Road Bike Racing - What was your first?

I was looking around google to see if anyone could answer the question of their first bike tour/race. he only hits I got were... well... about first bikes. I want to one day be a famous cyclist.. but where do I begin? I did the 5 Borough Tour in NYC in May and the 150 mile for MS last september. While I greatly enjoy tours (I like the no pressure stuff :thumb:), I want to enter a race. Being that I only had my first tour back in September, what would be a good first race for me? I'm figuring I could find a good race if you guys tell me what your first was. ^^ Don't be afraid to give good detail so I know what I'm getting myself into.

http://www.ohiovalleyracing.org/results.php?action=get_event_results&event_id=124

My first race.

Details? Got dropped from the lead group, but held on for top ten. 40 miles, much harder than I thought.

This'll be an interesting thread.

If you're curious, find a local race (http://www.usacycling.org/events/index.php?race=Road), pay the $10 day license fee for Cat 5/Citizen class and get to it.

Raleigh grand prix con tiagra/105. I upgraded the wheels and crank out of necessity and the shifters because I wanted crisper shifting. I raced on the upgraded version 8 times and won once, beat a guy on a Cervelo with Zipp 404s. The reason I bring it up is that, like Lance said, it ain't about the bike (well it can be, I have a C-dale SystemSix now!).

So, if you already have a road bike, race on it. If you don't have one, buy one, train your brains out (group rides), then race.

The easiest way to be a famous cyclist is probably to be a cyclist second, and a serial killer first, but don't get caught for a couple years.

http://megangoestohollywood.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/dexter.jpg

The easiest way to be a famous cyclist is probably to be a cyclist second, and a serial killer first, but don't get caught for a couple years.

http://megangoestohollywood.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/dexter.jpg

i miss dexter.

a tour is nothing like a race.

Well, I know that. But I did a few tours already, so I wanted to see what other tours people were doing. And I haven't done a race, so I wanted to see what races are out there. Preferably in the NY/NJ/CT area.

Well, I know that. But I did a few tours already, so I wanted to see what other tours people were doing. And I haven't done a race, so I wanted to see what races are out there. Preferably in the NY/NJ/CT area.

are looking forward to sophomore year?

i miss dexter.

This Sunday, they started replaying all of last season (one/week). Such good stuff. New season 3 starts this Fall.

Amazing show, really.

This Sunday, they started replaying all of last season (one/week). Such good stuff. New season 3 starts this Fall.

Amazing show, really.

i'm waiting for it to be broadcast over here.

are looking forward to sophomore year?

I am, but not. Being a music major is the most draining 5 years of college life. Why cant I do it in 4 years? Because there's so many classes I need to take... so unless I take summer/winter classes, I'm not graduating in 4 years. But that's ok. :)

Towsontown Criterium in 1977. The race was around the courthouse square in downtown Towson, MD. Junior race, I was 16 years old. I got dropped a couple laps in and got pulled. The race was a big deal back then. There were national champs racing in it in all the catgories. I have an old b&w photos of me with my bike and team kit from that era. I need to find them.

My first race was a spring training crit in Parkside, WI. In the NYC area maybe you should head to Prospect Park some weekend morning? By the way, don't hem and haw about if you are in good enough shape and if you are ready - just go race. Chances are you are not ready, but you'll probably have fun anyway.

If you're in NYC I'd do a Prospect Park race. You can ride there and back if you live in the city. Do some riding in groups first. You might be able to find a group in either Prospect or Central Park.

Prospect is a kind race for beginners.
- you can sit in, sit at the back, not much penalty for that
- no real corners or curves
- short and not-steep hill makes you work but allows for non-racing type folk to use their non-racing fitness (versus a flat race which is fast and non-racing folk get shelled due to speed)
- you can ride there during the week or on non-race days
- no car needed if you live in the city

cdr

I am, but not. Being a music major is the most draining 5 years of college life. Why cant I do it in 4 years? Because there's so many classes I need to take... so unless I take summer/winter classes, I'm not graduating in 4 years. But that's ok. :)
OK if you're majoring in music (or any legitimate fine art for that matter) there is NO WAY you will find enough time to train to be a great cyclist until you have graduated and completed your recital... unless you're an industry or breadth major. You have 1 unit classes that take 4 hours per week, your teacher is pissed because you only practiced 5 hours yesterday and your band rehearsals and gigs don't count as practice time, and you believe it because that other guy got the principal seat while you're going to spend another semester playing the crappy parts.

Based on the bios I've read, to be a famous cyclist means you have to have been raised in a crappy family in a broken home. You started racing on a modest bike some guy gave you out of charity. You won races because you needed the prize money to eat and you kept with it because you couldn't find any other skill to pursue.

Disclaimer: The above paragraph is tongue-in-cheek. Don't get your bibs bunched up and take it too seriously.

Oh, and my first "tour" was a metric century in Solvang, CA called the Solvang Prelude. My first race was a velodrome meet for children in this free program I got referred to when I asked a bike shop employee how to start racing. My first legitimate (USCF) race was the Long Beach Criterium in which I was dropped but tried again until I could hang with the rest of them. When my body couldn't take the training anymore (I either got sick from overtraining or I lost races from not training hard enough) I gave up on that goal and turned towards my music. I now have some fun (mixed with a lot of stress) teaching music and a lot of fun riding my bike knowing that I don't have to get on the podium to justify my may check.

