After being a road cyclist forever I was walking past a cycle store and saw a new fuji track bike in the window. Had to have it! Then the cycling club went to Newport velodrome for a track riding introduction weekend away and I fell in love with track riding. Wish I had discovered it as a teen!
The simplicity and purity of a brakeless, steeply fixed gear bicycle sat well with me. Plus the notion of anything over a minute was an endurance event was super appealing! I'm big and strong rider but stamina has never been my forte'.
On the plus side I can ride for an hour at training with very little risk of abuse from a ****ed of motorist with an axe to grind while wearing the appropriate attire without further abuse.
The fuji is too much for a commute and hasn't ever seen bitumen! But the simplicity of fixed or single and extra workout I get by having no 'lazy gears' makes the most of the hour on the bike I get each way.
A 2 year old daughter doesn't give me much spare time any more
Oh, velodrome. Now I understand. Yes, what a great sport. Glad you discovered it. The fella who runs the local bike shop was on the US Team when younger. When I spec'd out my rigid frame mountain bike with road tyres he told me it looked like a bike he used to ride from Las Vegas to Palm Springs once.