Northern California - Spectrum Ride

I have been riding for about 2 years now and have been looking into group rides. I tried the spectrum ride last summer and lasted about 3 miles. This year I am able to keep up for the entire ride reasonably well. Now that Im interested in racing and might try it soon, I am wondering how the spectrum ride compares to a race. In other words, can somebody who regularly rides the spectrum ride tell me how difficult it is compared to a race (such as a cat 4 or 3 race).

I haven't ridden the spectrum ride, but have dabbled with a few races this year. There's only one way for you to really answer the question you pose, and that's to do a race. Depending on your circumstances, I'd strongly consider signing up for a race skills clinic too - I was fortunate to attend a couple of the early bird crits this year, and the lessons there around how to ride safely in a pack, keep your line, hold a wheel while guarding yours, corner 2-3 abreast etc., etc. were invaluable. I'm sure you're strong enough to race, but it's the other skills that will really define how "ready" you are.

Good luck and have fun.

If you can hang with Spectrum you're ready to start racing.

You have to start in cat 5 (if you're male; women start in cat 4). They start you in cat 5 so you get an opportunity to learn how to race safely in a smaller and safer field.

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If you're good with Spectrum then your good for cat4/5 road race pace**. Just sign up and have fun!



**Crits, hills and courses you don't know may alter this statement...but that's half the fun