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This page is to assist new Cycle Speedway riders in understanding the set up of a Bicycle for the sport and any other useful information that may assist them in the sport.
All information on this page is to be used as a guide and should be fine tuned to suit the rider and bicycle!
Please check this page against the rule book for verification of the Rules
LET'S BEGIN
In Australia we race various bicycle sizes and configurations compared with England and other countries.
FRAMES
Most sixteen inch bikes and a lot of twenty inch bikes have BMX frames.
So lets' start with the frame BMX type frames which are longer than an "A" frame bike, they are also squatter that is the point of balance is closer to the ground.
Cycle Speedway is short circuit racing so a longer framed bike tends to ride a wide ride line but this must be taken inconsideration with the rider. At this stage we are talking about riders under the age of thirteen years, some riders feel more comfortable racing a BMX frame bike because of the point of balance factor, the rider feels he/she has more control over the bike.And Cycle Speedway tracks are design for 26" bikes so the ride line of 16 and 20 inch bike will be different (shorter) anyway. As a young rider grows they tend move to the "A" frame bike around the age of ten / eleven years old, but again this often is a mental barrier to some riders and it depends how he/she adapts from the BMX to "A" frame bike.No matter what frame is used a light weight frame is a must.
26" bike frames
Various frames are used from the standard "A" frames to Aces, Archies, Young Racing frames and the now more common mountain bike frames. All these frames have a few things in common lightness and strength but every rider will give a different frame preference so the frame must suit the rider.
One important aspect of the frame besides lightness is strength at the back stays, when you gate all the rider' pressure is channelled through the power chain to the back wheel but if the frame flexes at the back stays thats' wasted energy.And I think this is where the mountain bike frame comes to the fore.
Forks Strong and straight The forks in any bicycle sport take a lot of punishment and Cycle Speedway is no different. So light strong forks are a prize worth looking for, here in Australia front forks are mostly made / modified to suit riders needs .
Handle Bars What we call Pommy Handle Bars! In the rules handle bars can be 75 cm wide but the rule of thumb is generally the width of the rider' shoulders ( again this is up to the rider ).One aspect a lot of new riders don't realise is that by having the handle bar width the same or smaller than shoulder width, is that this keeps the rider' power weight ratio inline with the centre of the bicycle.This also helps when you get a bump while racing. Light and strong is also needed here for I have seen many handle bars bent and broken after a fall. Handle bars need good grips and must be plugged at the ends.
Head set stem Many and varied mose used head set stems that move the handle bars forward
Seat Stem Again many and varied but a stem that moves the seat towards the back wheel, giving weight over the back wheel when cornering.
Seat Whatever suits the rider
Wheels Aluminum rims with sealed bearings .The size depends on the bike and the division the rider races in .eg: 16" wheels would be 16 x 1 3/8 against 16 x 1.75 although they both are 16" the first has a bigger diameter thus more travel per revolution .This applies to 20" wheels also . But 26" wheels choices have to be made carefully due to the availability of tyres.This along with frame choice is one of the most important choices for Cycle Speedway riders because good tyres are must for dolomite track racing The axles thread must not protrude 5 mm past a single wheel nut.The rear wheel must be a free wheel single gearing. ( no brakes)
Tyres Nobly tread with tread slightly on the side for cornering. The larger bikes have a problem in Australia with tyre choice limited and this is the reason wheel choice is critical.
Bottom Brackets This is your crank axle, seal bearings is the best due to dust and low maintenance.Also make sure the axle suits your cranks.
Cranks Alloy , spider type,good quality and the length to suit the bike and rider
Pedals In Australia no full metal pedals that is the pedal must not have a metal grip / tread. Also no toe clip , straps etc.
Chain Good quality sealed chain that suits your chain rings
The bicycle should not have any dangerous fitments fitted
Fine Tuning the bike to the body
Well you're basicaly got your bike together. now to set it up. You could just ride it but you do need to fine tune it to the rider.
First the seat height, with the rider sitting on the seat and with the crank at the bottom and in line with the seat tube, the rider's leg should be still slightly bent.A good starting point would be the measurement from the seat to the pedal in the above position, that measurement should be 109 % of the rider' inside leg measurement.
Handle bar height usually set at the lowest position but this may change slightly with a rider's gating stance.
