TCR

Raced the entire year unattached as a CAT5. Next year I plan on joining a local team and racing CAT4. One is a large team about a 45 minute drive away with all sorts of levels of riders, both faster and slower. The other choice I have is a very local and select bunch of experienced guys, a couple I've ridden with several times. The problem is they are all faster than me and will consistently ground my slow and inexperienced skinny butt into the asphalt on training rides. One guy is a former CAT1 racer from Belgium, now racing CAT3. Two other ones are former CAT2 & 3 racers and will probalby start out the season briefly with the 4's. A couple other guys were 4's this year and will most likely start out as 4's next year but might move up to 3's. Then there are two other guys I don't know at all but have been told they are fast and experienced. My point is every single guy on the team will be faster and more experienced than me. I guess this is a good thing for learning and improving but it's also a bit intimidating. I've already been invited and encouraged to join the team for next year. This local and select team definetly seems like the way to go but I guess I'm worried I won't be able to hang with them and will tire of consistently being the slowest guy on the team.

climbo

if you were invited then why not? Soon you'll be up there with them if you train with them. They sound like a good group of people to be riding with and you will learn a lot from them.

my58vw

Hey TCR... you are not alone... maybe we should be on the same team (hint hint) and you definitly will not be the slowest out there...

Riding with faster guys makes you faster... I would not considder you a "slow" rider.

SteveE

Riding with fast guys will make you faster; and you will learn more from experienced racers.

TCR

I'd love to invite you over but I'm at the bottom of the totem pole so I'm just along for the ride. If this team up here doesn't pan out my other choice is Health Net's Citrus Valley Velo.

The Octopus 

I like the idea of being on a team that's smaller and intimate, that is jacked to have you as a member, and that you know you can grow and learn a lot from. The only way you get faster is to go ride faster, and going out and trying to keep with the rest of your team on training rides is a sure way to get faster. Look at it this way, they invited you to join, and they know you're slower than they are. So they're cool with it; no reason for you not to be.

The only potential issue I can think of is what company you'll have in races. It sounds like although some of the team will start out in the spring as 4s, they'll quickly upgrade. How quickly into next season is that likely to happen? Will that leave you sans teammates until to make it to 3?

ZappCatt

I am sure the team will invite my58vw, so TCR will have a teammate in 4's.

redal

What team is from the high desert? If it's D.A.R.E., who is the guy from Belgium?

my58vw

We ahve raced together more than once in cat 5... nah nah...

Actually I am happy where I am, I just wish there was a little more team support here in the lower cats...



TCR come join the fun!

TCR

I believe his name is Jeff. I've ridden with him once up to Crestline. Currently he's living up north but is supposed to be moving down here.

Do you know Ray Moreno and the D.A.R.E. Team? Where in SoCal are you? What team do you ride for?

Mojo GoGo

Don't worry about it - consider yourself as giving the sponsor their best value. As you go by slow everyone will be able to read your jersey

timmhaan

sounds like good motivation to me. you'll probably be inclined to train that much harder. i think you'd probably end up as a much better rider with these guys than the larger club. just stay humble for a while

cslone

Yep, you'll try harder to stay with the faster guys, therefore making you stronger....quicker. You'll ride harder trying to keep up with the fast guys than riding 100% by yourself, guarenteed.

In theory.

That's what I did. I am in the process of switching from Triathlete to road only. My team is the "good" team in the area, so I joined 2 years ago. I started riding with the lower group this year and could barely hang on. Last night in our 45 min +2 lap practice crit, I took 4th in the middle class. At the beginning of the year, I couldn't hang on for more than 15-20 minutes with them. I've just worked harder by myself and during practice to hang with the faster guys. Joining a team where I am one of the faster ones would have done me no good.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

redal

Is this Jeff the CHP officer? If it is he was a teammate of mine when we were juniors. The Jeff I am talking about isn't from Belgium, but he did race in Belgium.

Yes, I know Ray, I've known him close to ten years. My father-in-law races masters 50+ and rides for D.A.R.E.. I live in San Dimas. I almost rode for D.A.R.E.'s 1-2 team this year, but chose not to because of personal reasons and I got a much better deal with the team I chose to ride for, which is United Cycling Club. The 1-2 team is very small but we are fully taken care of. I am the only Cat. 1 and there are two 2s. The focus is the junior team that does junior and category 5 races. The team is run out of a youth center in Elysian Park and the director is using bikes as a diversion to other detrimental activities.

