"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Why race? Seriously. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

So I am a middle aged guy that has become obsessed with cycling. I want to try road racing and intend to do some Cat 5 races starting in a month or so. I bought a powertap, get advice online, train, etc etc.

But racing is an odd sport compared to so many others. For example, I play basketball once a week and compared to basketball, road racing is a strange value proposition:
1. You can be decent at basketball without training 10-12 hours (minimum per week).
2. You can be decent at basketball and half the time (on average) you will WIN! There are many racers out there who never win anything (I admire them by the way and expect to be one of them).
3. Only occasionally will someone get hurt in basketball or other team sports. In road racing, someone is likely to get hurt in alomst every race. Maybe multiple people. Maybe seriously hurt.
4. The time investment versus improvement curve is very harsh in riding compared to other sports.
5. Participants in other sports are (I hate to start this debate but its true) friendlier and less suspicious of newcomers (I know I know, see 3 above).

Anyway, I think I know the answers but it is a funny sport.

2.

C.

Az

...go on....

1. There is something gritty about racing another guy. Someone will come out faster than the other.

2. It's a game of wits. Usually the smarter guy winds up ahead.

3. I haven't found any other way to push myself as hard as I do during a race.

4 It keeps my mind on what I eat, how long I sleep, and anything else that may affect my health.

5. It's fun as hell.

I race because:

-it makes me a better, stronger cyclist.
-It teaches you that the engine also needs to be properly tuned---eating healthy, resting, exercising, striving.
-being on a team encourages me to stay on top of my training,
-Competition is exciting, and a bike race is no exception.
-It's amazing what you learn about yourself and what you can accomplish through racing.
-Because it fuels my love for cycling, it keeps me on the bike when I'd otherwise stay off the bike (bad weather, cold, wind, feeling lazy, etc.)

No, there's not a lot of glory in it for most of us. There are some strong athletes who are regularly duking it out for the top 5, but for the rest of us it's about training with a goal, getting out there, and trying to do better than last time. It's great stuff.

I noticed you're in the DC area-- come out with our club/team on Sunday at 9 AM. We leave from Capitol Hill Bikes. Lots of racer brains to pick, and it's a good, laid-back bunch.

it's the only thing i've found that keeps me riding my bike regularly. if i don't have anything to train for, i'd probably only ride once in a while and not be in very good shape.

plus, i never did competitive sports in high school or college. i guess i'm making up for lost time in a way.

Once you try one race, the question "why race?" ceases to exist

Well, it's pretty simple...try it...if you like it, it will consume you and drive you...if you don't like it, now you really know. What's the problem? :)

The rides I love to do are comprised of regular racing guys, Cat 5 through 2. They're fast. I suck at racing. But on a good day I can have a decent showing on the local club rides vs. the local racers. So that's like a no entry fee race for this weenie. If I race, even if I never get a result, it really does make me considerably faster/stronger and the weekend rides/friendly competition becomes much more fun.

There is however one over-riding altruism in racing: every dog has his day. If you keep showing up, keep trying, ride near the front and pay attention, something good will happen, you'll feel good, you'll make the break, etc. It even happens to me. I've gotten 2nd, 4th, 5th over the years through a combination of good timing/smart moves/luck. And trust me, I friggin SUCK at this.

But ultimately I do enjoy it or I wouldn't do it. And if you don't, I wouldn't bother. It's about having FUN, despite the overwhelming take-it-way-too-seriously nonsense half the road racers seem to exhibit. The only difference between the beer softball league and USCF bike racing are the beer bellies. And of course the softball dudes get more babes. They don't shave their legs.

I suck at all stick and ball sports. I could play basketball every day of my life and I still couldn't jump more than 6" off the ground. When I played little league my batting ave was 0 for three consecutive seasons. I played pop warner football and was ok but not great...and far more likely to get hurt than cycling. I played tennis..sucked. I've only been really good at one sport and that's racing cars, unfortunately costs too much money. I'm getting better at cycling and can see myself being a competitive cat 3 by years end. Anyone can and does the stick and ball stuff, a lot of guys ride bikes but not many race, their something kind of special about it.

But the number one reason? I really really really like it.

