Took the wife and little un to Manchester Velodrome on Saturday. The UK track champs were on. Was the first time I've been to such an event. Amongst the many races, I saw Chris Hoy racing the Kerion and the Sky team practicing the team sprint.

Anyway, the point is….hooley **** those guys are crazy fast! Amazing turn of speed. Definately recommend this to anyone fancying a bit of variety.

I may even sign up for a track taster session to have a go myself – anyone else done that?

Ahh we went there with some friends as well 🙂 Very fast esp teh tanden guys averaging 35 mph 🙂

I was on the track and Manchester a few weeks back. Now can't wait for the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome to open in Glasgow.

Fast and fun and BLOODY tiring!

Taster sessions at the moment are few and far between because of the Nationals then the World Cup and Para World Cup straight afterwards. But yes, it's well worth doing, great fun.

I ride Manchester regularly, I know samuri off here is a regular on the SQT (basically training sessions for accredited riders) too.

anyone else done that?

Yep. It was fun. Getting up on the banking is like doing an enormous circular wall ride. It's very interesting looking down and seeing the tops of the other riders' heads just below you. It's pretty intense physically and, like in road racing, there's a whole world of techniques and tactics that you'd never use in an MTB race.

When I've been it was by getting a load of people together and booking out the velodrome for a couple of hours. I think it came to about £15 each, including bike hire and a coach.

Not done it myself but my son is going on a Track Skills session at Calshot Velodrome on 1st November. He is just 9 years old, lucky git!

I'm just waiting for the funding to start the design of our proposed track.
Manchester is good fun though – I enjoyed derny riding, except for the changeover.

it's awesome! done it a few times now and really enjoy it.Little races and TTs they organise are especially recommended for wasting all the skinny guys who batter me up hills all year!.. 😀

Banking looks scary but you soon get up there even on the tasters, it is weird riding round alongside somebody below you though

give it a go…just remember don't stop peddaling!

aP – where is your proposed track going to be?

If you're in Cardiff loads of the clubs there use both Maindy for ease in the winter and Newport now it's bigger and better.

Did a taster session at the Newport track this time last year.
As others have said the banking looks scary to begin with but once you start looking in front instead of down it's fine. It makes you realise how hard you can really push yourself after doing multiple laps flat out.

Yep, most enjoyable and well recommended. I'm still carrying the scars from my first (and only, so far) tumble at 25mph.

They're very good with the kids too, I take my lad for a 3 hour eastlands session every saturday morning, he's really enjoying it.