If you're in NYC I'd do a Prospect Park race. You can ride there and back if you live in the city. Do some riding in groups first. You might be able to find a group in either Prospect or Central Park.

Prospect is a kind race for beginners.
- you can sit in, sit at the back, not much penalty for that
- no real corners or curves
- short and not-steep hill makes you work but allows for non-racing type folk to use their non-racing fitness (versus a flat race which is fast and non-racing folk get shelled due to speed)
- you can ride there during the week or on non-race days
- no car needed if you live in the city

cdr

i always found racing at central park easier.

Re: your first race, just do it. Pop that cherry, it's not that big a deal.

Re: school, it has to come first; you're not going to be a pro cyclist, but you seem to have a real shot at being a pro musician, an equally challenging task.

Re: your first race, just do it. Pop that cherry, it's not that big a deal.

Re: school, it has to come first; you're not going to be a pro cyclist, but you seem to have a real shot at being a pro musician, an equally challenging task.

+1

Re: your first race, just do it. Pop that cherry, it's not that big a deal.

Re: school, it has to come first; you're not going to be a pro cyclist, but you seem to have a real shot at being a pro musician, an equally challenging task.

As the latter I wouldn't recommend either job as a career choice...

Re: your first race, just do it. Pop that cherry, it's not that big a deal.

Re: school, it has to come first; you're not going to be a pro cyclist, but you seem to have a real shot at being a pro musician, an equally challenging task.
Have you heard the OP play before, or what did you use to decide that the guy has a promising career as a musician?

As the latter I wouldn't recommend either job as a career choice...
Eh, follow your heart, not money. I'm happy as a poor music teacher. I'd be a pretty pissed off doctor.

Eh, follow your heart, not money. I'm happy as a poor music teacher. I'd be a pretty pissed off doctor.

That's what I did :)

I didn't know you were a music teacher, instrument/grade?

After I stopped rowing competitively my first bike was a 2003 Giant OCR2. A year later I realized I could hang with some groups and wanted a better bike, so I got a 2003 Fuji Team. That's the first bike I raced.

My first race was at the Greenbelt Training series in Maryland a few years ago. I entered the C category and took second to a dude that looked like Captain Morgain; it wasn't too difficult either. I took my pulls and did the work, so I was more than happy with how I raced. At the end, the refs forgot to change the lap counter so we just didn't sprint. Then we found out it was over and I was kinda pissed off... the next week I went back, kicked ass in a prime and continued to break away solo for a bit, then bonked and got passed and dropped. I won a pair of tires for the prime and finished DFL. But I finished. Then I did the B race and finished as pack fodder. I've raced a bit in the past few years just to get out of Cat 5 with a few top 10s and raced a few times this year, but I lack any delusions of grandeur so I race when I feel quick and want a challenge.

If you have any sorta motivation to race, you gotta try it. Aside from just giving it a go and jumping in a race, you need to be comfortable riding with fast groups. If you hang with the club/group rides, you'll know when it's time to race, and you'll be ready.

I am, but not. Being a music major is the most draining 5 years of college life. Why cant I do it in 4 years? Because there's so many classes I need to take... so unless I take summer/winter classes, I'm not graduating in 4 years. But that's ok. :)

Uh huh.

First race? Rutgers criterium, March '08, category D. 8 laps. I had to chase back on from the back twice - once after getting caught behind a crash, once after riding myself off of the pavement. I didn't realize that the final sprint was the final sprint and not a prime, didn't go for it, still got tenth. Still one of the hardest races in my first season. I've placed higher and not felt like I worked so hard. Definitely a brute strength effort to regain position at the front of the group.

Four months later, I still suck at this.

Some random Collegiate MTB race in March of '06. Hooked ever since, though not so much on the MTB stuff anymore.

That's what I did :)

I didn't know you were a music teacher, instrument/grade?
Middle school band and strings. My medium in college was trumpet although I spent an equal amount of time singing in the choir. You?

As the latter I wouldn't recommend either job as a career choice...

If I'm going to college to for music ed and not music performance, I'm not gunna be a famous musician. I'm gunna teach little ones how not to squeak their clarinets, air their flutes and blast their trumpets. Oh, what fun.

If I'm going to college to for music ed and not music performance, I'm not gunna be a famous musician. I'm gunna teach little ones how not to squeak their clarinets, air their flutes and blast their trumpets. Oh, what fun.
There are perks to the job. Nobody cares if you grade easy since it's an elective, you get off earlier than other people (so you miss rush hour and have more daylight to ride in), you have a lot of vacation time, and nobody at your school knows how to do your job so they don't try to tell you how to do it (much).

The pay sucks for the education you have to get. I don't know about your state, but here in CA after your 5 year BA, you need a 2 year teaching credential and 2 more years to clear the credential. By then, you could be a lawyer, physical therapist, psychologist, or almost a doctor! But it's worth it if you really love music and you get to see the proud parents and the kids' growth.

First USCF race: South Shore Criterium in Milwaukee, WI. Superweek 1978. Fast, four corner course - points race. Got lapped four (4) times. :cry: Next day, Grant Park RR (also Superweek), finished in the pack. Gotta start somewhere. :D

Opus Crit... Got fourth, was really easy as no one else was in shape yet!