Ken Lee

I agree with Mark, Mike, and Einstein--I mean Danny. However, the best way for new track racers to learn what gearing might work best for them is to attend our Wednesday Night Track Clinics. Install an 82-88 inch gear and come on out.

There is more to learn about racing at Alpenrose than just riding the banking and gearing. We teach track etiquette, techniques, and explain what all those colored lines mean. It's important to know about all this before you start racing because it makes racing safer. The most dangerous times at the track are when riders fail to observe the general rules, especially during warm up.

We've been making more of an effort to group riders according to ability and comfort levels at recent classes, and have short races at the end of the class which help new racers get a feel for what to expect and prepare for on Friday nights. You'll get a better idea if you need to move up or down in gearing in these sessions before you start racing for real.

The Mt. Tabor races have thinned out the clinics a bit this month so if you have been thinking about giving the class a try, next Wednesday might be a good time to do it. Classes are $5 and we have rental bikes for an additional $5. We start at 6 PM, but try to arrive around 5 PM if you need to rent a bike. You can also bring your own pedals.

Hope to see you out there.

Ken