AQA - any questions answered - Track Edition

Michelin ... seem to be akin to kryptonite for indoor wooden tracks.

It’s to do with the rubber compound. Michelin use more of a certain ingredient (might be silica?) and it means the tyres last longer and run faster but at the expense of grip.

That table is years old. Be interesting to revisit it but it'd need a willing guinea-pig I guess.

They’re 320tpi and the compound is Kevlar Si02 apparently. Sounds puncture protecty rather than non-slidey?
Maybe I should just get a pair of the rigid zaffiro slicks for now?

Maybe I should just get a pair of the rigid zaffiro slicks for now?

Best bang for your buck. They do need a bit more prepping than they used to, clean with spirits, bit of a scuff up with sandpaper and snip/pull the little mold 'pubes' off on the right hand side so they don't get under your contact patch and roll around when you're going slow.

Advice much appreciated!

If anyone wants to flog a suitable pair of tyres, let me know. Otherwise it’s off to velodromeshop’s geocities site it is!

Ive got some unused (fitted but never ridden) vittoria pista control G+ clinchers if you like

Been offered some Ultremos - they're on the Newport OK list, but as that's apparently pretty old, what's the verdict with Ultremos on wood?

Ultremo would be fine in MCR.

I'm pretty certain our coaches have stopped them going on on the grounds of them being too treaded on the shoulder.

Looks like I’ve bagged some vittoria pista control G+s now, courtesy of the kind gent above.

Does anyone know if the Wahoo speed & cadence sensors work on a banked track or have any recommendations for ones that work ok?
I have some cheap generic ones and the speed sensor is crapping out in the bankings.

I use wahoo speed & cadence on road bike they're reliable. Not sure if banking would affect them (or any sensor?). Is battery level good on your generic ones?

I started using a garmin connect speed sensor between lockdown 1 & 2 on track, it has worked fine so far.

Good to see you yesterday, hope your legs feel good today!

Probably just my cheap eBay sensors...
Was a bit of a shock to the system but just what was needed, did feel a bit zonked today! Great vibes yesterday, can't wait to start coming regularly again after Christmas.

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I missed this before, graph looks ace. Tier 4 means no velodrome for a while longer though :(

Quick question.
New track bike being built, I've used tubs and clinchers in the past but wondered what people's preference would be? I found little difference between them. I'm just thinking of affordability more than anything in the current climate.
Wheels will be 25mm width either way probably. Would Conti GP5000 clincher be a suitable choice?
Track will be Derby BTW.

Conti GP5000 clincher be a suitable choice?

No. Continue doing make a track suitable clincher.

Vittoria Pista if you’re fancy, zaffiro slick if you’re not.

Fwiw, I prefer people to ride the cheapest clincher tyres possible on the track. The people on zaffiro slicks are waaaay more likely to replace their tyres when they become worn or damaged than those that have paid upwards of £80 per tub and then had to either glue them themselves or pay and wait for someone else to do it.

Fair comment on Conti's. I've used their sprinter tubs in the past but found they suffered from a bit of wheel hop, possibly due to the overlap on the canvas base.

Im still torn between tub and clincher though. I'm happy gluing tubs, I do for my TT bikes. I wont be racing on the track, just SQT and club sessions.

PS, Schwalbe Pro One's any good? Clinchers.

What is a good but not too spendy tubular for use on the Lea Valley Velodrome?
Valve appears to have gone on my current rear.

Started track cycling and am building up my own bike. Getting stumped on what bars to get. Can anyone recommend any non-sprint track bars?

Also, looking at getting 170mm cranks. They'll be fine for Herne Hill and maybe some indoor velodromes right? Don't know the BB-drop of the frameset (Giant Omnium) that's on the way.

165's for indoor best. You may get turned away with 170's.

165s are always best but 170s shouldn’t present too much of a problem ons pepper track frame like an Omnium. I don’t think you’d get turned away anywhere for them.

That said, I’d recommend having a good think about why you want to deviate from 165.

170s seem to be mainly used by the “I started riding track recently and think these will make me faster somehow” brigade if you know what I mean.

As for bars, just get any road bars. Probably something on the narrow/shallow end of things but that’s pretty much personal preference.

Use 165 they’re better

Specialised short reach bars in a nice 38 wide are great although I use an old set of Hoy children’s bars in 36 mostly. But short reach and drop are what you want and a lot narrower than the road ones you use.

Built up my track bike recently with the Pro Vibe Pursuit bars in a 36cm and they're great. Good flare on the drops for sprinting and don't feel to crazy narrow.

But if they’re flared how do you show off your wrist bruises from smashing off the tops?