Cycle Speedway Equipment
To compete in a race a rider must have access to a bike, helmet, gloves, racing shirt, track bottoms and some suitable footwear. Most equipment can be loaned from your club to begin with.
The bike is the only specialised piece of equipment a rider will require and it can come in several guises. A brand new machine could set you back hundreds of pounds but second hand bikes can be picked up quite cheaply.
A cycle speedway bike has several key features
- Brakes
- There aren't any. Your feet, friction or occaisionally another rider usually do the trick. Because cycle speedway is a contact sport the bikes need to be as safe as possible which means the number of moving/dangerous parts needs to be kept to a minimum. No brakes, gears, trip computers or trick nuts will be found on a cycle speedway bike.
- Handle bars
- The handle bars (called Canadian Bends)
are moulded into a rounded 'w' shape. This helps reduce the width of the bike for those shoulder to shoulder charges down the back straight. - Tyres
- The tyres come in 26" and 24" sizes and are covered in moulded studs to provide grip on the slippery shale surface. Mountain bike wheels and tyres are also sometimes used.
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