Originally Posted by
illdthedj
1. will do!
2. makes sense. so i guess i should refer back to 1) and ask there but do you have advice on a good wheelset that would be good for beginning track? miche pistard good enough? mavic ellipse? anything better? bang/bucks?
3. i do. 47-50, 15-18
4. ? friends who have gone before said they signed up for some class and they had an experienced rider teach etiquete, they did mock races or something. im assuming coaching is more involved?
5. like gold's gym? i go there ;p
6. I would LOVE to, but life kind of gets in the way. 4 weekends more or less in the month, and playing soccer, gym, girlfriend, friends, social obligations will probably keep it at once a month.
7. i do spin class twice a week w/ the girlfriend, does that count? ;p but for winter months that sounds like a good idea.
8. good to know....so perhaps i should look into buying a somewhat nicer and used (re: cheaper) lightweight aero front wheel then getting something adequate but cheaper for the rear? i dunno i have seen quite a few very affordable used zipps and other carbon aero rims on ebay, although most tend to be quick release....hence why i started this thread. im thinking now if i see one go for cheap enough i might jump on it then buy a bolt on skewer. just a thought.
9. i havn't been professionally fitted but have done a fit calculator...
anywho thanks for the replies its appreciated!
2) Mavic Ellipse are my favorites to recommend. They are great for beginner and intermediate track use and also are great for street. They are clincher.
3) For track your gear progressions (assuming you train or race a lot and get stronger) might go something like this:
48/16 For beginner racing. This might become your warmup gear forever afterward.
48/15 For beginner racing
49/15
50/15
Next season (or if you get strong fast):
47/14
48/14
49/14
45/13 (for fine-tuning)
50/14
46/13
4) That's just an orientation to the track. Not much coaching involved. Look for organized group events at the track. At some tracks those are like $5-10. Some great info there.
5) Yes! Squats or Leg Press whole leg exercises. Not so much with isometric (isolating) exercises like leg extension, leg curl, etc...)
6) Once you get bitten by the race bug, you might start rearranging your life. That's what I did.
7) Spin classes help a lot. But, rollers are better for different reasons.
8) Don't buy any wheels. Use whatever FG wheels you have now. Buy some nice tires (23c) that can be pumped up to at least 120-130PSI.
9) A fit calculator is a good start, but a good fitting by a professional or a friend that knows a lot will go a long way. Do you know where your saddle should be behind your bottom bracket? How about how high your handlebar grips should be for your body type and riding style? What about how high the saddle should be? A 1-2cm change can take you from spinning 120RPM bumpily to 120 smoothly and up to 200rpm.