook. To get an idea of what Northbrook is like go to the Cambridge track that you folks race around for your night series(i.e. any running track in boston) and ride your bike in a circle thinking about a 10ft. max elevation at about 14degrees. You will get the picture. Also, there isn't a warmup circle at Northbrook so you have to bring a trainer. Kind of lame. But, it is a track.

NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND REPRESENT!

']pretty good for an ex-smoker if you ask me. Just over 15 months now.

congrats
2.5 months for me
i feel like a better biker every freakin' day.