138 | Riding the World's Steepest Velodrome

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you to everyone for the support on this film! I had so much fun putting this one together. This velodrome is incredibly special to me and I'm so thankful I was able to share that story with all of you!

[@petebrooks1223]

Hello Nick. Thanks for the great video. I'm Dick Brooks's son. Thanks for that shout out to him and Ron. They are the heart of that smelly old place. Come back any time. I'm sure the kids love to see a success story. Keep up the great work and Cheers

[@hayesshepard]

1st video I've seen. Absolutely STUNNING production. Happy you got to tackle the track again. Good luck!!

[@nick_wammes]

Thanks for watching! Means a lot!

[@santiagobenites]

Nice one, Nick. While I never got out to London to ride on that track, I was fortunate enough to ride the at Olympic Velodrome in Montreal before it was demolished. Now that was a beautiful facility.

[@nick_wammes]

I would have loved to get the chance to ride that track. It’s too bad they weren’t able to keep it around.

[@ettieneretief5350]

We all have that place that set the foundation. My home track is not the greatest track, but its where I learnt to ride track, it's where I have had big crashes, and it's now my happy place. I enjoy your videos - thank you for sharing.

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you for watching!

[@andreamorrow9420]

Awesome! Thank you for bringing attention to our little velodrome. Maybe you could come out and ride with the velokids some time!

[@ClentBond]

Haven’t been there’s in a year but wow this brings some fun memories

[@nick_wammes]

So many amazing memories at FCV!

[@jeffcook2136]

Great Video, I've ridden, taught and raced on this track. So please to see it re-open. A big thank you to all the Volunteer's over the years. RIP Paul M

[@Track_cycle]

I really enjoyed the video. I'm a track cyclist living in Korea, and I'm referring to the training videos you uploaded. I'm thinking of starting KZbin, too!

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you so much for watching! KZbin is very rewarding and so worth the effort!

[@William.Driscoll]

Let's see it, man!

[@ndill1597]

Do it!

[@_2962]

어 안녕하세요? 저는 한국에 사는 트랙바이크 에 관심이 좀 많은 중딩입니다ㅋㅋㅋ 한국인을 여기서 만나게 되서 영광이네요! 선수 생활 열심히 하시기 바랍니다 ㅎㅇㅌ!!

[@BaseballSK]

I subscribed for the early support! Hope your KZbin does well.😁

[@patrickdijkman8974]

Great little docu, thanks!

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@Jonnycerious]

I won the sprint tourney there in November 2010. One of the few people who can say that and not be a local! Awesome video! Good luck with your continued career on the track!

[@nick_wammes]

That is awesome!

[@ianwilliamrobertson]

Great reminder of how fun that track is ... last raced there in 2011 provincials ... remember racing Chris Singleton and meeting Gord that day on the way to earning some fun hardware. Thanks for the great video.

[@adief1353]

the production qulaity on this was abolutly outstanding

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@qeauxduis]

I miss my old steel KHS flite 100 :) hearing you bring up yours brought back some PBR-saturated memories

[@bracket0398]

Used to ride fixed gear in Phoenix for transpo and work couple years back. Heading back thru town and am very much thinking of taking the bike out and spending a night or two riding where i used to stomp around before passing thru to get home. Same kinda nostalgia you have here for the track. Thans for the motivation! An old pal of mine is letting me stay at his house for a couple days so thru the golf courses and canals we go! Been 5 1/2 years...

[@nick_wammes]

Enjoy!

[@bracket0398]

@@nick_wammes thanks, will try! Tomorrow is start of the XC drive from Ukiah Cali to LA. Weds or Thurs starts the ride! Followed by the rest of the drive from Phx to Upstate New York, aka the not as fun part. Again, thanks for the ride motivation!

[@hyperboytkl1077]

Single speed fixie racer bike is the best! Pitted with other geared multi sprocket bikes In many criterium street races in my area, I seen a good number of race winners. 1st placers take fixie bikes to the finish line. Sometimes even finishing in a strong breakaway ahead of the main peloton!

[@donnaosborne3555]

Really enjoyed watching how you managed such a steep and tight track. Well done. Thank you for sharing.

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@packratty]

I remember stopping in there off the 401 to have a look a couple of times (the first shortly after it opened), but living in Toronto, Milton is closer (not sure if I still hold the F45-49 Canadian hour record), but I keep saying I'm going to give FCV a whirl - really happy to hear it's not closing. Thanks for the video and good luck!

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you! You have to try FCV someday!

