Just got back from my first session at the velodrome this year, a pretty poor turn out meant we couldn’t play “Sean’s game” (Devil take the hind) but we did manage a number of Italian sprints which were fun but hard work as I always seemed to have to take the third leg! Mustn’t grumble as it ws great to be on the track again even if it served to highlight my current level of unfitness.
It’s a fun track, Bob, to be sure. One of the older guys is pissing about on the top seeing how slow he could ride, it’s a game we all play until you hear your tyres complain. This time he didn’t hear it and slide all the way down! Naturally, he didn’t get much sympathy as we were all laughing too much!
THat was the result of a one man crash back in the winter of 2004. We finished an italian sprint and I had just beaten the other guy to the line just entered the far bend and heard an almighty thump. I looked around to see him sliding full pelt along the side of his head the length of the straight. We are still unsure what happened, whether he just stopped pedaling coming out of the bend or what, but we do know he left in an ambulance and missed his flight to NZ the following morning due to concussion!
Thats a very nice looking track! Four or five solid hours a week in there and you will be a stud in the early short (crit) spring races! Italian sprints = team sprints?
Concerning our drome in Burnaby, seems like there is quiet the crowd down there on Wed and Friday nights now, everything connected to cycling seems to be on a growth spurt round here.
Yeah, Italian sprints or Olympic sprints, or I guess team sprints. Basically weakest rider goes first balls out towing the rest off the team round before peeling off and the next in line does same until the final rider (our poor version of SuperDave) hammers the last lap to victory!
It is a nice track, and well maintained with just a few minor bumps on the lines. I have to say I was disappointed at the sections of plywood or shipwood at Burnaby when I went back in '04, hopefully they were temporary repairs, yeah?
Goos question, ours is the oldest indoor track in the UK and dates back to the 50s when 3 day track event were big news. I guess it is a gap in the market that some shrewd businessman could take advantage of. Are you up to the challenge.
What is it with english and badmington. I went over there to visit my bro a few years ago. We went to shoot some hoops at the local sports club and got chucked off because of badmington players. Where I come from those badmington players would not even be allowed in the building.
How big is that track–250? I wish ours were indoors…it would keep me on the bike in the winter if I could ride at the drome. Hell, the track was about the only thing that kept me on the bike this summer. Nothing like your own personal roller coaster/roller derby/bumper cars to keep you motivated
I’m pretty certain we can provide some more ‘interesting’ photo’s inside the next month Julian. I’ll be up there next week i think as my back is nearly 100% after a couple of dodgy days…
It’s a good job you weren’t in the Far East, badminton (I assume that is the sport you are talking about?) is a very big sport there. In England and the rest of the UK it is a game playing by mainly the middle aged.
Ever heard the phrase “when in Rome”? Over here basketball is a novelty sport so I am not suprised at your fate. I would also suggest that the badminton players that chucked you off the court had probably booked the court in advance, am I right? I can’t imagine them kicking you off out of hand or where they big, intimidating badminton players
How big is that track–250? I wish ours were indoors…it would keep me on the bike in the winter if I could ride at the drome.
It’s not that big, it started life as an exhibition 250m track at Wembly but had to lose most of the straights and was cut sown to 142m to get it into the hanger. So it’s 7 laps and 14 tight bends to the kilo!
Cool, I’ll make sure I wear my mtb padding under my kit and put the ambulances on standby. Not too sure anyone could have captured your last team escapade on film, unless Tim Moxey is over visiting
