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Track racing is also done on grass tracks marked out on flat sportsfields. Such events are particularly common during the summer in Scotland at Highland Games gatherings, but there are also regular summer events in England.
Bicycles used for track cycling are specially designed for the purpose. Unlike bicycles used for road riding, they lack multiple gears and brakes, having a single 'fixed' wheel (ie, no free-wheel). Tyres and wheels are narrow, with the tyres generally inflated to pressures well beyond those used in road cycling in an effort to minimise the "rolling resistance" caused by friction. (For grass-track events, the tyres would have 'knobs' intended to minimise the potential for skidding.)
The design of track frames is usually very specific to its use. Frames intended for sprinting are generally made as light as possible, while those made for general racing or longer events are made as aerodynamic as possible. Frame materials are wide-ranging, including steel (often considered the traditional material for track cycling), aluminum, carbon fibre, or titanium, with carbon fibre being the most common on the professional or elite level. Additionally, the geometry of a track frame differs from that of a road frame, and many frames are designed for specific track events (an ominum frame refers to one that is designed for general track racing). Those attributes common to most track frames include a higher bottom bracket for additional cornering clearance, steeper seat tube for a more forward and aerodynamic position, steeper head tube for more responsive steering, and greater fork rake for more stable steering at high speeds.
Since track cyclists are unable to switch gears during the course of a race, the choice of gear ratio is very important. At its basic level, a change in gearing is a trade-off of acceleration versus top-end speed. A lower ratio allows quicker acceleration, or 'jump.' This can be crucially important in races where getting a gap on an opponent can make or break the event. On the other hand, a big gear makes it easier to sustain a higher top-end, which is paramount in pursuiting/time trialing, but also important in standard scratch/points races in which the pace will be high.
Ideally, in a mass-start race, the cyclist will find a ratio that balances these two requirements. Without a good jump he risks being gapped by opponents when they jump; without a good high end he'll find himself unable to get around his opponents when the pace stays high.
In order to achieve both top-end speed and jump, track cyclists develop very high leg speed. This allows them to go faster with a smaller gear.
The bicycles are designed to reduce aerodynamic drag caused by the machine itself and the rider's racing position. Handlebars can differ signficantly from the familiar drop bars found on road bicycles. Often riders will use triathlon bars designed to allow the rider to extend their arms in front of their body which leans forward almost to the horizontal so as to present the minimum frontal area and thus reducing drag. These triathlon bars or 'aerobars' are often bolted on to traditional drop bars or more aerodynamic bull horn bars.
Formats of track cycle races are also heavily influenced by aerodynamics. If one rider closely follows, "drafts" or "slipstreams" another, because the leading rider pushes air around themselves, any rider closely following has to push out less air than the lead rider and thus can travel at the same speed while expending less effort. This fact has led to a variety of racing styles that allow clever riders or teams to exploit this tactical advantage, as well as formats that simply test strength, speed and endurance.
During the early 1990s in individual pursuit events, some riders adopted a straight-armed Superman-like position with their arms fully extended, but this position was subsequently outlawed by the sport's ruling body (the UCI based in SwitzerlandThe Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in central Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. The country has a strong tradition of political and military neutrality, but also of international c). Recumbent bicycleA recumbent bicycle is a variety of bicycle which places the rider in a seated or supine position (rarely, in a prone position). The back of the rider is supported, and the rider's legs are extended forward to pedals that are about the same height as thes can actually be ridden faster, but are banned from competition.