Safety is very important on the Track. It is important that your bike and yourself are in a fit state to ride for your personal safety and the safety of others.
Therefore the following items should be constantly checked at track racing:
TYRE CONDITION
Tyres in good condition…….no serious cuts in tread or significant damage to sidewalls
TYRE PRESSURE
Push against the tyre with your thumb and see if you can push it in. If you can you need more air pressure.. Generally, the tyres on a track bike should have 110 – 120 PSI for clincher tyre and 120 + PSI for tubular tyres…..check your tyre sidewalls for exact PSI or bike hire sheet if you have a club bike . Check pressure every time you ride…you can get a slow leak so half way through meeting you have lost pressure….
PEDALS/Shoe Cleats
Especially if you swap pedals from road bike to race track make sure they are tightened into the crank.
Ensure cleats are not worn and tension is high enough…..fixed cleats are often better for track riding (non floating).
Use toe straps to be sure you cannot pull a foot…..especially if powerful rider.
Wheels
Wheels run free and true, no broken loose spokes and bearings well adjusted. LOCKRING FITTED on rear hub/cog.
Rims have no cracks
BOLT CHECK
Check the tightness of the bolts on the bikes. The general areas to check are the handlebars, cranks, wheels, headset and seat. Check these areas by purposely trying to move each out of their original position. If any of these parts move or rattle you should tighten the bolt.
A demonstration was done at the track orientation days …… Very important…..saddle, handle bars and wheel nuts must be correctly tightened.
CHAIN TENSION
Do not put your fingers near a moving chain ring….at any time…..ask for a demonstration
Proper chain tension for fixed gearing is important. If the chain is too loose, it will rattle and may fall off the chain ring. There should be approximately a half-inch of play in the chain. Then, hold the rear wheel off the ground and spin the cranks slowly. There shouldn’t be any popping, and it should run smoothly. If this is not the case, you must adjust the rear wheel to correct the tension…. at the same time look to see bottom bracket bearings are tight in the frame.
See any club official if unsure what to do or if your bike MAY have a problem…do not ride unless your bike is 100% sound.
Funny clicks (valve in rim moving) or cracking noises can be harmless or a serious problem(cracked metal part eg. crank arm)
Get them checked out. Like wise if your bike feels funny to ride ….hard to push (wheel rubbing on frame) for example.
http://www.tasportscycling.co.nz/attachments/765_Track%20rules%20and%20etiquette.pdf
http://www.ambikerace.com/2006/flyers/Track%20Clinic%20HAND%20OUT.pdf
Above links some general advice and photos……on safety