[R900]

A couple weeks ago we did the NITE ride in Indy. As part of the event, they allow bikes on the Velodrome (high banked sprint racing track). After the NITE ride was over, my buddy did about 7 miles on the Velodrome, seemed ok so we pulled the bike out of the van and gave it a try. I aborted my first attempt, as it just feels odd on that banked surface. After a few laps, it felt ok, although I'm sure my grip was a little tighter then normal. We had a blast, the pics were taken a little past 2 am.

John

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/bikes/velodrome1.jpg

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/bikes/velodrome2.jpg

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[mtbcyclist]

Sweet!!! I used to live about 10 minutes from that place but for some stupid reason never checked it out. Grew up in Carmel (Suburb of Indy for those non Hoosier types), and yet for some real stupid reason never checked it out. Looks like you had a ball. Was it really fast?

[TandemGeek]

Kinda weird when you have to turn towards the top of the banking to move down, eh? Or, worse yet, when you try to move down the banking and discover that your bike wants to move higher....

[Retro Grouch]

Years ago the Indianapolis folks hosted the Midwest Tandem Rally and had an ice cream ride on Friday night at the velodrome. I had a blast. The thing that surprised me the most was that it's a hilly ride unless you just ride on the bottom apron all of the time. The banking looks steeper in person than in the photos.

[zonatandem]

Yup, rode the 'drome during that Midwest Tandem Rally with Kay and then a few more laps solo on the tandem. Got passed by 3 guys on a triplet! Got a bit crowded with all those tandems.
Also rode the one in Kenosha, WI during the 1977 MTR . . . a much faster/shorter/steeper track!
Thought it would take a couple laps to hang off the edge, but within first lap we were diving from the top to the bottom . . . stomach sorta flattened against the backbone! Yeeeha!!

Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

[lhbernhardt]

The Major Taylor velodrome is actually quite shallow for a 333-meter track, with the corners banked at only 28 degrees (most 333's will be at 33 degrees). Unless the track is wet, there is NO WAY you will slide off the banking, so absolutely nothing to get worried about. Well, if you blow out a tire, I guess you might slip off...

Usually the problem is just the opposite. At the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, there were four tandems entered (they used to do tandem sprints on the track). Three of them crashed on the shallow Edmonton track because they were going so fast that they slid outward.

Our 200m track in Burnaby is banked at about 45 degrees. You will definitely slide off if you are not going at least 22 kmh on the black line or 26 kmh on the blue line. Two blind sports tandems use this track, and we had to reinforce the planks by screwing in sheets of plywood underneath to counter their cornering weight.

- L.

[Mariner Fan]

I rode the velodrome a couple of years ago after the NITE ride. Man, that was fun.

Now doing this on a Tandem would be a challenge. Heck, getting the tandem through the tunnel would be tough.

John, I was in Seattle last week. Did you go to the Great Greenway tour?

[R900]

I rode the velodrome a couple of years ago after the NITE ride. Man, that was fun.

Now doing this on a Tandem would be a challenge. Heck, getting the tandem through the tunnel would be tough.

John, I was in Seattle last week. Did you go to the Great Greenway tour?

Yes, the tunnel was a PITA, we just rode off the track at the end. Very fun.

The Greenway tour was nice. Hot as heck. We did the 40 mile ride, so North from the depot to the first rest stop and back, the South from the Depot and back. It seemed well attended, and while not a loop, it was fun to pass riders going every direction. Only saw one other tandem. Food was good, cookies, PB&J, fruit, lots of cold Gatoraide. After crossing all the intersections in Muncie, it was nice to get out in the country and ride without the worry of cars. If we can ever get it finished all the way to Richmond, it will really be something.

Thanks for the pics as well, I posted a little followup on the NITE ride thread, but you may have been on vacation. Did you do any riding in the Great NorthWest?

John