[@miaklauk16]

Such an amazing film. The Velodrome I basically grew up on and still am (I'm 15) isn't the best track(concret, not wood), but something about your home track is always just special, no matter how good/bad it might be. I hope that one day I'll turn pro too and be able to return to the track just like you

[@drewd9985]

The old Berlin velodrome is long gone. 57° banking. Seen an old photo of a three team wide Madison change on the bend. Another photo of a rider on the duck board on his bike, leaning on the track with his head on a pillow pretending to sleep for the photo. The French more recently built a steep, tight velodrome for national team high performance training under the theory that no track would seem difficult after riding their training track. I don't know if that track is still in existence.

[@nick_wammes]

They do have a pretty small track located at INSEP!

[@welern2liv815]

Huge respect! I admit, when you talked of nervousness, I thought it's just like riding a bike, right? 🤭😉

[@coles19960]

Really well done video! Nice work

[@nick_wammes]

Thanks a lot!

[@stephenphillips8956]

Awesome! Beautifully made, too.

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you so much!

[@jrgensneisen6021]

Love seeing what can be pulled off in such a tight spot! This setup is still perfect for getting folks into track cycling. Over in Norway, we've gone from zero to two velodromes in the last couple of years. But, you know, some folks aren't thrilled that one is 'only' 200m. Who knows, maybe if they were cool with a 166m track, we could have three or four velodromes here

[@nick_wammes]

I think small tracks are great! They are great places to learn the sport and they can also host some pretty cool events!

[@ludovitvirag3911]

Beautiful. I grew up on velodrome. Raced from around age 10 to my mid twenties. Miss it

[@nick_wammes]

Track racing is the best

[@VelasPato]

Wow i can't believe that i lived in london and never visited that velodrome amazing video 😊

[@nick_wammes]

It’s an amazing place! Thanks for watching!

[@weatheranddarkness]

I am so glad they're back open!!

[@nick_wammes]

Yes! It’s great to have such an important facility back open and accessible

[@Real_UnholySins]

@@nick_wammeswas it abandoned? And is it considered abandoned still as in no events are taking place? Or is it fully restored into it’s once former glory and events continue to surge in the beauty and it’s essence?

[@zerofound]

the production quality, holy moly. great video!

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@RyanAitcheson]

Awesome to see the classic track! Nice video!

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you! Loved being back on FCV!

[@jean-nicolasbertrand4726]

The good old 6 days at that bad baby!

[@cyclingmrc]

Calshot velodrome in the UK looks very similar to one. Steep and short. The only place I've ridden track.

[@borano2031]

This is 138 meters, I believe Calshot to be 167 so it shooould be... less steep. Rgr

[@zacharyerskine4277]

Forest city is fun. Learnt to ride track there

[@nick_wammes]

An amazing place!

[@ЯрославЛихачев-ф3д]

That’s really cool video! Thanks so much!

[@nick_wammes]

Glad you liked it!

[@Cantsaydog]

Wow 👍

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@craighughes5977]

Great video. Reminded me so much of riding the track in the Delhi arena in the 70's. Bankings of 55 degrees I've read, same builder.

[@nick_wammes]

So many amazing facilities that have come and gone over the years!

[@dh12.]

Been wanting to ride a velodrome for almost 50 years. Maybe it will happen this year. Milton is 4 hours away but over 50 degrees of banking is mind blowing

[@nick_wammes]

Milton is much shallower in the corners than FCV here in this video. You should really give Milton a try!

[@JohnWilkinson-f4k]

The one in Ghent is small and steep. It makes following a Maderson much easier.

[@nick_wammes]

They are fun to ride

[@gohumberto]

I've only ridden in a Velodrome once, at Calshott in the South of England. When you walk into the track it's pretty worrying to see just how steep the track is but, once in motion that feeling of gradient disappears. I'd ridden a lot of single-speed and fixed out on the road so I was used to that. My friends however had more of an issue with riding fixed than the actual gradient. Riding fixed, with no brakes can really catch you out at first, if you're used to free-wheeling to a halt. A "Fixie" lets you know in no uncertain terms, "No, you ain't freewheeling Mister".

[@nick_wammes]

It is absolutely a wild feeling when you first try it out!

[@justana3507]

Hey man, this is crazy. As a mountain biker I have to say that if this is where you learnt to ride in your bike sport then I think it might be harder then a lot of mountain biking.

[@robertleeimages]

1 then, is meant to be a than

[@PacificNorthwestCycling]

And i thought that Burnaby Velodrome was steep ?!?!? Great job on this video !

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@mattiemathis9549]

Oh my! I ran track, but when you said taught me how to turn left, something hit! We never ran the other way! 😂😂😂😂😂 I was taught to run left! 😂😂😂

[@nick_wammes]

Turning right feels weird! Someone else who understands!

