Would riding a bike on an outdoor track ruin it?

Haha I get it.

No, it would not.

Riding a bike on a track is one of the most damaging things that can be done to the track surface. If anyone sees you doing this, they may report or fine you. Be warned.

Depends on the type of bicycle and the weight of the rider. A 300 pounder riding on skinny racing tires will be more damaging to the track than a 98 pound weakling on wide mountain bike tires.

High School Coach wrote:

Riding a bike on a track is one of the most damaging things that can be done to the track surface. If anyone sees you doing this, they may report or fine you. Be warned.

Fine?

Under what authority?

COACH:"Sir, please leave the track and pay me a fine of $100."

ME:"Yeah, okay douche."

bump. thinking of doing this tonight. probably no one would catch me, but if it really is damaging to the track then i won't.

Can't be anymore harmful than metal spikes digging in and pushing off. As long as they aren't super aggressive mountain bike tires and you don't do any hard braking, I don't see any problems.

Not sure but I know one of the tracks I run at has a sign about no bikes. One time some young kid was riding on it and someone at the school flipped out. I wouldn't do it.

One time wouldn't have much affect, other than endangering other people.

Constant riding would definitely damage the track.

It seems that whenever I go up to my high school track, there is someone walking their dog or there are little kids or an old man riding bike(s); there are 3 signs around the track that clearly say "NO BIKES, ROLLER BLADES, OR SKATEBOARDS" and "NO PETS"

High School Coach wrote:

If anyone sees you doing this, they may report or fine you.

Really? Random people can just issue fines to other people for discretionary offenses such as cycling on a track?

Well then, can I fine LRC posters for misspelling words or merely for saying asinine things? Because if so I soon will retire spectacularly wealthy.

Nothing is an damaging to a track as wearing headphones. Or walking in lane 1.

Just have this person pace you by only doing the first 2/3rds or so of each repeat, or something similar. Dilemma solved...

Considering that I've seen cars on a track, although the weight distribution is pretty significant, I wouldn't worry about it

runnerdnerd wrote:

Just have this person pace you by only doing the first 2/3rds or so of each repeat, or something similar. Dilemma solved...

This. Or do staggered starts. Or have two pacers alternate reps.

Authoritative wrote:

High School Coach wrote:

Riding a bike on a track is one of the most damaging things that can be done to the track surface. If anyone sees you doing this, they may report or fine you. Be warned.

Fine?

Under what authority?

COACH:"Sir, please leave the track and pay me a fine of $100."

ME:"Yeah, okay douche."

The authority of the city police.

A high school track is school property, and the school can press charges for destruction of property. Every high school track I've ever been on has the rule about no bikes on the track. The purpose of having a track is for pedestrian traffic only. Respecting that rule is the right thing to do.

But the nice thing to do first would be to politely ask the person to stop. If they continued to do it, then I think it would be warranted to press charges.

However, acting like a snotty little brat with a response like yours would make not want to be nice to you.

deep insights wrote:

Considering that I've seen cars on a track, although the weight distribution is pretty significant, I wouldn't worry about it

You would be quite mistaken. Bike and wheelchair tires can cut deep grooves through the rubber, and car tires don't.

For the sake of argument, let's say you had full approval to have your friend pace you on the track with a bicycle.

What makes you think your friend will know how to properly pace you on a bicycle? It seems like you would constantly be telling him to speed up or slow down. Wouldn't it be easier to just glance at your watch every 100?

El Wrong'o wrote:

deep insights wrote:

Considering that I've seen cars on a track, although the weight distribution is pretty significant, I wouldn't worry about it

You would be quite mistaken. Bike and wheelchair tires can cut deep grooves through the rubber, and car tires don't.

I could see that being the case with hard road bike tires which are very thin and carry a high psi, but mountain bike tires are 3-4 times as wide and require a lower psi for higher offroad traction.