Herne Hill Saturday Training

elbee, simply come along on a Saturday morning for the induction session at 12.00. (Based on current demand i'd suggest you get there early to make sure you get a hire bike, and you can also watch the intermediates). Riding fixed gear on the velodrome is a great way to learn / get in to riding fixed gear.

If you haven't done so already, have a look around in this forum and the HH website, there's lots of usual information. Hope this helps.

http://www.hernehillvelodrome.com/

thankyou colinsmith! i have had a look around the website and will be coming down on saturday!

Hey guys,

Is there anything specific I need to do in order to avoid any embarassment etc. when coming down to herne hill for saturday training. I've never been before so do you just turn up in your bike gear or are their changing facilities there? A very stupid question which i'm sure i know the answer to but just want to make sure it's not a wasted trip. I've had a look at the herne hill website but no mention of it there.

Thanks in advance.

There are trailers that serve as washrooms you can use to change in if you wish. Otherwise, turn up (early), register and ride. First day needs to be the induction session and they are v. crowded recently for obvious reasons, thus need to arrive early.

Turn up dressed and early, register, get wrist band, stand around, ride bike, do what coaches tell you, stop riding bike, give wristband back, go to the Regent..

lol, thanks for the advice guys, will do as told. I like the very clinical steps you gave to me there dan.

Looking forward to meeting a few folks tomorrow. First time to HH so very much looking forward to it. Will have to dig out the lfgss cap

For those going tomorrow, please understand that there is a track limit (for your own safety, insurance reasons and quality of training) and that the sessions are now extremely popular.
This inevitably means a number of people will be turned away, we understand that it can be frustrating for those who have travelled but please don't take this out on the volunteers.

I'm sure everyone will be well behaved and no one will take it out on volunteers.

I will give them a piece of my mind if I don't get a place.

^ Too right

Too many riders on the track? Health and safety, Brown's PC nanny-state culture, Britain going to the dogs etc.

Volunteers? Sounds like the sort of thing hippies would do.

Get a job!

ha ha

"but it says on the website 1100"

"but I've come all the way from Islington"

Etc..

Dave Creasy would sort them out.

I will give them a piece of my mind if I don't get a place.

Are you riding Intermediates now?

Yeah. I did quite a few Monday nights, which are brilliant, and then did a Saturday Intermediate session last weekend, which I felt comfortable with.

Just got here and intro sessions is full

Sorry that you didn't get to ride. Though there were plenty of hints on this forum to get there early. Based on the queue for bikes I saw at 11.00 you should be thinking of getting there for around 10.30. This is the effect when we win gold medals.

also, despite what the HHV site says about bottom bracket heights many "road" fixed wheel bikes are OK to be ridden there - someone can correct me perhaps but you need:

Drops
Rear facing dropouts
front brake removed
bottle cage removed and any braze ons taped over.

Bikes like Langsters, Surly steamrollers and so on are all ok for HHV (at any rate i've seen them on the track). Perhaps that could free up some hire bikes.

never seen so many people about the track. nuts. It looked like all three sessions maxed out today

^on the track or just watching? I was only there due to ride over from TFG. As were around 25 others.

also, despite what the HHV site says about bottom bracket heights many "road" fixed wheel bikes are OK to be ridden there - someone can correct me perhaps but you need:

Drops
Rear facing dropouts
front brake removed
bottle cage removed and any braze ons taped over.

Bikes like Langsters, Surly steamrollers and so on are all ok for HHV (at any rate i've seen them on the track). Perhaps that could free up some hire bikes.

Before you start making your own rules up, how about realising that the guidelines on the HH site do relate to road style fixed bikes. The measurement given is actually for a farly low BB.

The reason the rule is there is because some bikes (like langsters) have low BBs, 170mm cranks and when ridden slowly on the banking the pedals strike. Of course I've only seen this with my own eyes so feel free to argue the toss.

Don't want to argue the toss at all - but i've seen Langsters and Steamrollers on the track. You're right, I did forget to mention the 165mm crank length.

I suppose the "spirit" of the post is that if you have a fixed wheel bike that might be let on then check it out with the coaches as it means one more hire bike able to be used.

Sorry if there's confusion as a result.

Sorry that you didn't get to ride. Though there were plenty of hints on this forum to get there early. Based on the queue for bikes I saw at 11.00 you should be thinking of getting there for around 10.30. This is the effect when we win gold medals.

Hi, it wasn't a gripe, just stating if anyone else was looking to come. Managed to get here about 5 minutes too late (about 10.45) and the were full two people in front of me in the q. Will just come earlier next time.

^on the track or just watching? I was only there due to ride over from TFG. As were around 25 others.

on the track.

Headed along to my first basic training session at the weekend, after doing the induction two weeks ago - loved it. Really good atmosphere, instructors and volunteers are dead on - very patient with everyone. Was impressive to see how much better everyone seemed to be riding even just after an hour. Can't wait to go back next Saturday.

Feel bad complaining about a sunny day, but the heat was an absolute killer!