Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA

Apr 6, 17 7:19

Post #1 of 23 (3855 views)

For all you mid-Atlantic cyclists/triathletes...

http://www.lvb.com/article/20170405/BERKS/170409910/20m-indoor-velodrome-to-be-built-at-albright-college-only-second-in-us

"$20M indoor velodrome to be built at Albright College, only second in U.S."

Maybe a place to get some training sessions in if you live close enough.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [C_Hassard] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 7:46

Post #2 of 23 (3838 views)

cool, wonder if wood or paved?

My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [leegoocrap] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 7:53

Post #3 of 23 (3829 views)

From the article I would think wood but it doesn't specify. Says it'll be used for World Cycling League races and that it's going to be a 2,500 seat / 80,000 sq ft. facility, so I think they're going to build it up nicely and make it high quality.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [C_Hassard] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 8:04

Post #4 of 23 (3817 views)

If this happens (there's been talk about this for years), it will mean 2 velodromes w/in 60' drive of each other, ~90' from NYC, and also 60' from Philly.

no sponsors | no races | nothing to see here

Last edited by: philly1x: Apr 6, 17 8:04

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [C_Hassard] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 8:18

Post #5 of 23 (3803 views)

At the announcement at Albright now - it is Wood.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [C_Hassard] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 8:20

Post #6 of 23 (3802 views)

nice!

Hope I get the chance to race on it some time.

My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [C_Hassard] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 8:26

Post #7 of 23 (3794 views)

Still think it's a shame they couldn't get the South Philly one built (if only to save me the drive up and down 476 every Friday night).

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 9:32

Post #8 of 23 (3730 views)

WelshinPhilly wrote:

Still think it's a shame they couldn't get the South Philly one built (if only to save me the drive up and down 476 every Friday night).

That's too pretty for South Philly

It should look more like FDR Skatepark

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [C_Hassard] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 10:24

Post #9 of 23 (3693 views)

Great news.

The "new" Pan Am Games Mattamy Velodrome near Toronto has been a big success at a number of levels. Canada did not have ANY UCI level velodromes in the whole country. All we had were a few crappy outdoor tracks, and a couple of smaller, very tight-turned indoor tracks built in abandoned hockey arenas.

There has been a great embracing of this new facility from the hard-core road and track racing communities. With my Race Announcing work, I've done my best to sell the triathlon crowd on the velodrome - both as a something to do in the off-season (actually riding the track), and also watching track racing (the most exciting bike racing you will ever see). The sum total of interest and action from the Ontario Triathlon community = about zero! :(

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Apr 6, 17 16:07

Post #10 of 23 (3611 views)

You'd think tri-nerds would jump at the oppurtunity to do aero testing...

I cerainly hope the alpha-mantis people would come to this place

Also, isnt there an indoor velodrome in Pittsburgh?

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [echappist] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 5:59

Post #11 of 23 (3529 views)

Do velodromes allow riding non-track bikes?

Pretty sure that T-town (my nearest one) doesn't.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 6:11

Post #12 of 23 (3520 views)

WelshinPhilly wrote:

Do velodromes allow riding non-track bikes?

Pretty sure that T-town (my nearest one) doesn't.

most will make exceptions for aero testing.
But none I know of would let you "just" jump on and ride with a road bike (*other than old converted tracks like Asheville's Mellowdrome)

My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 7:02

Post #13 of 23 (3495 views)

The International Velodrome at Bloomer Park does not allow regular bikes. IIRC, someone said that they have lower bottom brackets and the chances of pedal strike (and damage to the surface) is greater.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 8:24

Post #14 of 23 (3468 views)

Do velodromes allow riding non-track bikes?

My understanding is, no they don't - fixed gear track bikes only.

Now I know to the tri & road crowd - this will seem crazy - no gears, a fixed gear and no brakes. Are you nuts?

At the front end this does represent some interesting challenges*, but ounce over those, and you learn to ride a fixed gear, on a track, there is a BIG up side - you will become a better, and potentially faster cyclist!

*Most tracks have Learn-to-Ride programs with rental fixed-gear track bikes. Usually you have to take this short intro course, with other newbies, before being allowed on the track on your own.

