Ghettodrome. Interest/Thoughts.

Yo.

I took a little bit of influence for this from the HIpster 100 in NZ… and thought I would see what your opinion of doing it in Sydney (kinda) is…

Hipster 100 on Vimeo

Kinda gets the gist of it. Essentially what I’m thinking is some ghetto-styled track racing. With a bit of alleycat vibes mixed in.

Take an old track/field/velodromish area (West Gosford Athletic Track), organise some sponsors and get everyone onboard (a train) for a day of track(ish) racing.

I still gotta formulate some rules, a date and if anyone could be shitted to get to gosford (free beer? free food? free stuff?), but i reckon it could be good. Not many events are happening in sydney of late and its something a little different.

West Gosford’s velodrome (my old home town, did sports carnivals there) is an old asphalt running track. Very ghetto, but the fun part would really be seeing dudes have fun on a track on all kinds of bikes, trick, CX, fixed, track, etc.

What are your thoughts? I’m keen to organise this if all of you could be arsed to get there. (train, and then a 5-10 minute ride to the track from the station. Takes about 1.2 hours on a train.)

Thoughts? Abuse? Etc.

EDIT: Turns out my unloved hometown isn’t as run down as i thought, and is still regularly used for track riding every week.

Since this is so - I propose we do it on a different day from their training, possibly not tell the people who run it, to avoid fees, and to do it anyway.

Double Post - my internet is rooted…

sounds awesome. id be up for it

Ditto. Quite like the idea of finding somewhere disused, long and straight for a day of sprint races too - wouldn’t have a clue where you could do it, but reckon it would be a blast.

I would like to have some ghetto sprints, but in a straight line. That or a crit for fixed gear only around an industrial estate or something similar. Instead of using a velodrome on the sly, it’s pretty fun to get a license and use it for real. It’s a bit dangerous on the banks with people who haven’t used one before, and I wouldn’t ride my pride and joy in such a situation.

Noble park velodrome hasn’t been used in years.

How about a crit and sprints? Surely we can find an old industrial estate nearly. I know of a few in alexandriaish area that would be useful.

That’s a long train ride from Sydney.

About a year ago this would have sounded amazing to me, but since I’ve signed up with a club and started at the track, the idea is a bit less exciting. Sorry that’s not much help to you… What Rhys said, basically.

I understand the track would be infinitely better, but this would be more about something that is free, non-exclusive (trick/track/street bikes, etc) and not as ‘formal’ in a way.

I can organize a Tour de Liverpool.

Highlight’s can include:

A criterium around Miller car park shops (looking to pinch stereo’s)
next stop: Cash Convertors (to pawn abovementioned stereo)
followed by a quick stop at the Commercial Hotel to score a $20 bag
next: centrelink just to give out some abuse … extra points for yelling “you’se are all racist cvnts”
Video-Ezy to pick up a copy of Lethal Weapon 3 (might as well get an Electric Blue as it’s 2 for 1)
the Hill Climb will be up Elizabeth Drive
and last stop will be Mounties Community Club as you’d left the kids in the play centre instead of paying for day care.

That’s Ghetto. Similar tours of Dharruk, Minto, Lakemba, Shalvey will follow if anyone’s interested :wink:

That sounds good Ben, but I’d like to hang on to my bike and shoes :slight_smile:
Also drozzy, there are rides where you can hang out with trick/track/street bikes such as the Sunday arvo Martin Place ride. Maybe you could get them in on organising stuff, they put on heaps of events last year that were great fun.

we had sprints in the canberra drains and that shit was fun(i learnt 52/14 was no good over 333 mtrs) just like grease water in the middle and all. King of the Drains.
What about Lidcome oval ,round not any bank and nice spot. not sure how used it is though.

Those pavement panther t shirts are awesome.

What the hell am I doing in the Sydney forum?
Scatterbrainz

dude … you really wanna join the dark side :wink:

One day man, one day.
I always say I’ll move away from home when I finish my Apprenticeship. Go hang with my family in Liverpool, England, or go make some friends in Sydney.

Im definately in for it if its in Gosford. Theyre not massive banks at West Gosford so its definately a track pretty much anyone can ride.

what about the ‘track’ in Hurstville?
i’ve had a burn around many times, its nothing serious at all, but there are weekly training sessions, it’s close to the trains (if you don’t get stabbed and rolled by the 17yr old ayshunz/fobs on your way out).

i’ve always had the chance of the gates being open when i dropped by, and whenever council/maintenance crews were on the field they never bothered me.

anyways, my two cents.