Cool track photo thread

[bigfriendlyvegan]

That would be good Brentono.

Foo

+1. I think we should have a special Brentono thread.

[brentono]

That would be good Brentono.

Foo

Gary, and others interested. Newsclipping of the charity meet.



Cheers

[foo on patrol]

Good onya Brenton and for keeping the horse above the sprint lane.

Foo

[bigfriendlyvegan]

More info needed (yeah, I know it's a photo thread, but...). I have read about bike vs horse matches which are apparently popular in France (Voeckler did one this year, Gilbert won one a few years ago IIRC). What distance? Did you have a flying start? Who won? Did the horse have a go on the bike while you pulled the buggy (just to make things even)?

I'd love to see Cadel vs this year's Melbourne Cup winner. It's the only way you'd get me watching a horse racing.

[brentono]

FYI- bike vs horse matches are a real event.
Both parties are competative and professionalism prevails.
In my case it was on, both parties out to win.
Started at 1000m, standing start, we reached 800m
(rolling or pacing as the case was) then the event started.
I sat in behind (as was my tactics)... ate dirt, but got the trail,
and around the last bend, and into the straight, came off the
wheel, which left me with about 3 bike lengths to make up.
The photo was taken about half way down the straight,
as I reached the lead, from the went on to win, comfortable.
Tactics and speed played a part, as they always do.
Cheers

[bigfriendlyvegan]

FYI- bike vs horse matches are a real event.
Both parties are competative and professionalism prevails.
In my case it was on, both parties out to win.
Started at 1000m, standing start, we reached 800m
(rolling or pacing as the case was) then the event started.
I sat in behind (as was my tactics)... ate dirt, but got the trail,
and around the last bend, and into the straight, came off the
wheel, which left me with about 3 bike lengths to make up.
The photo was taken about half way down the straight,
as I reached the lead, from the went on to win, comfortable.
Tactics and speed played a part, as they always do.
Cheers

Thanks for that! I didn't know they ever had these in Aus, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I am surprised at the standing start, however. The ones I read about in France have the cyclist on a rolling start with the horse at a standing start. I thought the horse would cream you over that distance - I was obviously wrong. I'd love to see this happen again, just gotta find a horse

David

[BRLVR.v2]

WTheF???????

Anyone else see anything wrong with this pic?

[ozdavo]

WTheF???????

Anyone else see anything wrong with this pic?

Drives are on the wrong side... I guess someone scanned a negative backwards

[Jeremy]

Here's a pic of me last month at Australian Masters Games....

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Nice composition on that shot Jeremy, you look fast. What MAS category and event?

[GaryF]

[brentono]

[mikesbytes]

what track are those photos from?

Looks like Chandler to me.

Correct

Chandler looks similar to Tempe, especially when you see the full grandstand. Infield is a little different

[bigfriendlyvegan]

So, Brentono, how much did those hair net helmets actually protect the rider? Are modern helmets significantly better for the track? [Note: don't want a helmet debate, just asking someone who likely knows about both]

[brentono]

David,

From my POV hair net helmets, were what was available, and did the basic job
they were supposed to do, to reduce a solid impact collision, which was rare.
I have no experience in Track competition, with modern helmets so it would be
hard to comment. No helmet design would be 100% effective in every situation.
Hair net helmets, were an improvement over a period where helmets may not
have been worn on the Track. A period were a lot of Track riders died, though
that may also or solely have been due to access to qualified Medical help.
Same applies to my time on the Track, sometimes access to Medical help was
very limited. Response Times being the factor. Today, may be very different.

Some point to modern helmets, on the Track, designed moreso for aerodynamics,
and possibly making them more dangerous than older designs.
From a spectator's POV- may make the rider's emotions less personal and accessable.
Hair net helmets are cool, both functionally and visually.

I am not going to get into a helmet debate, or any debate, on BNA-fullstop.
(there's street-smart and there's book-smart, and never the twain shall meet)

Hope that, in someway indicates my thoughts on hair net helmets.
(got a fifties, and a couple of seventies up for grabs if anyone wants- PM me)
Cheers

[foo on patrol]

Hair nets! I'll have you know they were top of the range back then.

I had some pretty heavy falls with them and they stood up to the impact well. Just scraped away the leather a bit and sometimes broke the straps.

I hated it when they made them illegal and had to wear the closed in helmet.

Foo

[brentono]

I hated it when they made them illegal and had to wear the closed in helmet.

Foo

Gary,
I survived a lot of falls also.
Great point, were they made illegal for safety reasons or financial reasons.
Always the question... follow the money trail.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the answers. I have access to a very nice vintage track bike and I'd love to stick a wool jersey and hair net on and get it on the track. I'd (obviously) never be allowed to compete like that, but I think it would be wild fun - especially as a photo shoot with a carbon fiber riding lycra racer. One of these days...

[mikesbytes]

Yeh can't use them as helmets require the aussie sticker and those helmets predate the sticker.

Good point about them being better than not having a helmet

Perhaps in 30 years we will be saying how much better helmets are than they were in 2011

[mikesbytes]

[ldrcycles]

WTheF???????

Anyone else see anything wrong with this pic?

Drives are on the wrong side... I guess someone scanned a negative backwards

And the guy on the far left is wearing socks that are too short .

[bigfriendlyvegan]

That's an awesome shot. At RAW this year, on a bell lap, they were six abreast on the last turn when the guy in the sprinters lane (a newbie) decided to pull up!! The freaky thing was, no one crashed, but no one could work out how they didn't.

[mikesbytes]

[norbs]

Light Rider by norbography, on Flickr

[mikesbytes]

Race with the lady's their safer