How Popular is Your Home Track?
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How Popular is Your Home Track?
Idle musing: how many people would you guess regularly use your track? I'm thinking of the core group that buys memberships or otherwise visits at least a few times a month during the season (or year round if conditions allow). And what proportion of that population races?
I'm not intending to create a "we need more velodromes" or "why aren't there more track cyclists" thread. I've just never seen much in the way of usage statistics and wonder what a wisdom of crowds approach will produce. My guess for the US is that there is a subset of velodromes (10-12?) with a larger, steady user base (50-100 cyclists?) of which maybe 1/3 to 1/2 race, and then there's all the rest....
I'm not intending to create a "we need more velodromes" or "why aren't there more track cyclists" thread. I've just never seen much in the way of usage statistics and wonder what a wisdom of crowds approach will produce. My guess for the US is that there is a subset of velodromes (10-12?) with a larger, steady user base (50-100 cyclists?) of which maybe 1/3 to 1/2 race, and then there's all the rest....
#2
aka mattio
25% of the licensed bike racers in Minnesota ride at the NSC Velodrome.
Our race nights average 60+ riders, but there are something like 400 unique riders in any given year.
Our race nights average 60+ riders, but there are something like 400 unique riders in any given year.
Last edited by queerpunk; 01-03-16 at 03:15 PM.
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15 years of data. Go nuts: Results | The Dick Lane Velodrome
Seriously, you can see:
- How many people race per race
- How many elites, jrs, women, masters
- How many came out to work for volunteer work days.
Example:
Scroll to the bottom.
Results : Dick Lane Velodrome - Fixed Gear Bicycle Racing (East Point) Atlanta, GA
Seriously, you can see:
- How many people race per race
- How many elites, jrs, women, masters
- How many came out to work for volunteer work days.
Example:
Scroll to the bottom.
Results : Dick Lane Velodrome - Fixed Gear Bicycle Racing (East Point) Atlanta, GA
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That's impressive - which track is this?
Last edited by Koogar; 01-03-16 at 03:03 PM. Reason: I can't type as well as I spell
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Sorry - that was directed at queerpunk, I clearly have not mastered the mobile interface for the forum.
Re: DLV, based on a quick estimate, it looks like ~170 racers earned points in 2015. Is that pretty much the population of regular track users? Do you see a sizable population of consistent riders who don't race?
Makes me wonder if people don't generally ride the track if they don't race on it. Which wouldn't be terribly surprising if true.
Re: DLV, based on a quick estimate, it looks like ~170 racers earned points in 2015. Is that pretty much the population of regular track users? Do you see a sizable population of consistent riders who don't race?
Makes me wonder if people don't generally ride the track if they don't race on it. Which wouldn't be terribly surprising if true.
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Sorry - that was directed at queerpunk, I clearly have not mastered the mobile interface for the forum.
Re: DLV, based on a quick estimate, it looks like ~170 racers earned points in 2015. Is that pretty much the population of regular track users? Do you see a sizable population of consistent riders who don't race?
Makes me wonder if people don't generally ride the track if they don't race on it. Which wouldn't be terribly surprising if true.
Re: DLV, based on a quick estimate, it looks like ~170 racers earned points in 2015. Is that pretty much the population of regular track users? Do you see a sizable population of consistent riders who don't race?
Makes me wonder if people don't generally ride the track if they don't race on it. Which wouldn't be terribly surprising if true.
There are a few people who pay dues and only train on the track. They choose not to race for a few reasons (don't care for it, don't want to risk a wreck, just want to get exercise). I can't really put my finger on a percentage because I don't have access to financial data. But, my gut says maybe 5%(?). I totally pulled that number out of my butt. But, I've personally known people who will train regularly on the track and never race one race.
Think about it, if you want intensity, it beats road/hill riding because you don't have to fight traffic and you don't have to drive for miles outside of the city to get to stretches of road without traffic.
I trained with a woman who was a fitness trainer by trade. She used to race road and track before I met her. When I knew her, she only trained on the track (mostly pursuit efforts, solo or with others) and did group road rides. No more racing.
#7
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I race at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center (TTown), but I don't have any firm numbers to quote. We have three days of racing per week and most people race one or two of those days. I'm only guessing, but the typical number of racers on any given day may be 50-60. We also have special event such as the regionals, districts, collegiate, and the team cup which draw a good number of participants. There are organized training sessions, including motorpacing, during the week for racers. Then there are the community programs that have maybe another 100 registered riders. When I train on the track on Sundays, during a two hour session I might see half a dozen nonracers hop onto the track, so that might up to a couple dozen for the day. All in all, it's a pretty busy track.
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Our race nights are currently capped at 60, are all sold out with long wait lists. This is for 18+, youth have a separate night with around 40.
Everything, literally everything, is booked solid, mostly weeks in advance. The track is almost never empty, 6am-11pm, 7 days/week.
I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
Everything, literally everything, is booked solid, mostly weeks in advance. The track is almost never empty, 6am-11pm, 7 days/week.
I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
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Our race nights are currently capped at 60, are all sold out with long wait lists. This is for 18+, youth have a separate night with around 40.
