Hipcycler

Saturday June 16th.

Again, I have no idea what to expect at the Giro d' Grafton, a twilight crit progam. All I know is that this is going to be a big event that has been put together well. As one of the many races, there is a celebrity/AM race in the afternoon that I will take part in.

I've posted the course here before.


This may be a joke, or it may feature some legit riders....I just don't know.
What I DO know is that it will probably be the only chance I get at attempting a crit.

The corners are just too dangerous for me to take a chance with my hip, but just once, in a small, amateur field, I can get a taste here.

I need to go out and practice taking city-street corners (like will be on this course) at 20 mph.
What do you suggest?
Just go out and repeat doing this in the same place somewhere where there is no traffic? Is this a good idea even?

I am very uncomfortable turning like that, ever since I had my big crash that way several years ago.

recursive

If you're not comfortable taking the corners, you're probably much more likely to crash. Take some corners with as much speed as your comfortable with, and then gradually build it up.

Depending how the race goes, some of those corners may come at you at more than 20mph also.

What were the circumstances of your original fall that contributed to the crash?

CyLowe97

Frankie Says: RELAX

Cromulent

Yes. And yes. Just practice cornering and holding your line until you feel confident.

And Frankie says, "hi", and he also wants me to tell you: Relax.

merlinextraligh

Definitely practice your cornering. A big empty parking lot works well. If you can find a couple of people to work with that would help too.

Remember, inside pedal up, weight on the outside pedal, press down on the inside hand.

Also, you want to be comfortable riding in the drops. You're more stable cornering in the drops. (lower center of gravitiy). So you want to get comfortable turning while you ride in the drops, if you're not used to that.

merlinextraligh

also, practice adjusting your line in the turns; i.e. tightening the radius of the turn, or opening it up. In the race you want to hold your line. However, circumstances (i.e. other riders not holding their line, or crashes) may necessitate mid turn adjustments. So you need to be comfortable altering the radius of your turn.

cat4ever

Please go into it with a positive mental attitude! Practice cornering and visualize yourself taking perfect, safe lines.

Wrecking or thoughts of wrecking can turn you into a head case quickly.

DrPete 

Practice, practice, practice, Hip. Find as many traffic-free corners as you can, and take as many different lines as you can. For instance, try the good line--start wide and finish wide, smoothing the corner out as much as you can. Then try the "Cat 5" line--start on the inside, brake into the turn, then sprint like mad to get your speed up. Notice the difference.

But really, though, start slow with whatever you're comfortable with, then gradually increase the speed and lean angle as you gain confidence. In a crit, good cornering saves energy, and saving energy is key when you're sprinting 2-3 times a minute.

Hipcycler

....it was only my second season on a bike. Turning right on a country road just a couple of blocks from the end of my ride....about 17 mph (I remembered because I had just looked down at the computer) when I heard that noise....tires in some road sand.

The next thing I knew I was doing an endo, face-plant onto the rough cement road.
Helmet cracked.
Road rash everywhere.

Busted up lip.
Front tooth knocked out.
Broken wrist (which I found out about and had casted up TWO DAYS later!

I still cringe when I hear the sound of tires on sand/gravel.

recursive

Sounds like a hard fall.

The criterium should have swept corners. I'm sure it goes without saying, but make sure you're practicing on clean pavement too.

botto 

EventServices

Don't stare at the road in front of you. It's too late for that.
Look ahead.

Turn in ONE arc, not seven or eight little arcs.

Stay on the inside of turns where feasible. Crashes go centrifugal.

Don't over react when riders bump into each other.

Did I mention to look ahead?

botto 

correct.

correct.

correct.

correct.

correct.

yes.

Mojo GoGo

A couple more points, you might want to flare your elbows out a bit when in a tight pack. That way you bump elbows with someone instead of interlocking bars.

Also, consider finding a friend who corners better than you and follow that person as they practice cornering - follow their line and slowly speed up.

+1 on not looking down, you're already there, look where you want to go and the bike will follow.

Good luck!

botto 

problem is that (unless i'm mistaken) hip has never done a crit before, and i'm afraid a little contact - flared arms or not - is the last thing he needs.

Hipcycler

correct.

EventServices

I envision him sitting at (or slightly off) the back keeping his eyes on things until he gets reaches a comfortable level venturing up into the fray.

I also envision him protecting his hip as if it were made of blown glass: taking few unnecessary chances.

I also envision him riding through the field on the last lap and winning.

botto 

correct.

Hipcycler

Quote:

Originally Posted by EventServices

I envision him sitting at (or slightly off) the back keeping his eyes on things until he gets reaches a comfortable level venturing up into the fray.

Incorrect. I'll be winning the thing off the front the entire way.
How's that for confidence going in?!

botto 

it's not confidence, it's naivete.

lesson # 1 in bike racing: eat the pasta off your competitors plate before you eat your own.

now go open up a can of italian-midwestern whoop ass!

DrPete 

There's no doubt in my mind that you can do it, Hip. The organizers hadn't bargained for one of their celebrities to be an actual bike racer.

Give 'em hell.

zimbo

It may not be too bad to do the first couple of laps in front to be able to get confident with the turns at race speed and also to see if anyone else is smart enough to snatch your wheel. If there are folks in the race who know enough to grab your wheel and are strong enough to stay there, you will not win if you tow them around the entire time. So do a 1 or 2 lap flyer to see who comes with and if others can hang with you then let them come around and do work.

--Steve

Hipcycler

zimbo....
Great advice.
Thanks.

I hadn't even thought of that yet.
I know there is a sales manager at another radio station that I used to work with here, and he is a total hammer. He wants to enter now. He could drop me in an instant, but since we're still friends, he might be good to have pull me around for most of the race....then either game on at the end or he does the right thing and leads me out and pulls off so I can take the win.

zimbo

Um, isn't this for celebrities?

--Steve

botto 

we're talking about wisconsin , it's all relative.