# Why do track cyclists always ride anticlockwise?



## Philip Whiteman (21 Jul 2011)

I have always failed to receive an answer from this question, even from track coaches.

Is there a reason?


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## montage (21 Jul 2011)

They cycle clockwise in Australia


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## jethro10 (21 Jul 2011)

Oval Car racing started in the USA and they drive anticlockwise as they sit in the left of the car, furthest away from the outer wall in an accident for safety purposes.
Perhaps they just continued in the same way, especially if track racing was popular in the USA early on first?

Although I have no real clue.....
jeff


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## gaz (21 Jul 2011)

jethro10 said:


> Oval Car racing started in the USA and they drive anticlockwise as they sit in the left of the car, furthest away from the outer wall in an accident for safety purposes.
> Perhaps they just continued in the same way, especially if track racing was popular in the USA early on first?
> 
> Although I have no real clue.....
> jeff


Track racing started in 1870, so I'm going to say that isn't right.


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## MacB (21 Jul 2011)

I have no idea but I'm right handed and find left hand bends easier than right, could it just be the right handed winning out over the cackhanded?


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## ian turner (21 Jul 2011)

Why do most track races go counter clockwise . The answer seemingly being that thats how they've always been done right back to chariot races and the like.


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## Rapples (21 Jul 2011)

I'd hazard a guess it's because you get on the bike from the left*, and therefore the bike would be facing anticlockwise if you get on from the centre of the banked track.

*Which is the same for horses, which pre date bikes, no matter which side of the road people rode on.


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## LosingFocus (21 Jul 2011)

Well, I find that I can corner with more control when I'm making a left hand turn and I'm right handed. Something in that?


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## rustychisel (21 Jul 2011)

montage said:


> They cycle clockwise in Australia




nice... but no we don't


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## Mad at urage (21 Jul 2011)

rustychisel said:


> nice... but no we don't


It just looks like it from this side (where we can see the soles of your feet)


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## monnet (21 Jul 2011)

I did get told once. Now it escapes me. I think it came down to it always having been like this - a tradition passed down through the sports and ages. Athletics is the same. Chariots were raced anti-clockwise etc...


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## Andy_R (21 Jul 2011)

maybe its to stop the pedals unscrewing...........i'll just leave


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## Strick (21 Jul 2011)

Maybe it's because they're racing "against the clock"?  




Ok, ok, i'm leaving too......


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## Fiona N (21 Jul 2011)

montage said:


> They cycle clockwise in Australia



They didn't when I was racing there


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## abo (21 Jul 2011)

Most track sports go anticlockwise, the only exception i can think of off hand, is National Hotrods and other RHD stock cars in the UK. Motorsport on regular tracks doesn't count


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## gaz (21 Jul 2011)

Strick said:


> Maybe it's because they're racing "against the clock"?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Haha that was good though.


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## festival (21 Jul 2011)

Could be something to do with most of us favouring our right side, hand, foot etc

Therefore, the theory is if you walk in a straight line for long enough, your right side bias will mean your route via's to the left due to the right foot taking slightly longer steps.


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## screenman (21 Jul 2011)

Chariot days, most people were right handed so that is the hand the whip was held in making left hand turns easier.

Now I just guessed that so it could well be wrong as I have a massive failure rate at this forum stuff.


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## snorri (21 Jul 2011)

It's a mainland Europe thing, they are used to going round roundabouts anti-clock so clockwise round a track would confuse them.(Maybe  )


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## Fab Foodie (21 Jul 2011)

On the left-hand, right hand thing, most supermarkets are designed with the door on the rhs so people enter and naturally have to turn left .... apparently it's more comfortable to turn to the left than to the right.


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## ColinJ (21 Jul 2011)

Er, because if they didn't, they would crash into the riders coming the other way?


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## Red Light (22 Jul 2011)

Coriolis Effect


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## Philip Whiteman (22 Jul 2011)

Well, it looks as though the mystery still remains. 



Red Light said:


> Coriolis Effect



Now try and explain the Coriolis Effect? I bet that most people could not answer.


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## classic33 (22 Jul 2011)

Possible answers
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Track-Field-2263/Race-Tracks.htm


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## Red Light (22 Jul 2011)

Philip Whiteman said:


> Now try and explain the Coriolis Effect? I bet that most people could not answer.



And many that do answer will get it wrong with talk of bathtubs and toilets


Coriolis Explanation


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## asterix (22 Jul 2011)

Because everyone else does. You'd get some awful pile ups otherwise.


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## ColinJ (22 Jul 2011)

asterix said:


> Because everyone else does. You'd get some awful pile ups otherwise.





ColinJ said:


> Er, because if they didn't, they would crash into the riders coming the other way?


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## Rollon (23 Jul 2011)

It's because the Earth turns the same way looking from the North Pole. If they rode clockwise they would be finished before they set off.
Dave.


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## Cyclopathic (23 Jul 2011)

Rollon said:


> It's because the Earth turns the same way looking from the North Pole. If they rode clockwise they would be finished before they set off.
> Dave.




I thought it had something to do with time travel.


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## asterix (23 Jul 2011)

Yup, fools never differ!


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