Hey Trackies,

Despite having a pro-looking website, I'm having trouble figuring out when I am eligible to race at T-town. Thinking about getting my track bike out of retirement. When do they have racing for Cat 3s and/or Master's 35+.

-thanks

3 racing is Tuesday.
Masters is Saturday afternoon.

DO IT DO IT! If you do Saturdays, good chance Andy will show. I'm trying to get mine back up and running as well after using it sparingly last year.

Posted By: konradDO IT DO IT! If you do Saturdays, good chance Andy will show. I'm trying to get mine back up and running as well after using it sparingly last year.

What parts you need?

Yeah what parts you need? i have 55 cm steel frame just laying around

T-Town has their Masters and Rookies track racing each Saturday ( Cat 5 Men, Cat 4 Men, Cat 1-4 Masters (age 30+) )

I would love to ride these and I think I qualify as a Masters for the first time this year (this has come as a bit of a shock) as I'm 29 (thus 30th 'racing year I think). However, I got Elite, rather than Masters put my license as I didn't realise this and so that means I think I'm not eligible. Unless out there can correct me. Sucks.

I would love to ride these and I think I qualify as a Masters for the first time this year (this has come as a bit of a shock) as I'm 29 (thus 30th 'racing year I think). However, I got Elite, rather than Masters put my license as I didn't realise this and so that means I think I'm not eligible. Unless out there can correct me. Sucks.

For nationals it would matter, for T-town, no. On the home page it specifically says masters cat 1-4. You can also race tuesday nights at t-town for the cat 1-3 races. Impress enough and they'll ask you out on a friday main. Garden state velodrome also does keirin and normal races tuesday-thursdays, maybe even some weekends? Check here http://www.gsvelodrome.com/pages/SCHEDULE.htm

So basically Kieran - 

Sweet! But what would I do on Sundays and Mondays?! Now all I need to do is persuade my boss to let me out early every day ;-)

Thanks for clearing the masters thing up (I think my confusion is partly caused by the panic that I'm nearly 30).

So in short, that means I'd be definitely up for riding the Masters and Rookies on any Sat - let me know if you're up for riding one soon, Josh. Although alas I don't have a car and can't drive in the US anyway, so I'm more of a liability than an asset for any carpooling I'm afraid (but obviously would pay for gas).

And if anyone wants to ride at GS (e.g. the sweet sounding Keirin cup series in progress on Tues) or TT any other night, let me know.

A few of us are going down tonight. If anyone is free and wants to ride down to watch, I am leaving park slope at 3:00.

post some pics please....

Here you go Yacks.

post some pics please....

That us not something Don Draper would ever do....I am negotiating with Eric from Ergott Wherls to buy his white industries Eno wheelset. He has a set built up that he doesn't use and hardly used. Any reason why I should not go this route and use my titanium Bianchi frame? I plan on doing an occasional track race but I could use one of the loaner bikes they have at the track for that....discuss

Pic. Locker room. Nervous. First time back in 10 years.

I felt the same way last week. Don't worry...it's like riding a bike. Just get out there, ride easy up high, then get in one of those sprinter lane warm-up trains when you are ready. Then you will be ready to rock.

Pics

Kieran's Miller Light. Miller Light? WTF? At least Andy and I got the $2 yuengling.

Knackered

Team

Uhhh

Panorama #1

Panorama #2

Let me try again.

Maybe one more pic to show the experience.

Andy has more.

As for the racing. I was aggressive and got my name called a few times. Success! I mean if you can't place, get your name called. Four races and they were fast but I felt good moving around and attacking. I almost bridged to a couple of the winning moves. Just need to get my track legs fully back.

It was really fun and after 10 years it was really nice to be back. Kieran rode well and finished the 25 lap points race.

Last picture. JP special.

^this^ It was great to get too "old time" trackies - JP and Ragot - back on the boards (well, concrete).

The race sched in the Pro-Am field was:
10 lap scratch
25 points race
2km scratch
10 lap scratch

Eric attacked with 5 or 6 to go in the 10 lapper. I blocked - something I could do all day, haha - but 3-4 guys jumped and things got fast with 3 or 4 to go. I finished at the back of the front group. Not bad.

The 25 points race was something like a religious experience...After Ragot and I were up in the front 10 guys or so for the first 2 sprints (lap 5 and lap 10), I then started to really hurt, until I got dropped with 8 to go. I was 50, 75, 100m off the back, when then, yes, for some reason the rear group slowed down! From somewhere I sped up again and after half a lap got back on again and suffered for the final 2 sprints. Felt like I had discovered a new part of my lungs by the end. Literally 10 mins later we were back on the track for the next race, ouch.

The 2km scratch got off to a promising start when Ragot, me and two others found ourselves off the front. However, this was shortlived and instead ended up being a sufferfest at the back.

I started the 10km scratch with the idea of completing at least half and this is exactly what I did! Spent several laps suffering in a chase group of the break, but then blew with 15 to go. I think I could have pushed myself to chase on again, but I just didn't have the gas. Still, overall a much more satisying evening than a couple of weeks ago. I thought the marginally better results were down to a smaller and slower field, but Ragot's computer was showing us doing 31-32 mph, and 35mph at times, so pretty fast still...

I'll let JP and Andy fill you in on adventures in the Stagiaires field.

One interesting take away was learning about some of the huge gears guys were riding! A couple were riding 101" (49x13) and then at the sprint events on Fridays, 104" (50x13). And there's me on 49x14. Yowzers.

Overall a really fun night! And finished in fine style with a trip to Applebees with burgers all round and a deliciously refreshing $2 Miller Lite for me (listen, I made up for it with a Yuengling afterwards, ok?) Anyways, it's 1.30am and I'm still wide awake, so it must have been fun...

I'd like to know how JP and Andy did? Was JP riding like he was ready to defend his state titles? Or was new young gun Andy showing him the business?