"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Cirts vs Road Races: The low down--> My hesitation

I'm trying to peg out what my first race is going to be. Despite having a limited selection around where i'm going to be this summer i'm finding that the large bulk of the races are crits. I'm honestly not that interested in these types of races, i'd much rather stick to road races and TT's. Alas i have never done any type of racing so i don't really know.

There is a pretty big crit event here in Iowa City that i watched last year, so i know what, at least this one, entails. It just doesn't seem like my cup of tea. Why? They seem too compact with too much sharp turning. That is to say, a little too upbeat for what i think i'd be comfortable with for my first couple of races. I'm wondering if i'm off base here. Despite the change in scenery and distance, is there any real difference between a typical road race and a criterion? I'm strictly speaking for the perspective of on the bike, I'm aware of the differences in how the race is setup.

Any input is appreciated. Including any suggestions you may have for eastern Iowa/southern Wisconsin/northern illinois races (i'd prefer not to drive to Indiana or Michigan...).

It's criterium btw. A road race is a bit more of a gentile introduction to racing, but don't knock crits until you've tried them. They're fun.

Well I also used to think crits were dangerous and to be avoided. Now it sometimes seems to me that they're safer than road races. Some of the worst crashes have happened on wide open straightaways in road races because someone stopped paying attention to what they were doing, crossed wheels with the guy in front of them, went down, and took a bunch of guys with them. Not to say that a cat 5 crit won't be a wreckfest or whatever, but it seems foolhardy to preferentially race rr's over crits because you are worried about crashing.

Now if I didn't suck so hard at positioning myself for the sprint, I'd probably enjoy crits even more...

Well I also used to think crits were dangerous and to be avoided. Now it sometimes seems to me that they're safer than road races. Some of the worst crashes have happened on wide open straightaways in road races because someone stopped paying attention to what they were doing, crossed wheels with the guy in front of them, went down, and took a bunch of guys with them. Not to say that a cat 5 crit won't be a wreckfest or whatever, but it seems foolhardy to preferentially race rr's over crits because you are worried about crashing.

Now if I didn't suck so hard at positioning myself for the sprint, I'd probably enjoy crits even more...

I'm probably over thinking this...

I'm trying to peg out what my first race is going to be. Despite having a limited selection around where i'm going to be this summer i'm finding that the large bulk of the races are crits. I'm honestly not that interested in these types of races, i'd much rather stick to road races and TT's. Alas i have never done any type of racing so i don't really know.

There is a pretty big crit event here in Iowa City that i watched last year, so i know what, at least this one, entails. It just doesn't seem like my cup of tea. Why? They seem too compact with too much sharp turning. That is to say, a little too upbeat for what i think i'd be comfortable with for my first couple of races. I'm wondering if i'm off base here. Despite the change in scenery and distance, is there any real difference between a typical road race and a criterion? I'm strictly speaking for the perspective of on the bike, I'm aware of the differences in how the race is setup.

Any input is appreciated. Including any suggestions you may have for eastern Iowa/southern Wisconsin/northern illinois races (i'd prefer not to drive to Indiana or Michigan...).

just. do. it.

I'm probably over thinking this...

correct.

The day before the Old Cap Crit(which is the one you are talking about) is theIowa City road Race which I have not personally done, but plan on it this year. I did the crit last year and it was me 2nd road race ever, and even though I wasn't with the main pack, it was still a good race. Also if you are ready the Kent Park Spring Classic is in 2 weeks.
Other than that you can go to www.bikeiowa.org and that has a list off most of the races.

I'm new to racing. My first 3 races were road races, and my 4th and most recent was a crit. The crit was much more fun than the road races were. I mean way more fun.

The day before the Old Cap Crit(which is the one you are talking about) is theIowa City road Race which I have not personally done, but plan on it this year. I did the crit last year and it was me 2nd road race ever, and even though I wasn't with the main pack, it was still a good race. Also if you are ready the Kent Park Spring Classic is in 2 weeks.
Other than that you can go to www.bikeiowa.org and that has a list off most of the races.

Unfortunately i wont have a bike within two weeks. Those Iowa City races are in the fall right? i was having a hard time remembering, i'm moving away from iowa city forever ( :( ) in 2 months...

Just race kid.

Just race kid.


correct.

Just race kid.

Or soon we'll lump you in with Ryanf .... all talk, no action

Or soon we'll lump you in with Ryanf .... all talk, no action

and fake.

