Learning to Ride (Track vs Street)

[shmike]

Originally Posted by Trip

So there's the answer. It's not something you learn at track.

You will not learn to ride in rush hour traffic at the track.

Did you really need a thread to tell you that?

(Legal) riding in an urban environment is not what many would consider "riding well", it is survival riding.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by shmike

You will not learn to ride in rush hour traffic at the track.

Did you really need a thread to tell you that?

(Legal) riding in an urban environment is not what many would consider "riding well", it is survival riding.

thats why I offered him up a trip to manhattan on a nice afternoon LOL

[Trip]

Originally Posted by shmike

(Legal) riding in an urban environment is not what many would consider "riding well", it is survival riding.

Riding well doesn't have to be knee on the ground, just more than capable of riding in the environment you are in.

[Sean]

Street riding and track riding are two different skill sets. I've known fast track riders that were slow on the street and fast street riders that were slow on the track.

Track riding can definitely increase your safety envelope on the street. It gives you a safe environment to improve your cornering ability. If your maximum speed through that corner is 50mph, at 45 you're at 90% of your ability--you've only got 10% left. Increase your maximum speed to 60 and you've now got a 25% margin to play with.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by Sean

Street riding and track riding are two different skill sets. I've known fast track riders that were slow on the street and fast street riders that were slow on the track.

Track riding can definitely increase your safety envelope on the street. It gives you a safe environment to improve your cornering ability. If your maximum speed through that corner is 50mph, at 45 you're at 90% of your ability--you've only got 10% left. Increase your maximum speed to 60 and you've now got a 25% margin to play with.

This is where I was trying to go, sorry for my lack of finding a good explaination. Thanks Sean, good post.

[azoomm]

I know plenty of people that race/track ride a ton that are slow on the street. Why? Because they HAVE a place to ride 90%, the track.

A slow street rider does not equate an incapable rider.

[the chi]

Originally Posted by Trip

So there's the answer. It's not something you learn at track.

Of course not. No lanes, no traffic, no teeny boppers texting trying to kill you...definitely not something you learn on the track. You should have been more clear.

Originally Posted by azoomm

I know plenty of people that race/track ride a ton that are slow on the street. Why? Because they HAVE a place to ride 90%, the track.

A slow street rider does not equate an incapable rider.

Quoted FTMFT!

[CrazyKell]

In my opinion track riding is an amazing tool that can teach you a lot of skills transferrable to the street.

The track can teach you how to react in certain situations and more importantly care and control of your bike. A lot of people are just unaware of what their bike is capable of and it clouds their reactions, leading to incidents.

[z06boy]

I can see track riding 'helping' you ride on the street but by no means will is help as much as actually riding on the street. Urban riding is totally different and although track riding will help...you'll still be a n00b when you hit the city...it's just totally different.

Riding out in the country and in the mountains I can see track experience helping a great deal more.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by z06boy

I can see track riding 'helping' you ride on the street but by no means will is help as much as actually riding on the street. Urban riding is totally different and although track riding will help...you'll still be a n00b when you hit the city...it's just totally different.

Riding out in the country and in the mountains I can see track experience helping a great deal more.

I have a friend of mine who lives upstate and has good roads right in his backyard. Up there I can barely keep up with him, bu the knows the roads and is a skilled rider. We came down to NYC for a bike night and it was like night and day in dealing with traffic and weaving through stuff. Every few lights we had to wait till he caught up to us.