[@mattiemathis9549]

Yup! Completely! And good for you for getting back on it! I gave up my dreams of being an Olympic athlete when my buddy beat me in a race. I’ve no regrets, I ended up in a field I loved, but there’s always that question in the back of my mind. Could I have? If I’d worked hard enough, could I have? You know your answer. Good on ya mate!

[@alexanderfpv6655]

Putting power down on a fixed gear is such an amazing experience. I couldn't imagine trying to manage that going fast on a steeply banked track.... with other racers.

[@nick_wammes]

It definitely gets pretty hectic!

[@chuckw1021]

It looks like a great place to play plckleball also.

[@nick_wammes]

Three courts on the infield!

[@johntracey8592]

Awesome production quality as always Nick 😁

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@emmett1ish]

I broke my left arm and dislocated my wrist track racing. I spent all of my recovery working out on my indoor trainer and managed to get back on the track for the last race of the season. It was a weird feeling getting back out there but I'm glad I did. I don't know how long recovery would have taken with out having that as a goal.

[@nick_wammes]

Goals are important! When I had that crash you see in the video I had a goal of being ready for junior nationals only 3 months later which would be selections for junior worlds! Made the goal and made the junior worlds team!

[@michaelnorton6677]

Whoa. Nice Vigorelli.

[@robertmelnyk-ne1cm]

Very well done, Nick. Best wishes for success in your upcoming qualifiers and competitions.

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@Salomonskier720]

Nice pickleball courts in the middle of the bike track. 🤘🏽

[@mountaintruth1deeds533]

Isn't pickleball tennis for old people🤔

[@nick_wammes]

Oh yeah!

[@jamieormonde01]

Great watch. Would be great to see a video outlining your cycling journey from start to now

[@nick_wammes]

eventually that may be a video to make!

[@bcrides1639]

Such high quality video 👍

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@BenjaminBuczkowski]

Great video! I train there all the time! You need to come by for a youth training session so you can see the up and coming stars!

[@nick_wammes]

I will have to do that!

[@germanbeer2466]

Inspiring

[@MOUNTAINOUS]

looks fun. on my bmx i would be doing alley oop airs on those walls. fakie airs and tabletops.

[@nick_wammes]

That would be interesting

[@MOUNTAINOUS]

@@nick_wammes for sure. i am over 50 and every summer i make tons of bmx videos. i can still link tailwhips into combos at my age and at 6 foot 3 and 260 pounds. i am the biggest guy on a bmx i know. but i did fun bmx vids last summer. skateparks. pump tracks. street. bmx racing etc. flatland freestyle. that place looks fun.

[@batesady]

Intimidating track! 😮

[@PizzaPokerPsych]

Nice video. Reminds me of my experiences racing on the Vandedrome. Pardon me for asking, but what happened to cause that 2015 crash? A momentary lapse of concentration due to post-race fatigue?

[@nick_wammes]

I think so yes. Just swung up too high and I was probably riding too big of a gear that I didn’t understand how to handle on that track.

[@vinnymanus7826]

I love to see it man

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@max.harvroom]

never rode on a track, ridden lots of track bikes though. i even still get out on my Eimei every so often but my old man knees sure let me know about it for hours and days after.... but 59/20 being your "training gear" made me laugh. olympian i am not haha. edit: grammar

[@nick_wammes]

It helps to have such a smooth track to ride on

[@allancoukell2911]

I live in Washington DC, where there is no velodrome (there are fewer per capita in the US than in many countries), but I have family in London, ON and have ridden FCV. I believe they got a reprieve and are back up and running again.

[@nick_wammes]

Yes! It’s amazing that FCV is able to reopen the doors for hopefully many more years!

[@Omnis2]

That's scary steep. Jeez.

[@nick_wammes]

It’s so much fun to ride!

[@jeanmarc691]

Amazing! You should try Geneva’s velodrom next, with 55° angle 😉

[@nick_wammes]

If I ever get the chance I’d love to check out Geneva!

[@tg24680]

Hi! I am a Australian and the closest indoor velodrome is in Sydney. Have you ever heard of Dunc Grey velodrome Sydney. The 2000 Olympics where held there.

[@nick_wammes]

Yes I have heard of that track! We will be racing out in Adelaide in about a month!

[@Dirtandoars]

Well done Nick!

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you for watching!

[@nick_wammes]

And thank you for all you’ve done to help get the track reopened!

[@Chico-Dee1]

Great video. If you ever make it to the states try out the Lexus Velodrome in Detroit Michigan!

[@nick_wammes]

That’s the plan this fall!

[@Chico-Dee1]

@@nick_wammesSee you there!!

