Wifey kindly booked this for me as a birthday present so we headed over there yesterday to see what it was all about. I haven’t ever been to the Olympic Park before and found the whole experience incredible. You can really sense that great things happened there not so long ago and the whole vibe in the park and around the stadiums is rather magical, even on a grey drab Sunday in January.

I checked in at reception and then donned my lycra before heading into the centre of the track. It’s quite an intimidating sight, but the coach was very easy going and once we’d got our shoes and helmets, we were given a fixie track special each before being given a quick safety briefing during which they pointed out the lack of brakes and the one way only rule on track.. there was quite a wide range of ages, experience and abilities in the group of 20 or so ranging from teenagers in trackers and trainers, to club cyclists in team kit through to middle age women there for the experience.

We did a couple of laps on the flat inner section to get a feel for the bikes and then built up some speed over a couple of laps on the banked surface. It’s very steep – 22 degrees on the straights and 42 degrees on the corners, with a fixed angle wherever you are open the track, so if you can ride at the bottom of the banking, you can ride at the top!

After a few laps, we were set free and then the fun really started. I’ve only very recently started riding a road bike so I’m unsure how the speed compares, but judging by the wind rushing past you, they’re pretty bloomin quick! Can really see why aero plays such a big part now.

After a few laps I got the hang of it and was riding high into the corners and then dropping back in to sprint down the straights and having races in my head with everyone else on the track! Was great fun and before I knew it, our hour was up and we came back in. Everyone was buzzing and all seemed to have a great time, regardless of what speed they were going round at.

45 min break and then the BMX track… this wasn’t the actual Olympic track as that was properly knarly and would be like sending a first time MTBer down Fort William I guess! Again, we were given bikes and helmets and gloves (I took my own full face) and taken out on the track. A few basic skills drills, then an explanation on how to pump the bike and we were taken onto the last straight before slowly working ourselves round the track, doing more each time. After a while, we were let loose on the full track and the competitiveness came out again! It really was bloody hard work, and I was gasping for breath at the end of each lap. A few people did one or two laps and called it a day, a few others and I squeezed in as many as we could. The track is all rollable and I was just too tired to try and start getting any air or trying to manual. The bike felt tiny and I felt very old!

Overall, it was an amazing day and i really couldn’t recommend it highly enough,, even if you’ve never ridden a road bike or BMX before. The taster sessions work really well but I quite like the idea of going with some mates on the track again so we can have a bit of fun in a group and learn some drafting and overtaking skills.

I’d given the wife and kids my DSLR with zoom lens to try and get some decent photos, but they didn’t realise the lens was locked and it was in portrait mode so they didn’t turn out very well sadly.

Sounds like a good day. You’re sitting at a right weird angle in that picture though….

Great day out, would love to do a bmx taster like that.

Had my first go on a velodrome about 4 years ago and been a regular since, the racing can get sort of addictive.

😀

iainc – Member
Sounds like a good day. You’re sitting at a right weird angle in that picture though….

That’s a still from an iPhone ‘live photo’ and I was just about to ‘drop in’! Doesn’t look quite so odd in the vid clip…

Omar – how much experience do you need to start racing? Are the standards OK? I’d imagine crashes can be quite painful??

The Olympic velodrome is in Brazil. You went to Lee Valley Velopark (arguably Herne Hill claimed the right to be called Olympic as it was the first in London)
My old flatmate is lead coach at the velodrome and every time somebody calls it ‘Olympic’ he kills a kitten or puppy.

The velodrome where the olympics were. Seems a reasonable adjective to me.

if you are being pedantic, surely the olympic velodrome is now is tokyo?

I was looking at doing a track cycling taster there, thanks, this has raised my interest further. Might look at doing a BMX session too

I did this same experience last year. We had an awesome time!
One thing to note is to save energy for the BMXing. You won’t believe how tiring it is, especially after racing mates on the Velodrome.
We went with a mixed bunch of ability rides- some race often, and others struggle on the Boris bike. We were all catered for though by the same instructor. I was surprised how well it worked.
Looking to go back and just doing the BMXing

I got one as a Christmas present and I’ve booked in for late February – can’t wait!
Though I am worried about being exhausted after the track to be able to pedal at all on the BMX!
It says you have to take “track mitts” – can I just take my summer fingerless MTB gloves?

Omar – how much experience do you need to start racing? Are the standards OK? I’d imagine crashes can be quite painful??

I ride Glasgow velodrome as does Omar, though I don’t race. I have a few mates who do Wed night track league though quite a few have stopped now, due to the frequency of ambulance trips…. I understand there is usually at least one crash a week when racing ….

I do ‘drop in’ sessions, which are accessible to accredited riders, last an hour and tend to develop their own structure depending who is there and how fast they are. Great fun and a good workout that isn’t in the gym 🙂

‘The Velodrome Formerly Known As’ maybe or TVFKA to those in the clique..

BMX was utterly exhausting, even for a #FullEnduro rider like me (!?). I think doing both for an initial taster works very well and the 45 minute break is enough to let you recover enough. I’d like to go back and do a bit more of both, and whilst there’s a few BMX clubs closer to home that I could probably go and embarrass myself at, I got the impression that The Velodrome Formerley Known As caters for beginners very well.

I think the coolest thing was the little kid classes (2-7 I think) held in the middle of the Velodrome a little pump track with berms and rollers. Kids on Islabikes and balance bikes whizzing around! They also seemed to be holding some birthday parties there too which is a great idea if you’re local enough.

The clan came to watch me and all wanted to have a go at riding something next time so I can see us spending a few family days out there this year. I think it’s 2+ for the inside kids stuff, 7+ for BMX, 10+ for MTB and 12+ for Track and all the hire bikes were good quality and well maintained.

A fine olympic legacy we can all be proud of and should try to experience IMHO.

+1 to the tiring bit – even after being used to road riding, you just don’t get a break from pedalling unless you drop to the inside and actually stop by the railing.

I just wore normal road gloves so fingerless MTB ones should be fine.

aye, great to see the kids getting the hang of it – my 10 yr old the other week :

Where’s that Iain? Think Lee Valley is over 12s only.

^^^ Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. Min age limit is 8. Kids have to go through the same 4 stage accreditation process as adults.