ceramic spikes

There's no hard-and-fast rule. The ceramic x-mas tree compression spike pins were developed specifically for modern synthetic (Mondo) tracks. Some places with Mondo tracks (e.g., the Armory in Manhattan) don't realize this and ban x-mas tree spikes.

Many outdoor tracks are rubber/asphalt and are more suited to steel spikes, either x-mas tree or pyramids.

Finally, a lot of Nike spiked racing shoes come with non-removable spikes (the original Jasaris, the Jasari+, the Ventulus series, the Eldoret II, the Ventulus2). Some of these have ceramic x-mas tree pins, some have steel ones.

spiked flats? I meant spikes, spiked racing shoes.

LetsRun turns "r a c i n g s h o e s" into "flats." I don't know why.

racing shoes

ms migraine wrote:

LetsRun turns "r a c i n g s h o e s" into "flats." I don't know why.

I think you're alone here. Everyone calls them flats.

The Armory sells ceramic christmas tree spikes exclusively. They are far from banning it there.

what are Mondo tracks? In more simplier terms would the ceramic spikes be ok on synthetic tracks? Did Hicham El G use ceramic spikes?

The individual spikes are less a benefit to the runner than they are to the longevity of the track. Don't worry about what El G wears; respect the track surface.

miler07 wrote:

what are Mondo tracks? In more simplier terms would the ceramic spikes be ok on synthetic tracks? Did Hicham El G use ceramic spikes?

Orestes wrote:

ms migraine wrote:

LetsRun turns "r a c i n g s h o e s" into "flats." I don't know why.

I think you're alone here. Everyone calls them flats.

Even when they have sharp little thingummies sticking out of the plate? I was trying to say "spiked r*c*ng sh*es" in order to distinguish the shoes from the pins...but the LetsRun internal nannybot kept changing it into flats.

Ooof. Head hurts. Where's my chocolate milk thread?

miler07 wrote:

what are Mondo tracks? In more simplier terms would the ceramic spikes be ok on synthetic tracks? Did Hicham El G use ceramic spikes?

I wouldn't worry too much about a lot of this. ms migrane has a lot of things wrong.

First, look at the tracks. Back in 1996 when those new Nike spikes came out, the faster tracks were rekortan or similiar of that type. There was an advantage for spikes floating on the top, which is what xmas tree spikes do. And spikes like the original Jasari and JSC came with fixed metal xmas trees. Later came the mondo surface, which is a thin layer of fabric/woven material on top of an asphalt base. These are different from the earlier tracks, and there seems to be an advisory from somewhere (possibly mondo) that the xmas tree spike is not good for the surface and athletes should be using pyramids instead. A number of facilities that have mondo actually inspect your spikes and will NOT allow you to run in xmas trees; Some also require 3/16" instead of 1/4" spikes.

In terms of spike types, the ceramics are lighter than steel, and I think you'll find most elites using them. The track facility people don't care about ceramic v. steel; They only care about the type and length of spike. Pyramids are acceptable everywhere I think, though some (one I can mention specifically is the mondo track and San Diego State) require 3/16" pyramids only.

All the new Nike spikes have replaceable spikes. These include the JSC which originally came as nonreplaceable. Personally, I prefer the xmas trees and train on them, but I have pyramids for the places that require them.

Toboggan wrote:

The Armory sells ceramic christmas tree spikes exclusively. They are far from banning it there.

Did you race in the Armory last winter? Next time you're there, go the Super Runners franchise there and see if they have xmas trees. As of last December and January they did not. Pyramids, yes. People would buy Zoom Milers (which come with xmas trees) and then replace the spike pins with Omni-Lite pyramids.

Although compression pins (xmas trees) were developed for Mondo tracks, and Mondo specifically recommends them--see the link someone else has posted--an Armory employee or Mondo rep got confused, and the Armory ended up banning everything but pyramids.

I brought the subject up with Norb Sander and his underlings and the reply was, 'Oh we're just going by what Mondo tells us. Christmas-tree pins rip the track up.'

Coach D wrote:First, look at the tracks. Back in 1996 when those new Nike spikes came out, the faster tracks were rekortan or similiar of that type. There was an advantage for spikes floating on the top, which is what xmas tree spikes do. And spikes like the original Jasari and JSC came with fixed metal xmas trees. Later came the mondo surface, which is a thin layer of

Mondo came later? I remember Mondo in the 80s...they've been around a long time.

Mondo was making floring. Floring and tracks are different. The present maintenance specs from mondousa specifically mention pyramids OR xmas trees with a maximum length of 6mm. But this is for Super-X, the only surface they deliver for outdoor tracks now. If you go to one of the newer mondo tracks (BYU, for instance) there is no problem with xmas tree spikes. The rule against them is from facilities that have been around for a number of years, and I've seen this in enough different places that almost certainly it is not the work of one mistaken person or some out of thin air from one faciities manager. If xmas trees were specifically invented for mondo, this doesn't make any sense.

Note also that the official guidelines for Super-X would make 1/4" (7mm ceramic) spikes illegal, and some facilities do indeed prohibit them. It doesn't make any difference what runner think. Some facilities do indeed prohibit xmas tree spikes and people need to be aware of that, and also of the length restriction that occurs in some places.

Mondo claim on their website they've been making Olympic tracks since Montreal in 1976. And from the above article...

A Mondo track has a life expectancy of 20 years, he says.“A Mondo track that was installed in 1977 at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada, is still being used today,” he adds.

miler07 wrote:

Are ceramic x-mas tree spikes the ones that all the elites use?

Are you quoting the Omni-Lite website? I think you are.