A while ago I had the opportunity to ride on the wooden Velodrome in Los Angeles. This indoor track is one of the best anywhere and a blast to ride on. If you've never ridden on a Velodrome, you have to try it. First, you will have to go through a class and get certified. They don't want people on the track who don't know the etiquette and rules of this kind of riding. It looks chaotic and crazy, but there is an method to all of it. You have to ride a fixed geared bike with no brakes so that things don't happen too quickly, and you need to be aware of a host of things that keep you and the rest of the riders safe.
The other nice thing, is that you can rent a bike from the facility to give it a go, so no big initial investment is needed. The surface is raw wood with no varnish or other weird coating to affect the grip. The main thing is maintaining sufficient speed when you go around the banks. This keeps you upright and enough angle to keep you from dragging a pedal or sliding down the walls. At 16mph minimum, it's actually fairly easy. Yeah, the first couple of laps are a little intimidating, but it doesn't take long to find that comfort zone. I just followed the guide rider in front of me and in no time I was flowing around the track. Pretty cool.
