The SUPERDROME!

For sometime now I've been wanting to race on a velodrome. AKA, "track racing". A velodrome is an oval banked track of various lengths. Here in the North Texas area we have a track in Frisco. It's one of three olympic velodromes in the USA. It's 250 meters with the most banked sections being 44.5 degrees, and the "flats" being 17 degrees.

To race on this track one has to be qualified, not only for their safety but other racers safety. I FINALLY had the chance to take the "development" class so that I'll be qualified to race on the track.

MAN, what an experience! This thing was incredible. It was a 4 hour class starting at 9am. A lot of the people in the class were brand new to track racing, and had pretty much zero knowledge. Track racing requires a "fixed gear" bicycle. Fixed gears obviously only have one gear, no brakes, and the rear cog is "fixed" so that one cannot coast.

To most people this concept seems unbelievably dangerous but it's for the opposite reason that it's so. On a track people ride really close together, and really fast. If you've ever been on the highway and the car 10 cars up slams on it's breaks you know the result. It's a chain reaction and everyone behind them will have to slow down. On a track the fixed gear bikes keep people from being able to slam on their brakes and cause wrecks. (not that wrecks don't happen)



After finally working our way onto the track and doing some practice laps we worked our way all the way up to the top. It was an unbelievable sensation riding so high. I'd say it was between 20-25 feet up from the bottom of the track when we were at the top of the 44.5 degree banked turns.

By the end of the class we were able to do some "mock" racing. There were two other knowledgable cyclists in the class. Due to my ridiculous type "A" racing attitude I ended up winning both races. (I actually meant to lose the last one on purpose, but couldn't do it) After racing I'm extremely excited to get to legitimately race. Unfortunately most their races are on Friday nights and that doesn't work too well for me.

Below I'll be posting another video of a group doing a "paceline" on the velodrome, and I'll also be posting a few photos I took of the track. If you're interested in track racing or the Superdrome in Frisco here are a few links.

Click HERE for the Superdrome.

Click HERE for track racing information.

I hope everyone is having a great week! Looks like the weather isn't going to be too bad for my triathlon this weekend. I'll try and give a good update early next week with some photos and results!

_Jacob_