Derby Arena velodrome

Opening soon, but the web site doesn't give much detail.

Anybody here know, if/when bookings are being taken and an official start date?

Cheers

No word yet on official opening, though a good guess would be early 2015.
League officials are being trained ATM.
I've heard they may go through local clubs for accreditation in Nov.

Again nothing official.

Thanks for answer. Very useful.

The centre opens March 20

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Opening-date-revealed-Pride-Park-s-Derby-Arena/story-26090296-detail/story.html

Anyone from lfgss ridden it yet? Nice? Looks great from pics...

Looks like it's open now. I sometimes work up that way so will try and get on the track. Their website is soooo much easier to use than London...

http://www.derbyarena.uk.com/cycling/programme-prices/

And the prices are much cheaper too. Introduction lesson £20 vs £35. #olympiclegacy

I shou;d be riding Derby latter today, Monday evening, will report back.

Rode there Tuesday-it is an incredible track, building and arena. Induction sessions are decent too.

Hi for those who are interested I rode Derby last night for the probationary accreditation

Please note the postcode does not take you straight there it gets you close but use the road names and you should see the building.

The car park is at the rear of the building and has a barrier and ticket system, first 3 hours free (the barrier was up when we left after 10pm) you validate your ticket inside near reception.

The building is very pleasant and the staff are enthusiastic and very helpful, the lady on reception wanted to carry my kit bag and wheels through to the riders D for me. (this may wear off in time)

The access to the riders D and the track is through auto doors (Manchester are you listening) the riders D is small so when they run open meetings or track leagues space is going to be a premium so they may have to restrict the number of riders helpers etc to keep space for the riders.

There is a water fountain in the D

Loos and changing rooms are close by (a lot closer than Manchester)

Cycling shoes are only to be worn in the riders D and track side. The floor has a rubber the covering on it.

The track is all one colour and almost featureless this is nice but no visual markers other than the 200m and finish line this should change at they get some sponsors banners up around the wall edge to the track.

Riding the track it is very grippy to the point that I would not have wanted to do the extreme lumps and bumps we did at Derby on the boards at Manchester (coach did explain that we shouldn't have needed to do them as extreme as we did but one one slipped)

The accreditation process was good with a good group of riders.

Started with riding onto the track then onto the black line then up to the red, then the blue then up a bit more then finally up to the hand rail all in a single line half a wheel off the rider in front, then reversed the process for returning to the bottom of the track.

Then riding in pairs in a line
Changing in a single line
Changing in pairs in a line
Riding 4 abreast (built up from pair to 3 then 4)
Track chain gang
Tacking half laps off a line of riders

Then a mock race 20 laps first 17 neutralised then 3 laps free

Cool down

Straight forward enough we all past.

They have on order (coach said they are) boards to hold up for instructions as there is quite a bit of background noise from other sports in the lower part of the track.

The bland feature less colour is being looked into for some visual markers

It will be different to riding Manchester for racing as the centre has white nest from floor to ceiling and the glass wall (looks like 40mm laminated glass) is in your line of sight across the track, it will just take a bit of getting use to and again you are not too sure where you are on the track sounds silly but maybe I am too used to Manchester and know which end is which.

Well I'm disappointed that you haven't gone into much detail :)

Thanks - great and very helpful post. I hope to be up there soon

Glasgow is a wee bit cheaper, def cheapest in the UK but the booking system is like something from an early learning centre computer.

Think its £10 intro session, then accred 1 & 2 are £10 each, then accred 3 & 4 (2 hours each inc hire of all kit) is £20 or £25 this year maybe?

Once accred its about £7-8 per hour bring your own, and only £2-3 more for hire of bike. Good pricing, if you can successfully book a slot

I attended my first ever tarck session last week. Terrifying and exhilarating in equal measures, although I am now intending to get accredited, sometime.
Spent the first 20 min session wondering what the appeal was, but got much better when we got used to it, did a few dropping off drills and even some pursuit type stuff. Great facility, but turn up very early as reception is so slow.

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Is anyone alive at derby? Nobody seems to answer the phone..

Our one and only bike shop/café attempt closed last week, but as far as I'm aware the Derby Arena remains open. I was there as recently as Xmas, watching Aladdin. Natasha Hamilton was OK but Richie from 5ive smashed it in the title role.

Telephone booking system is shite at Derby. Usually more luck than judgement if you get through.

Can't understand why they did not put in an online booking system from day one.

I can't believe bike works is closed/closing. I didn't even get a Creme egg scotch egg.

Also, in all seriousness- that's super shit news- really friendly staff, great bike storage, and quite a nice workshop.

As for telephones and Derby velodrome.... They are absurd.

I'll keep trying then....

This gets my goat. Derby struggles to sustain anything slightly diverse, witness the Park Bikeworks closure. The Arena needs to function efficiently if it is to be a success, answering the phones is a bloody basic minimum.

Phoned up to book a session , answered straight away booked no problems.
Stage 1 session was good first time on a indoor track for a few years . Hire bikes and instruction first rate ,stage 2 booked for next week .

A derby velodrome update I passed the accreditation, there was crashes on stage 2 and 3 but managed to avoid them . The last few months have been spent riding SQT and drop in sessions , the on line booking system works ok .Racing has just started again a league on Tuesdays and also for the older boys a veterans league on Thursdays under LVRC rules . Looking forward to a winter of indoor cycling .

Another thread resurrection here. I’ll be moving to Derby in a couple of months time. I’m looking to do track accreditation and also get involved in any fgss community stuff. Also looking for a local club recommendation to consider. Thanks in advance.

Sadly the velodrome has been used as a COVID jab centre since Christmas and I don’t think it will see any cycling for a few months yet . When cycling returns you will have no probs with accreditation the coaches are good and when passed there are plenty of sessions. No shortage of racing too , clubs I would recommend are Ilkeston Cc and Derby Mercury both have monthly club sessions on the track as well as the normal club runs .

Many thanks

Cycling is back on now, was there for a taster session. Totally hooked!