[@warrenthiessen4682]

As a kid I always dreamed of being a track cyclist but living in southern Manitoba there was no facility anywhere to try it.

[@nick_wammes]

It’s definitely a very niche sport and unfortunately not many facilities exist in Canada

[@MarqueeMarkVI]

Is it much shorter and steeper than the Burnaby Velodrome?

[@nick_wammes]

Yes by quite a bit.

[@mxmphis666]

Hey nick! can i ask why do you ride with such thin rims? because i usually see track cycling with deep rims

[@nick_wammes]

@@mxmphis666 just for training

[@shawncruz732]

Damn very good camera angles

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you!

[@jensenhealey907efi]

Why does your bike make that clicking noise? I would have thought a track bike would be nearly silent. The noise i am talking about appears at two spots in the video. At 3:32 and 5:00

[@nick_wammes]

It’s just the chain when I’m back pedalling.

[@liam_dawson]

great video, cool to see!

[@nick_wammes]

thank you!

[@michaelheaven9883]

There is a track in the UK called Calshot which I’m pretty certain it’s shorter and steeper.

[@nick_wammes]

No it’s not. Calshot is 142m with 42° banking. FCV is 138m with 51° banking

[@michaelheaven9883]

@@nick_wammes ahh cool. Calshot was resurfaced and lengthened years ago. Prior to that it was a very bumpy, terrifying experience with catch netting at the top and I flying lap time of around 8-9 seconds

[@Anon.User.602]

What motivates you to ride in a velodrome? Bad weather? Consistency? How do you compare it to Zwift/or any indoor cycling setting?

[@nick_wammes]

It’s not comparable. Zwift and indoor training is so boring compared to the track

[@sd30001]

Why do the cycling tracks vary? Why don’t they make them standard turn angles, etc for the sport like athletics tracks?

[@nick_wammes]

A lot of times it’s because they are designed around the building they are being put in, for example the Milton track needed to have capability on the infield for 3 indoor basketball courts. A lot of velodrome are multi use facilities because velodromes alone aren’t always feasible. Different tracks also help make the competitions a bit more exciting because you need to learn the quirks of new tracks

[@ex1stgames]

Close the bar as you come in.

[@nick_wammes]

Yes it did get closed

[@MorningCarnival]

years ago there was a track in the uk with 60degree banking….it was a bit scarey…

[@nick_wammes]

That does sound scary

[@workshopninjathe1st]

Never take infrastructure like this to be around forever - they take a lot of work from many dedicated people to keep them going. I live in Portland OR where our only velodrome is privately owned and now closed to the public forever due to a change of ownership. It is very sad when a place with a large grassroots following with many successful events closes its doors.

[@whynotride327]

You are SO correct. I am involved with the Cleveland Velodrome and the amount of yearly maintenance required, due to weather, is rather staggering. I am glad to help because I never thought we would have anything like this in Cleveland but we need more younger people to get involved.

[@sdfilyer]

Fun to see Kyle on the Drone

[@nick_wammes]

Yes! Was great to have the help!

[@Alex.Mellen]

I love FCV! It's a wild experience compared to riding Milton

[@nick_wammes]

It really is! The corners are the best feeling!

[@salmonella508]

Are toe straps on the pedals required or is that just your preference?

[@nick_wammes]

Just preference. Most sprinters wear toe straps

[@Fin-fang-foom]

250m? or 333m?

[@nick_wammes]

138m

[@Fin-fang-foom]

​@@nick_wammes😅

[@Milo-wl2if]

@@nick_wammesthat is tight! I have ridden Calshot Velodrome, Southampton, UK at 142m. The film doesn’t capture just how terrifyingly steep the banking is.

[@nick_wammes]

@@Milo-wl2if yes that is very hard to capture! It’s something you’ll really only understand if you ride it!

[@kevinstanley3581]

Reminds me of the Motol velodrome in Prague. Length 153.8 metres Angle 52°. This is covered by what is a giant tent. Very little room for spectators. My young teenage daughter rides it. Frightens the s**t out of me. Seen a few crashes there. So fast, you get a bad neck watching as the riders whizz past. You need nerves of steel to ride on tracks like this.

[@phillipzx3754]

Seems odd the straight sections are also slopped. Looking at the tires as they make contact with the track, they're at an angle other than 90 degrees. The edge of the tire rather, than the center, is the part making contact.

[@nick_wammes]

What?

[@phillipzx3754]

@@nick_wammes When the bike is on the straight section, the tires are at an angle to the track. It's pretty easy to see. The rider/bike is straight up and down. On the banks he's going fast enough he can lean the bike and not fall. Can't lean the bike on the straight sections or you'll get in an argument with gravity. Watch him at about the 3:59-minute mark and you'll see what I mean.