Oy, I replied in the other thread. Can we get a mod to merge these?

My fault. I had a typing error and created multiple threads.

And the answers are really good so far....

But racing is an odd sport compared to so many others. For example, I play basketball once a week and compared to basketball, road racing is a strange value proposition:
1. You can be decent at basketball without training 10-12 hours (minimum per week).
2. You can be decent at basketball and half the time (on average) you will WIN! There are many racers out there who never win anything (I admire them by the way and expect to be one of them).
3. Only occasionally will someone get hurt in basketball or other team sports. In road racing, someone is likely to get hurt in alomst every race. Maybe multiple people. Maybe seriously hurt.
4. The time investment versus improvement curve is very harsh in riding compared to other sports.
5. Participants in other sports are (I hate to start this debate but its true) friendlier and less suspicious of newcomers (I know I know, see 3 above).





Do you play basketball 1 on 1 on 1 on 1 on 1 on 1 on 1, etc? Basketball is a TWO team sport. 50% win, 50% lose. In a race with 50 guys, the winning percentage goes way down. Even guys on a cycling team race against each other. Ever have a team mate block your shot in basketball?

As far as time investment goes, do you play basketball with guys who play 10 hours per week? I bet those guys are better than the weekend warrior types if they have a long term committment to the sport. Plus, is your once a week basketball game in a league where if you score XX points per game or get XX rebounds qualifies you to play in a better league?

-makes me want to ride more

-because the strongest/fastest guy dosen't always win

-basketball/football/baseball/etc. you dump yourself for only seconds before getting a rest or a timeout but in cycling it can be an all out effort for over a hour :D

Remember how fun it was when you were in high school and your basketball skills were always increasing? That's how it is with me and cycling.

39 years old and improving on the bike every day.

Why I race bikes:
1. Beats eating chips in front of the TV (aka keeps me focused on being fit)
2. I like competition against myself (time trials) and others (crits, road races)
3. It's fun
4. It's not a start and stop sport, continuous action.
5. It's hard, in a 203 beats per minute kind of way
6. Every now and then you get a little nugget that brings you back for next weeks race. You make the break, win the field sprint, don't get dropped, new best TT time, etc.
7. Gets me out of the house for hours at a time (see number 1)
8. It's fun.
9. Bikes are cool looking and I love riding it.
10. Never ending pasta bowl at Olive Garden rules the Sunday evening after a stage race.

Racing is more personal then other sports cause of pain you can inflict on others and yourself.
Ego plays impotant part, "I can take/inflict more pain then the other guy" is the idea here, kinda like boxing.

Why I race bikes:
1. Beats eating chips in front of the TV (aka keeps me focused on being fit)
2. I like competition against myself (time trials) and others (crits, road races)
3. It's fun
4. It's not a start and stop sport, continuous action.
5. It's hard, in a 203 beats per minute kind of way
6. Every now and then you get a little nugget that brings you back for next weeks race. You make the break, win the field sprint, don't get dropped, new best TT time, etc.
7. Gets me out of the house for hours at a time (see number 1)
8. It's fun.
9. Bikes are cool looking and I love riding it.
10. Never ending pasta bowl at Olive Garden rules the Sunday evening after a stage race.

+1

im pretty much with el diablo, no co-ordination with basketball/baseball/football type things
i run cross country and an injury lead me from running to biking and i havent raced yet but im getting really excited

I race for the good days.

The bad days really suck, but the good days are sweet!!!

And training rides aren't the same.

Andy

I see your points on the ammount of time it takes to be competitive in this sport compared to others, but for most of us who take it seriously, we enjoy being on the bike whenever possible... be it 10, 15 or 20 hours a week. Going w/ a cliche... its a lifestyle, you can't be good if you don't practice all the disciplines of the sport, training, rest, diet etc...
Its also a great way to push yourself to limits that are hard to reach otherwise.
So I race because I love it, its what I do and its who I am.

If the race if fun, then the 10 hours is well worth your time. My thing about racing. I don't think it makes one love the bike. A clue is the fact 10 hours seems too much time to spend training.
If one just rides for fitness, and enjoys' ones saddle time; then it is about the bike. I fear racing just feeds the competitive spirit and does not cause one to love the act of cycling. If you were a true cyclist, 10 hours would not be enough to feed your addiction.

