Originally Posted by furiousferret

Well, its a dangerous sport, so there is a chance of injury or totaling your bike. Cycling in general has these risks, so don't think racing isn't that much more dangerous than cycling in general. Most Cat 5's know what they're doing, its just that a small percentage do not, it makes the field much more dangerous. Most guys out here have been doing group rides for years before they sniff racing.

Also bear in mind that the 4 to 5 gap is not that big in some areas. My last race the guy that won the 5's won the 4 / 5 race as well. The thing about bike racing is that unlike other sports, you can't just buy a bike on Friday and race on Saturday. For a true beginner a Cat 5 race is truly brutal.

One of the things about the Category system is the caste structure it creates. Its hard to win a race, so many look at their success in the sport by what Category they race. Once some Cat up, they'll look down at the Category Racers lower than them. Its the nature of grouping period, if you are at the bottom expect some negativity. Also expect this type of logic:

Ask a Cat 4 and they'll tell you the 5's isn't about winning
Ask a Cat 3 and they'll tell you the 4's and 5's isn't about winning
Ask a Cat 2 and they'll tell you the 3's, 4's and 5's isn't about winning

I'm pretty new to racing myself, and I had the same reservations you did. My first group ride I got in a crash and stayed away for a long time, but it always called. In the end I suggest trying it at least once.