<p>Track cycling is the part of the sport that most road cyclists walk past without ever trying. The banked oval, the fixed gear bikes, the weird race formats with names like Keirin and Madison, it all looks a bit alien from the outside. Get on the track for the first time though and it clicks almost immediately. The speeds, the tactics, the pure physics of riding a banked surface at pace, there's nothing else in cycling quite like it.</p><p>If you've been curious but not sure where to start, here's everything you need to know.</p><h2>What Is a Velodrome</h2><p>A velodrome is a purpose-built oval track designed specifically for track cycling. Tracks typically range from 133 to 500 meters per lap, with the corners steeply banked, sometimes up to 45 degrees, to allow riders to carry speed through the turns without slipping or losing momentum.</p><p>The banking is what makes a velodrome feel so different from anything else. At speed on a steeply banked corner, you're essentially riding perpendicular to the ground. The centrifugal force of the turn is what keeps you on the track rather than falling inward. It's disorienting the first time, and then it becomes one of the most satisfying sensations in cycling.</p><p>Velodromes can be indoors or outdoors. Indoor tracks are typically made of Siberian pine or similar wood, which provides a smooth, fast surface and allows year-round riding regardless of weather. Outdoor tracks are usually concrete or asphalt and more accessible for casual use but subject to weather conditions.</p><p>You'll notice several colored lines on the track surface. The black measurement line runs along the inside of the track and marks the official lap distance. The red sprinter's line sits about 85cm from the black line and defines the sprinter's lane, a zone with specific rules about overtaking during sprint events. The blue Cote d'Azur band at the bottom of the banking divides the racing surface from the infield apron, where riders warm up and slow down after efforts.</p><p>Canyon has a solid breakdown of track bike geometry and velodrome lines <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.canyon.com/en-us/blog-content/road-cycling-news/track-cycling-beginners-guide/b16042024-1.html">here</a>!</p><h2>Track Bikes Are Different From Road Bikes</h2><p><img src="https://imagedelivery.net/lLmNeOP7HXG0OqaG97wimw/67b075f3-6abc-402f-bccc-19a4b260cdc2/a900d15d-6d6d-41f7-9f3b-a37b1c8a8a9d/public" alt="A fixed gear track bike on a velodrome banking showing the aerodynamic frame and no brakes">Track bikes look like road bikes that had everything unnecessary stripped away, because that's essentially what they are. A few key differences from what you're used to:</p><p>No brakes. Track bikes have no braking system at all. You slow down by resisting the pedals since the drivetrain is fixed, meaning you can't coast. The rear wheel follows the crank, always. Stopping requires easing pressure on the pedals and gradually resisting until you slow to a stop.</p><p>Fixed gear drivetrain. There's one gear, no shifting, no freewheel. The crank and the rear wheel are directly connected. When the wheel turns, the cranks turn. When you stop pedaling, the cranks keep moving with the wheel. This takes some adjustment, especially through corners where your instinct might be to stop pedaling and coast.</p><p>Aerodynamic geometry. Track bikes are built for pure speed on a closed, flat oval. The geometry is aggressive, the handlebars are usually drop bars with no brake levers, and the frames are stiff and aerodynamic in a way that prioritizes straight-line power delivery over comfort or handling flexibility.</p><p>Most velodromes rent or loan track bikes to beginners, so you don't need to own one to try it. For your first few sessions, a loaner bike from the velodrome is the smart move.</p><h2>The Main Race Formats</h2><p>Track cycling has more race formats than almost any other cycling discipline, which is part of what makes it so interesting to watch and race. Here are the main ones worth knowing:</p><h3>Sprint</h3><p>Two riders, head to head, over two or three laps. The tactics are fascinating. Riders often slow to a near standstill in the middle of the race, sometimes balancing on the track in a track stand, trying to force the other rider to lead out. Whoever leads gives up their draft advantage, which in a two lap sprint at full gas is a significant disadvantage. The final few hundred meters are usually an all-out explosion of speed.</p><h3>Kerin</h3><p>Six to eight riders start behind a motorized pacer called a derny, which gradually increases speed over several laps before pulling off the track. Once the derny exits, the riders sprint for the finish line. The Keirin originated in Japan where it's been a professional sport with significant gambling culture since the 1940s. It's now an Olympic event and one of the most exciting formats in track cycling to watch.</p><h3>Points Race</h3><p>A mass start endurance event where points are awarded to the top finishers in intermediate sprints held every few laps, with bonus points for lapping the field. Tactics matter enormously. You can win a points race without winning a single sprint if you lap the field, which is worth 20 points and changes everything.