[title]
I love an adrenaline-fuelled activity as much as the next bunch of stag lads. Just be warned: hurtling around the velodrome at Lee Valley VeloPark requires more nerve than you might think. It looks, and is, terrifying. Slippery banks, gravity-defying drops and herds of middle-aged men in Lycra whizzing around. I felt instantly inexperienced as I clipped in for my one-hour ‘track taster’ session.
Bikes are provided, and cleats and gloves can be rented (obviously wear a helmet, kids). After an induction with an ex-Olympic cyclist, our group set off along the flat. My first thought was ‘how do I balance?’ Then mainly: ‘Am I going to die?’
A few wobbly circuits done, it was up onto the first sloped section, then the next, then, shit, the next one too. Getting steeper and steeper, something just clicked. Our instructor kept motioning from the sidelines to go faster and, without realising, I was pedalling at high speed on near-horizontal bends. Take that, stag lads.
I’ll never understand the physics of it, but the rush of using my own power to zoom around a precipitous bank on a flimsy piece of metal was unforgettable. We were taught safety signals and how to overtake, then let loose for the remainder of the session. It was tiring and the wind resistance on the banks is surprisingly strong, but the tasters are only an hour and you get plenty of breaks. I genuinely think anyone could do it, once you’re over the initial fear. Plus, you’ll be riding on Olympic history, which makes a change from those rainy Monday morning commutes.