Winter Cycling - Hockey Arena Race, any tips?

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but wondered if anyone has any tips for racing on a hockey rink?
(http://www.irproshop.com/index.php?pr=CMCC_Ice_Race1)
I will be using a mtn bike with Innova 26x2.1 studded tires.

How much pressure should the tire be inflated to?

Should I use my older bike or risk riding my newer bike?

Any advise on NOT crashing?

I think this is an application where the rider with purpose-built homemade studs will win easily.

Studs intended for use on the road just aren't sharp enough to really lean into a corner on a rink.

I'd get a whole bunch of tiny sheet-metal screws and make the most prickly, pavement-inappropriate tires the rules will allow.

Great idea! Not much time left to make tires, the race is Sunday. Since it's on a rink, I only need to do the left side/center!

I just noticed this line from one of the event organizers:

"The cycle that Central Maine Cycling member Tony Giguere will ride on the ice at Sukee has mountain bike tires with sheetrock screws and silicone, tires handmade by Dave Houston, a mechanic at Mathieu's.
"You just have to get the mindset that you're not going to slip," said Richard, who joined Giguere to test out the Sukee Arena ice surface for cycling recently. "You basically can pedal as hard as you want to. You pedal right through the corners (with the studs). You'll run out of legs before you run out of traction."

Sounds like he has his tires dialed in to the rink!

Stud sharpness is not so important. A commercial stud would grip OK, but you need a tyre that has lots of them and also spread towards the edge of the tyre to allow some cornering. Such tyres are expensive for this one run, so I agree homemade tyres are probably the best. If you can spare the time, that is. Don't expect to be able to use them on road though.

--J

does tire pressure make a difference?

The race is over and it was a blast!!

Ghettocruiser was 100% right: "the rider with purpose-built homemade studs will win easily." In fact, when I showed up with studded tires, the race organizer took pitty on me and loaned me his bike! Lots of 1/2" sheet rock screws, lots of silicon sealant, an extra tube "liner" for when the screws work their way through the silicon. The traction is amazing. Two riders locked wheels in front of me and locked them hard. On pavement they would have been down, but with spiked tires, they were able to pull apart. Tire pressure did not seem to matter.

The race is over and it was a blast!!


Pics?

There's a couple here (http://www.irproshop.com/index.php?pr=Cycling) and videos of the practice runs here (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=centralmainecycling&aq=f)

Hopefully, they will get the race pics and videos up soon.

hmmm looks like you guys need to come up the Toronto next year!!