[@nick_wammes]

@@phillipzx3754 yes. Him is me. If the straights weren’t sloped you would crash because it would be very hard to make the transition into the corner

[@phillipzx3754]

@@nick_wammes Like I said...it seems odd to ride on the edge of the tire like that. Daytona (as an example) has flat straight sections with banked corners. They seem to make the transition ok?

[@nick_wammes]

@@phillipzx3754 they’re on four wheels and I’m on two…..do you understand that a bike only has two wheels?

[@josephinebennington7247]

what’s the clacking sound?

[@nick_wammes]

I’m not sure. Might be my chain

[@ConnorCanRead]

Standardization of track cycling equipment would do a lot for accessibility in the sport, eh? Probably a skosh more than one particular velodrome staying open, but the videos about the sentimentality. Intro to the sports a bit secondary.

[@nick_wammes]

No I don’t quite agree with that. I started out on some pretty basic rental equipment that I borrowed from the FCV. Most of these facilities all have rental fleets that people can borrow from. Without a facility like this I wouldn’t be in the sport. I didn’t upgrade my equipment until I progressed much further in the sport.

[@Flashback_Jack]

Great presentation. Only thing that would have added to the polish is if you had set not just the video project to the 21:9 aspect you cropped the video to, but if your video editing software is anything like Sony Vegas, you also have to edit the clip aspect as 21:9 as well to ensure the extra space aren't black bars, but void space taken up by the grey KZbin video background.

[@nick_wammes]

Thank you for the critical feedback.

[@JackqueGuro]

The bike is sick But i have a question, Do you ever ride your bike in the streets? Or do you just use it for your tracks.

[@nick_wammes]

Only on track

[@macemalik5269]

hey nick i was wondering on how do you have a strap on cleats

[@nick_wammes]

They attach with zip ties through the back of the pedal. There is a tutorial on my shorts page!

[@j4s0n67]

is there a reason you touched your tire before going onto the velodrome?

[@nick_wammes]

Just to clean off any little bits of dirt that may have gotten stuck to the tire

[@55higi]

Hey nick isn’t the Lexus Velodrome in Detroit just as steep?

[@nick_wammes]

I don’t think it’s as steep as FCV. It’s also a bit longer of a track so could be a degree or two shallower.

[@edrcozonoking]

Lexus velodrome is 50 degrees.

[@martybates9728]

Looks like the one in London Ontario

[@martybates9728]

Should have waited until the video started, went there to watch qhen it first opened

[@nick_wammes]

It’s an amazing place to ride and watch some racing!

[@AimlessBoi_]

I want Cycling especially track races to be as popular as soccer or bascketball

[@sdfilyer]

How fast was that Nick?

[@nick_wammes]

It wasn’t too fast. It was just a casual ride.

[@secretagent86]

138 meters and 50 degree banking according to google. I rode pan am 67. Velodrome with 33 degree banking. And 400 meters.. we thought that was steep. It was concrete and not at all fast..i rode it 1973 -1977

[@maxmotors9497]

1. Go fast 2. Turn left (Repeat)

[@nick_wammes]

Absolutely!

[@hanschristianwolffdr.1635]

The track is quite small - just 138m long. If I estimate the radius of the curves by r=12m the speed v=15m/s the slope is estimated by arctan(v*v/r/g)~62°. It may be more than 51°. So, what's the radius of the curve? ... g=9.81m/s/s

[@nick_wammes]

Interesting analysis

[@tampazeke4587]

It looks like it doubles as pickle ball courts.

[@nick_wammes]

Yes there are pickleball courts on the infield now!

[@irton4ikfn295]

Try to ride Lviv track thats realy spicial and great

[@nick_wammes]

Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to explore more tracks

[@rickpaulos]

steeper than the Vandedrome?

[@arturnichvolodov]

in ukraine Lviv area we have velodrome 49-51degree

[@kingofcastlechaos]

Leaving that gate open is pretty dangerous. They scream about that around here.

[@nick_wammes]

Yes I was the only one there. Otherwise it would have always been closed

[@井実芳仁]

It is like wall😮

[@nick_wammes]

Pretty much!

[@itsianwood]

Come to Prague's Motol velodrome! You'll s**t your pants! :-) but we love it!

[@nick_wammes]

I think after riding FCV nothing will scare me more

[@brianalexander7784]

I understand steep banking for race car tracks, but I don’t really think it’s that necessary for much slower bicycles…😂

[@nick_wammes]

Try racing a bicycle around a flat track. You won’t be able to go very fast