Help finding a racing-oriented club/race team?
#1
The carbon goes WOO-WOOSH
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Davis/East Bay, CA
Posts: 75
Bikes: Cannondale Supersix, Merrick Track, SC Chameleon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Help finding a racing-oriented club/race team?
Hey Nor Cal,
After being bitten by the cycling bug over the summer, I proceeded to join my university's race team and began training/racing. I'm in love with the sport, and have decided that buying bike parts... err I mean racing bikes is the greatest thing since sandwiches. This summer, I'll be living in East Bay (Lafayette/Pleasant Hill), and won't be training/racing with my collegiate squad until fall. I figured it would probably be a good idea to try and find a race team or race-oriented club in the area so I can continue to ride with guys much faster than I am. I know I train much harder when I'm in a group of riders better than I am, and as such I'd like to continue that in the summertime. However, I was wondering what the best way of finding such a group would be. For those of you who have joined a team/club, how did it happen? As far as I can tell, my best bet currently would be to show up to racer-oriented rides (House of Pain?) and go hard. Are there any other ways you can suggest for getting in contact with organizations? I've been able to find a bunch of clubs in the area, but I'm struggling to find a lot of info about who's more race-oriented, how to get in contact, that sort of thing. A lot of the teams I found seem to have very limited, select squads, surely above my ability level. Ideally, I'd be looking for a group that is aimed at developing riders, who aren't yet at high levels (I just squeeked out my cat 4 upgrade) but who are willing to put in the work and want to improve. And so I turn to you, Nor Cal, to help me in my quest to getting dropped by collegiate racers to getting dropped by domestic ones! Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.
After being bitten by the cycling bug over the summer, I proceeded to join my university's race team and began training/racing. I'm in love with the sport, and have decided that buying bike parts... err I mean racing bikes is the greatest thing since sandwiches. This summer, I'll be living in East Bay (Lafayette/Pleasant Hill), and won't be training/racing with my collegiate squad until fall. I figured it would probably be a good idea to try and find a race team or race-oriented club in the area so I can continue to ride with guys much faster than I am. I know I train much harder when I'm in a group of riders better than I am, and as such I'd like to continue that in the summertime. However, I was wondering what the best way of finding such a group would be. For those of you who have joined a team/club, how did it happen? As far as I can tell, my best bet currently would be to show up to racer-oriented rides (House of Pain?) and go hard. Are there any other ways you can suggest for getting in contact with organizations? I've been able to find a bunch of clubs in the area, but I'm struggling to find a lot of info about who's more race-oriented, how to get in contact, that sort of thing. A lot of the teams I found seem to have very limited, select squads, surely above my ability level. Ideally, I'd be looking for a group that is aimed at developing riders, who aren't yet at high levels (I just squeeked out my cat 4 upgrade) but who are willing to put in the work and want to improve. And so I turn to you, Nor Cal, to help me in my quest to getting dropped by collegiate racers to getting dropped by domestic ones! Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.
#2
moth -----> flame
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 5,916
Bikes: 11 CAAD 10-4, 07 Specialized Roubaix Comp, 98 Peugeot Horizon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Disclaimer - I've not joined a club...yet. But I'd try reaching out to some of the local teams and seeing if they might be a good match, off the top of my head I'd consider:
Taleo Racing
https://taleoracing.com/
Berkeley Bike Club
https://berkeleybike.org/
Team Fremont/FFBC
https://fremontraceteam.org/
There are several members of these clubs on these boards who could provide first hand experiences. There are quite a lot of organized rides in the area too. Consider doing the port of oakland (POO) ride that's on Tuesday evenings. Also I've found the grizzly peak tuesday hammerfest (30-40 hilly miles, fast pace) a great workout (speaking as an erstwhile cat 5). I can just about hang with that, they seem a good pace for 4's or 5's.
Taleo Racing
https://taleoracing.com/
Berkeley Bike Club
https://berkeleybike.org/
Team Fremont/FFBC
https://fremontraceteam.org/
There are several members of these clubs on these boards who could provide first hand experiences. There are quite a lot of organized rides in the area too. Consider doing the port of oakland (POO) ride that's on Tuesday evenings. Also I've found the grizzly peak tuesday hammerfest (30-40 hilly miles, fast pace) a great workout (speaking as an erstwhile cat 5). I can just about hang with that, they seem a good pace for 4's or 5's.
__________________
BF, in a nutshell
BF, in a nutshell
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Santa Cruz Mountains
Posts: 6,169
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
There's also the Davis club.
I've joined clubs by meeting their members on rides and deciding that they are the kind of people I want to ride with.
I've joined clubs by meeting their members on rides and deciding that they are the kind of people I want to ride with.
#4
The carbon goes WOO-WOOSH
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Davis/East Bay, CA
Posts: 75
Bikes: Cannondale Supersix, Merrick Track, SC Chameleon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks for all the info beaker! Any information is more than welcome, and it seems like you've done your research! The Grizzly Peak ride sounds like a good ride, my health issues should clear up (hopefully) by the start of summer, so I should be back to full form by then and hopefully can keep up.
I've looked into the DBC race team, and while it seems like a viable option, I guess I was hoping for a group based in the East Bay that I could ride with on a more regular basis.
I've looked into the DBC race team, and while it seems like a viable option, I guess I was hoping for a group based in the East Bay that I could ride with on a more regular basis.
Last edited by roundabout; 03-14-11 at 01:18 PM.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Stockton, CA
Posts: 350
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Tri Valley Velo has a good team, know a few of the riders all friendly types, they have a nice kit, usually have a large group show up to race, then there is Alto Velo/Webcor, large team with 5's to P/1/2 and womens racing.
These are clubs open to anyone who wants to join, once you get better then there are chances to be invited to a race team which is typically invitation only.
These are clubs open to anyone who wants to join, once you get better then there are chances to be invited to a race team which is typically invitation only.
#7
moth -----> flame
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 5,916
Bikes: 11 CAAD 10-4, 07 Specialized Roubaix Comp, 98 Peugeot Horizon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
This is a link to the Tuesday ride
https://www.grizz.org/series/berk-tue.html
It'll be too early for me to catch them until they push back to the 5:30 start, even then I normally have to hop on at Sibley, but hope to catch you in the summer.
https://www.grizz.org/series/berk-tue.html
It'll be too early for me to catch them until they push back to the 5:30 start, even then I normally have to hop on at Sibley, but hope to catch you in the summer.
__________________
BF, in a nutshell
BF, in a nutshell
Last edited by Beaker; 03-14-11 at 09:48 PM.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: San Francisco Peninsula
Posts: 768
Bikes: 1997 Trek 520
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Most clubs seem to have weekly public rides. Start doing the ones in your area.
#9
Two wheels is two wheels
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brisbane, CA
Posts: 876
Bikes: Pee Wee Herman Special
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Tri Valley Velo has a good team, know a few of the riders all friendly types, they have a nice kit, ***snip***
+1 Just doing rides and seeing whom you like & fit with best.
#10
The carbon goes WOO-WOOSH
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Davis/East Bay, CA
Posts: 75
Bikes: Cannondale Supersix, Merrick Track, SC Chameleon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Wow, thanks for all the info guys/gals! As always, Nor Cal comes through big!
I figure once summer hits I'll make a list of all the rides within a 30mi radius, and then start coming out and see what happens.
I figure once summer hits I'll make a list of all the rides within a 30mi radius, and then start coming out and see what happens.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
1c3y
"The 33"-Road Bike Racing
16
01-12-13 08:48 PM
graphs
"The 33"-Road Bike Racing
49
04-07-10 10:03 PM