gliszin2

How good do you need to be? I don't need to win just be able to keep up. I wish there was a Cat 5 here in Colorado as Cat 4 seems a little much for beginners.

triplebutted

Cat 4 used to be the bottom.

gliszin2

What do you mean? I have never raced before...I am wondering what it takes to hang with CAT 4's in Colorado.

waterrockets 

How do you do on the fast group rides in Colorado? (the ones with racers driving the pace)

You really don't need much power to hang in a race that doesn't involve hills. When I "gave up" racing, I was showing up every two years in a 4/5 race and could get top 10 every time, 50 lbs over weight with poor conditioning.

You should just sign up and go. Here in TX, only about 10% of the races seem to offer pure Cat 5 races anyway. Most have a 4/5 field, so it's about the same as just having 4s.

The problem you'll have is that the pack surges all the time, so you have to be able to ramp up, then recover quickly. They'll chase down every break almost immediately, which causes the surges.

Coyote2

I race a bit in CO (usually Cat 4 or Cat 4 35+ or Cat 4 45+) and also in another state which has the conventional USCF Cat 5 as entry level. It could just be that the particular races I enter in CO (Mt Evans, Iron Horse Classic, etc) attract some fast 4s, but it is fast - faster than Cat 5 in my home state. I did get a second place in a Cat 4 45+ last year, but man, I had to work for it. At the same time I was getting top 3 finishes at home without working terribly hard, at least until the last couple hundred meters.

With that said, just enter the race. What's the worst that can happen?

waterrockets 

^^^^ Yeah, it's just fast in CO. I think it's like CA, where the fast guys are about the same everywhere, but there are just more of them.

gliszin2

Thanks for the feedback. To be honest last year was my first year riding. I only did a couple of group rides and they were recovery rides for the local team here in Fort Collins. The Rio Grande. A really good team IMO. My goal this year is to get fit. Ride a number of the faster group rides. There are some serious ones here in Fort Collins. Also to ride in two races. Just sit in the peloton and see where I need to be and build from there.

Coyote2

Team Rio Grande is pretty cool...Keep riding with them!

Be sure to do the Fort Collins Cycling Festival Road Race. You can train on that course, naturally, so you'll know what to expect. You will get dropped on Rist Canyon, but so will many other riders, and you will hook up with them and still be racing, albeit not for first place.

I lived in FC for years and years, still spend much time there - heading out Friday, actually. Some of the best riding on the planet, I think.

gliszin2

Thanks. I will. Rist is really tough for me. I am 6'3" 200llbs. I hope to get down to 185 this year. I guess I should watch some Hincapie film.

Coyote2

Yeah, Rist is a *****. But I have hit an honest 100km/h going down the back side into Buckhorn, which is a hoot. Keep at it and it gets easier.