2 π R

StephSTL, on 29 April 2013 - 10:03 AM, said:

This is the schedule for this coming Thursday NIght at Mr. Bumpy, that is if it does not rain again. There is still rain in the forecast but not as high of probability. Same procedure for rain as described in the post about it.

Even though the preseason practice helped a whole lot with the new riders there will still be some that need a little clinic instruction before riding. What I would like to do is have a small clinic before we race tomorrow. I am planning on having this instructional period before racing so for those that are still new and have not raced please be there ready to ride at 5 pm if possible.

Now if everybody can just think "NO Rain, No Rain, No Rain" we'll have some fun.

@swikles

Tonights event at the track has been cancelled due to rain. An updated schedule if necessary will be posted soon.

@swikles

When the racing surface of a velodrome gets wet riding on it is unsafe. Here is an outline for when there is rain or a chance of rain for Thursday nights.

If it is forecasted but not obviously raining at the track the call will be made trackside. Either myself or another with the responsibility and ability to do so will post cancelation notices here, on the Penrose Park Velodrome Facebook page and on Twitter. This will be the track director or the chief official of the night. The easiest and quickest way to get the word out when the track is wet is via Twitter. If you use Twitter follow either @penroseparkvelo or me @swikles . If I am the one responsible for this decision (which is the most likely scenario) I will first tweet it before I attempt other ways to get the word out.

If racing is cancelled prior to the start of the first round of the evening then a full refund or applying any registration fee to the next week's event will be offered to every rider. If racing has officially begun and a full round of events are completed any refund, partial or otherwise is up to the promoter or race director. If only a partial first round has been completed then those riders that haven't raced are entitled to any possible refund.

When it is definitely raining, where it is obvious even when I am in Colorado (last year) or Utah (perhaps this week) racing will be cancelled earlier in the afternoon, it is my hope that the cancelation notice will be broadcasted approximately 2 or 3 pm. The same broadcast outlets described above will be used.


As long as I have been involved there hasn't been a problem on Thursdays that had to be cancelled or ended early. There has been a couple (1, perhaps 2) Thursday evenings in the past where this has occurred, when only some of the night's schedule was completed and all of the riders present were very gracious and there were no problems with respect to any refunds of entries. If there are any partial nights of racing for any reason, cancellation and any possible refund will be handled on a case-by-case bases unless racing is cancelled early. It takes some effort to put on a race no matter if the turnout is good, bad or cancelled. What I have outlined is the fairest policy I can think of at this time. If you have a good argument and can persuade me to change this I am open to your input and will consider modifying these policies outlined here.

As always you can post your thoughts here or PM me if you feel the need to do so. All opinions not public will remain so.

@swikles

Just a friendly reminder that if you are planning on registering for the Joe Martin Stage Race there is a late fee being applied for any entry after tomorrow, late fees begin on the 19th. It is only ten bucks but it is an increase in your costs to race if you are going. Also there is no registration on site.

Link to that event

Also, the promoter has not published a tech guide for this years version. It is my understanding that Sram NRS is not planning to attend/support this race and I do not know what arrangements the promoter has for race support. Hopefully there are better efforts in this respect than what I personally experienced last year.

@swikles

Now that it is road season that means that track season is just around the corner. Heck there is a pre-season set of sessions that begins tomorrow, seams like just yesterday I was standing in snow and freezing mud up to my ankles.

For those of you that yet have a track bike and would like to try it out before building/buying one of your own there are a limited number of bikes available to rent. I have at least eight in various sizes plus my own 60ish cm. This set is a work in progress, more are on the way. Here are some details about what I have available.

Bicycles:

Count   Description
3   43 cm with 650 wheels
1   49 cm (available soon)
1   51 cm
1   52 cm
1   53 cm (also available soon)
2   56 cm
1   58 cm
1   60 cm (may become available if needed)

Costs:
The small bikes are available to juniors (according to USAC racing age rules) for loan; there is no fee for the younger riders, (as of now this is for all juniors and may be restricted to younger juniors in the future).

For adults, (senior and master riders by racing age) the rental fee is ten dollars ('merican) for the night. Riders will need to bring their own pedals along with a helmet and everything else needed to ride for the session. Pedals with toe clips will be installed if the riders does not have any of their own.

These bicycles will be properly serviced and safe to ride on the velodrome. They are only available for use during one of the many practice sessions or race nights at Penrose Park. Any rider using these bikes accepts full responsibility for how they are ridden and for any damage that may occur while being used.  A rental agreement with credit card information must be completed in order to use one of these bikes and for each night’s use.

Adjustments:
Rental/loaner riders are allowed to set their own tire pressure. All other assembly and/or adjustments will be performed for the rider by someone designated to do so, these being primarily seat height and handlebar position. No gearing changes are allowed.

Reservations:
For Senior and Master Riders;
Rentals availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. For those sizes where availability is questionable contact me with as much advance notice as possible. These are bikes that others are allowing to be used in this program and a little extra time is needed to ready them for use. All of these bikes are meant for someone new to track to get a feel for it. Individuals can rent these bikes for at least two and perhaps three sessions, after that you should get your own ride to better progress with track racing for yourself. The bikes will be brought to the track when possible. There may be times where other arrangements will be necessary.

For Junior Riders;
The 2 to 3 night use limit does not apply. Juniors are allowed use of the bikes so long as there are enough available. If there comes a time where there are more junior riders than bikes than a rotation system will be put in place.

Disclaimer:
These are the basic policies of my rental/loaner program and can change without notice. If there are extenuating circumstances an exception to these guidelines may be considered. Any exception will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

If you have any questions or are interested in the use of one of these track bikes it is best to email me. This way I have a record with a time stamp to assign any priority if necessary. Thank you for your time and interest.

@swikles

Steven Wilkes
trackdaddy@att.net