My experiance is more pooled from riding competitively.

Bike racing is pretty much nothing more dependent on yourself, if you put in the miles and you trained more than the other guy you will win, theres no team its just your wits, your legs, and your heart.

Theres nothing better than be the first to crest that 500m 16% grade and looking back into the eyes of your opponets and knowing that you are faster than them.

basically if you have a competitive personality its fun as hell.

I dont know though racing can be one of the most painful experiances of your life, that steep long hill where the top is the finish after 80 miles of hard riding hurts, and something screams in your mind to get off but you dont.

Bicycle racers are a little crazy.

So I am a middle aged guy that has become obsessed with cycling. I want to try road racing and intend to do some Cat 5 races starting in a month or so. I bought a powertap, get advice online, train, etc etc.

But racing is an odd sport compared to so many others. For example, I play basketball once a week and compared to basketball, road racing is a strange value proposition:
1. You can be decent at basketball without training 10-12 hours (minimum per week).
2. You can be decent at basketball and half the time (on average) you will WIN! There are many racers out there who never win anything (I admire them by the way and expect to be one of them).
3. Only occasionally will someone get hurt in basketball or other team sports. In road racing, someone is likely to get hurt in alomst every race. Maybe multiple people. Maybe seriously hurt.
4. The time investment versus improvement curve is very harsh in riding compared to other sports.
5. Participants in other sports are (I hate to start this debate but its true) friendlier and less suspicious of newcomers (I know I know, see 3 above).

Anyway, I think I know the answers but it is a funny sport.

1) I wouldn't be decent at basketball if I played 20 hours a week
2) My winning % would be lower as a basketball player than as a cyclist
3) Good point, best to try a breakaway.
4) I don't think I agree with this.
5) Sadly there are many unfriendly cyclists, but most are great guys.

And, as others have mentioned, bike races are fun!

I do it because it's fun, risky, fast, athletic and social. It gives me a place to get my ya-yas out.

If you applied your criteria to sports like rock/ice climbing and surfing then you would be hard pressed to even go try it. Some things take time to get functional at and racing is like that. It requires a huge mix of skill, training, dedication and luck to be competitive. I've been riding and racing for 20 years and I still suck at it. But that's not what matters to me. It's the fun I get from it that makes it worthwhile to me.

If the race if fun, then the 10 hours is well worth your time. My thing about racing. I don't think it makes one love the bike. A clue is the fact 10 hours seems too much time to spend training.
If one just rides for fitness, and enjoys' ones saddle time; then it is about the bike. I fear racing just feeds the competitive spirit and does not cause one to love the act of cycling. If you were a true cyclist, 10 hours would not be enough to feed your addiction.

Being fairly busy and having time be a very precious commodity, I find that racing is what motivates me to squeeze every bit of riding I can out of the week, and it gives a focus and purpose to the riding. Sure, I'd love to ride 100km a day, but that's not reality.

>>there are many unfriendly cyclists, but most are great guys.<<

This is very true. There are a couple of reasons for this in my opinion:

• It's a hard sport that requires an excessive amount of time/effort for training. That can make some participants a bit umm... short tempered.

• Your safety is dependent upon the riding skills of those around you. So bonehead moves (and we all make them, more when we're new to the sport) piss people off. Some more than others.

• It's a complicated sport. Bike racing is very tough, and tough to learn. That's a difficult combination, one that can lead to short tempers, particularly in the heat of competition.

• When you're good at bicycle racing, you're in fairly elite company in amateur sports. This clearly goes straight to the heads of some participants. But only some. It's a true-ism in the sport that the best riders are often the most approachable, attitude-free and down-to-earth.

So take it with an enormous grain of salt. Get past the bullsiht you're inevitably confronted with as a new bicycle racer and you'll experience fantastic camraderie, genuine friendships and the generally cool scene that is amateur road racing in the USA. But the snot-nosed pinheads go with the territory.

Laugh at them. What the hell, they're laughing at us : ). And if you care about that, it says more about you than it does about them. Get over it. And of course, welcome to the sport.

