Pizza Man

I am just curious as to how many higher catagory riders compared to to newbies there are here.
I just started racing and am a Cat 5, but plan to be a Cat 4 by then end of January, and hopefully Cat 3 by the summer.

SteveE

I'm a CAT5 racer also and need 3 more upgrade points. There are a few Masters races (Berkeley Hills RR to name one) around here that are only open to CAT4 and above.

racer102

I shall be getting my license this year

geraldatwork

I dont race but would guess somewhere between cat 6 and 7.

Warblade

You don't need points to upgrade from a Cat5 to a Cat4...


Your joking right?

DannoXYZ 

That cat-1 guy must be laughing his @ss off!

Warblade

fo sho, although it's possible.

I'm a Cat 3 though.

roadwarrior

I was a II when I raced. But you reach a point where you have to ask yourself if you want to continue training for hours a day to stay there and move up again, or have an income that is above the poverty line.

SteveE

Warblade - By points, I meant 10 mass start races and clinics that contribute to that number. I'm sure you knew that, though. I'm off the the Early Bird crit and mentoring session this morning. See you guys this afternoon.

EventServices

Cat II.
When faced with a choice between racing with 45+ and racing with Cat IIs, I usually pick the IIs.

SteveE

Why is that?

EventServices

Because it's faster and longer, and usually safer.

I'd rather be in the middle of the pack in a Pro-1-2 for 2 hours than on the front of the pack in a 45+ race for "30 minutes +3 laps".

airsoft510

i did my first race today (early bird crit) it was cat 5, under 35 and not as easy as i thought it would be as i am only 15. It was a good experience though, im joining a team at the end of the month

Voodoo76

Similar to my situation. I was doing OK financially so the decision was more Little time left to train, and no desire to race with poor form. I would add to this the reponsibilities and other things in life that require time/resources. I do miss the competition.

Would love to come flyin out the last turn of a crit, in the top 5 and ready to go, one more time.

caloso

Cat 5. Hope to be up to Cat 4 by mid-summer.

YMCA

All you have to do is 10 mass start races and then ask for your upgrade. You could do that in the first month or two of the season.

velobella

I am a cat 4 wmns racer, but plan to cat up to 3 before nationals.

caloso

Has anyone who's 35 and a Cat 5 done two races in a day to move up faster? Is that reasonable?

Voodoo76

Very reasonable, and desirable to get as much racing exposure as possible. Used to regularly do 2 a day, Masters and 2's, 4 a weekend. Given the length of most Masters races it's very easy if you have any kind of fitness level. Makes for a fun day as well. The one thing you need to sort out for yourself is how to handle the time between. There is a timeframe where it's better to just stay warm (ride) vs. resting and warming up again.

2Rodies

Wow your 45+ races are pretty easy compared to what we get. Generally the 45 masters class races the same length as the 3's and 4's. Many of our 45 masters guys are ex 1-2's and really put on the pain. Coming from SoCal to central Texas I will say one thing about these boys...they are some fast MF's.

Pizza Man

Yes it's reasonable. If I go to the Cal Aggie crit in Sac in a couple weeks I plan to race both the 35+ race and the Elite 4/5 race, which will get me my Cat 4 upgrade .

2Rodies

Next month the first "big" race of the year will have 3 cat 5 races. Road racing in central Texas is huge, we get massive fields at just about every race. The great thing here, as opposed to Southern Cal, is that we have more RR than crits. Most weekends we have RR's on both Sat and Sun that are close enough in distance to eachother that you can easily make both races. It would be no problem to get your 10 race upgrade in 6weeks here or less.

EventServices

Let me clarify my thought: I prefer 1-2 races because they're faster FOR longer.

Masters races are really fast when they're fast, but they do have more slow parts.
Whereas, a cat 1-2 race is usually on the rivet from beginning to end.

my58vw

Was licenced as a 4 before all the crap happened. I might go back to racing someday, and I will end up a 4 again when I come back... on the other side of the fence!

Mandy

alison_in_oh

Cat 4 women's, so that might qualify as "other". I haven't determined yet whether my goal will be to upgrade (not even sure if it's possible here in Ohio to get enough turnout to earn points) or if I'll just enter a few races here and a few whereever we move to, or maybe I'll just drop the racing thing and bike for fun.