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my bad - Im quite impressed with this course though - although im quite sure I could ride it anywhere near as good as this lot...
True, I'd be going much slower then I chest plant the whoops
Think they just built a new one in Kent on the wasteland where they re-routed a section of A2?
Used to be another just a bit further down the A2/M2.
Yep, at Kent Cycle Park. It looks pretty big when you are stood up on the start line.
Looking into it a bit more I'd love to know what the BOC committe selection criteria actually are:
It seems we do have another womns prospect - Abbie Taylor ranked 25th at present, in fact Reede doesn't appear on the UCI BMX supercross rankings at all for 2012 as she has not competed this year (due to injury I believe), So on paper based on the most current avaialble performance data Reede is a worse selection (I know thats not the actual case, but still)... Having said that Reede finished 2011 ranked 20th overall so really why isn't Taylor in our olympic squad seems like she's not that much slower potentially and an olympic selection might well have motivated her further?
It would sort of make sense if all the other entrants were exclusively drawn from the current top 20 but they aren't...
The Latvians have entered Sandra Aleksejewa World ranked 38th, The columbian womens entry is ranked 43rd at present so why exactly didn't team GB want to enter the current world No 25?
Have we not just limited our prospects by only having one competitor?
P.S.
Ed Leigh is a cock-washer of the highest order just the standard prick they draft in to comentate on any extreme sport they can't find a coherent 'expert' on, he knows nowt about anything so far as I can tell, so a perfect BBC sports comentator then...
It's not a case of restricting entrants into other cycling events is it?
Shanaze Reade is GB's only female medal hope at present. Abbie Taylor is a good young, up and coming rider, and definitely one for the future, but she's not capable of beating Reade yet, that's why Reade was selected above everyone else.
I've disagreed with many British Cycling BMX decisions in the past, but I think they got it right this year selecting Phillips and Reade. Both have a good chance of making the podium if they ride as they can and things go their way (i.e. they don't crash like they both did at the Worlds in May).
Didn't we have the chance to enter two men in Olympic BMX though, but BC chose to enter only one? That's the way I heard it anyway.
GB could have tried to qualify 1 or 2 other male riders and 1 more female rider (in addition to the 1 male and 1 female host nation spots) by sending riders out on the UCI SX circuit to gain qualifying points. However, they chose not to, and just take the host nation spots.
Shame really, as the experience would have been good for some of the younger riders coming through like Kyle Evans, Tre Whyte and Dan McBride.
In 4 years time, GB could have a really strong BMX squad if BC invests in sending them to big races.
Enjoyed watching that. Way more interesting to watch than the velodrome shite but nobody seems as bothered by it??
Yes there are race tracks about, there's a small one in Milton Keynes which I'll be riding in my lunch break for the rest of the week 🙂
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our local track now completed and open E17, about five or six new tracks opened across london with local funding
there's a couple of bmx tracks within 15 minute drive, and that's deepest darkest Devon..
I think there are plenty out there if you know where to look..
New BMX track opened in Charlton, SE London too.
Is there a national directory of tracks anywhere online?
As per Tinsy's question. Does anyone know if the gearing is dictated by UCI of something? With the size of that start ramp you could put a dinner plate size front ring on. Hmm, I guess they would all be jumping to flat if they were going much faster.
I bet you can gear your BMX however you want. However, pro BMXers can spin really fast and acceleration is critical to get a good position off the start.
Many riders use the standard 42:16 ratio.
When I first started BMX racing, I asked others what ratios they had - to me spinning so fast seemed daft!
Apparently courses are designed with 42:16 in mind - they take into account pedal strokes between jumps.
Although your top speed would be higher, you are at a disadvantage when it comes to putting the power down between landing and the next take-off.
Physics dictates you won't get as many pedal strokes in, and may have to stop pedalling earlier (getting set-up for the take-off ahead)
It's what I have been told - seems logical to me?
A decent explanation thanks, not sure now I am a LOT older and wiser that I wouldn't have tried out a few different ratios though.
Enjoying watching it, the coverage yesterday dumbed down just how difficult the step up jump was, full comitment on that one.
Enjoyed watching that. Way more interesting to watch than the velodrome shite but nobody seems as bothered by it??
Yeah, it's much more appealling to kids too, isn't it. Those suited up dudes riding round in circles don't look too cool, and I'm sure there's less chance of riding a velodrome than there is a BMX track.
Some nice tracks on this thread though. Shame there's none round here, otherwise I'd be tempted.
This is my local - London Road, Preston.
Very active club (Preston Pirates), with many adults/parents giving time to the smooth running of things.
For the winter series, they had something like 170+ registered racers!
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According to the UCI handbook on BMX (page 17 - Bicycle) - "multiple gear systems are permitted"
I can't see any reference to sprocket size
Many riders use the standard 42:16 ratio.When I first started BMX racing, I asked others what ratios they had - to me spinning so fast seemed daft!
Apparently courses are designed with 42:16 in mind - they take into account pedal strokes between jumps.
Although your top speed would be higher, you are at a disadvantage when it comes to putting the power down between landing and the next take-off.
Physics dictates you won't get as many pedal strokes in, and may have to stop pedalling earlier (getting set-up for the take-off ahead)
It's what I have been told - seems logical to me?
semi logical, but also slightly BS ish. i can assure you track designers i have met dont count how many pedal strokes you can get in between jumps.
also you mean 44:16
not trying to piss on you chips, just most tracks are designed around getting the best features into the best space, not the optimum length for a given cadence
I can't see any reference to sprocket size
can run any gearing you want size wise.
although they look to be spinning out i can assure you its faster to be on top of a low gear so you can accelerate out of the slow corners, than to be grinding a big gear and hitting the first lip out of corners too damn slow.
Ah yes, 44:16
But designers would take into account length, as well as features?
Cadence is not relevant, as it has no impact on amount of pedal strokes within a certain distance (on a single gear bike) - you just cover the ground quicker!
As I said above, it's just a theory I've heard from racers
It's back on now..... mens quarter finals.
Woohoo!
Mini pop-out player + headphones 🙂
That might sting a bit.
ouch!
Tracks are just designed and made based on space and geography, the track and personal preference dictates what gear you run.
Come on Philips!
Team GB - 2nd place - nice!
That's going to hurt! Pile up!
ha ha comedy. willers was out front riding like a sack of shit but all alone!
do you get extra points for taking the whole field out on the first corner?
willoughby should be fun
Whoops, another crash!
My Bob Haro Lightening bolt number plate would have looked cool on the start line..
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Is it really that hard to tell the difference between the Colombian and German kit. Ed Leigh , muppet.
Broken collar bones, liver injuries, cracked ribs. It's great for kids 😆
they all seem to be front wheel washouts on the turns.
What tyres for Olympic bmx track?
just before they start are they balancing the bikes with the wheel wedged against the gate, like a kindo f track stand??
Dancing horses??? WTF???
yup thats it bigdawg..
You a Southend local? go take Chipps out and get him drunk sat night..
Is it finished?
All I get is dancing horses?
Bikes are on the gate with their weight on it. They aren't trackstanding freely.