Bike racing is pretty much nothing more dependent on yourself, if you put in the miles and you trained more than the other guy you will win, theres no team...


We're clearly not in the same races...

So I am a middle aged guy that has become obsessed with cycling. I want to try road racing and intend to do some Cat 5 races starting in a month or so. I bought a powertap, get advice online, train, etc etc.

But racing is an odd sport compared to so many others. For example, I play basketball once a week and compared to basketball, road racing is a strange value proposition:
1. You can be decent at basketball without training 10-12 hours (minimum per week).
2. You can be decent at basketball and half the time (on average) you will WIN! There are many racers out there who never win anything (I admire them by the way and expect to be one of them).
3. Only occasionally will someone get hurt in basketball or other team sports. In road racing, someone is likely to get hurt in alomst every race. Maybe multiple people. Maybe seriously hurt.
4. The time investment versus improvement curve is very harsh in riding compared to other sports.
5. Participants in other sports are (I hate to start this debate but its true) friendlier and less suspicious of newcomers (I know I know, see 3 above).

Anyway, I think I know the answers but it is a funny sport.
Hi,

As a 'middle-aged' guy who was never good at traditional sports and was a motorsports fan starting at a young age, here are my comments on your value proposition:

1. Assuming you have an affinity for the basic, required skills
2. Potentially true at an 'amateur' level, but only an issue if you think winning is important in amateur sports (more on this later)
3. Racing is inherently dangerous, but I think that the risk level decreases as your experience increases. If my probability of crashing now was the same as when I started then I might not still race.
4. The time investment depends on the level of competitiveness that you desire
5. Racers fit this comment more than serious, but non-racing cyclists, however, I wouldn't say that this fits the majority

Here are my reasons:

A. Speed sports are part of my DNA
B. I psychologically need the fitness level that I achieve through racing
C. I am continually fascinated by the intertwining of technology and human effort
D. I am a technology geek (and engineer)
E. I need the adrenalin rush that I get from racing
F. Speed sports are part of my DNA :)

None of my reasons have anything to do with winning which has occurred exactly once in my 30+ years of racing. I achieved my Cat. 3 status by the time I turned 20 and I had enough points (through placing) to be a Cat. 2 in the mid-1980s but I never upgraded. (Why race with a bunch of guys when you can basically hang in but not attack without blowing up?) So maybe I should change my screen name to Cat3Forever. The guys I know that placed a premium on winning are generally out of the sport within a few years unless they made it to the very top levels.

This is a very long way of saying that if you want to get into the sport and stay around for a while, winning should not be a big part of your value proposition -- unless you end up being very good. ;)

We're clearly not in the same races...
+1

We're clearly not in the same races...
+1 too.

4. The time investment versus improvement curve is very harsh in riding compared to other sports.
5. Participants in other sports are (I hate to start this debate but its true) friendlier and less suspicious of newcomers.

You think cycling's tough? try tango.

The learning curve in argentine tango is incredibly long. If you are a woman, you can become adept enough to at least do the basics after six months of classes and private lessons, and about 15-20 hours a week on the dance floor. It will take a man about 3 years to get to that same level (the man's part is much more difficult than the woman's).

It took me about 3 1/2 years of intense study to get to where I felt I was no longer a stumbling beginner. I spent about $35,000 getting there.

The social roadblocks are agonizing. The hours sitting and waiting for someone to ask you. The terror that someone will ask you and you'll embarass yourself because you're just a beginner. The pain and humiliation of being refused after you've gotten up enough nerve to ask someone. The burning rage of having someone tell you with a perfectly straight face, "I don't know how to dance tango," only to get up and dance with someone else (better looking that you) less than ten minutes later.

Or try ballet. It will take fifteen years of brutal training for a woman to be able to move from student to performing small parts in local productions.

Or try screenwriting. It took John Huston twenty years as a WORKING, SUCCESSFUL writer/director to get "The Man Who Would Be King" produced. His original choices -- Bogey and Clark Gable -- were too old to play the leads.

