Two Dolan Pre Cursa track bikes just hanging around at the end of Round 1 of the Queensland Winter Track Series run by Ipswich Cycling Club.
Tag Archives: Velodrome
Round 1 of the Queensland Winter Track Series
The following photos are from Round 1 of the Queensland Winter Track Series run by Ipswich Cycling Club. A great event and thanks to all the volunteers who contributed to making it a fun and safe day.
Caboolture Velodrome
Caboolture Velodrome is located at the Centenary Lakes Sporting Complex (also known as Caboolture Sports Complex or Centenary Lakes Park). The sports complex is located on Morayfield Road, Caboolture.
Caboolture Velodrome was opened by Des Frawley MP on 11 January 1975 after five years of work by the Caboolture Cycling Club.
Caboolture Sports Complex is listed on the sign at the front of the complex as the home of the Sunshine Coast Cycling Club. The Moreton Bay Cycling Club web site advises that they manage Caboolture Velodrome in accordance with the requirements of Moreton Bay Regional Council. Wolves Bike Den (a bike shop in Caboolture) also appear to be regular track users.
Caboolture Velodrome is an outdoor concrete track. According to Wikipedia, Caboolture Velodrome is 350 metres in length, but it does not list a banking angle.
With no one using the track, I took the opportunity to measure the velodrome banking angle. My phone angle metre app measured it as 9 degrees on the straight and 20 degrees on the banking. The measure was taken at the blue stayers line in the middle of the track at both locations.
Caboolture Velodrome appears to be used as a stormwater detention basin during heavy rain.
TA Specialities chainring — 48 tooth, 144 mm BCD competition piste
One of the things that I love about cycling is getting shiny new chunks of metal in the mail. The TA Specialities chaingring is just such a piece of metal. Yumo.
I recently entered the world of track racing at Chandler Velodrome. As any track rider knows, having a set of chainrings and cogs allows you to dial in the exact gear that you want.
With 49, 50 and 51 tooth 1/8″ chainrings, I felt that I also needed a 48 tooth, hence the new TA Specialities chainring.
I also have 46, 48 and 52 tooth 3/32″ chainrings, but I use them on my Wabi Special.
All these chainrings are in 144 BCD (bolt circle diameter) to fit my Andel cranksets on the Wabi Special and my Cell Bikes fixie configured as a track bike.
Cell Bikes fixie at Chandler Velodrome
My yellow Cell Bikes fixie, which my kids have affectionately named Bumblebee, is currently configured as a track bike.
My Cell Bikes fixies (I have two) have been through many guises, including a singlespeed ridden on the 100 km Brisbane to Gold Coast cycle ride at an average speed of more than 30 km/h, ridden up Mt Coot-tha, and configured as a sit-up town bike with swoopy bars.
Recently I have been using a Cycling Queensland track hire bike to train on Chandler Velodrome in Brisbane, Queensland. I was keen to ride one of my own bikes on the track and had heard of other people riding Cell Bikes fixies on velodromes. I stripped my Cell Bikes fixie of brakes and the water bottle cage, replaced the riser bars with PRO PLT compact drop bars, and put on some 165 mm 144 BCD Andel RSC1 cranks.
I took the bike down to a training session to see whether it would be okay to ride on the track. My main concern was that with a 65 mm bottom bracket drop, the bike is at least 7 mm lower than a typical bunch-start track bike. However, with the shorter cranks, I was able to get enough clearance to ride safely around Chandler Velodrome.
Chandler Velodrome, being an outdoor 333 metre track, has relatively shallow banking at around 30 degrees for an international standard velodrome. Indoor international standard velodromes are typically 250 metres (or less) and have banking of at least 42 degrees. On the other hand, many regional velodromes in Australia have track banking much shallower than Chandler Velodrome.
My point is, if you are thinking of putting a Cell Bikes fixie on the track, check with your local club first. Depending on the track specifications, and how strict your club is, you may be able to put a Cell Bikes fixie on the track and safely have heaps of fun for not very much money!
Repsych Cycling Development Winter Track Racing Series Round 6 at Chandler Velodrome
Following are a few photos from the Repsych Cycling Development Winter Track Racing Series Round 6 at Chandler Velodrome. Anna Meares set a new State Record for the Elite Women’s Flying 200 metres at this event — 11.44 seconds.
A great turnout for the Repsych Cycling Development Winter Track Racing Series Round 6 at Chandler Velodrome
Penny-farthings racing during the meal break
Chandler Velodrome banking is apparently 31 degrees — it doesn’t look steep … until you are riding around the top!
Kieran racing, with a motorbike setting the pace
Kieran racing, with a motorbike setting the pace
Sprinting for the finish line
The start/finish straight towards the end of the night with few people left in the stands
Chandler Velodrome hire bike — Fuji Track 54 cm
I hired a Chandler Velodrome 54 cm track bike through Cycling Queensland for the Sunday training session with Repsych Cycling Development last weekend.
All my bikes are 56 cm frames. A while back, I had a bike fit done and they recommended a 55 cm frame. That left me wondering whether 56 cm was really the right frame size for me, or whether I was better off on a 54 cm frame. This is particularly so for track frames, where a size smaller than used on a road frame is often recommended because the steeper seat tube angle lengthens the effective top tube length.
I therefore took the opportunity to hire a 54 cm track bike. I was given this 54 cm Fuji Track bike for the training session. The bike was running 48/15 gearing. Even though the Fuji Track was a steel frame, it was quite acceptable for a beginner bike.
I noticed that the wheel axel bolts had not be cut so that they did not protrude through the nuts; nor had the bottle cage bolts been removed or taped over. I was expecting to have to do these two things to get my own bike on the track.
Photos of the 56 cm and 58 cm Chandler Velodrome hire bikes are here.
