sebasbike

hey,

i recently started going to the local velodrome. good thing , it is always empty. bad thing, it is always empty so i have nobody to learn from. proper form, training, or just chat i guess.

any training tips or plans to share? spent a few hours on youtube but most of it ist just explaining velodrome rules and not much else, nothing with training.

also, i am currently using an eai bareknuckle, i love my bike but would it be worth it to just get another frame, posible an aluminum frame for the track ? or would the benefits not be significant?

sebasbike

might i add that i just do around 4-5 laps around the velodrome and then stop for like 5-10 mins and repeat. going at a moderately fast pace.

Bianchi pc

there are some fantastically knowlegeable and informative peeps that ride both track and road and sometimes post here like Carlton, Tejano trackie, baby puke, Queer punk and I am greatful for the experience they have shared which has been extremely helpful to me and my tarck habit (sincere and heartfelt thank you) - but I think you will probably do better to ask this question in the track racing section.

as for veledrome riding - I have no experience whatsoever but... I hear the bare knuckle is well loved for what it is and I find myself wondering if your training alone anyway and enjoy your bike, why worry about upgrading to something more modern day top tier competition worthy?

anyways cheers and good luck

sebasbike

hey all!

i recently started going to the local velodrome. good thing , it is always empty. bad thing, it is always empty so i have nobody to learn from. proper form, training, or just chat i guess.

any training tips or plans to share? spent a few hours on youtube but most of it ist just explaining velodrome rules and not much else, nothing with training.

also, i am currently using an eai bareknuckle, i love my bike but would it be worth it to just get another frame, posible an aluminum frame for the track ? or would the benefits not be significant?

thanks for the help

sebasbike

will do! thanks for the recommendation. I wasn't aware of their being a track section.

as for the bike, idk man, its just something about consumption for "healthy" things that just makes me feel good i guess. lol

TejanoTrackie 

I see no reason to change frames, unless you intend to compete seriously. An aluminum frame will generally be stiffer than a steel frame, mostly due to the larger size tubing, and it might also be lighter and/or more aerodynamic. However, the Bareknuckle has true track geometry, so it will have the same good track handling as an aluminum or carbon track frame. I might add that for the first thirty years of track racing, I rode a steel track bike (Schwinn Paramount P14) and never found it lacking.

As to training, well what is the purpose of your training ? Are you planning to compete, or are you doing this for health and fitness ? When I used to train at the track, I was preparing for specific types of racing events. If you could be more specific, maybe I or other experienced track riders/racers could provide some recommendations.

sebasbike

thanks for the quick reply, i guess mostly for health and fitness but who knows down the line. if i get good enough i would really enjoy participating in races but for now just health and fitness. i would really like to improve my endurance since ive never done anything "endurance" related. i've played soccer for most of my life but i wouldn't consider it and "enduring" if that even is a word as cycling is.

at my level any info regarding endurance training even basic cycling endurance training will be greatly appreciated.

ive been to the drome around 6 times now and going again when i finish this post , i started 2 weeks ago (it is a 15 min ride away from my house)

my usual way to start is just doing 5-6 laps at a fast pace, my legs usually die so i stop for around 10 mins then do it again, i repeat for like 4-5 times. i dont know if that is considered training and i know i started fairly recently ago but i do want to make the best of my time there.

Thanks any info will be greatly appreciated!

also kind of a dumb question but my bike is a 54 and i think its a size to big on me, will this affect my "comfort" down the line or is it good?

sebasbike

thanks for the quick reply, i guess mostly for health and fitness but who knows down the line. if i get good enough i would really enjoy participating in races but for now just health and fitness. i would really like to improve my endurance since ive never done anything "endurance" related. i've played soccer for most of my life but i wouldn't consider it and "enduring" if that even is a word as cycling is.

at my level any info regarding endurance training even basic cycling endurance training will be greatly appreciated.

ive been to the drome around 6 times now and going again when i finish this post , i started 2 weeks ago (it is a 15 min ride away from my house)

my usual way to start is just doing 5-6 laps at a fast pace, my legs usually die so i stop for around 10 mins then do it again, i repeat for like 4-5 times. i dont know if that is considered training and i know i started fairly recently ago but i do want to make the best of my time there.

Thanks any info will be greatly appreciated!

also kind of a dumb question but my bike is a 54 and i think its a size to big on me, will this affect my "comfort" down the line or is it good?

TejanoTrackie 

The proper way to do endurance interval training, is to first warm up at a slow pace, and then gradually build up the effort until you max out. Suddenly starting fast guarantees that you will build up lactic acid quickly and not be able to go for as long, before taking a break. It would also be helpful if you wore a heart monitor, so that you can establish your fitness zones. You want to set your workouts based on time, not distance. As your fitness improves, you will be able to go faster longer, while maintaining the same target heart rate.

sebasbike

Thanks Tejano. do you think an apple watch is accurate enough for this? will fly to the states soon on business so will get a heart monitor and maybe a few more cogs. im riding 47 16 atm, is that way to light for track use? i know its the industry standard but im guessing its for street use.

cb400bill

Duplicate threads merged

sebasbike

thanks, i apologize, now i know there is a specific track section.

TejanoTrackie 

I have no idea how accurate an Apple Watch is or if it is capable of setting heart rate zones. I use an old fashioned Timex Ironman Triathlon heart rate monitor (HRM) watch with a chest strap that works very well. It basically works on the same principle as an EKG that is very reliable. Unfortunately, they are no longer made, but maybe you could get a Garmin that works the same way.

