Forged in Fiberboard

Above: Cyclodrome two days before this post.

As the team has worked up to our full pace of production, that pace has proven to be more than we could have imagined at the start of our work. It took weeks to fine-tune and build the first quadrant of track, but with the lessons learned from those weeks, the second and third quadrants have been built in only the last two days. The team has circulated from role to role enough that each of us has come to understand how to identify and overcome the challenges of building each type of component.

We tested several backing materials.

One of those component types that has occupied our attention in the past few weeks is the thin (1/8 inch) Masonite backing that encircles the entire Cyclodrome. In a structure made of sturdier lumber and thick plywood, this may seem out of place - one does not need to be an experience builder to suspect that a thin sheet of Masonite does little to improve the strength of the structure. And indeed, the backing does little to support loads and thus improve strength - but does a great deal to prevent movement and thus improve stability, particularly in higher sections that are prone to greater movement.

Track braces provide additional stability.

This is an important concept in structural design, and one that will be with us for the rest of our careers. To be stable, a structure must resist movement in every direction; even small movements that are encouraged by relatively small forces can be devastating to a structure if not resisted. For instance, in steel construction it is common to see massive I-beams braced by comparatively tiny reinforcing members, placed to thwart small but critical twisting forces.

As the track comes together, it's more and more evident what kind of forces it will have to take. A cyclist going at even twenty miles per hour can exert great force in many directions on a track - to say nothing of more than one cyclist, at what may be far greater speeds. Under such conditions, every source of stability counts, and all act together to keep our track safe and sturdy.

Above: Cyclodrome one day before this post.