General: First trip to the velodrome

so thanks to some nifty scheduling no classes this Friday for me. im gonna take the extra time to haul my bikes and girlfriend from Stockton to San Jose to give
the Hellyer Park Velodrome a try. Since this is my first time to ride a velodrome i was hoping to get some advice from the more experienced riders on here.
Ive got a helmet, i made sure the weather is clear and checked the parks calendar to make sure they were having their beginner riding session on this particular saturday. so some random ?'s
are clippless pedals required?
Gear ratios, i have a 51/18 and a 46/18, i would like to replace the 46/18 with something else what would you recommend for the velodrome? 46/16?
tools? just bring the whole tool kit?
clothes? down in LA i know the velodrome at CSDH requires certain clothes anyone have some insight on Hellyer?
anything else i should probly know so i dont make a fool of myself?

none of the combo's you suggested will be nearly enough. Try 51/16 or 51/15

Thats my home track. Clipless is not rquired, clips and straps are fine. Bring whatever tools you might need. I cant imagine that being much. If your bike is well tuned you shouldnt expect to need to do anything to it once you get there. I guess you can just throw your kit in the trunk to be safe. Beginner sessions are not very fast. With 46/13 you are going to be one of the highest geared beginners on the track. It wouldnt surprise me if you could get away with 46/15. I dont know if they enforce clothing restrictions for beginners. You should really be in bike specific clothing (jersey/bike shorts) because its more comfortable and safer. You dont want someone who doesnt know how to ride getting there handlebars getting all up in your baggy t shirt. Bring food, fainting is uncool. Bring a good attitude. Stretch.

Posted By: alexbet813ok so i got one bike set up at 46/13 took it for a ride and im deff gonna have to build up to it a little bit. I calculated that and should actually be a little faster than 51/15. and yea 46/13 is fast! i think im gonna wait till its light out to try it any more

honestly 46/13 is probably going too high for you. i'm definitely no trackhound but i try to get when i can, so you don't have to listen to me, but unless you are really ripped you'll have more fun in a gearing that sets you somewhere around 85gi, not the 93gi 46/13 will give you.
doing something you've never done before while running a big gear is a good way to bonk. that being said if you are just going up for structured training you'll probably be fine. i stand by my suggestion though.

my favorite gear to race in is 49/15. i honestly think that 51/16 is your best bet by far...

Since I see you have clipless pedals on your KHS, I would suggest riding those.

Posted By: alexbet813and will bull horns be ok?

nope.

well shit looks like the O8 wont get any time on the track unless i come up on some bars today anybody in stockton have some for super cheap?

alright i understand that 46/13 will be a little steep for me but i was riding it today and it is so fast! im addicted

i knew you would say that, i have to get my hands on a lock ring wrench. i do sincerely plan to move back to something a lower like the 15t that i have but i went out and already got the 13t so im just gonna murder myself this weekend on that and wear out the novelty of its speed and move to something practical so dont worry your advice is not falling on deaf ears.

yea i figured that (seeing as idk what that means besides lapped) hence why im going during the time set aside for beginners, maybe gain some knowledge see how i feel about riding on a track and if i'd like to do it more.
side note i am 6'1" and weigh 200lbs and have been rowing for a few years so i dont fit the normal fixie kid profile build wise. i feel that i am able to control this ratio i might be wrong but if i can ride it on the street shouldn't i be able to ride it on the track?

Posted By: alexbet813yea i figured that (seeing as idk what that means besides lapped) hence why im going during the time set aside for beginners, maybe gain some knowledge see how i feel about riding on a track and if i'd like to do it more.
side note i am 6'1" and weigh 200lbs and have been rowing for a few years so i dont fit the normal fixie kid profile build wise. i feel that i am able to control this ratio i might be wrong but if i can ride it on the street shouldn't i be able to ride it on the track?

You might notice that most track riders dont have a "fixie kid build".

http://thisismax.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/hoy2803_468x674.jpg

alright im digging myself a bigger hole with each post thanks specially wes m (edit:not to say other ppl werent helpful thanks terrible one too). for the help i'm done ill let you know how it goes

Posted By: GOBSTOPTODROPnitto rb-021

Not on most tracks for certain races. Most of the time, drops are required. Certain races, you can use pursuit/ time trial aero bars.

I suggest TRACK drops, not ROAD. I find that with road drops, when sprinting, my wrists hit the top of the bars. Track drops are bent more in that area, so thats not a problem.

And 46/13 will be fine. I ride a 49/14 and that is pretty much identical. It's a hair slow to start, but with light wheels on, it's perfect.

i think i saw you at the track today, you had egg beaters right?

Sounds like a great experience...