I noticed you mentioned the Bud's ride in a previous post. I have been there every Wednesday this year except from mid-June to mid-July (I was on the road racing). I live about three miles from Bonelli Park and my wife manages Bud's bike shop.

TCR

What a small world! Yes, he is a CHP officer up in San Fran, I believe. And yes, I guess he isn't actually from Belgium but raced there.

I almost signed up with D.A.R.E. midseason this year but since there weren't any other 4 or 5's to ride with I figured I'd just wait till next year to join a team.

Is your wife Carla? I met her at the San Dimas race. I was down there racing the 5's, if you can call it racing since I got dropped on the first lap. After my race I went over to the feed zone with Raul, who I'm sure you also know, where Carla was handing out water bottles. It was cold and raining and I remember thinking what a lucky guy you must be - my wife would NEVER do this for me.

Yep, I've done the Bud ride twice this year and got shelled both times. I made it a little farther the second time but not much. Oh well, there's always next time. Hopefully I'll get to meet you sometime soon. I might actually head down there next Wednesday and try the ride again. I have to redeem myself and find my ego - it's laying along the side of the road somewhere down there.

Keith99

Talk to the guys on the small team. If they want you to join it sounds like a wonderful choice. If they will just be tolerating you it could be hell.

Course it does sound like training will be hell on your legs and lungs, but that is what you have to want if you want to win come race day.

redal

TCR,
We are definitely talking about the same Jeff. We raced Juniors together and he moved to San Fran a few years ago when I was getting back into racing after taking a break for Law school.
Yes, my wife is Carla and yes I know I am very lucky. Bike racing is as much second nature to her as it is to me. Her brother races for Discovery and as I mentioned before her dad races masters. She has actually been around bike racing longer than I have.
I do know Raul very well. I've known him since I was 17. I used to race against his brother Abel, R.I.P.. I was going to mention his name in the previous post but I didn't want to make it too long.
Don't worry about the Bud's ride. It was my first group ride ever when I was 14. I got dropped REAL early. It has been fast lately since a couple of the local guys are getting ready for the San Francisco Grand Prix. Maybe I'll see you there next week.

oopfoo

Having been the slowest guy on a team, I will tell you from experience:

On training rides, you will barf. Frequently.

...but you WILL improve.

DannoXYZ 

"This local and select team definetly seems like the way to go but I guess I'm worried I won't be able to hang with them and will tire of consistently being the slowest guy on the team."

Go for it! Local and smaller group will be better for your training, you'll get more support. Unless you ride with them every single day, I wouldn't worry about being the slowest. Just hang in and do the workouts as long as you can. Definitely do the sprints & interval days as those will be the most beneficial and there's always rest time afterwards to catch up. Then on your own rides, do more sprints and intervals. Before you know it, you'll be one of the faster guys on the team.

hi565

Exactley!!!!!!

Thats the key. I wouldnt be where I am if I didnt have my cousin. If I rode with my dad all the time I would bee prwetty slow and in weird shape. Also I wouldnt know of fittings and new things. Try it, if you dont like well dont do it. BUt it will be an exprience in its self. I would kill for someone to offer me a sopt on a team.

Drayko

Besides all the reasons posted, do you really wanna drive 1.5 hours to ride your bike? Easy decision I'd say, you'll get faster; but the drive won't.

2Rodies

I can give a perspective from both ends of the peleton. On my team durring the begining of the season, when the weather was quite cold, I was one of the stonger guys on my team. This summer I've been one of the weaker if not the weakest guy on our team (see my post under "tour of Columbus"). Not finishing with your team mates is pretty bad feeling to be honest. I hate dragging myself in minutes back from the rest. I feel like I have let them down especially when I have been part of the tactics to help our designated team leader for that race.

Most of us have probably played a team sport at one time or another and the feeling you share with your team mates is big part of playing the game. Cycling for me is no different. Finishing with your team mates and talking about the race afterwords is the best part of racing and makes all the hard work of training worth it.