Racing is daunting at first, but the only way to find out if it's for you, or for that matter what kind of races you'll enjoy... is to DO a bunch of them. I'm no crit fan either, but they are great fitness and bike handling experience races. I used to do them weekly, even got a result or two even though I'm no sprinter (breakaways). If you find the right crit series, learn the course, get used to it, you might like them. I started to. But I greatly prefer circuit and road races. That's why I go to the city to race in those races, I like them more than the Bethel CT crits (although as crits go, that's about the best series I can recall, used to like those too, well organized safe, etc).

It's criterium btw.

As my mom said after I crashed in my first crit, "Quentin, do you have to race those... those criterions?!?!"

just. do. it.

correct.


For Wisconsin races, check here (http://www.wicycling.org/WisconsinCup/roadSchedule.htm).

Of course, there's always the Superweek (http://www.internationalcycling.com/) races too.

Just another point of view:

If the criterium pulls you when lapped and they want to lump you with 3s and 4s, look for another crit or consider sticking to road races. Paying big bucks just to get pulled because some 3's doing 40mph lap you 20 minutes in just plain sucks. At least you get to finish road races.

Yes, I'm still sore about that. :|

Or soon we'll lump you in with Ryanf .... all talk, no action

Ryan talked up his cycling abilities. I'm a hack. Thats the difference ;)

Ryan talked up his cycling abilities. I'm a hack. Thats the difference ;)

The Self Loathing is strong in you young Jedi. Embrace it. Learn how deeply you suck @ this sport. That is the path to Pcad Cycling Zen.

And of course, nothing gets you there like bicycle racing.

http://www.threestooges.com/news/images/photo_PlatterHead.jpg

Enough threads asking what to expect and what to think.

Stop whining and posting. JUST RACE.

Yeah, do the crit if that gets you racing sooner. Just stay toward the front, and there won't be as many riders around you (it's also a lot easier to handle the surges up there).

Enough threads asking what to expect and what to think.

Stop whining and posting. JUST RACE.

:rolleyes:


Yeah, do the crit if that gets you racing sooner. Just stay toward the front, and there won't be as many riders around you (it's also a lot easier to handle the surges up there).

Right now i'm aiming for a race about an hour away from Iowa City and a couple days after my graduation. They have both a crit and a RR.

1) If you don't race Crits, you've ruled out 60-70% of available races in most areas.

2) People who know they have lousy bike handling skills avoid crits, and sign up for Road races thinking they're safer. In the process they make the Road races more dangerous.

3) Even a 50 person field jammed into one lane on an open road, with the centerline rule in effect can be more dangerous than racing a crit using the whole road on a closed course.

1) If you don't race Crits, you've ruled out 60-70% of available races in most areas.

2) People who know they have lousy bike handling skills avoid crits, and sign up for Road races thinking they're safer. In the process they make the Road races more dangerous.

3) Even a 50 person field jammed into one lane on an open road, with the centerline rule in effect can be more dangerous than racing a crit using the whole road on a closed course.

I've ridden and can ride in groups, i'm probably just making something out of nothing.

Most of your threads have been nothing but a lot of hot air. Stop stressing and just go race.

Most of your threads have been nothing but a lot of hot air. Stop stressing and just go race.

I have no bike for three weeks. I'm getting cabin fever. :(

*also*
This is only the 2nd thread about this...so

I have no bike for three weeks. I'm getting cabin fever. :(

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/demo-bike

tq - See this thread in Great Lakes (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=387604) regarding Chicago area and Wisconsin races.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/demo-bike

Neat, but i'll save my $300 for something else ;)


tq - See this thread in Great Lakes (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=387604) regarding Chicago area and Wisconsin races.

Thanks.

I told you already, come to the south chicago wheelmen Tuesday night crits in Homewood, IL. You will get tons of practice. If you get dropped you just rejoin the pack once they come around again. It's a training crit and will get you accustomed without having to worry too much about DFL, DNF or such.

I told you already, come to the south chicago wheelmen Tuesday night crits in Homewood, IL. You will get tons of practice. If you get dropped you just rejoin the pack once they come around again. It's a training crit and will get you accustomed without having to worry too much about DFL, DNF or such.

I'd like to. Problem is that Homewood is 2 hours away and i've got a class from 5-9 on Tuesdays for the duration of summer :(.

I will, however, probably try and make at least one before that class begins.

1) If you don't race Crits, you've ruled out 60-70% of available races in most areas.

2) People who know they have lousy bike handling skills avoid crits, and sign up for Road races thinking they're safer. In the process they make the Road races more dangerous.

3) Even a 50 person field jammed into one lane on an open road, with the centerline rule in effect can be more dangerous than racing a crit using the whole road on a closed course.