It's a fast leaning curve. I took the Learn-to-Ride program at the Milton Mattamy Velodrome ( near Toronto). Went for one other ride on my own, with some tips as we road along from a veteran track racer. Then on my third ride on the velodrome I was pace-lining, with two former Canadian National Champions, and a Tour de France Yellow Jersey wearer - the help and the tips from these guys was awesome!

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 8:39

Post #15 of 23 (3455 views)

Fleck wrote:

Do velodromes allow riding non-track bikes?

My understanding is, no they don't - fixed gear track bikes only.

Now I know to the tri & road crowd - this will seem crazy - no gears, a fixed gear and no brakes. Are you nuts?

At the front end this does represent some interesting challenges*, but ounce over those, and you learn to ride a fixed gear, on a track, there is a BIG up side - you will become a better, and potentially faster cyclist!

*Most tracks have Learn-to-Ride programs with rental fixed-gear track bikes. Usually you have to take this short intro course, with other newbies, before being allowed on the track on your own.

It's a fast leaning curve. I took the Learn-to-Ride program at the Milton Mattamy Velodrome ( near Toronto). Went for one other ride on my own, with some tips as we road along from a veteran track racer. Then on my third ride on the velodrome I was pace-lining, with two former Canadian National Champions, and a Tour de France Yellow Jersey wearer - the help and the tips from these guys was awesome!

I understood all that re: handling etc.. but your and another post about attracting the "tri crowd" for aero testing etc just made me curious.

The guy I usually ride with did T-town's "Ride the Track" program a couple of years ago and loved it, to the point he then bought a Fuji Track Pro. He sold it in pretty much mint condition after a short time due to never really using it.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 9:49

Post #16 of 23 (3427 views)

I understood all that re: handling etc.. but your and another post about attracting the "tri crowd" for aero testing etc just made me curious.

I received an invite to the, "secret" testing that Alphamantis did with Lionel Sanders a year last year. You could see in real time, the improvements as they changed various things with regards to his position, set up and stuff on/off the bike.

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [echappist] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 10:25

Post #17 of 23 (3411 views)

No Pgh velodrome. Maybe you're thinking of the Bud Harris outdoor cycling track?

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 10:42

Post #18 of 23 (3405 views)

Hello WelshinPhilly and All,

This is an old reference (2011) ..... so policies may have changed ...................

San Diego Velodrome:

"The velodrome is intended to be primarily ridden on fixed gear bicycles, however freewheel type bikes may bee [sic] ridden on the track ONLY during recreational hours. Freewheel bikes are not allowed during any other times. If your bike has brakes, it is a freewheel type bicycle."

http://bikesd.org/...go-velodrome-action/

WelshinPhilly wrote:

Do velodromes allow riding non-track bikes?

Pretty sure that T-town (my nearest one) doesn't.

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [nealhe] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 12:18

Post #19 of 23 (3378 views)

I am not sure what T-Towns "official" policy is, but I have jumped onto the track there on my road bike on more then one occasion and wasn't told to get off.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]

Apr 7, 17 13:01

Post #20 of 23 (3354 views)

If there's nothing going on the track, it's open to the public. I have done many workouts (and group workouts) on there with tri bikes, you just need to really trust the people you're with.

Marty N may have rolled his eyes at us, but he didn't kick us off!

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [Ironfan] [ In reply to ]

Apr 8, 17 4:37

Post #21 of 23 (3286 views)

It'll be interesting to se if this actually happens, Chauner has tried to build other velodromes in the past, coatesville, philly, pittsburgh... we shall see.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [nealhe] [ In reply to ]

Apr 8, 17 7:02

Post #22 of 23 (3260 views)

San Diego is an outdoor, somehat decrepit asphalt 333m track, though. Banking is significantly less. And it's chill in management. Hard to compare to a multi-million dollar, pristine new track.

Actually being resurfaced with new asphalt with a bit of drama (taking months longer than planned), but hopefully open soon in less decrepit state.

Re: Velodrome Being Built in Reading, PA [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Apr 8, 17 14:52

Post #23 of 23 (3200 views)

I'll be driving up there(8 hours) this summer to train and hopefully race, only track closer to me is T-town and I'll be making the 6 hour drive there also.
Best way to work on your cadence and smooth out your pedal stroke.
If I had a track closer to me, I think I would give up Triathlon racing.

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