Originally Posted by existence
ok lets pretend you were 25 (relatively new to road cycling) but not new to elite sport and you wanted to have a real serious 'crack' at the road cycling caper...where would you start in terms of a pathway to the top?
how would you play it? local cycling club first? which one? why? charity rides? can anyone help from that perspective? i know some of you guys (and girls) are a wealth of knowledge!!! please share
i know nothing
Welcome to the "we know nothing" club. Thylo knows about frame and materials stuff tho, and Ed knows ppl who lived back in the dark ages.
Anywho, you won't necessarily be able to do anything flash for about 2 years because you need to develop a "cycle racing head". For that you need ultra-natural-talent or accrued experience. For 99.99999% of the population its the second option.
So the idea is to do what others have suggested and get a coach who can adapt your program to your changing capabilities. Along the way you need to have fun. Ride group rides, ride your mountain bike and go OTB into the bushes, race cars, do social/charity rides. Whatever. Just keep enjoying riding until you can start whipping some serious butt. Then get serious.
Along the way you might consider buying a custom Ti Tephra from this guy I know in Melbourne...