Herne Hill Saturday Training

i don't understand why is it open for some stuff but not other

Because there are volunteers prepared to give up their time to put on some things and not for others would be my guess.

I thought that it was closed because of the paint. I understand that is open for cyclocross, but if there are problems with the paint why some track sessions are on and others not. Not that I am going to go during winter, just curiosity. Someone that i know hired the track and then they told him that it couldn't use it because it was shut.

The coaches were prepared to give up their time to run a session on Saturday mornings, but a decision was made that the lines are too slippery when the track is damp (which it is at least until about 1 o'clock, normally, at this time of year). There may of course be days when the lines are dry enough to ride, but to advertise a session and then have to cancel most weeks would be pretty frustrating for everyone (not to mention a long wasted journey from Sussex for me!)

Thanks for clearing that up.

^ That's about the size of it. Regardless of the lines, the track itself is too slippery for most of the day even when the weather is fine. As winter draws in and the frosts start it'll be even worse.
Bear in mind that public sessions require more voluntary manpower than private, limited ones.

Imagine how busy we will be next year! The volunteers will need to be working all winter to get the place and the equipment up to scratch for the onslaught an Olympic year inevitably brings.

I read that as HIV info

Freaked me out for a minute

Can't help with that one! See your GP.

I am happy to help next year

Tika - We are allowed to run women's sessions through the winter (well for as long as the track holds up) because I have managed to get 2 coaches to take the session. We never know until the actual day whether the sessions will go ahead as if there is any damp in the air the lines are really slippy. Basically its a week by week decision.

I just was curious...and felt that poor the men that want to go...

really disappointed with the paint/line nonsense

really disappointed with the paint/line nonsense

Although the paint is indeed very slippery when wet or damp, the actual % of time lost through this alone is very small in the scheme of things. If the track is wet, then it's wet. Can't help that. The lines just extend the drying time, which at this time of year is a prayer, because there's not enough warmth or daylight to dry the track off efficiently.

I thought the resurfacing was to provide an all season track? (as well as a needed new surface) I took that as meaning a bit of winter riding

I'm mainly pissed off as I'd just put a track bike together and now it's sitting in the shed mocking me

There's always next year.

I thought the resurfacing was to provide an all season track? (as well as a needed new surface) I took that as meaning a bit of winter riding

I'm mainly pissed off as I'd just put a track bike together and now it's sitting in the shed mocking me

The resurfacing was to provide a new surface to make racing and training safer, the old surface had deteriorated. Initially it was never really expected to be "all weather" but we did think it would be more usable in the autumn and spring months than it has proven in practice.

This is mainly because the trees at the Burbage road end overshadow the track and allow very little sunlight, always keeping turns 3&4 in the shade and prolonging any drying out from damp weather, even morning dew.

HHV Info lives up to its name.

No idea who it is though!

I can't figure out why people would want to train on an outdoor velodrome through winter...

Convenience? Sometimes rolling out of bed and down the road, and getting two hours of going round in circles, without worrying about routes and flooded roads etc seems a lot more tempting than a long countryside ride.
/inherently lazy

I kind of get that. But 80 to 90 gear inches into the wind through winter? Plus it's more like 90mins when you factor the stopping and starting.

^^/geographicallylucky

Convenience? Sometimes rolling out of bed and down the road, and getting two hours of going round in circles, without worrying about routes and flooded roads etc seems a lot more tempting than a long countryside ride.
/inherently lazy

If roads are flooded then I'd imagine track training would be off.

/savingyoufromgettingoutofbedunnecessarily

That makes sense. There were times last winter when London bits were pleasant enough but you're ankle deep in brown liquid by the time you got to Sevenoaks. Honest.

^^/geographicallylucky

Yes. Maybe I'd have a different opinion if it wasn't the other side of the city from my house.