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bit of soul searching here.... I rode weekly for a year at Glasgow Velodrome, really enjoyed it, not track league, just drop ins for fun and fitness, however I havent been there now in over a year, and last ride left in an Ambulance 🙁
It was just one of those bad luck ones, at the back of a 4 person string, front 2 guys touched wheels and we all went down at about 30k. I hit a bike on my way down and got knocked out and whiplash, bike was ok, just needed wheels trued and new bar tape.
Anyway, I keep seeing the bike, all pristine and ready to go, in the corner of my garage..... Do I get back on it, or do I sell it....
I guess my quandary is around the likliehood of bad tumbles vs frequency of track riding. I'm used to falling off the mtb regularly, and had a bad crash before my track one, which took a while to get over but no lasting effects, mentally or physically. I've come off the road bike a couple of times over the years, largely on ice, so I'm no stranger really to falling off 🙂
So with darker nights and winter a few months away I am wondering what to do......
Thoughts welcome, even MTFU 🙂
Tracks have no rocks to land on or passing traffic to crush your organs. Given that you [i]will[/i] fall off again, surely track is the least worst option?
Oh and MTFU!
hey, you're no allowed to comment seeing as you ride with me 🙂
My experience of track is that yes, crashes happen but they are rarer and not as nasty as other forms of cycling. If you race then the likelihood goes up but that's true of all forms of cycling.
I'd get back out there, for no other reason than to rid yourself of the demons stopping you, once they're gone you can make a decision whether to keep riding or sell the bike.
I think it very much depends on the sessions and the riders. Experienced trackies seem to hardly ever crash (madisons excepted...) as track is much smoother and steadier than road riding and racing.
I'd say stick with it, unlucky things happen but an indoor velodrome is a fantastic place to ride a bike in winter. The more you ride the safer it will become too.
Some good thinking in above posts, appreciated
Yep, keeping it for now and will get a gentle refamiliarisation drop in booked on a daytime slot away from the fast folk !
My advice is dependent on what size is your bike...?
Maybe I shouldn't tell you 🙂
Thing with track bikes is that you can get a decent one for not a lot new anyway - my PreCursa was around £600 delivered
He he.
I've got an outdoor velodrome near me. I spent this summer doing a weekly training session with my club. Great fun. Great work out. I tried not to think what would happen if I hit the tarmac of the outdoor track and whether it would hurt more or less than hitting the boards on an indoor one.
I do like the look of the Condor track bikes myself. Maybe next summer...
🙂
I think that the frequency of falling on the track (not racing) is a lot higher than on road due to the proximity of other riders. Falling off the MTB is a regular occurrence for me but usually slow speed. Falling on the track is high speed and IMO higher risk of injury, however as said above, no jaggy rocks or trucks. When I came off I melted 2 layers and burnt my shoulder, bust my specs and split my helmet. The bike I hit had a dent in frame that wrote it off...
Have you joined the organ donation register?
MTFU and get back to the track if you enjoy it
What's the worse that could happen?
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Just get back on and do it. I've had my ride in an ambulance this year. I'm still riding to work. You just have to get on with it. You will fall off.
Funnily enough, I haven't crashed on the track, road racing yes, but not track. And that includes racing. Last time I looked, Mercedes ML's weren't allowed on the boards, so I think I'll be OK 😉
Wear a full face DH helmet and armor! 😉
^^^^^ aye, very good, along with the baggies and Camelbak you advised the guy on the other thread ? 😀
^^ And ride a fatbike! 8)
About 2 years ago I swung up the track without checking properly and only by sheer luck I missed an overtaking rider. I stopped riding there and then but have often thought of it. I agree with the post above that crashes are part of it and by their nature will be high speed. The key is to get past half witted amateurs like me and ride at a decent standard where people know what they're doing.
good example cycles, I did my accreditation pretty soon after the Glasgow Velodrome opened and was riding most weeks for over a year before my big and only off.
Whilst every rider on a drop in is accredited, there was a huge gap in ability and it was very easy to get caught up in other people mess. I also had a few 'moments' of my own where I was lucky not to come off or take others out. I remember having a lapse in concentration and trying to freewheel once in a string of about 8 with a couple of riders behind me - I deservedly got a mouthful of abuse from them 😳
Back on velodrome today, top fun 😀 Glasgow have introduced a new rule that accredited riders who haven't ridden there in 6 months need to redo accreditation 4, so was happy to do that in a safe, coached environment. 18 folks, half a dozen of us accredited already, so coach used the experienced folk to set stuff up etc. Good few hrs, and looking forward to those wet winter rides in warm indoors 🙂
Great news - I need to drag my ass down to the Derby Arena and get over The Fear
Aye, my fear was very very real, but after 10 mins riding was ebbing 😀
Welcome back. I'll be off to Newport soon as the Seta is hanging unloved since the accident
And speaking of which, I did a National B road race today and rode past the car that I hit ten times this morning. My arse was blowing so hard I barely noticed it! Left quite a dent, when I went back after the race for another look.