Compared to some of the other things I've tried, cycling is incredibly and immediately rewarding. I started off last year as a fat, unfit, out of shape, completely unathletic nothing. I won a gold medal at Masters States, competed at Elite States and Elite Nats, and last Sunday, at Cleave's Club's race event, I was the only person from my club to walk away with a prize. (Okay, it was a second place, and there were only two of us in the race, but hey!! I showed up!!)

I like cycling and racing just fine.

The Velodrome Phoenix

>>Compared to some of the other things I've tried, cycling is incredibly and immediately rewarding. I started off last year as a fat, unfit, out of shape, completely unathletic nothing. I won a gold medal at Masters States, competed at Elite States and Elite Nats, and last Sunday, at Cleave's Club's race event, I was the only person from my club to walk away with a prize.<<

Clearly you don't suck at cycling. Some of us do.

This has not been my experience with bicycle racing. It took me half of my first season to finish with the pack in a race.

Oh well. I raced for 9 years and got results a dozen times (i.e., top 10 or better). And I still love it. And I'm not sure why.

It's fun. Try it out sometime.

I like the way that John Howard said it:
“My infatuation with bike racing, I now realize, goes much deeper than racing or even winning. The sport has substance. The legends, international flair, jargon, seasonal unions, and lasting friendships, the unseen strategies and the never-ending thrill of adventure - - These are the Diamonds of my youth.”

- John Howard

I race to justify.

Because I love it and respect it and it gives me the butterflies.

45years old with 9 cat 5 races to date. I've done all kinds of racing: skiing, snowboarding, sailing and windsurfing, but the dynamics of bike racing is unique to itself.

Being fairly busy and having time be a very precious commodity, I find that racing is what motivates me to squeeze every bit of riding I can out of the week, and it gives a focus and purpose to the riding. Sure, I'd love to ride 100km a day, but that's not reality.

ohhh sure because saving peoples lives is more important! :rolleyes: :D

this is going to be the first year i've done any racing since my late teens......being in my early 30's and coming from a soccer (and to a lesser extent hockey) background i've moved more from competing as a team against an opponent to competing against, and challenging, myself and cycling is great for that......and i if i get to smoke a few people in the process....even better! :D

who says basketball and cycling are mutually exclusive? I play basketball, vball, soccer or football all the time...cycling's just a great way to burn a ton of calories and have a blast doing it.

Cycling is my first "individual" sport and while I've never been an endurance athlete(mostly fast twitch), I love the immediate tangable gains from training...I realize at higher cats it's a team sport, and that's even more of a draw. As someone mentioned before, when a teammate wins, the team wins.

edit: Plus, after I lose a race, I can find solace in the fact that I could probably wipe the floor with the entire peloton at basketball or volleyball :) :)

The other aspect of bike racing I like is that I'm part of team but still I can still do it as an individual. My teammates are great and really enjoy being part of this group of guys. I get a lot of pleasure when I can help one of them achieve a good result. Yet I can still line up by myself and test my fitness against 50-75 other guys.

Oh come on now this really is pretty simple. Men have been racing other men on foot, on bikes, in cars, boats, planes etc since the dawn of time (or since the day the machine was invented). It is pretty simple and come down to one thing:

I'm faster than you.
Not you're not.
Yes I am.
Prove it.

Then there was a race.

Oh come on now this really is pretty simple. Men have been racing other men on foot, on bikes, in cars, boats, planes etc since the dawn of time (or since the day the machine was invented). It is pretty simple and come down to one thing:

I'm faster than you.
Not you're not.
Yes I am.
Prove it.

Then there was a race.

LOL yea that pretty much sums it up.:D

Oh come on now this really is pretty simple. Men have been racing other men on foot, on bikes, in cars, boats, planes etc since the dawn of time (or since the day the machine was invented). It is pretty simple and come down to one thing:

I'm faster than you.
Not you're not.
Yes I am.
Prove it.

Then there was a race.

