Track Bike Tips????
Submitted by treygavin on Mon, 2009-12-07 21:13
I am planning to race beginners at the track this spring and am trying to build up a bike this winter. There isnt nearly as much info on the internet for track, so I was hoping someone here might be a help.
Can you tell me what the typical crank length is used by folks at dick lane? Specifically taller riders... I am 6'2" and usually turn at least a 175mm on the road. I know that BB height figures in, but am not sure what to get to work with the banking, etc.
Also, can someone make a recommendation for gearing and what extras I should have with me for different races?
Sorry... I know that is a tall order, but any help would be very appreciated...
Theres a lot of good
Theres a lot of good information here: http://www.dicklanevelodrome.com/pages/beginnerprogram.html including stuff about gearing.
I use 165mm cranks and started this year in the beginners with 81.0. This quickly went to an 86.4 which held me through the Cs and by the end of the year I was comfortably riding with a 92.6 towards the back of the Bs.
As long as you're on a a "track" geometry, any standard crank length should be fine, and people do gearing very differently. I just slowly upped my gearing all year and didn't bother changing it for warming up, and other people change front and rear gearing for every kind of race. 48:16 is a "typical" starting gear and you'll know you need a bigger gear once you feel like you can't move your legs any faster.
I wouldn't use anything
I wouldn't use anything longer then 170 cranks with our track.
ballpark gearing
d/c 48/49x15
b 49/50/51x15
a 50/51/52x15
use 16 for warmup