Gearing This may be the most frustrating part for the 16 and 20 inch bike riders, as for the 26" riders they usually start with 33 X 18 ( 33 teeth front cog X 18 teeth rear cog ) with only a few changing that combination.Although with the changing to mountain bike wheels same ratio changes will have to be made.
One of the first things you need to decide is whether the rider is a twiddle ( light ) or pusher ( heavy )that is if the rider perfers to run a heavy or light gearing.For all riders trial and error will be the order of the day for gear sellection.
Calculation Front cog times Wheel and Tyre diameter divide Rear cog.
EG: for 26" wheel 33 X 27 /18 = 49.5 higher the answer the heavier the gear
If you want distance travelled in one revelution times the answer by 3.142 (pi)
eg: 49.5" X 3.142 equals 155.5 " travelled in one pedal rotation
Gear Ratio Calculation Chart for 20" X 1 3/8 "wheel using common combinations
Heavy gearing Light gearing
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Gear Ratio Calculation Chart for 16" X 13/8" using common combinations
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Gear Ratio Calculator this will send you to the Aussie Cycling site calculator.
An Universal Gear Ratio Chart
courtesy of Shane Carter a Salisbury Rider
This Ratio Chart works with all wheel sizes, it gives the ratio between the gears. If you times the Wheel & tyre size by the gear ratio you get the same as the above.The good about this is one chart for all bike sizes.
|
|
24 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
19 |
18 |
17 |
16 |
15 |
14 |
13 |
12 |
|
48 |
2.0000 |
2.0870 |
2.1818 |
2.2857 |
2.4000 |
2.5263 |
2.6667 |
2.8235 |
3.0000 |
3.2000 |
3.4286 |
3.6923 |
4.0000 |
|
47 |
1.9583 |
2.0435 |
2.1364 |
2.2381 |
2.3500 |
2.4737 |
2.6111 |
2.7647 |
2.9375 |
3.1333 |
3.3571 |
3.6154 |
3.9167 |
|
46 |
1.9167 |
2.0000 |
2.0909 |
2.1905 |
2.3000 |
2.4211 |
2.5556 |
2.7059 |
2.8750 |
3.0667 |
3.2857 |
3.5385 |
3.8333 |
|
45 |
1.8750 |
1.9565 |
2.0455 |
2.1429 |
2.2500 |
2.3684 |
2.5000 |
2.6471 |
2.8125 |
3.0000 |
3.2143 |
3.4615 |
3.7500 |
|
44 |
1.8333 |
1.9130 |
2.0000 |
2.0952 |
2.2000 |
2.3158 |
2.4444 |
2.5882 |
2.7500 |
2.9333 |
3.1429 |
3.3846 |
3.6667 |
|
43 |
1.7917 |
1.8696 |
1.9545 |
2.0476 |
2.1500 |
2.2632 |
2.3889 |
2.5294 |
2.6875 |
2.8667 |
3.0714 |
3.3077 |
3.5833 |
|
42 |
1.7500 |
1.8261 |
1.9091 |
2.0000 |
2.1000 |
2.2105 |
2.3333 |
2.4706 |
2.6250 |
2.8000 |
3.0000 |
3.2308 |
3.5000 |
|
41 |
1.7083 |
1.7826 |
1.8636 |
1.9524 |
2.0500 |
2.1579 |
2.2778 |
2.4118 |
2.5625 |
2.7333 |
2.9286 |
3.1538 |
3.4167 |
|
40 |
1.6667 |
1.7391 |
1.8182 |
1.9048 |
2.0000 |
2.1053 |
2.2222 |
2.3529 |
2.5000 |
2.6667 |
2.8571 |
3.0769 |
3.3333 |
|
39 |
1.6250 |
1.6957 |
1.7727 |
1.8571 |
1.9500 |
2.0526 |
2.1667 |
2.2941 |
2.4375 |
2.6000 |
2.7857 |
3.0000 |
3.2500 |
|
38 |
1.5833 |
1.6522 |
1.7273 |
1.8095 |
1.9000 |
2.0000 |
2.1111 |
