Track racing is not for the faint-hearted. Track bikes, meant for velodrome racing, are fixed-gear bikes. This means they are not only single speed, but do not freewheel (no coasting). If the pedals are turning, the wheels are turning, and it takes quite a lot of skill to master riding a “fixie”. Additionally, track bikes have NO BRAKES.
Tires on a track bike are very narrow. Racers still prefer tubular tires (as opposed to “clinchers” found on most road bikes) that can be inflated to extremely high pressures for less rolling resistance.
Track bikes have different geometry than road bikes: the bottom bracket is higher to prevent pedals from touching a steeply banked track; the head tube is steeper, for more responsive steering (there is a lot of jockeying for position in track racing); the seat tube is steeper, for maximum power and aerodynamics. Track frames are extremely rigid for direct power transfer; light weight is not as important as rigidity. Carbon is the preferred material, although track bikes also come in steel and aluminum.
Track bikes have one gear. Bigger gears, which make it easier to hold top speed longer, are preferred – typically, the front chainring is a 52-55 tooth, and the rear cog is 12-14 tooth (by contrast, a 53/12 combination is often the HIGH end of a road bike’s range). Track racers pedal at very high cadence, allowing them to “jump” (accelerate quickly) and maintain top speed easily.
Track bikes have also found a niche in the urban bike-messenger and urban commuter community, partly for their simplicity, partly for the element of danger and need for serious bike handling skill that comes with riding a bicycle with no brakes!
https://club-bikemania.blogspot.com/2009/12/track-bikes.html?showComment=1276057808396#c8253445094026116761'> June 8, 2010 at 9:30 PM
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