SAN JOSE -- -- For some 30 years, Hellyer Park in San Jose has had a sports athletic facility that frankly not too many people know about. It's called a velodrome.

A velodrome is an oval-shaped 23-degree banked track for very specialized bicycles.

Rich Rozzi of Santa Rosa is one of the riders. "Unlike a regular bike you cannot stop pedaling. These bikes do not coast, they do not have brakes. They pedal forward, they pedal backwards. The only way to slow down in a pack is to basically force yourself to stop pedaling forward and that slows the bike down."

Some world and U.S. champions have come from this velodrome, pedaling their bikes at speeds in excess of 40 miles an hour. The bikers say it is safe.

Maurice Mongne of San Jose explained: "Nobody has any brakes, so no one's slamming on the brakes, no one's bumping into each other and the riders out here are usually pretty skilled."

Taylor Lynn Meilahn is a velodrome veteran. She's been racing since she was nine years old. "I like going around in circles and not having to go on the road with the cars and stuff. I like this better," said Meilahn.

There is definitely community and camaraderie from going around in circles.

"We have a 75 year old with world records out here riding and some 10 year old kids. It's like a church family," said Beth Newell of Oakland. "Right now what you are going to see is a bunch of silly looking people in Spandex riding around with helmets on going way too fast."

On Friday night, members of San Jose bike party came out to watch. This is a group that goes on mass rides through the South Bay every third Friday of the month.

Todd Boschert of Campbell remarked, "It's pretty neat, I've been riding a bicycle for a long time, never been out here. I know it's been out here for years."

Amy Frisch of San Jose said, "I've never seen this place before. I'm here because of the bike party thing so it seems really cool, but I don't know anything about it."

The San Jose Velodrome is the only one in Northern California, one of only two dozen in the country.

Michael Hernandez of the NorCal Velodrome Association said, "Anybody can come and ride a bicycle and you can try bike racing at the velodrome or you can get involved with the people who are around here and just get involved in bike riding."

On Saturday mornings, beginner rides are offered and some of the riders racing on Friday night said that's exactly how they got hooked on this sport.