+1000
I often fear for my life much more in road races, because no one at the front will work and everyone in the pack is impatient and overcrowded.

1) If you don't race Crits, you've ruled out 60-70% of available races in most areas.

2) People who know they have lousy bike handling skills avoid crits, and sign up for Road races thinking they're safer. In the process they make the Road races more dangerous.

3) Even a 50 person field jammed into one lane on an open road, with the centerline rule in effect can be more dangerous than racing a crit using the whole road on a closed course.

There have been crashes in many of the races I've done, road races and crits. Most of the crashes were on straights, not corners. I use to think like Timmy and tried to do only road races, but am now actually starting to like crits. I'm even thinking of skipping out on a road race up north in two weeks for a pair of crits down in LA. :eek:

Timmy, I agree with the other posters (and apparently you) that you are overthinking it. Just get out there are do it. If a crit gets you racing sooner, then just HTFU and do the crit. Also, like others said if you can do a training crit beforehand even better. I got some great advice in a practice crit here about cornering in the pack that made me much more comfortable. And because there were no categories, it was quite the workout just trying to hold on!

Groovy

Well I also used to think crits were dangerous and to be avoided. Now it sometimes seems to me that they're safer than road races. Some of the worst crashes have happened on wide open straightaways in road races because someone stopped paying attention to what they were doing, crossed wheels with the guy in front of them, went down, and took a bunch of guys with them. Not to say that a cat 5 crit won't be a wreckfest or whatever, but it seems foolhardy to preferentially race rr's over crits because you are worried about crashing.

+1

Just race

Timmy, your posts are getting pretty ********. There have been people tell you exactly where to to go look up races in the Iowa City area, as well as where you will be moving to after leaving. Just pick one and go freakin race...OR stop whining about it so much ;)

Seriously, there are races (both road and crit) like every weekend from now till the fall that are close to Iowa City. The IC Road Race and the Crit are in the spring (end of April). But there is no reason to wait that long if you have a useable bike to race on.

Timmy, your posts are getting pretty ********.

My posts have a developmental problem? Also, what is this "whining" i'm doing? I'm not sure i follow. This is the second post about racing i've made. :rolleyes:



There have been people tell you exactly where to to go look up races in the Iowa City area, as well as where you will be moving to after leaving. Just pick one and go freakin race...OR stop whining about it so much ;)

Seriously, there are races (both road and crit) like every weekend from now till the fall that are close to Iowa City. The IC Road Race and the Crit are in the spring (end of April).

Incorrect. Aside from that, i don't know how many times i have to bring up school. I spent this weekend studying for two exams and writing two papers. I wont have time to race until school is over. End of discussion.



But there is no reason to wait that long if you have a useable bike to race on.

Again, i don't currently have a bike to race on and i wont until the end of April.

In the meantime, i'm going to try and figure out how i can best enjoy my first racing experience, since frankly i have little else to do in regards to this matter. Do you actually have anything to contribute in a way that doesn't make you look like a prick?

My posts have a developmental problem? Also, what is this "whining" i'm doing? I'm not sure i follow. This is the second post about racing i've made. :rolleyes:

In the meantime, i'm going to try and figure out how i can best enjoy my first racing experience, since frankly i have little else to do in regards to this matter. Do you actually have anything to contribute in a way that doesn't make you look like a prick?


You made a thread within the last month asking about races. There were many provided. By my count, about 50-60 races within a 2-3hr drive of Iowa City. What more do you want?

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=390008&highlight=timmyquest

If you're going to be in Chicago this summer, you have even more readily available. I can think of 15 in the immediate Chicago/suburbs area alone. Then you have Wisconsin as well.

Again, i don't currently have a bike to race on and i wont until the end of April.

It seems he won't have a bike for another 6 weeks, so all our postings are rather pointless

You made a thread within the last month asking about races. There were many provided. By my count, about 50-60 races within a 2-3hr drive of Iowa City. What more do you want?

I would like to stick to the topic, for starters. I would also appreciate an end to the ankle biting. That may be a decent place to start. I think, though, that 50-60 races is a bit of a stretch. The sources provided are fantastic, many of them overlap however so just because two sites have 20 races each doesn't mean that there are 40 races. Also, you seem to be referring to races for the entire year, i'm talking specifically about races near the beginning to middle of May which is when i intend on popping my cherry.

This topic was regarding a, perhaps naive, notion of mine about crit races being too up tempo for a first race. It seems that myth has been exposed, i think we can all move on now.

If you would like to turn this into a thread where you bash me for various reasons, i suppose you can have at it because unless there are any other helpful pointers, i'm done here.

