Reviving Track Racing?

[Kevin B]

I wonder if there would be enough interest if a vintage track bicycle league was started? Maybe on small indoor ovals? Not the aero stuff of today but some down and dirty bikes. I think people would watch it if it was promoted and exciting. It would probably have to be local using some uniform rules to allow for equity. No carbon fiber, titanium and etc. It would be vintage style kind of like the dwarf or legends stock cars.

 

[Swampthing]

I’d like to watch and see the bikes.
I’m too old and rusty to race though.

 

[Kevin B]

I’d like to watch and see the bikes.
I’m too old and rusty to race though.

That's me too, but I do think it would be fun to watch.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

If they ever hold the summer olympics, there will be a bunch of track events. There are 22 total events in cycling, but some are MTB and BMX. Something tells me that if they are doing it at that level, there's bound to be other stuff going on at less olympian levels as well

Edit: urgh sorry, missed the word "vintage" in the original post. Ignore Matti.
But watch the olympics, especially the riders in Oranje!

 

[Kevin B]

I've seen the Olympic races. They are interesting but not exactly what I had in mind. More like a stock or sprint car short track bull ring on a bicycle scale.

 

[us56456712]

it already exists in Japan. Keirin racing, old school bikes, no foot clips, 36 hole hubs.
they have goons that get violent.

 

[Duchess]

I think a few of these popped up back when fixed gear track bikes were at the height of popularity, but there just wasn't enough money in it/costs too high or something as they just kind of disappeared. It would be cool to watch, though. With the interest in gravel bikes now, maybe path racing could make a come back.

 

[Swampthing]

I like that idea.
Old school dirt or gravel course.
Not a crazy technical course, but natural soft materials.
Old-style bikes path racer bikes with fatter tires.
Hmmm.
Maybe it could be done on some of the greyhound tracks that are closing.
We could call it Dirty Keirin, like keirin, but outside and not nearly so serious.
Now I want a DK hat.

 

[horsefarmer]

Notes:
video 1.
1. How small is that rear cog?
2. For fun, slow down video speed to 1/4 normal, listen to the chains flying around!
3. Cool down at end = me flat out.
video 2.
1. Surprised "goon" wore pink.
2. Head butt / pit maneuver fail.

Old school dirt or gravel course.
Not a crazy technical course, but natural soft materials.
Old-style bikes path racer bikes with fatter tires.

Maybe a soft surface made up of recycled tires like playgrounds and full pads for safety.

 

[us56456712]

I think a few of these popped up back when fixed gear track bikes were at the height of popularity, but there just wasn't enough money in it/costs too high or something as they just kind of disappeared. It would be cool to watch, though. With the interest in gravel bikes now, maybe path racing could make a come back.

Yeah about three years ago used Keirin certified frames were showing up on eBay but they wanted ridiculous amount of money and they almost always had been crashed. Just before the pandemic they seemed to drop in asking price. Everyone wants the Japanese Keirin NJS certified bikes as everything is old school. International and Olympic Keirin racing is dumb in my opinion, carbon, components, aero disc wheels, helmets that look like a jet fighter canopy and no goons or goonish behavior. There is a wecipedia web site that lists all professional cycle racing deaths since about 1900. Something like 90% occured from track racing. It’s dangerous.

 

[us56456712]

Notes:
video 1.
1. How small is that rear cog?
2. For fun, slow down video speed to 1/4 normal, listen to the chains flying around!
3. Cool down at end = me flat out.
video 2.
1. Surprised "goon" wore pink.
2. Head butt / pit maneuver fail.



Maybe a soft surface made up of recycled tires like playgrounds and full pads for safety.

There is an oval grass track in Kansas. Grass track racing was extremely popular in BritIan in the 1930s. Bicycle manufacturers made high end grass track bikes like the Claud Butler DSH model. It’s still popular in northern Britain amongst working class people. All you need is a field, lay it out as long as you want, use a string and sticks to determine the corners and put down orange rubber cones or use chalk to mark it. They can be smooth or bumpy.

 

[Bendix]

I seem to remember seeing something about British riders making craters from WW2 German bombings into banked dirt bicycle racing tracks after the war... (?)

Oh, here it is. "Cycle Speedway". Not craters, just tracks through the rubble of bombed cities in that era. Well, I was close... ;-)

Cycle speedway - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[us56456712]

I seem to remember seeing something about British riders making craters from WW2 German bombings into banked dirt bicycle racing tracks after the war... (?)

Oh, here it is. "Cycle Speedway". Not craters, just tracks through the rubble of bombed cities in that era. Well, I was close... ;-)

Cycle speedway - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Your right, they did do cycle speedway in bomb craters. That gradually gave way for more purpose built tracks in bombed out waste land. I have one of these, looks almost the same but it’s a Hercules instead of a Phillips.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Well, now I'm curious about the "Canadian pattern" handlebars. I've seen Canadian pattern top bars, but...

 

[us56456712]

Well, now I'm curious about the "Canadian pattern" handlebars. I've seen Canadian pattern top bars, but...
View attachment 152521

Me too

 

[Bendix]

A 30 degree saddle provides "greatest thrust." Who knew?

 

[us56456712]

A 30 degree saddle provides "greatest thrust." Who knew?

The only way that seat angle makes you faster is because it pinches your jock so you want to get it over with as soon as possible. Nah, no thank you.

 

[rickpaulos]

Here are some vids to get your idea going.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=red+bull+bicycle+drome

 

[handyandy1100]

The only way that seat angle makes you faster is because it pinches your jock so you want to get it over with as soon as possible. Nah, no thank you.

I was wondering about that seat angle. Aside from the pinching and binding, how do you keep your butt off the back tire?

 

[rickpaulos]

A 30 degree saddle provides "greatest thrust." Who knew?

Don't believe every claim in adverts.