Clyde Racers
Any clyde racers here? I've been thinking about trying my legs at racing (at 45). Is it too late for me? What can you tell me about it? I'd post this in the Road Racing forum. But those little guys can be harsh. :D
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Are you talking criterium, road races, time trials or less likely track rides?
I've ridden in a few time trials and mostly get stomped but well I almost caught someone once ;) I might be riding in a criterium this year on a .8 mile loop. Should be interesting and I might even do it on my recumbent in an all recumbent class in addition to doing it on my road bike, a merlin road with a rack :eek: I'd be worried about being in Masters depending on the area you are in.. I hear some of those masters are some serious stuff. |
Originally Posted by evblazer
(Post 8316676)
Are you talking criterium, road races, time trials or less likely track rides?
I've ridden in a few time trials and mostly get stomped but well I almost caught someone once ;) I might be riding in a criterium this year on a .8 mile loop. Should be interesting and I might even do it on my recumbent in an all recumbent class in addition to doing it on my road bike, a merlin road with a rack :eek: I'd be worried about being in Masters depending on the area you are in.. I hear some of those masters are some serious stuff. |
I regularly race. 41 yrs old, 6'3", 255+ lbs.
I only do criteriums. Road races would be a waste of my time and money. I'm a cat 3 rider. I race Master's pretty regularly, and yes, I get to compete against former Olympians, ex-Domestic pros, and even the occasional ex-European pro. It is killer (understatement). If you want to get good, race masters level. If you want to have a chance of a top placing, race regular categories. As a new racer, however, you'll be a cat 5. They don't (well, not out here anyway) do cat 5/masters races. What else ya wanna know? |
Originally Posted by mkadam68
(Post 8317009)
I regularly race. 41 yrs old, 6'3", 255+ lbs.
I only do criteriums. Road races would be a waste of my time and money. I'm a cat 3 rider. I race Master's pretty regularly, and yes, I get to compete against former Olympians, ex-Domestic pros, and even the occasional ex-European pro. It is killer (understatement). If you want to get good, race masters level. If you want to have a chance of a top placing, race regular categories. As a new racer, however, you'll be a cat 5. They don't (well, not out here anyway) do cat 5/masters races. What else ya wanna know? Why are road races a waste of time and money? |
Originally Posted by mkadam68
(Post 8317009)
I regularly race. 41 yrs old, 6'3", 255+ lbs.
I only do criteriums. Road races would be a waste of my time and money. I'm a cat 3 rider. I race Master's pretty regularly, and yes, I get to compete against former Olympians, ex-Domestic pros, and even the occasional ex-European pro. It is killer (understatement). If you want to get good, race masters level. If you want to have a chance of a top placing, race regular categories. As a new racer, however, you'll be a cat 5. They don't (well, not out here anyway) do cat 5/masters races. What else ya wanna know? |
Originally Posted by Snapperhead
(Post 8317036)
WOW! Thanks for the reply mkadam. I appreciate the info. I guess I’m just going to have to look into local races and figure how to get involved. Just do it, as they say at Nike.
Why are road races a waste of time and money? Look up Botto's steps to racing. It's stickied on the first page of the racing sub-forum. It's really spot on. |
Originally Posted by jesspal
(Post 8317816)
How do you place during the races? I would love to ride crits when i get down to like 200lbs. I figure i'll be a big guy but fit enough to keep up.
My best result was 2nd in 2007, and a 6th last year. There are a small handful of us big guys (overweight as well as tall) out here who do the races. |
See if you have some local group rides you can go with or even weekly training rides where you learn how to ride in a larger group.
Also, if you can hang with a group going at 24-26mph for about 30 min. without too much trouble you have a good chance of placing well in the cat5 races. I've raced 6 times last year and every race was pretty darn fast for a cat5 race. It's pretty much balls to the walls. Thomas |
Originally Posted by Scummer
(Post 8318346)
...I've raced 6 times last year and every race was pretty darn fast for a cat5 race. It's pretty much balls to the walls.
Thomas The lower categories (4s & 5s) are like: super fast between corners, slow down going into the corners, and accelerate out of the corners. So, on a 4-corner crit, you can get easily a couple dozen intervals in a race. The constant slow-fast can be a killer. First-time racers are almost always advised: "Be ready to mercilessly be dropped in your first race. But don't give up. It gets easier to hang with the pack." The master's and the elite cats (1, 2, & 3) are much smoother. There's usually not as much deceleration/acceleration in and out of the corners. So even though you're going faster (avg speeds 1+ mph more than 4/5's), it sometimes isn't as hard. Of course, when they do accelerate/attack, it's much, much faster, longer, and subsequently harder at that point. |
I'm 240ish and started doing a few races a year at 48. Just do it.
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Thanks for all the advice everyone. I guess I'll just do it! :)
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I've raced a few times, once just to help one fellow club rider not finish last. chipcom, you should have seen the CO at MCAS Beaufort when I got 3rd in a circuit race at his base. Starting field was 160 and was open to civilians.
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Originally Posted by DieselDan
(Post 8334320)
I've raced a few times, once just to help one fellow club rider not finish last. chipcom, you should have seen the CO at MCAS Beaufort when I got 3rd in a circuit race at his base. Starting field was 160 and was open to civilians.
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this is just the thread i was looking for. its good to see heavier crit riders and people who dont mind going otb, once in a while. 18 years and 80lbs later, it should be an interesting season.
good luck, yall |
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