MondoDave

To all those inspired me with their tales and experience. I thank you!

To those who are thinking of doing it.... Read the sticky Botto started "New to Racing? Here's a tip or two" and go race.

I entered the Spring Classic at the Driveway put on by Holland racing in Austin with the only expectation of starting it. I dared to hope that I would not be dropped. I was surprised to finish in the top 25% of the field. Elated is a better description. I'm hooked, it was a great experience, The hardest part was actually lining up for the start. All the butterflies disappeared at the whistle.

I started at the back just trying to get used to the feel of a pack in an actual race. I finished the first lap and thought "that's not so bad... perhaps I can hang on". After 5 laps I started to get a feel for the course, recognized the pinch points and started seeing how the pack flowed. At 2 laps out I started inching up, It is surprising how many holes open up in the middle that allow you to advance. Last lap I looked for a stream of bikes moving up on the side I wanted to be on and I latched on and got towed up to the top quarter and tried to get in to position for the last couple turns to make a respectable finish (Just to be honest here... I was thrilled to be even in the pack, and juiced to be near the front. Strange how the pack kind of has a life of its own the way it moves around. Just damn cool!

Ha-ha, I'm still dancing on air.....

One more word to you all that are still on the brink of signing up for your first race... Just pick one and try it.

This forum has been a great source of information for me leading up to my first event. I am sure it will continue to do so in the future.

ps.... I was in the drops the whole 40 minutes for those who were wondering :-) -


pss... For those of you who also wanted to know how fast it was.. 40 minutes, 23.7 Avg. Mph (32.1 max Mph), 90' of elevation change per lap (did not feel like that much - and I should know since I'm too fat for this sport).


So thanks again BF!
David

ZeCanon

Well done!

bostongarden

Nice job. You picked an outstanding place to have your first race. That twisty riser/chicane is cool. Have fun!!

Beaker

Congrats - from another race noob. 1 hill climb and 2 training crits for me so far this year; grinning like an idiot for at least 2days after each event.

waterrockets 

Awesome! I was out there today too. Very nice to be back on that course after a very long three (?) months.

umd

Caad 8

Nice nice, I have yet to do my first race. Gonna do it soon though...... anytime now.....

umd

Your "meter" in your sig is a little premature then.

Caad 8

Not at all, it has yet to cross the first dot. It's still at the very edge of the cat 5 side. Oh I guess another way you could look at it is every * means a race. The way I set it up was once I do a race it looks like -*----- then two races is --*----- 3 races ---*------ etc.

robncircus

Congrats. I got through #7 today. I may be the worst racer in So Cal but it's fun

johnybutts

Good job man! I wish I could have been there.

botto 

you two, please take this inane argument to the 41, where it belongs.

thanks.

umd

One post does not an argument make. I had no intention of following up, just a little gentle ribbing.

Nate552

Well done!

Caad 8

I had to look up that word to know what you were talking about.

rib·bing (rbng)n.

1. Ribs considered as a group.
2. An arrangement of ribs, as in a boat.
3. Informal The act or an instance of joking or teasing.

gnome

Well done! It gets addictive. Oh and you're probably faster than me.

cbip

ps.... I was in the drops the whole 40 minutes for those who were wondering :-) -

Just for your information. Stay out of the drops untill you get very good at riding in packs and great at riding a crit race. It is much better to stay on the hoods until you have either open road in front of you or its sprint time. You can see better sitting up, and you have much more time to recover if something goes wrong. Trust me on this! Save the drops for breakaways and sprints, and thats only after you practice it.
Great job getting out and racing, it can be a lot of fun and a serious workout. Just pay attention to other riders, when you spot one that cant hold his line and cuts corners sharp while in the pack, get the hell away from him.

MDcatV

uhh, what?

Beaker

^^ I had it drilled into me during training crits to stay in the drops for the duration as it prevents others hooking your bars while riding in the pack. Mentors spent half of the time yelling at the riders to get in the drops during the race.

edit: MDcatV got there first

MDcatV

^^i dont think it's an all or nothing proposition w/drops vs. hoods, you should be comfortable enough to ride in either but know when to be in the drops vs. the hoods.

technical crits are usually pretty aggressive, even if it's only from accelerations and decelerations while cornering, and to paraphrase YMCA, aggressive racing is done in the drops.

RedLeg

Just get to the front and ride like the guy on the left! That's my style anyway!



Hoods, drops....just do what feels right.

cbip

My point was, since he is obviously new to racing crits and it takes some practice and skill to ride handle bar to handle bar while in the drops, he would be better off riding on the hoods until he gets a better skill set and feel for the accelerations and decelerations that happen at crits. Usually its the guys that are struggling to keep up with the pace and speed changes that get down in the drops because they are finding it too hard to hang on while exposed sitting up. (cat 5's anyway). If your having trouble hanging on while riding on the hoods, you just need to improve your fitness and pretty soon you'll be able to use the drops to your advantage, not a crutch.

MDcatV

^i disagree

Psimet2001 

I just think it's a lot like riding a bike.


just sayin.

umd

Fail