Interesting facts for kids

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Mububban
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Interesting facts for kids

Postby Mububban » Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:24 pm

Hi folks

My 7yo daughter has to do a short talk on an Olympic sport, and since she likes riding her bike she chose track cycling (and Anna Meares specifically). One section is "interesting facts" so I thought I'd ask for anything you think kids might find interesting about track cycling. Things like - no brakes! No additional gears. THat an adult sized track bike would weigh half what a normal kids bike would weigh (assuming track conforms to the 6.8kg limit?).

I had a go at an indoor velodrome when I was about 20 and damn near **** myself as I approached the first steeply banked turn :D

Anything you could share would be much appreciated :)
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

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bigfriendlyvegan
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:58 pm

Sprinters reach speeds of about 80kph. The banking of a standard Olympic velodrome (250m long) is 45 degrees max and 12 degrees min. I think Dunc Gray is 42 degrees.

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Derny Driver
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby Derny Driver » Tue Aug 09, 2016 11:18 pm

Aerodynamic track bike wheels can cost $6000 a pair.

The track race called a six day race used to go for 6 days and 6 nights. You would race with a partner and had to have one person racing on the track at all times, even between midnight and 6am. Riders were only allowed 3 hours sleep each. It was common for a team to ride 600km a day (300km each) with just 3 hours sleep.

The steepest track in the world was in Berlin - 60 degree bankings. The shortest track was in Copenhagen - 110 metres inside an old picture theatre. They have both since been demolished. The steepest track these days is in Gent Belgium, 54 degrees. (yes Sydney 42)

The most famous indoor track was in Paris, called Vel d'Hiv (the winter track). It held 25,000 spectators and had 3 levels of spectator balconies overlooking the 250 m track. The most famous outdoor velodrome was the Vigorelli track in Italy. It was used for many world records.

Motorpaced racing involves following closely behind a large motorbike on an indoor or outdoor track. Riders can reach 100kph behind the motors. Motor-paced racing is very dangerous, many people have died doing it. It used to be a world championship event.

ironhanglider
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby ironhanglider » Wed Aug 10, 2016 4:10 pm

Does Hubert Opperman still hold the 100mile motorpaced record? 100 miles in 99 3/4 minutes (an average speed of about 94km/h from memory).

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brawlo
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby brawlo » Mon Aug 15, 2016 2:00 pm

There's lots of facts getting around and some listed here. But for a 7yo audience you need to use facts that either they can understand or that they can relate to something. Say for the banking, they don't understand degrees, but you could say something like that's steeper than the slide out in the play area. The bikes cost more than my mum/dad's car (the nicer the car the more impressive that statement is). Only one gear like your BMX. Japanese keirin where they can wear padding because they crash so often. How many medals Anna Meares has won. The races Anna Meares does

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FXST01
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby FXST01 » Mon Aug 15, 2016 8:06 pm

Do they only go around one way?
Image

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MattyK
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby MattyK » Mon Aug 15, 2016 10:26 pm

Interesting facts for 7 year olds:

Fixed gear - no coasting! You have to pedal all the time.
Tracks are often made of wood.
The bike goes ~xx metres for every turn of the pedals.
The first track in the world was in ...
Cycling has been in the Olympics since...
The most gold medals have been won by.. (Chris Hoy?)

dalai47
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby dalai47 » Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:26 pm

No breaks (sic) according to the channel 7 on screen information... :roll:

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find_bruce
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby find_bruce » Tue Aug 16, 2016 2:56 pm

You don't have to stay on the track, you can ride on the fence if you are good enough
Image

Almost all bikes have the chain on the right hand side. One exception is the Team USA bikes at the Rio Olympics who thought left hand drive would give them an advantage. Not enough for them to win gold though
Image

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bigfriendlyvegan
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Tue Aug 16, 2016 5:04 pm

find_bruce wrote:Almost all bikes have the chain on the right hand side. One exception is the Team USA bikes at the Rio Olympics who thought left hand drive would give them an advantage. Not enough for them to win gold though
I saw that and was surprised that no one, in the entire history of cycling, had ever thought of that. Ever. No one. At all. It's good to see such amazing innovation from the Americans.

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find_bruce
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Re: Interesting facts for kids

Postby find_bruce » Tue Aug 16, 2016 7:05 pm

find_bruce wrote:Almost all bikes have the chain on the right hand side. One exception is the Team USA bikes at the Rio Olympics who thought left hand drive would give them an advantage. Not enough for them to win gold though
bigfriendlyvegan wrote:I saw that and was surprised that no one, in the entire history of cycling, had ever thought of that. Ever. No one. At all. It's good to see such amazing innovation from the Americans.
Is 7 yo too early to learn about sarcasm ? Besides I thought the secret plan was so that they could do grinds on the outside of the track like the cool BMX kids

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