As to gearing, 47 X 16 is fine for training, but would be too low for racing. As time goes on and you get stronger, you could try 47 X 15 and see if you can maintain your cadence in that higher gear.

sebasbike

thanks!!

sorry, i am currently in a very third world country in south america and cant even find a heart rate monitor. smh. i guess i'm just going to have to wing it.

my supplier in the states offers sells timex and there is nothing like that on his list so i'm guessing it does not exist anymore. will check out garmin or ask my brother that is kind of an athlete if i can get something similar here.

I just got back from the velodrome and was there for almost 2 hours. i did intervals of 20 minutes, picking up the pace every 5. took some dried figs apricots and almonds as snacks to replensh energy. hopeully in the next few weeks i can see some positive results.

i guess i'll just have to maximize my efforts and find and optimum with what i have for the moment.

Bianchi pc

I intepret your answer as n+1, meaning you are thinking about a new bike cuz... new bikes are fun and different. That's cool I think a lot of peeps here will get that but even if your wallet is overflowing if your unsure about your current bike fitting you right you should delay gratification until you have a better idea what size you need.

Are you currently on some kind of track drops? The positions that people find optimal for track are not the same as road and it stretches you out more - you might in the end ( even if you are an experienced road rider ) find that you want a longer bike than you first think is right. Sometimes it takes years to really figure out what proportions work best for you - you might play around with a longer stem or a handlebar with more reach first. If you are really itching for an upgrade - maybe hire a professional bike fitter (that has experience fitting for track racing). It sounds pricey and hard to justify at first but compared to buying multiple bikes or frames to figure it out it isn't.

if your flying into the states soon and will be somewhere that you can find said fitter maybe that's your best bet - you can ask the experienced track racers on here about finding one if this idea appeals to you.

TejanoTrackie 

Although Timex no longer makes HRM watches, you can still find them for sale on the USA eBay and some sellers will ship to South America. For example >>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/19433220208...1&isGTR=1#shId

You will need to replace the battery (CR2016 or CR2025), since these are very old stock, and the original batteries in these watches are dead.

queerpunk

Where are you located, and what velodrome is this? Many tracks have associated clubs, events, training, and races.

The Bareknuckle is a great frame. Use it until you know you’ve outgrown it. It may take a while.

Training is a huuuuge topic - definitely too much for one thread. Training starts with, where are you and where do you want to go? So it’s very individual. However, there are a couple things you can do, all by yourself, to have fun and try to improve and measure your progress. You can do some basic solo timed events (500m / 1000m from a standing start; flying 200m - those are classic sprint events. And, the 3km / 4km individual pursuit is a classic endurance event). There’s a common endurance training pattern that’s just doing 2laps hard and 2 laps easy, over and over. Or, you can do a “points race simulation” where you ride briskly and sprint every 2.5km.
Have fun

sebasbike

thanks !!! will buy one.

sebasbike

Thanks!!

Just to add, yesterday there was a couple of ppl at the drome. I tried to spark up a conversation with them when they finished their sesion but they didn't seem to want to talk.

after a while an instructor appeared, he gave me a few pointers and told me that there are velodrome classes, so as soon as he sends me info to my email i will enroll.

meanwhile i will keep training , i want to start off my classes in a little better shape than i am now. not that i am in bad shape but nowhere near where i want to be.

carleton

Hi, @sebasbike. Welcome to the sport!

First and foremost, you shouldn't be on the track with experienced riders (any other riders) before you have completed your beginner classes. Seriously. You going on the velodrome with no training of the rules and etiquette is like a person driving on the local roads and freeway with no driver's training...oh, and none of the cars have brakes. Serious injury can occur.

If no one is on the track, go nuts. But, if experienced people show up, they may want to go fast. If they object to you being on the track, please respect their wishes. It's probably not personal. I know several veteran trackies who refuse to take the track with newbies because they don't want to get hurt.

The rules are very simple (even kids know them). But, if you don't know, you don't know. Just trying to keep you safe.

You should read this entire thread: Protips for a new track racer

sebasbike

i know it could be a threat, i would never go on the velodrome with people on it. it would be totally inconsiderate of me.
the only reason i go is because 99.9% the drome is empty, if not i would have probably not even gone without taking classes. regardless i have looked at the rules online and seen various videos regarding what to do and what not to do.

thanks for your concern anyways stay safe.

sebasbike

thank you for the welcome! i appoloize if my past response was kind of dry, i was having a bad day!
im going every day, when there are people at the velodrome i get off and just watch them to learn!
next week im moving to london and there is a more "official" velodrome so im going to take some classes!

chas58

God no. Better than nothing - maybe. Could be worse if it is giving crap and you believe it (well, that happened to me).
I find the LED based monitors to be crap on a bike. Its probably worse on the road (they hate to be bounced), but they are not accurate and have a lot of lag time anyway.

When doing hard intervals on the track, I need quick response as my HR peaks, drops, peaks very quickly (I'm talking <30s at over 50kph, recover, do it again). If I punch it before I recover I'm going to blow up, if I'm recovered I can go hard. Only a chest strap does this accurately enough. Wahoo seems popular. Polar is the most precise.

I'll just say the gearing I use solo is a LOT different than what I use in a pack. Figure out your steady state speed, and gear for 100rpm for that. Our tracks are hard to ride on for endurance as they are so steep. That and competing for an hour record can be painful just with the G forces. I'm hoping you don't have that problem! ;-)

Enjoy, and stay safe out there. As mentioned above, the most important thing is making sure everyone else on the track is safe!

sebasbike

Thanks for the info. I Was going to get a Garmin led one but will buy a polar one with chest straps instead
.
Just moved to the uk and local velodrome does not allow straps of any kind while riding. I don't really know how much they enforce this though.

Obviously safety is always first, and thanks once again.

chas58

Safety first.
I don't see a chest strap under the jersey as being an issue, but as always I defer to local rules. Most people here use a chest strap. The Polar chest strap will certainly do you well (if allowed).