Criterium Racing
05-12-16, 11:12 AM
#29
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05-12-16, 11:18 AM
#30
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I have finally mastered getting it straight and flat pinning from the outside. That's seriously Next Level stuff.
05-12-16, 11:33 AM
#31
Senior Member
05-12-16, 11:44 AM
#34
out walking the earth
05-12-16, 11:50 AM
#35
Tyrannosaurus Rexitis
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05-12-16, 02:07 PM
#36
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I'm surprised that was starred out. Harlan's right I guess, not a word I use in that regard often though. Does prickly work?
Edit: Yes, yes it does.
Edit: Yes, yes it does.
05-12-16, 07:47 PM
#37
Senior Member
Emphasis on, "at speed."
No, faster than that.
No, FASTER.
And you'll still probably find you're going through the turns faster in the race than you were able to convince yourself to go while pre-riding. It's cool.
Also, you can ride over a heck of a lot of crap if you stay loose and don't panic. I'm shorter than most, so I end up running over a lot of junk I can't see - gas line heads, holes, sticks - and I don't think it's ever crashed me out.
People will be yelling things during the race, like, "hold your line!" You might get some "hold your line" advice here, too. It's not very useful, because it means basically nothing. What they're trying to tell you is to carve a predictable arc through the turn, with more or less the same radius as the riders around you. Don't swing wide cause you're afraid your tires won't hold (they will) and don't suddenly dive to the inside. Try to be smooth. It will help to not stare at the wheel right in front of you. Look at the seatpost of the rider two bikes ahead.
Remember it's a beginner race and it's your first time. You're going to make errors, and that's ok, no matter what anyone says. Everyone is constantly screwing up in a cat 5 race. Try to stay loose and you should avoid doing anything too egregious.
No, faster than that.
No, FASTER.
And you'll still probably find you're going through the turns faster in the race than you were able to convince yourself to go while pre-riding. It's cool.
Also, you can ride over a heck of a lot of crap if you stay loose and don't panic. I'm shorter than most, so I end up running over a lot of junk I can't see - gas line heads, holes, sticks - and I don't think it's ever crashed me out.
People will be yelling things during the race, like, "hold your line!" You might get some "hold your line" advice here, too. It's not very useful, because it means basically nothing. What they're trying to tell you is to carve a predictable arc through the turn, with more or less the same radius as the riders around you. Don't swing wide cause you're afraid your tires won't hold (they will) and don't suddenly dive to the inside. Try to be smooth. It will help to not stare at the wheel right in front of you. Look at the seatpost of the rider two bikes ahead.
Remember it's a beginner race and it's your first time. You're going to make errors, and that's ok, no matter what anyone says. Everyone is constantly screwing up in a cat 5 race. Try to stay loose and you should avoid doing anything too egregious.
In cat 3 when someone wobbles their line, everyone just responds calmly, maybe some bumping, and keep going. No yelling, no panicing. Maybe a little "wtf was that?" after the race, at most.
05-12-16, 07:49 PM
#38
Senior Member
I hope someone mentioned reading through the sticky up top.
https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bi...s-tip-two.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bi...s-tip-two.html
__________________
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
05-12-16, 07:56 PM
#39
Rides too much bike
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05-12-16, 08:17 PM
#40
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Also, cat 5 might be extremely strong young racers that are just starting competition, and are required to finish a given number of races before they can advance in cat. As was the case in my first race, much of the field was actually VERY strong and all had several races under their belt, but were waiting to be promoted for one reason or another.
I was off the back on the first rise in the road, and totally alone after the second. Then the women passed me. It was . . . bad.
But I trained all winter and went back for more and took 3rd in the first local club practice crit this spring, so it does get better.
I was off the back on the first rise in the road, and totally alone after the second. Then the women passed me. It was . . . bad.
But I trained all winter and went back for more and took 3rd in the first local club practice crit this spring, so it does get better.
05-12-16, 09:05 PM
#41
Senior Member
There is very rarely yelling. In a recent 3/4 race there was yelling at me, because I was sitting on the break. But usually no yelling. And 1/2/3 is very quit, they all seem to realize that someone who doesn't want to do x isn't gonna do x. Maybe some dirty looks and muttering, but no yelling haha.
05-12-16, 09:06 PM
#42
05-13-16, 02:58 PM
#44
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In my experience, if you do something squirrelly in the 4s and 5s, there's much yelling. In the 3's, a simple "sorry, my bad" ends the discussion.
05-13-16, 03:10 PM
#45
**** that
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+1
But it sounds like cat 3's these days are all grown up!
Anyway there is definitely less yelling as you move up in categories; but some p1/2's still yell too much - but you at least don't have the "coach/dad" character trying to direct traffic in the pack.
But it sounds like cat 3's these days are all grown up!
Anyway there is definitely less yelling as you move up in categories; but some p1/2's still yell too much - but you at least don't have the "coach/dad" character trying to direct traffic in the pack.
05-13-16, 03:24 PM
#46
Nonsense
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It seems like when the upper cats say "slowing" they really do mean hit the ****ing brakes immediately.
3's were too cool to give a heads up but that did not mean reactions were smooth or predictable.
4's were afraid of their own shadows.
At heart I will always be a 4.
3's were too cool to give a heads up but that did not mean reactions were smooth or predictable.
4's were afraid of their own shadows.
At heart I will always be a 4.
05-13-16, 03:35 PM
#49
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BTW TKP Newman said you "rode like a stud" the other night in the midst of what sounded like a somewhat frustratingly diverse set of abilities. Meaning, you went fast at the right time and not at the wrong time.