Re: [CR]Outdoor Board Track in Blaine, MN

(Example: Humor)

Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 10:18:12 -0500
From: <genediggs@aol.com>
References: <002601c616ba$8b8bc940$6401a8c0@Velostuf>
In-Reply-To: <002601c616ba$8b8bc940$6401a8c0@Velostuf>
Subject: Re: [CR]Outdoor Board Track in Blaine, MN
To: jb@velostuf.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


John: Our outdoor wood velodrome here in Rochester Hills, Michigan is 200m and banked 44.5 degrees. I have two track bikes (See Fixed Gear Gallery #389 & #1871) One is a 1964 Paramount and the other is a recent welded aluminum aero tubing with a carbon fork designed specifically for Madison racing on our track. There is no comparison between these two bikes. The new technology offers a machine that is lighter by two pounds much stiffer and much better handling characteristics. I love old bikes but the new ones are vastly superier. Gene Diggs

-----Original Message----- From: john barron- velostuf <jb@velostuf.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 08:23:05 -0600 Subject: [CR]Outdoor Board Track in Blaine, MN

I've had the good fortune to be able to race at the National Sports Center track in Blaine, Minnesota. It's outdoors, but the wood that's used actually can withstand repeated snow coverings year in and year out. 

It's 250m and banked at 43.5 degrees, and built by the Schermann (sp?) brothers out of Germany. 

Let me tell you, it's a kick when you're on the boards, chatting with your buddy, who's uptrack from you on your right, (we go counter-clockwise), and when you look directly to your right, his hip is staring you in your face! 

We have hosted a bunch of national caliber events like the senior nationals and the Olympic trials. One year Marty Nothstein wanted to try for a world record in the flying 500m, so 25 of us locals gathered to watch. The excitement built as he made several warm-up laps. When he felt that the time was right, he gave the signal, and went for it. He beat the old record by a decent margin, but because there was only one UCI official there, it only counted as a US record. 

I honestly feel that there is *virtually* no difference in performance (in most track events) between a 50 year-old vintage track bike and most of the new track bikes available for sale today. 

John Barron 
   Minneapolis 
   http://www.velostuf.com  
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