carpediemracing 

One thing is when teammates need/want to upgrade to help out their teammates. A good friend of mine wanted to be a 3 so he could keep leading out the sprinters. He requested the upgrade (with all his teammates' letters of recommendations ) and got it.

cdr

kukusz

I believe this is the idea behind the 20 pack finishes (and 10 top 10s), so that domestiques that pop in the last 100 meters get a chance to upgrade with their sprinters, etc.

edit: although I don't know how much of that actual happens in the 4s

queerpunk

It's interesting to read opinions that somebody struggling to get out of the 4's might do better as a 3. I hope that's the situation I'm in. I'm close on points and have plenty of top tens - fifteen or so, mostly late last spring and summer - but pridefully hoped for a strong podium or two before upgrading on points. I can sprint well enough to get 5th place consistently (I'm a dead ringer for Tyler Farrar!) and small enough to survive at the front when - if - the climbs are long enough to make a difference. Rather than make me feel capable, it makes me feel stunningly mediocre, so I've been planning to upgrade based on my top tens, race 1/2/3 circuit races, and get stronger by virtue of racing harder races. Reading this thread gives me confidence that it might not be such a dumb idea after all.

Flak

I assure you, this does not describe me. You're in PA, maybe we'll get a chance to race together and i can prove it!

*edit* just googled your county....maybe not

mobike_moexcite

Damn, reading all of this makes me want to request an upgrade to the 4's. I just want these points to be counting for something and I want to get out of the 5's. I have to keep reminding myself not to rush it though, I want to try and get a win first. From the sounds of it the 4/5 races are not any harder than a 4 races so this is a good sign I guess.

johnybutts

The 5s aren't there to provide you with competition, but to provide you with experience. I did and would upgrade immediately after 10 races.

mattm

And at worst, one can always downgrade back to the 4's right?

(not that I would suggest it, but you could test the waters)

fastonflats

Okay... I waited a while before piping in, but there is one other reason you might consider upgrading sooner rather than later. Yes, the 3's are harder, smoother, and more competitive. That's a given. You have guys like me who returned to racing after taking a hiatus to raise their kids and will never get out of the 3's, and you have guys who are just doing time there until they get enough points to make it to the 2's. BTW, I get within a couple of points to upgrade to a 2 every year, and I ask myself the same questions that Matt is pondering...

One thing that wasn't mentioned was that Cat 3 races are a much better value than the 4's. Typical entry fees are the same, but distances are longer (or in the local crit scene, race times are longer)... Most of the 4's only race for 40 minutes or so, whereas the 3's are racing close to 60 minutes... do the math. Close to 25% more racing for the same price! Plus the awards & preems are usually better. Besides the more 3's we have the larger the purse. I'm tired of getting shorted b/c we don't hit the 50% field size.

So my advice is to go for it, regardless of how you get there.

ridethecliche

I'd say that this depends on what you're doing with the fast guys. If they're teaching you how to paceline, and you're riding side by side with a few of them, you'll be fine.

I understand what you're saying, but there are a lot of people who have ridden for a very long time and have good handling/pack skills from group rides and such. It just depends on the person. There are a bunch of people who have upgraded and done a ton of races but are still sketchy as hell.

mattm

Indeed, 60 minute crits are the norm and some 80-90 mile RR's around here for cat 3's - same price, get to start later, and as you mentioned way better workout & payouts. Local stage races are at least 3 days instead of just 2. Our team reimburses the 2/3's for races better than the 4/5's, so that's another incentive to cat the F up ASAP..

And we can't forget that cat 3 is half way to pro right? It just sounds better than "cat 4".

umd

And often (here anyway) there are P123 races and you can get another 75 minutes in for an extra $10.

mobike_moexcite

I hear ya, I guess you're right. I was setting my lofty goal of upgrading to cat 3 by the end of the season and I just wanted a headstart, heh.

johnybutts

Nothing you do in the 5s has any effect on your 3s upgrade. It has to be from when you're a 4.

save10

Cat 3.....so far away.....

myclem

If you place/podium in combined fields like 4/5, but you're still a 5, will those points count towards your 3 upgrade once you're a 4? Or does your 12 month window only start when you're officially a 4?

WCroadie

I didn't mean you were/are sketchy but just that riding with fast guys doesn't make one ready for racing. In you case it sounds like you feel you are, good luck. Are you in western, pa? You can always do the tour de millersburg in august, it's out near harrisburg, great race. I plan on doing that again this summer.

Amen to that.

badhat

the mixed cat training rides around here and definitely harder and just as good of training for pack skills as the local cat4 races

RudeSiggy

This question is asked often. The answer is NO.



Correct.

You can only earn upgrade points toward Cat 3 as a Cat 4.

myclem

Yeah, I should RTFM. Search is my friend. I should know better.
Thanks for the reply.
More incentive for me to cat up.

mobike_moexcite

I know what you're saying, that is why I wanna get out of the 5's... so I can start adding up the points I oculd be adding up in 4's races.

bostongarden

Thanks to this thread; my upgrade to category 3 was just approved

mattm

Congrats!

What option did you use to get there (1-3), and how long were you a 4?

danahs

i hope all the strong cat 4's in socal with tonnes of points, upgrade to cat 3 asap so I can score some points and move to cat 3 also

lol

waterrockets 

congrats!

umd

Haha...

btw, did you end up buying the SRM from my coach?