There's a cat 5, 30 minute crit where I live this saturday. I only learned to ride a bike about 6 or 7 months ago, and I'm on a 26lb cheapo bike that has stem shifters. I currently can do about 14 miles in an hour when also factoring in stop lights around my city.

Should I bother participating or will I get slaughtered?

race.

race

You will get slaughtered, but everyone does at first. However, you should have some group/pack riding experience first. Hook up with local clubs and do some group rides.

no, not yet.

I have gone on multiple critical mass rides in the area, but the max speed of those never breaks 13 mph. I don't know if that counts

It's not just about speed. It's about being comfortable riding elbow to elbow and wheel to wheel, riding predictably, cornering safely ....

If someone bumps your elbow, or cuts you off, will you shrug it off, or freak out and suddenly swerve to avoid them ?

I am quite comfortable with riding in a close pack next to others, but I often tend to swing out wide when cornering...So skip out on the race?

If you want to be wide, work your way over there ahead of time.

Race & Get killed. It is a good experience and you will improve as you keep racing

it doesn't.

i sincerely doubt it.

This statement causes concern. You are not ready to race until you are comfortable holding your line through a corner.

you just learned to ride a bike 6 or 7 mos. ago?

how old are you? you might not be old enough to race, but could do street sprints with the toddlers.

The fact that you are aware of it is the first step. Now you can work to correct it.

Search the forum for "cornering" "titles only" and read up on the subject.

I'm 20. I don't know how I got this far in life without knowing how to ride a bike honestly.

And I totally would practice with toddlers if I could keep up with them. I got dropped by a girl who had purple streamers on her bicycle just last Saturday. I bet they made her more aero.

Find a club or shop that does regular group rides.... This is NOT the same as a critical mass ride. You should learn the basics first but hey.. I'm thinking more of the others in the race than you.

Pass. Learn how to ride in a group before you ride in a racing pack.

i'd go and spectate. do group rides with people that do race, practice cornering and riding a straight line. a straight line becomes a lot harder when you have a bike a couple of inches to each side of you. then enter the next race, not because you'd get slaughtered, because that doesnt matter but just for safeties sake.

give it a try, i got comfortable in a pack quickly. just stay safe and have fun. And if you like it keep going!

Don't worry about riding in a tight group because you will be out the back before turn one. Stay to the outside of the course as the pack laps you. You might get a few laps in before a race official yanks you. Have fun. Of course a troll doesn'y need to be reminded to have fun. You might find that $30 is a little expensive to ride around the block by yourself a few times.

Lots of good reading, thanks!

How am I a troll?

Read the sticky in the racing forum. Follow advice.

A lot of guys assume you are because what you are suggesting is totally insane, but they're still playing along because you're a funny guy. The idea that a CM ride might be compared with riding in a race is totally over the top. A lot of people had to be laughing when they read that.

In all honesty, I still think you're a troll, but you're good at it. If you're serious, just stick around and get some experience -- it will be totally obvious what people think is so funny.

Something like this happened in a crit I was racing. I was on the outside moving up and brushed elbows with a fella and he screamed like a girl who had a spider flung on her.

Isn't that what's important?