</p><h3>Madison</h3><p>One of the most visually spectacular formats in track cycling. Teams of two riders take turns as the active racer, exchanging by physically slinging their partner up to speed with a hand or arm throw. Points are awarded in intermediate sprints throughout the race. The constant exchanges happening at full race speed while other riders are sprinting around the track make it look completely chaotic, but it's a highly tactical format once you understand how the exchanges and point accumulation work.</p><h3>Pursuit</h3><p>Individual and team pursuit events involve riders starting on opposite sides of the track and racing to either catch the other team or post the fastest time over a set distance. Individual pursuit is typically 4,000 meters for men and 3,000 meters for women at the elite level. It's a pure time trial effort that rewards sustained power output and pacing precision.</p><h3>Omnium</h3><p>The Omnium is track cycling's version of a combined event, similar to a decathlon in athletics. Riders compete across multiple disciplines in a single session, accumulating points based on their results in each event. It's an Olympic discipline and one of the best introductions to the range of what track cycling demands, because you need both sprint power and endurance to do well across the full set of events.</p><h2>How to Get Started</h2><p><img src="https://imagedelivery.net/lLmNeOP7HXG0OqaG97wimw/67b075f3-6abc-402f-bccc-19a4b260cdc2/995e40cb-e920-4a71-a8e4-bc3ac04e4d5c/public" alt="Cyclists riding on a velodrome">The barrier to entry for track cycling is lower than most people assume. Most velodromes offer <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="cycling events">beginner introduction sessions</a> specifically designed for people who have never ridden a track bike before. These sessions cover the basics of fixed gear riding, how to use the banking safely, track etiquette, and the fundamental skills you need before you can participate in any racing.</p><p>USA Cycling maintains a directory of velodromes across the United States at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://usacycling.org">usacycling.org</a>, which is the easiest way to find what's near you. Some of the best known facilities in the country include the Hellyer Park Velodrome in San Jose, California, the Velo Sports Center in Carson, California, which hosted the 2028 Olympic track cycling events, the Washington Area Bicyclists Association velodrome in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, known as T-Town, which runs one of the most active racing programs in the country.</p><p>Go to a session, rent a bike, and take it slow the first few laps. The banking feels intimidating at first. Resist the urge to slow down through the corners, because counterintuitively, the faster you go the more stable you feel on the banking. Speed is what keeps you from sliding down the track.</p><h2>Why Road Cyclists Should Try It</h2><p>Track cycling builds fitness and skills that translate directly back to road racing. The efforts are short and intense, which develops anaerobic capacity and sprint power in a way that long road miles simply don't. Riding a fixed gear bike also improves pedaling technique because you can't mask an uneven stroke the way you can on a geared bike with a freewheel.</p><p>The group dynamics and tactical thinking involved in bunch track events like the Points Race and Madison also sharpen the kind of racing instincts that make you better in a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://roll.ooo/blog/what-is-a-criterium-race">criterium</a> or road race. Riders who spend time on the track tend to develop a smoother, more confident pack riding style.</p><p>And it's just genuinely fun in a way that's hard to explain until you've done it. The controlled environment, the speed, the pure simplicity of a fixed gear bike on a banked oval. It's a different kind of cycling that most road riders find surprisingly addictive once they try it.</p><h2>Find Cycling Events and Track Races Near You</h2><p>Track races and velodrome events are listed on BikeReg throughout the season. Roll pulls <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://roll.ooo/blog/find-bike-events-near-you">cycling events</a> from BikeReg into one searchable calendar so you can find what's happening near you without hunting across multiple websites. Search at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://roll.ooo">roll.ooo</a> and filter by event type to find track racing in your area.</p><p></p><p align="center" style='text-align: center;'><small><a target="_blank" href="https://www.synscribe.com/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_campaign=attribution&amp;utm_content=cmsnf2vqd000je8pbb1y2lpoi">Powered by Synscribe</a></small></p>

Track cycling is one of the most exciting and accessible forms of bike racing there is. Here's everything you need to know about velodromes, race formats, and how to get started.

 Track Cycling 101: What Is a Velodrome and How Do You Race?

Track cycling is one of the most exciting and accessible forms of bike racing there is. Here's everything you need to know about velodromes, race...