2.2353 |
2.3750 |
2.5333 |
2.7143 |
2.9231 |
3.1667 |
|
37 |
1.5417 |
1.6087 |
1.6818 |
1.7619 |
1.8500 |
1.9474 |
2.0556 |
2.1765 |
2.3125 |
2.4667 |
2.6429 |
2.8462 |
3.0833 |
|
36 |
1.5000 |
1.5652 |
1.6364 |
1.7143 |
1.8000 |
1.8947 |
2.0000 |
2.1176 |
2.2500 |
2.4000 |
2.5714 |
2.7692 |
3.0000 |
|
35 |
1.4583 |
1.5217 |
1.5909 |
1.6667 |
1.7500 |
1.8421 |
1.9444 |
2.0588 |
2.1875 |
2.3333 |
2.5000 |
2.6923 |
2.9167 |
|
34 |
1.4167 |
1.4783 |
1.5455 |
1.6190 |
1.7000 |
1.7895 |
1.8889 |
2.0000 |
2.1250 |
2.2667 |
2.4286 |
2.6154 |
2.8333 |
|
33 |
1.3750 |
1.4348 |
1.5000 |
1.5714 |
1.6500 |
1.7368 |
1.8333 |
1.9412 |
2.0625 |
2.2000 |
2.3571 |
2.5385 |
2.7500 |
|
32 |
1.3333 |
1.3913 |
1.4545 |
1.5238 |
1.6000 |
1.6842 |
1.7778 |
1.8824 |
2.0000 |
2.1333 |
2.2857 |
2.4615 |
2.6667 |
|
31 |
1.2917 |
1.3478 |
1.4091 |
1.4762 |
1.5500 |
1.6316 |
1.7222 |
1.8235 |
1.9375 |
2.0667 |
2.2143 |
2.3846 |
2.5833 |
|
30 |
1.2500 |
1.3043 |
1.3636 |
1.4286 |
1.5000 |
1.5789 |
1.6667 |
1.7647 |
1.8750 |
2.0000 |
2.1429 |
2.3077 |
2.5000 |
|
29 |
1.2083 |
1.2609 |
1.3182 |
1.3810 |
1.4500 |
1.5263 |
1.6111 |
1.7059 |
1.8125 |
1.9333 |
2.0714 |
2.2308 |
2.4167 |
|
28 |
1.1667 |
1.2174 |
1.2727 |
1.3333 |
1.4000 |
1.4737 |
1.5556 |
1.6471 |
1.7500 |
1.8667 |
2.0000 |
2.1538 |
2.3333 |
|
27 |
1.1250 |
1.1739 |
1.2273 |
1.2857 |
1.3500 |
1.4211 |
1.5000 |
1.5882 |
1.6875 |
1.8000 |
1.9286 |
2.0769 |
2.2500 |
|
26 |
1.0833 |
1.1304 |
1.1818 |
1.2381 |
1.3000 |
1.3684 |
1.4444 |
1.5294 |
1.6250 |
1.7333 |
1.8571 |
2.0000 |
2.1667 |
|
25 |
1.0417 |
1.0870 |
1.1364 |
1.1905 |
1.2500 |
1.3158 |
1.3889 |
1.4706 |
1.5625 |
1.6667 |
1.7857 |
1.9231 |
2.0833 |
|
24 |
1.0000 |
1.0435 |
1.0909 |
1.1429 |
1.2000 |
1.2632 |
1.3333 |
1.4118 |
1.5000 |
1.6000 |
1.7143 |
1.8462 |
2.0000 |
|
23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.7692 |
1.9167 |
|
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.8333 |
Tips and Hints
Tyres We race in an anti clockwise direction so tyres will wear on one side so turn the tyres on the rim, when that side wears. This will give a second life out of your tyres !!! The tyre with the best tread should also be on the front wheel..
Chains Dolomite tracks are dirty and dusty, so chains will get dirty one way of cleaning the chain is to remove the chain and wash in two-stroke fuel . Allow the chain to drip dry, this will clean and lube the chain.Various commerical sprays can also be used!! CLEAN REGULARLY this reduces wear.
Wheels Good quality aluminum rims with sealed bearing, looked after always keep there value
Here's a Tip
Don't fall off by David Cowburn old Salisbury rider
More To Come
If you have some handy hints or tips EMAIL ME
Back Pedal
Address -Tangent Ave. Salisbury North. South Australia Phone - (08) 8281 3447 Web Editor - EMAIL
Last updated Monday, 11 April 2011
SALISBURY CYCLE SPEEDWAY
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