Ride Report – Novice Track Night At the New SpeedDome

Last Friday night a group of SPR members took up the offer to get a tutorial on all things Track, starting with now NOT to fall over on a fixed gear bike.

Concentration.

The ever-wonderful Cathi Dixon hooked us up with Amanda at X-Speed Sports for a guided session out on the brand new boards of the Midvale SpeedDome. Quite a few of us hadn’t ridden a track, and many had not ridden fixed before the night. Amanda – herself a multiple Masters Track World Champion – guided us with assistance from the Might Duck Bill Darby, aka Angus Duke aka Skinsuit Master.

Banks. Big banks.

What started as a nerve-wracking confrontation for us – a near vertical looking, but actual 45deg 3.5m high bank IS confronting – turned into an enormously fun and exhilarating race-fest on the boards. There were a few sketchy moments in there, but there were no mishaps (and thankfully no damage to the new timber).

We had a stopwatch running on the group doing a standing start Time Trial lap, and for transparency, here are the results:

Faye: 29:34                                                Meegan 30.96                                        Jon 25.34                                                    Mark 23.29*                                  Rebecca 27.35                                         JJ 32.73                                          Possible Pete 25.13                             Greg 23.43                                              Elar 24.30                                                  David 24.39                                        Kalan 28.32                                              Drew 23.86                                          Adam 27.86

* Denotes second run (hehehehehehe)

Mar deCastro took the fastest time for the Blokes and Rebecca fastest for the Chicks. Well done all!

There was a lot of interest to do another session across the SPRouleurs on the night, and there may be an opportunity to do another SPR night with Amanda, but there is the availability of Track nights for varying levels of experience.

Here’s a few pics from Tracey Hassell and Eamon Doricott from the night.

Faye Dalgligh-Jones, first up on the Time Trial.
Rebecca, taking it way less seriously than the face says.
Who’s racing here – JJ or Bill?
Mark de Castro, bossing it.
Anyone up for a race? Hell yeah.
Faye, smooth like caramel. Rebecca, on the wheel. Meegan, likely to attack very shortly.
Boards. Lovely new boards!
Blurred.
Bill whispering sweet nothings to Dave.
Nothing to see here.
Lean in.
Listening, nervously.
Get yo’ fixed on, Brother.