Outdoor, unbanked, rain?

[ft_critical]

Do they ever race track in the rain on an outdoor velodrome? lightly or unbanked

[ironhanglider]

They do in Japan. But then we are talking about the might of the gambling industry there. I gather that their tracks are specifically course and slow too and they use NJS bikes.

In Melbourne many of the tracks are surfaced in a way that is supposed to be smooth and fast, and the lines are painted with something that resembles marble when wet. Additionally non-NJS bikes (or their riders) tend to dissolve when rained on. Some tracks I'd be happy enough to ride on in the wet, not many I'd be prepared to race on.

Cheers,

Cameron

[ft_critical]

Yes. Now that you mention it I remember seeing a Japanese Keirin in the rain, and they did note the special surface.

I think you are right on the lines, while a bitumen or some concrete tracks would be okay, the lines could be sketchy. Did they ride in the rain in the ‘good old days’ when …

[Retrobyte]

When I lived in Tasmania in the 80s and 90s I saw some handicap track racing at the big Christmas carnivals on the north west coast go ahead in light rain, however anything more than a drizzle would see the cycling cancelled (but the woodchopping and professional running would continue). These were outdoor concrete or bitumen tracks around a cricket field or AFL oval.

[foo on patrol]

Not many Tracks can be raced on when wet. I've raced on a Track that only had 10deg banking and if your tyres aren't any good in the wet, you're ratchit for staying upright. The Keirins in Japan, have a surface that is suitable for racing, hence why they are all wrapped up, in case they step off. If the Keirin riders step off on these Tracks, they are ripped to shreds in the dry.

Foo

[g-boaf]

Do they ever race track in the rain on an outdoor velodrome? lightly or unbanked

I've never seen it happen in my time as a Comm - we had an outdoor track.

When it rained we stopped (if it was running), or if it hasn't started we then tried to run the motorbike around the track and had people walking around with leaf-blowers to try and dry the track. Not really the best option but when it's a big multi-club even with people coming from all over the place you do what you can.

Our track was a smooth bitumen/asphalt surface.

I don't even like running criteriums in the rain because our track had one extremely sharp/tricky corner with a high speed downhill approach and to add rain was just a recipe for crashes. People are going in there really hot and down they go. It's a shame to stop the race (some people still want to race) but better than having people with damaged bikes and missing skin or other injuries.