Road Cycling - Tomorrow I will race and

I would like to ask a couple questions to those w/ experience. First of all this is my first road race. After a very good year of cx racing I am hoping to get bumped up to cat 4 otherwise I have to race masters b/c they don't have a cat 5 in this race. Anyway It is a 55 mile road race and on the race web site it says, "Neutral wheel vans. No Team vehicles will be permitted to follow the race. Please note, club volunteers will do everything possible to secure wheels. However, the wheel support is at your own risk." So I do not have back up wheels so should I bring a pump and spare tube or just accept the fact that the race is over if I flat out? Also it says, "All groups start at the Campbell House with a neutral start to Young's Road for a moving start." what is a nutral start? Thankyou all...

for those interested: http://www.golfnetonline.net/howard/scc/tdmrr04.htm

I'd pack one tube and Co2 and if you flat, bust ass to change it. If you flat again then i'd just call it a day... No clue what a 'neutral start' is.

So I do not have back up wheels so should I bring a pump and spare tube or just accept the fact that the race is over if I flat out?
Pretty much yes, you're done. If you flat without a spare in the support car, your chances of finishing at the front are virtually over. It's a good idea to carry a tube and CO2 if for nothing more than to get you back to your car. I've personally never flatted while racing but carry a tube and CO2 during road races as I have no interest in walking back.





"All groups start at the Campbell House with a neutral start to Young's Road for a moving start." what is a nutral start?
A neutral start basically means that the pack rolls out behind a pace vehicle and racing doesn't start until a predetermined point. This is usually done, at least in the races I've been in, where the start/finish area isn't a good spot or large enough to stage multiple waves of racers prior to the start. Also pretty common for races where the start/finish line is at the top of a significant climb.

You flat, you're done. Even if you bring a tube, there's no way you can change it, chase and catch back on. Even if you're the fastest tire changer in the world, you're still going to lose at least two minutes.

Don't even bring a spare tube. Just sit and wait for the broom wagon.

You flat, you're done. Even if you bring a tube, there's no way you can change it, chase and catch back on. Even if you're the fastest tire changer in the world, you're still going to lose at least two minutes.

Don't even bring a spare tube. Just sit and wait for the broom wagon.
Thanks. Kinda what I figured. I'll save weight without the tube and pump and money on buying a co2 thingie :)

I just hope I did'nt jinx me self. I sofar got 700 miles on these this new bike w/ no flat. Oh I better shut up now wheres some wood.... Knock Knock...

I have to race masters b/c they don't have a cat 5 in this race.

The web page also says "No Cat V or one day license in the Masters fields." ???

This seems to be more and more common. If I don't take up cross, I'll never be able to upgrade.

In the Tour of Shenendoah last year, they had the same rule, but kept it a secret. I didn't find out until they had my money, I'd taken half a day of vacation, and was standing in line to pick up my registration. In pre-registering, I specifically had told the promoter I was a Cat 5, and was told 'fine, you can ride masters'. :mad:

It took about 4 months to get re-imbursed, and only happened after a veiled threat to bring it to the attention of a local consumer advocate newspaper column.

The web page also says "No Cat V or one day license in the Masters fields." ???

This seems to be more and more common. If I don't take up cross, I'll never be able to upgrade.

In the Tour of Shenendoah last year, they had the same rule, but kept it a secret. I didn't find out until they had my money, I'd taken half a day of vacation, and was standing in line to pick up my registration. In pre-registering, I specifically had told the promoter I was a Cat 5, and was told 'fine, you can ride masters'. :mad:

It took about 4 months to get re-imbursed, and only happened after a veiled threat to bring it to the attention of a local consumer advocate newspaper column.

I saw that statement on there web site and I guess from my computer programming experience I see the 'OR' as either cat 5 or one day masters not cat 5 and one day masters. Anyway that was my fault! Fortunatlly the official down there recognized me from CX racing last season which I did very well in and he got me to write up a resume and upped me to 4. I brought all the documentation I had and that helped too. Anyway the race was a heck of a lot of fun. There was I'd guess 70-80 in the cat 4/3 field. The group split in half at about 25 miles and a few riders went off the front. I managed to stay with the main field till the end where in the last corner to the finished I got shoved out wide and lost the wheel that was pulling me in. I sprinted at the last seconds to gain about 3 places. The average speed for the race was 23.9mph over 57 miles. Lots of fun.
It was interesting at about the 1 mile mark one guy broke a spoke, at about 40 miles a piece of metal came flying through the field and then we all passed a guy w/ a broken saddle/seat post, and at about 50 some one blew a tire. My bike ran pretty well I'm happy to say. Thanks for those who posted in this thread.

Congrats on the cat up and good race!