Herne Hill Saturday Training

Yeah - getting action shots in overcast conditions = high shutter speed + low aperture = under exposure or incorrect focus. Anyway, excuses excuses. For some reason my favourite shot is hoops leaving the track.

Was a good afternoon I thought. I didn't realise what a monster that Bec guy was until I went through all the photos this morning.

Yup... he is a machine. Constantly attacking.
He's no spring chicken either!

so nothing from intermediate training?

I have a question (wrapped up in a monologue) for any of the coaches on here or anyone else who has an opinion on it. As a disclaimer I have only started going to the track this year and have never really ridden in a proper bunch before so don't know too much about track etiquette and bunch riding etc....I'd like to think I am fit enough though to hold my own down there, particularly this week when it might have been a little slower due to some of the strong riders skipping intermediate for racing in the afternoon.

So, on Saturday we were riding in one long pace line and as you'd take a turn off the front you'd pull off and go to the back. Quite rightly the coaches emphasise the need to drop in and fill gaps but also that if you want to "test yourself" then to leave a gap and take on more wind. What I find happening quite often though is that some (I guess "strong" riders) would pull off the front and almost fight to get back in the pace line quite quickly and just about push in where there was no gap. Throughout the session I noticed that there would be a reaction to this from the riders in the line to "defend" their place and there'd be quite a deal of overlapping of wheels and coming higher to ensure that the person who just pulled off wouldn't drop in in front of them - i was guilty of it myself and (stupidly) rubbed wheels with another fella.

My instinct is to say that it is rude as everyone wants to have a go on the front at some point and if folks keep dropping in early you'll never work your way up. Alternatively after my wheel rubbing I realised it was silly to "care" so much about it as I was actually pretty lucky to stay upright.

So I'd be happy to hear what the deal is with this or if anyone has any opinion on it and also be happy to be corrected on my feeling of it being rude. One way or another though I do think there is a risk issue here - either from the silly "defence" of position in the line or the silly dropping in when there is no gap - bearing in mind that this is just training and not racing or even race training.

Your last statement answers your question, it's not racing. It's skills training. Although there is of course an element of physiological training, it's not fitness training either, riders wishing to "beast" themselves could easily ask if they could take a lap.
This also smacks of riders disobeying the coaches instruction and possibly a belief that their skills are somewhat better than they actually are. Many riders simply do not yet have the sills required to be safe despite being fit enough to ride at a reasonable speed.
If there's a gap then someone is entitled to fill it (if the coach has asked you to) if there isn't then there isn't. Nobody has said obstruct other riders or "force" your way into a line have they?

What you (and anyone else with issues about saturdays) should have done is spoken to the coaches about it and see if they have noticed it going on, I can't see how they wouldn't if it was as bad as you say with wheels touching etc. By your own admission you nearly caused an accident by riding dangerously, well done for being honest but I wonder how many don't realise they are being unsafe?

Thanks for the response. I guess that answers it from the way* I* feel about it but I do wonder if any one else noticed it or if it is an issue for anyone else riding there.

I'll have a chat and see what the coaches think either tonight or next Saturday.

yes, I have noticed the same thing. Especially people forcing their way into a line shortly after having pulled off the front (like in a race) rather than going back to the end of it. I could not identify the riders who did that and neither have I pointed that out to the coaches (my bad). I have also noticed this kind of behaviour got worse this season when the number of riders got larger on the track and abilities are more mixed. As I have raised other issues in the past with the coaches I am going to pay more attention to this in the future and I hope the coaches do the same.

I won't be coaching for the next couple of weeks as (sadly!) I will be riding in the warm Italian sunshine. I will, however, make contact with a couple of the other senior coaches so that they are aware of the issue. Bottom line, as RPM has pointed out, is that no rider should be forcing their way into a line of other riders in these sessions.

Hey Keith have a nice time in Italy. I am waiting for the nice weather to come back HH!

See you soon Tika, it's going to be a long hot summer!

Happy riding, Keith!

Nice meeting a few forumers there today, shame my knee blew up
gonna get cycle fitted to find out what geometry would work best

Who took the photos too/where can I see them?

Hey man

Here is a bunch of photos taken over sat/sun by Marten. Mainly of the 5th folks I guess :) http://imagehunters.eu/thehunt/

Intermediate session on tomorrow? HH website seems to be say, NO!

http://www.hernehillvelodrome.com/

It should deffo be on.

The new website looks good.

Interschools championships tomorrow, come down though and watch!!

So no intermediate session at 10.00am?

Inter schools doesn't kick off til 2:15 so should still be on?
Only seeing events for Sunday 13th on the side but that may be because it's past midnight and now the 12th?

intermediate session is definitely on! As are all the other Saturday sessions. Haven't cancelled a single saturday session for any other event for at least 7 years (since current management took over)!

Thanks!

My bad :P have fun!

Wow, looks lovely out there. Have fun.

Great fun, fricking quick speed today! On another note if anyone picked up some Rapha mitts can you return them to me please. :(

What happened to your fuji Hoke. And completely new color coordination going on now. Really hard keeping a line with all these unsettling changes people are making to their setups :D

Its a borrowed bike from my friend for the moment just trying out a spiny gear ratio to get my legs working for when i get my new track bike! my fuji is rip =(