I find it odd that there is such a contrasting mindset in this forum than there is elsewhere. I don't think you guys have to worry about me hurting your race performance or anything, so i'm not sure what the hostility is all about.

It seems he won't have a bike for another 6 weeks, so all our postings are rather pointless

I should have a 40 pound schwinn'o'steel in a couple weeks, but i think i'm going to refrain from racing that beast. :)

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=390008&highlight=timmyquest

If you're going to be in Chicago this summer, you have even more readily available. I can think of 15 in the immediate Chicago/suburbs area alone. Then you have Wisconsin as well.


Nice edit, and thank you for researching my two post claim. Looks like i was right after all.

I am going to be in the chicago area this summer, that's great. In the meantime i'm in Iowa City and wont be able to race until about the first to second week of May. So what exactly are you getting at and how are you addressing any question i've raised in this thread?

Or are you just trying to pick a fight?

i'm done here.



We have heard that before...

We have heard that before...

I'm manic

Have you been doing any training, timmy? Trainers or spinning bikes or anything? Even if you get the Schwinn and can figure out how to train on it, that's kind of a rushed training schedule.

Don't get too down if someone disagrees with your approach, though. Read the sticky at the top of the Racing Forum, take it to heart and go race.

I don't know about your area, but in New England and in the Mid-Atlantic, there are training crits that are a much better introduction to racing then jumping into a full blown USCF road race. These tend to be low key, in not-so-technical industrial parks, and have races for cat 5's only. Around here, the field size for the new racers are between 15 and 30, so they are much safer then you'd think. And since these happen pretty regularly, you can track your progress as a racer. My suggestion would to find of these and get your feet wet there, and keep going back until you feel like you can start doing bigger races (road or otherwise.)

These also serve as an introduction to the local racing scene. You'll meet the local racers and their teams, and who knows, perhaps you'll become friends with them or even join a team.

Anyways, relax dude. I know it's a bit scary and some of the stronger personalities may come off as being a bit intimidating. But trust me, once you do a few races, you'll see that the people here are actually pretty helpful.

Good luck!

Have you been doing any training, timmy? Trainers or spinning bikes or anything? Even if you get the Schwinn and can figure out how to train on it, that's kind of a rushed training schedule.

Don't get too down if someone disagrees with your approach, though. Read the sticky at the top of the Racing Forum, take it to heart and go race.

I'm not very happy with the level of cycling specific training i've done for myself this winter, but i am in probably the best winter-shape i've ever been in.

Re: Training crits, i'll look more into it around here, one was suggested a few posts ago but i'm going to be in class when they are doing it and i can't really afford a 4 hour weekly drive. Hopefully i can find something close to me.

Re: Training crits, i'll look more into it around here, one was suggested a few posts ago but i'm going to be in class when they are doing it and i can't really afford a 4 hour weekly drive. Hopefully i can find something close to me.

If your school has a cycling program, ask around and see what they do. Chances are they will do some practice crits, and they may let you join in. For that matter, you may want to see about joining their team.

We've got a cycling club affiliated with the school and i've tried to get in contact with them but they appear to be very disorganized :(. For the third year in a row i'm going to try and ride with them (i've already emailed them) but i'm not confident.

I would like to stick to the topic, for starters. I would also appreciate an end to the ankle biting. That may be a decent place to start. I think, though, that 50-60 races is a bit of a stretch. The sources provided are fantastic, many of them overlap however so just because two sites have 20 races each doesn't mean that there are 40 races. Also, you seem to be referring to races for the entire year, i'm talking specifically about races near the beginning to middle of May which is when i intend on popping my cherry.

This topic was regarding a, perhaps naive, notion of mine about crit races being too up tempo for a first race. It seems that myth has been exposed, i think we can all move on now.

If you would like to turn this into a thread where you bash me for various reasons, i suppose you can have at it because unless there are any other helpful pointers, i'm done here.

I find it odd that there is such a contrasting mindset in this forum than there is elsewhere. I don't think you guys have to worry about me hurting your race performance or anything, so i'm not sure what the hostility is all about.

I can find you 40 races in IL/WI/IN, within 3hrs of Chicago.

Here we go:

16 Superweek
1-2 Elk Grove
2 Winfield
1 Wheaton
1 Downers
3 IL State Crits/RRs/Prologue
1 Elgin
1 Prairie Crossing
4 Memorial Day (3 of 4 in Iowa)
2 Wisconsin Crit/RR
2 Wisconsin and IL TT (ok, not a road race per say)
10+ Kenosha/GDVC/WCA races.
3 ABD Fall Fling


From May to September. No overlaps.