Everything, literally everything, is booked solid, mostly weeks in advance. The track is almost never empty, 6am-11pm, 7 days/week.
I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
Everything, literally everything, is booked solid, mostly weeks in advance. The track is almost never empty, 6am-11pm, 7 days/week.
I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
Do ya'll have room in the infield to setup a proper gym? LA Velodrome has (had?) a gym in their infield.
#10
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Our race nights are currently capped at 60, are all sold out with long wait lists. This is for 18+, youth have a separate night with around 40.
Everything, literally everything, is booked solid, mostly weeks in advance. The track is almost never empty, 6am-11pm, 7 days/week.
I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
Everything, literally everything, is booked solid, mostly weeks in advance. The track is almost never empty, 6am-11pm, 7 days/week.
I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
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Major Taylor has a small but loyal following, but I think this year will change that. Apart from serving as home base for Marian (which may discourage SOME folks part of the year), there is a perception among the elite road guys that the track kills your legs for road. Rumor that we will have a fairly big payout this year for points winners overall however.
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I'd hazard a guess that the Boulder Valley Velodrome is about 85% racer, or racing-curious riders. I've been involved in several "Learn the Track" nights, and the majority of the participants have later raced, or expressed interest in it. I'm not currently around enough to get a very accurate feel on how many people are usually in for training, however. April (I think) will mark the first full year of operation for the facility, so the community is rather small. I'd guess there were 100-200 unique racers this season.
I'm super excited for the thick layer of snow to bugger off. I wanna practice on my precious wooden boards again!
I'm super excited for the thick layer of snow to bugger off. I wanna practice on my precious wooden boards again!
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If you can get into a B cert on friday night, you could technically ride after that. Let me know if you do and I can probably find a spot in a private session somewhere for you, but you would need to at least get through the B cert. This friday is full but if you wait list yourself and call the day before/of you can probably get on.
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I don't think usage at our track is a fair comparison, as our main group of riders are just cyclists, not track racers. Its -15C outside tomorrow and +24C inside the track. I would guess 90% of people who ride there, or want to ride but can't get a spot, are just looking to avoid the trainer. We haven't been open a summer yet to see what that looks like.
Makes me curious what we'll hear if some of the folks from Hellyer or SoCal - where weather is much less a factor - check in with impressions.
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There is a typical gym upstairs, although the national team has their own as well (mostly squat racks). Always a walking track around the top behind the seats that sees good use. They were smart in making it a proper multiuse facility, lots of people come into the building with zero interest or interaction with cycling, but it shares the cost for keeping the lights on.
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Makes sense and parallels what I recall from our indoor track in Boulder, which closed a few years back - big crowds at night and when it was cold outside. Less interest in racing there, though, as the track was so short.
Makes me curious what we'll hear if some of the folks from Hellyer or SoCal - where weather is much less a factor - check in with impressions.
Makes me curious what we'll hear if some of the folks from Hellyer or SoCal - where weather is much less a factor - check in with impressions.
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I'd hazard a guess that the Boulder Valley Velodrome is about 85% racer, or racing-curious riders. I've been involved in several "Learn the Track" nights, and the majority of the participants have later raced, or expressed interest in it. I'm not currently around enough to get a very accurate feel on how many people are usually in for training, however. April (I think) will mark the first full year of operation for the facility, so the community is rather small. I'd guess there were 100-200 unique racers this season.
I'm super excited for the thick layer of snow to bugger off. I wanna practice on my precious wooden boards again!
I'm super excited for the thick layer of snow to bugger off. I wanna practice on my precious wooden boards again!
Although I race, I think it's great that we have a solid group of riders who are not on the track solely to train for racing. I'd guess it could be a larger proportion, maybe a third, comprising people who just use the track to stay fit, former racers who have had their fill, etc.
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A lot of people try to compare us (toronto) to LA, how they schedule, use their track, etc, but exactly as you put it the weather is a different factor. LA would naturally have less demand for recreation riders and more for racers, since if you just want to ride for fitness and live in california, you don't drive to Carson
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mostly masters track racers (sprint focused). i believe they have a juniors session but no one talented goes. i'd go to the motor pacing if they weren't 11am on tuesdays...
#24
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If you can get into a B cert on friday night, you could technically ride after that. Let me know if you do and I can probably find a spot in a private session somewhere for you, but you would need to at least get through the B cert. This friday is full but if you wait list yourself and call the day before/of you can probably get on.
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BVV is my home, too, and the great first year is part of what got me wondering about the populations elsewhere. I think we generally saw racing nights with 60-70+ riders throughout the season, though that also includes the subset of folks who otherwise/also race down at Springs.
Although I race, I think it's great that we have a solid group of riders who are not on the track solely to train for racing. I'd guess it could be a larger proportion, maybe a third, comprising people who just use the track to stay fit, former racers who have had their fill, etc.
Although I race, I think it's great that we have a solid group of riders who are not on the track solely to train for racing. I'd guess it could be a larger proportion, maybe a third, comprising people who just use the track to stay fit, former racers who have had their fill, etc.