New to racing, where should I start?
03-08-09, 12:48 AM
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New to racing, where should I start?
I'm an avid cyclist and I commute everywhere, do fairly long distance rides once a week, and I go to the gym a few times a week.
I ride my track bike everywhere which is fantastic training. I'm going to start doing criteriums, time trials, and road races with my colleges team.
I'm fairly new to road racing and although I'm very conscious about fitness and nutrition, I'm curious where I should start/how I should start training for these races. I'm going to be doing spin classes two days a week (in addition to my 15-20 mile commuter rides, few days at the gym, etc). I also did a duathalon in September completely on a whim and ended up doing really well.
What have you guys found to be the best for new racers?
I ride my track bike everywhere which is fantastic training. I'm going to start doing criteriums, time trials, and road races with my colleges team.
I'm fairly new to road racing and although I'm very conscious about fitness and nutrition, I'm curious where I should start/how I should start training for these races. I'm going to be doing spin classes two days a week (in addition to my 15-20 mile commuter rides, few days at the gym, etc). I also did a duathalon in September completely on a whim and ended up doing really well.
What have you guys found to be the best for new racers?
03-08-09, 08:05 AM
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A) Do you have a road bike as well as a track bike? You will need one, since fixed-gear bikes aren't allowed in mass-start races (crits & road races.)
B) Sounds like you probably have a decent base of fitness. Next thing you should do is find a group ride you can join, where you will be able to develop group riding skills - essential for mass-start racing, both for your own safety and everyone else's. If it's a fast group, you'll also start to get some experience with the effort required for racing, which is very different from what you would do on long solo rides.
C) Look here: https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/380788-new-racing-here-s-tip-two.html
Good luck!
B) Sounds like you probably have a decent base of fitness. Next thing you should do is find a group ride you can join, where you will be able to develop group riding skills - essential for mass-start racing, both for your own safety and everyone else's. If it's a fast group, you'll also start to get some experience with the effort required for racing, which is very different from what you would do on long solo rides.
C) Look here: https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/380788-new-racing-here-s-tip-two.html
Good luck!
03-08-09, 03:23 PM
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Welcome to the sport!
As sounddevisor suggested in "C" -- read all the links.
good luck and have fun!
As sounddevisor suggested in "C" -- read all the links.
good luck and have fun!
03-08-09, 06:51 PM
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If you want to road race and don't have a bike, find a bike shop that will work with your budget and goals and fit you to the best bike you can afford.
Then, given you have some experience, go race. Plan on getting your ass kicked regularly through the first season, and picking up tons of knowledge about what you need to do to not get your ass kicked. But really the best thing is to go race and find out for yourself what you will need.
I think when I was starting out my big mistake was trying to train so hard and thoroughly that I could win races right off. Of course it didn't work. I would have saved a year by just racing more, and being resigned to learn as I went rather than trying to learn on my own, and then racing to win.
Then, given you have some experience, go race. Plan on getting your ass kicked regularly through the first season, and picking up tons of knowledge about what you need to do to not get your ass kicked. But really the best thing is to go race and find out for yourself what you will need.
I think when I was starting out my big mistake was trying to train so hard and thoroughly that I could win races right off. Of course it didn't work. I would have saved a year by just racing more, and being resigned to learn as I went rather than trying to learn on my own, and then racing to win.
03-10-09, 10:06 AM
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https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/
unfortunately it is very difficult to be a successful overall racer. If you are a small climber type, it is usually difficult to push the watts of a sprinter. If you are too fat to be a cyclist (like me) You can probably hang in crit races that are mostly flat but will get demolished in any road race with a hill. Find out what type of racing you can be competitive in and then ask specific questions later.
unfortunately it is very difficult to be a successful overall racer. If you are a small climber type, it is usually difficult to push the watts of a sprinter. If you are too fat to be a cyclist (like me) You can probably hang in crit races that are mostly flat but will get demolished in any road race with a hill. Find out what type of racing you can be competitive in and then ask specific questions later.
