what's ti take for a bike to be track racing legal?
 

i want to know because i plan on upgrading from my schwinn conversion. i'm not going to upgrade immediately because i want to get a good bike and that cost $$. i want to eventually do some track racing and want plenty of pedal clearance for the turns when riding on the street which will be most of my riding. though i want my bike to be legal for track racing in case i ever get the chance to do it. and by legal i mean bottom bracket height, bars, and specific things i wouldn't normally think about.

i mainly want to see if masi, scott, kuota(probably out of reach) make frames/bikes that would qualify. those brands because the bike shop where my dad works carries those and i can get them for cost. and they might pick up felt too.

I believe that bb height requirements depend on the velodrome you will be riding and bar requirements will depend on the event you are riding.

It might be worth it to check in the track forum or better yet, contact someone at your local velodrome and ask them.

A few basics that are pretty widespread:
-no brakes
-no quick releases
-drop bars with bar end plugs for mass start events
-aerobars / bullhorns in pursuits and tt's

bb height, if you're getting a track frame that's actually built for the track and stick to 170 or lower crank arms, shouldn't have a problem. at steeper tracks you have to start worrying about these things, but i ride alpenrose and have only had a pedal-to-wall contact once (going very slow at the top of the wall, pedal brushed just enough to know it but not enough to make me fall).

Here are some excerpts from the rulebook.
1J1.
(a) Dimensions. Bicycles may be no more than 2 meters
long and 75 cm wide, except that tandems may be up to 3
meters long
(b) There may be no protective shield, fairing, or other
device on any part of the bicycle, which has the effect of
reducing air resistance except that spoke covers may be used

(d) The handlebar ends shall be solidly plugged and
attachments thereto shall be fashioned in such a way as to
minimize danger without impairing steering. Handlebars used
for steering with ends, features, or attachments that extend
forward or upward or that provide support for other than the
the rider's hands are permitted only in time trial and pursuit
events (not in Team Sprint); however, attachments that point
upward on the brakehoods of road bicycles are allowed if the
distance between them is greater than 25 cm (9.8 inches).
[disqualification]
In other words, plugged drop bars for mass-start events.
(g) A mass start bicycle is a road or track bicycle that is
legal in all events within the road or track discipline, rather
than a bicycle that is restricted to particular events. As an
example, a bicycle with handlebars offering forearm support
is not a mass start bicycle.

1J3.
(a) For track races, only a bicycle with a single cog fixed
wheel and without derailleurs, brakes or quick releases may
be used; However, in pursuit and time trial events that are
not championships or selection events, brakes, freewheels,
quick releases, and derailleurs may be installed on the bicycle
so long as only one gear is functional.


Ah, Andre beat me to it, but here's the official language anyway.

so would a bike like the leader 735tr be legal. probably a stupid question considering it's called a track frame

arrospok required

only if 650. barspins only allowed while passing on left of sprinters lane.

Okay, so drops for mass start events, bullhorns for TT or pursuit, but what about skid competitions? Are risers okay?

i thought this thread was about titanium bikes on the track

1" head tubes required.












j/k

..

so if i saved up for a felt tk2 would it be legal for most tracks? at least for mass start events. and it's too bad on the skids, i'd love to do an f&f style drift turn :D

I think the TK2 is designed for the track, so you have no worries there. So long as you don't swap out the drops for bullhorns.