# Ugly track pic...



## pdainsworth (Jun 6, 2004)

If you haven't seen it, this racer took a fall during the keirin finals at the track World Cup today. The splinter went through the meat of his leg, and it was later removed in the hospital. Grim... here is the link to Velonews.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...nchester_160752/attachment/cycling-wcup-eng-2


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Ive been seeing that picture on Facebook all day (have a lot of friends that are track racers and fans) and it makes me cringe. 

Something to lighten the mood and show what Awang is good at:


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## pdainsworth (Jun 6, 2004)

waldo425 said:


> Ive been seeing that picture on Facebook all day (have a lot of friends that are track racers and fans) and it makes me cringe.
> 
> Something to lighten the mood and show what Awang is good at:


Yup. Despite the ugliness, he finished 3rd on the day and took the overall for the season series.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

That's not a splinter...that's a wooden spear!!!


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Jeebus that looks painful.

I nominate him for the first annual "Jens Voigt HTFU Rider of the Year"


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## King Arthur (Nov 13, 2009)

*Jens Voigt award*

I second the nomination!:thumbsup:


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## Eben (Feb 6, 2005)

Wow...that's brutal. I read a bunch of stories about the race/crash this morning but that is not what I imagined at all. I agree with Wookiebiker that spear is the right word for it, the terms "splinter" and "shard" which are being used in most of the news reports don't get anywhere close!


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

videos...
1 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UafA2541c4&h=58e52

2 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=rltqF-HT9iU


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Creakyknees said:


> videos...
> 1 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UafA2541c4&h=58e52
> 
> 2 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=rltqF-HT9iU


links no worky


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

That is one hell of a wreck. At that point in the race they are probably just about going full tilt into the sprint.

On a side note: listen to how loud the crowd is when the GB squad is in action (especially when the GB track hero Chris Hoy hits the line first.) I just watched the Team Pursuit with GB and you could barely hear the finish guns over the crowd.











Full Hugh Porter version:


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## Banzai (Sep 9, 2004)

Where did the "spear" of wood come from?


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Banzai said:


> Where did the "spear" of wood come from?


The track. It probably got knocked loose from one of the many pedals striking (this is why you run 165 crank on bankings above 25 degrees) and he slid over it just right. That is one of the dangers of falling on the track and specifically falling on a wood track. Every fall you take some of the track with you. 

Jason Queally nearly died when he had a splinter went into his chest. After that he swore off mass start races. Closest he came was the team sprint.


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## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

That photo is wild. Saw it yesterday on VN. Crazy.

I wish we had such a fervent track scene in the U.S. Would be awesome to go to them, have some beers, maybe put down a bet or two (though you probably can't bet on the W.C., but maybe).

I'm in Europe at the moment so I should try and get to some events.


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## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

I saw that this morning on VN and cringed. owwwww.... at least I know I may get some nasty road rash and lose some flesh riding on a concrete track, but it's highly unlikely I'll be impaled. jeezus, that makes my skin crawl.


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## vismitananda (Jan 16, 2011)

Oh lawd that hurts a lot. It seems like he's enjoying it.


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

waldo425 said:


> The track. It probably got knocked loose from one of the many pedals striking (this is why you run 165 crank on bankings above 25 degrees) and he slid over it just right. That is one of the dangers of falling on the track and specifically falling on a wood track. Every fall you take some of the track with you.
> 
> Jason Queally nearly died when he had a splinter went into his chest. After that he swore off mass start races. Closest he came was the team sprint.



Not quite true.

When people crash hard on the track, the impact of something like a pedal or handlebar can cause the wood boards to splinter (look at the scars on a historic track like the Kuipke at Ghent) and if you're sliding on the track, the splinters can pierce the skin. The UCI took tandem sprint out of the World Cups and World Champs because there would be some serious crashes which made for some long delays while the track would be repaired. Most crashes do not have any sort of splintering or track damage. On a high quality wood track, there needs to be something hard and sharp to cause a board to splinter.

