[thehugoball]

Does anyone know if and when they do training clinics at Kissena and when they start this year?

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[goldenskeletons]

you mean Campo's classes, right? saturdays at (i think) 11am once kissena opening weekend happens. i think that's the last weekend of april this year.

also, is this Hugo as in Snap/Attake Hugo?

[thehugoball]

"also, is this Hugo as in Snap/Attake Hugo?"

no sorry, don't know what you're referring to

[Yoshi]

"also, is this Hugo as in Snap/Attake Hugo?"

no sorry, don't know what you're referring to

There is a guy named Hugo who has occasionally raced at the track who runs the company Snap delivery and is in the band Atakke.

[drainyoo]

I would love to know about this as well. I live right near Kissena and I've been itching to learn how to track race.

[thehugoball]

You should definitely come. I'm looking forward to this. I've never raced track before and I just built up a sweet bike so I'll be there for sure. Supposedly there are some loaner bikes if you don't have a legal track bike.

[drainyoo]

When does this begin? How do I sign up? How much is it? How long does it last? What makes a legal track bike?

[goldenskeletons]

this is the schedule for opening weekend.
http://kissena.info/track/Kissena%202008%20Opening%20Day%20Schedule.pdf

this is the Twilight series schedule info.
http://kissena.info/track/Kissena%202008%20Twilight%20Series.pdf

and all other kissena stuff
http://kissena.info/track/

[drainyoo]

Golden thanks for those links but I've seen them already. I don't see anything about a Mens clinic, only womens. Am I just not seeing it?

[goldenskeletons]

Campo's training classes are saturdays at 11am after opening weekend. they're free. bring water, you'll be there a couple of hours. its pretty informal, but invest in decent shorts and a jersey if you can. track legal means plugged drop bars and no brakes, blinky lights, fenders or any of that jazz. i'm not 100% if it means no horizontal drop outs (conversion frames) for kissena. i can never remember.

i'll be there more often than i was last season. you get a lot out of it!

[drainyoo]

Sounds sweet. Are there any snobby riders that show up to these things and look down upon noobs? I'm clueless when it comes to track racing, that's why I'm interested in the clinic, so if some ****** tries to give me **** I won't let him get away with it.

[Yoshi]

Sounds sweet. Are there any snobby riders that show up to these things and look down upon noobs? I'm clueless when it comes to track racing, that's why I'm interested in the clinic, so if some ****** tries to give me **** I won't let him get away with it.

Nah, that's what the clinics are for. But if you want I can show up and act douchy to everyone.

[drainyoo]

Perfect. Sounds like a plan.

By the way I watched your hour record video. Were your legs jello at the end?

[drainyoo]

Campo's training classes are saturdays at 11am after opening weekend. they're free. bring water, you'll be there a couple of hours. its pretty informal, but invest in decent shorts and a jersey if you can. track legal means plugged drop bars and no brakes, blinky lights, fenders or any of that jazz. i'm not 100% if it means no horizontal drop outs (conversion frames) for kissena. i can never remember.

i'll be there more often than i was last season. you get a lot out of it!

Golden, do I need pre register for this? And how much is it?

[Yoshi]

Perfect. Sounds like a plan.

By the way I watched your hour record video. Were your legs jello at the end?

Oh yeah. It also felt like someone had punched me in the right butt cheek. Fortunately I had a ride home. I'm thinking about trying again (going to shoot for 44km if I think it's possible) but I need to get back into shape.

[goldenskeletons]

drainyoo, you can just show up. people tend to get together for group rides for these sortsa things. i'm in greenpoint, but i'll try to post up a meeting spot here when i'm going out there.

and like all sports, there are plenty of jock ******y types that need to get some chest-thumping out of their systems at the track. for the most part though, its a lot of really great people. i wouldn't worry about it, and i certainly don't recommend starting confrontations out there.

[drainyoo]

Thanks for the info. Let me know when you head out there and I'll try and make it. The thing is I just finished build up a SS bike with F/R brakes. If I come out there I would have to take off my brakes which isn't a big deal and flip my rear wheel to the fixed side.

I've just never ridden fixed before.

[goldenskeletons]

hrmm...

heh heh, that might be a better place to start than the training clinics. start by flippin' your wheel and heading to prospect park or central park. you can even leave your brakes on, but get a good handle on riding fixed before you head out to the track. bike control is really important!

have you ridden in pace lines before or do you have any road racing experience? that stuff is handy too.

[drainyoo]

I don't have any race experience, that's why I wanted to take the classes. I guess I'll ride around on fixed for a bit to get use to it.

[queerpunk]

also, I found that watching track races really helped me get acclimated to track racing. definitely come out and watch opening weekend - april 26 and 27, i think - to get a sense of how things work.

[drainyoo]

Yeah I'm definitely planning on coming out opening weekend to check out the races.

[genericbikedude]

But if you want I can show up and act douchy to everyone.

yes please

[gotham]

Am I correct in thinking the first track coaching session is May 3rd?

What gear ratio do people recommend for the training? I'm riding 48x15 on the street. I don't want to get there and spin out and not be able to keep up.

[thehugoball]

From what I've been told 48x15, which is about 84 gear inches, is a pretty good ratio for the track. It's also a pretty big gear for city riding but hey, whatever works for you! I ride 46x16 on my track bike for Prospect Park training but am planning to buy a 49 tooth chainring for the track. I've only gone out to Kissena once, I was by myself, rode for about 1/2 hour and realized I needed a bigger gear.

[Yoshi]

I use 48x15 for most events at the track.

[gotham]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I mostly stay in lower manhattan which is very flat so I can get away with the big gear.

[drainyoo]

Sorry to dig this thread up but I didn't want to start a whole new thread on this. I took the advice in here and I've been riding fixed for over a month now and I feel pretty comfortable with it. Wanted to see if the track clinics are still going on every Saturday at 11.

[Yoshi]

Yup, the clinics are still going on. I think they continue until the end of august or beginning of september.

Also there are races on Monday and Wednesday nights (Monday nights are Women, Masters and Juniors, Wednesday nights are by category).

[drainyoo]

Awesome! I'm hoping that I get the hang of racing quick enough to enter a race this season.