Totally agree, this is why people race, but the OP was more or less asking, "why bikes and not some other sport". Why don't you put as much time and effort into tennis, or B'ball, or your local softball or soccer league? Like I posted earlier I suck at stick and ball sports, and I suck a lot less at bike racing. The other thing is I dig the gear, not so much the lycra but the bikes themselves are just flat bichen (sp) machines!
(yes I used the the word bichen (sp) because I'm that old)

that's an awesome point. it's a sport with lots of fun toys...expensive fun toys :)

Why race? fitness, comraderie, thrill of competition, it's as fun as it gets when youre in your mid 30s, and it's a sport you can compete in as long as you can make pedals go 'round.

Training is time for me, either alone or with the guys. I think of it as a reward or treat to myself. Some go to happy hours, play poker, or golf as a "treat", start racing and training becomes that reward. Then, each race is a reward for the time spent training.

Racing tests you to your maximum physically, but also it tests your wits, patience, aggression - like poker while moving 30 mph and at or near your physical limits. Everyone out there has some strengths and weaknesses, a fun part of racing is exploiting others weaknesses while emphasizing your strengths. I'm just getting to the point in racing where it's becoming more team oriented, the increased comraderie and thinking/executing as a unit takes the fun up another notch. Ya just cant get that from a pickup basket ball game, softball league, or poker game.

The danger aspect is part of the appeal, yeah, there's a chance of getting hurt, but there's a chance of getting hurt anytime you ride your bike, play basketball, ski a bump run, cross the street, etc. So yeah, there's dangers, but it's not like base jumping. I raced about 25 - 30x this past season and hit the deck on 2 occaissions, lost some azz and elbow skin, and minor concussion, but I'm no worse for wear.

The motivation to keep going without results ... well, I've been fortunate enough to have some good results and to win on rare occaission. Winning rocks, I'll never forget a win at a big race this summer where the only thing in my consciousness was the finish line and the "whoo hoo" I could hear my wife shouting - very cool. BUT, the searing pain of being caught at 200M while riding in a break for miles, which has happened to me more times than getting podiums, including the day prior to the win I describe above, is what truely motivates.

Go join Dr. Pete at his club's skills clinic, sounds like a really good program to introduce a group rider to racing. Then committ to a series of races, like 4 races, 1 isnt enough, then decide how much you like it. Worst thing that can happen is it'll make you a better rider. We're fortunate in the DC area to have lots of great races within <2 hrs. drive.

Problem with bike racing compared to other sports at a recreation level, is that bike racing is so friggin hard. You can spend 3 hours a week on basketball, tennis, even golf (ok 5 hours), and find groups with which you'll be competitive and have fun.

For the vast majority of us non gifted folks, 3 hours a week bike racing and you're OTB even in the Citizen's race, which isn't much fun.

Problem with bike racing compared to other sports at a recreation level, is that bike racing is so friggin hard. You can spend 3 hours a week on basketball, tennis, even golf (ok 5 hours), and find groups with which you'll be competitive and have fun.

For the vast majority of us non gifted folks, 3 hours a week bike racing and you're OTB even in the Citizen's race, which isn't much fun.

Really? Because I was hard pressed to find anyone as bad as I was at basketball, and really how much fun is tennis if your volley's last 30sec. Golf are you kidding me? Hitting in mid 150's isn't fun at all. At least with cycling my training is enjoyable, I open my garage and ride. Even a recovery ride takes me someplace.

I would compare a basketball pick up game more like the weekend shop ride. To be one of the fast rec guys I didn't really train as much as I just rode my bike hard, which in and of itself was fun. I think unless you are good athlete to begin with joining a city league basketball team would be tough for those of us who are glued to the ground.

Really? Because I was hard pressed to find anyone as bad as I was at basketball, and really how much fun is tennis if your volley's last 30sec. Golf are you kidding me? Hitting in mid 150's isn't fun at all. At least with cycling my training is enjoyable, I open my garage and ride. Even a recovery ride takes me someplace.

I would compare a basketball pick up game more like the weekend shop ride. To be one of the fast rec guys I didn't really train as much as I just rode my bike hard. I think unless you are good athlete to begin with joining a city league basketball team would be tough for those of us who are glued to the ground.

+1. When I was on the golf team in high school I was playing 6 days a week to stay competitive at the amateur level of competition...

Although I'd be all for the USCF instituting a USGA-esque handicapping system--If I got a 30-minute head start in a long RR I might actually be competitive. :D