Also, most guys at the world level don't use 165mm cranks. It is a popular length but you can find more people using 167.5mm and 170mm cranks. Most track bikes for sprinters have a bb drop of 45mm which really makes this even less of a factor. Personally, I use a 167.5mm crank with a bb drop of 55mm and I have never hit a pedal at any track (World Cup, 6 day, or otherwise) even during a madison. That would be as steep as 57 degrees and as shallow as 42 degrees. Manchester is actually one of the least banked top class 250m at 41 or 42 degrees. Anyways, you lose grip before you strike the pedal. That whole 165mm cranks on tracks above 25 degrees is an old wives tale oft repeated by those who don't know any better.

And Queally races team pursuit now on the A squad and does the occasional mass start fun stuff. Not really important, though.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

a fear of mine is to have my rear wheel spontaneously combust and send a spoke through my calf.

this reminds me of that.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Sherpa23 said:


> Not quite true.
> 
> When people crash hard on the track, the impact of something like a pedal or handlebar can cause the wood boards to splinter (look at the scars on a historic track like the Kuipke at Ghent) and if you're sliding on the track, the splinters can pierce the skin. The UCI took tandem sprint out of the World Cups and World Champs because there would be some serious crashes which made for some long delays while the track would be repaired. Most crashes do not have any sort of splintering or track damage. On a high quality wood track, there needs to be something hard and sharp to cause a board to splinter.
> 
> ...


Kinda glad to be proven a bit wrong. 

I'm glad that splinters aren't common. As you may know I race on a concrete track and only go to Burnaby. They have some sizable repairs and that didn't help my misinformed mind. Good to know that when I start riding more wood tracks and take a tumble I wont be covered in a horrifying layer of splinters. 

I didn't know that Queally was even still racing. That's awesome to hear otherwise. I heard his name on a couple of programs but figured that it was a different Queally since I am still having trouble seeing him as a pursuiter and not the Mr. Beef-cakes Kilo rider that I knew him as.


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

waldo425 said:


> Kinda glad to be proven a bit wrong.
> 
> I'm glad that splinters aren't common. As you may know I race on a concrete track and only go to Burnaby. They have some sizable repairs and that didn't help my misinformed mind. Good to know that when I start riding more wood tracks and take a tumble I wont be covered in a horrifying layer of splinters.


No problem. I used to hear all sorts of untrue crap when I was starting off that really turned me the wrong way on some of this. I rode the wrong geometry for a couple of years, the wrong crank length, etc. I figure it's better for someone with experience to just say it's wrong and that way people don't follow the wrong path and buy the wrong equipment or get the wrong ideas. Track racing is awesome and more people would be willing to try it if not for all the bad information out there.

FYI, you should go to L.A. to ride a real wooden track. It's not my favourite but it's a good representation of a world class 250m, although it's a little on the steeper side and one side feels like it is banked more than the other. When you start ripping off the fast laps in the pole lane it all comes together you get an appreciation for a 250m. Manchester on the other hand is shallowly banked (relatively) and has loooooong corners and you do a long mass start race there and after a few laps it almost seems like a race without turns. However, it is one of the fastest tracks in the world.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Sherpa23 said:


> No problem. I used to hear all sorts of untrue crap when I was starting off that really turned me the wrong way on some of this. I rode the wrong geometry for a couple of years, the wrong crank length, etc. I figure it's better for someone with experience to just say it's wrong and that way people don't follow the wrong path and buy the wrong equipment or get the wrong ideas. Track racing is awesome and more people would be willing to try it if not for all the bad information out there.
> 
> FYI, you should go to L.A. to ride a real wooden track. It's not my favourite but it's a good representation of a world class 250m, although it's a little on the steeper side and one side feels like it is banked more than the other. When you start ripping off the fast laps in the pole lane it all comes together you get an appreciation for a 250m. Manchester on the other hand is shallowly banked (relatively) and has loooooong corners and you do a long mass start race there and after a few laps it almost seems like a race without turns. However, it is one of the fastest tracks in the world.


I really want to get down to L.A. to race. I'm going to try and get some of the track racers up here to do a road trip down there and race Hellyer and L.A. I've raced at Burnaby which is 47 degrees and was semi comfortable (I need to ride there more) but the tight corners take some getting used to. 

Yeah, I think that at the end of this season I am going to probably sell my frame-set and buy a new one. The frame that I have is too small for me. I changed a few things up for this coming season so it should fit me just fine by I would like to update the frame and have a better fit.

Track racing is an absolute blast and I think that everyone should try it out. Especially, on a wood track. You just can't equal that feel that you get from a wood track.


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## shomyoface (Nov 24, 2007)

I love the fact that he got back on his bike and rode for a bronze medal.......... apparently adding "Jens" to his name......


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## baker921 (Jul 20, 2007)

So they broke the old track. Luckily our shiney new one opened today in London http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12301465


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

baker921 said:


> So they broke the old track. Luckily our shiney new one opened today in London http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12301465


Now that is a damn nice looking track.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Sherpa23 said:


> ...that whole 165mm cranks on tracks above 25 degrees is an old wives tale oft repeated by those who don't know any better.


I have some permanent track rash scars that would beg to differ, resulting from striking my up-track pedal during a rollout lap on 170mm cranks. 

We were going maybe 15-18 mph, tires sticking just fine, right up until my pedal struck in turn 4 and lifted the rear wheel up... only it didn't grip so well when it came back down.


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## vismitananda (Jan 16, 2011)

baker921 said:


> So they broke the old track. Luckily our shiney new one opened today in London http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12301465


Wow! That's what I called a "VELODROME"

How I wish the Philippine government can build this kind of thing. :cryin:


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

vismitananda said:


> Wow! That's what I called a "VELODROME"
> 
> How I wish the Philippine government can build this kind of thing. :cryin:


At least you have a track. Most people are not that fortunate; especially in the US where there's only about 27.

http://www.fixedgearfever.com/modules.php?name=Velodromes&op=showtrack&id=725


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## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

This was on the (televised) Jim Rome show. Jim Rome is a huge sports radio/ show guy, basically ball and stick sports only. He focused on two things. One, the fact that they called it a splinter, and two, at the end they interviewed his coach who totally laughed about the whole situstion. Not cool Coach.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

bigmig19 said:


> This was on the (televised) Jim Rome show. Jim Rome is a huge sports radio/ show guy, basically ball and stick sports only. He focused on two things. One, the fact that they called it a splinter, and two, at the end they interviewed his coach who totally laughed about the whole situstion. Not cool Coach.


So? Not like the coach had anything to do with the splinter getting there. From the looks of it Awang has probably had a good laugh over this one too. You may as well have a sense of humor about things like this since there is nothing you can do about it aside from making a joke. Stuff happens, it's unavoidable.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

bigmig19 said:


> This was on the (televised) Jim Rome show. Jim Rome is a huge sports radio/ show guy, basically ball and stick sports only. He focused on two things. One, the fact that they called it a splinter, and two, at the end they interviewed his coach who totally laughed about the whole situstion. Not cool Coach.


They guy did get up and finish the race. If really was serious, he'd have been carted off. As it is, he's supposed to be back on the bike real soon. No serious injury = ok to laugh for most people.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

yikes !


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

Creakyknees said:


> I have some permanent track rash scars that would beg to differ, resulting from striking my up-track pedal during a rollout lap on 170mm cranks.
> 
> We were going maybe 15-18 mph, tires sticking just fine, right up until my pedal struck in turn 4 and lifted the rear wheel up... only it didn't grip so well when it came back down.


Wow. I have a couple of questions for you: 1) were you riding a track specific frame (I assume you were) and 2) would have 5mm made a difference?

Usually 5 mm is not enough to lift the rear wheel up, as you described. You'll get a hard scrape and a twitch but not necessarily what happened to you. This is kind of surprising too because 15 to 18 mph is pretty fast. I ride relief in madisons as slow as 12 mph so 15 to 18 should be plenty if you had the right frame, etc.

Not calling into question any of what you're describing but I have a hard time thinking that if everything was "normal" that a 5mm difference in crank length is what caused a problem.


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