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Do you race your bike?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Do you race your bike?

Old 04-26-10, 05:10 AM
  #1  
Gav888
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Do you race your bike?

Hi,

Im looking to train for a cycling sport as I have the urge to compete, but im not sure which one I want to go for.

Im looking at Time Trials, Road Racing, Criterium's and Triathlon's.

I have been to watch each one recently and I thought they all looked good, but I want to get good at one sport rather than average at all of them...

At present I just do my training to get quicking over a 50 or 60 mile ride that I do at weekends, im not training for anything specific if you know what I mean. Sometimes I go out on group rides which can be a laugh but I want to compete.

Do you race in one of these sports, if so why did you chose that sport and what's it like?
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Old 04-26-10, 05:15 AM
  #2  
jdon
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Click the "back" button, read the stickies in the Road Bike Racing sub forum.
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Old 04-26-10, 05:24 AM
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..
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Old 04-26-10, 05:29 AM
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everything but triathlons. f those
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Old 04-26-10, 05:51 AM
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Get a racing license, do a variety of types of races, focus on the ones you like best.
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Old 04-26-10, 07:38 AM
  #6  
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every ride is a race.
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Old 04-26-10, 07:43 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by coasting
every ride is a race.
fail.
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Old 04-26-10, 07:43 AM
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I suggest you read: Roadie, the misunderstood world of a bike racer.
should give insight as to why you're average for only riding weekends.
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Old 04-26-10, 07:47 AM
  #9  
coasting 
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Originally Posted by Grumpy McTrumpy
fail.

you should see me on my trainer. i win every time!
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Old 04-26-10, 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Homebrew01
Get a racing license, do a variety of types of races, focus on the ones you like best.
+1. I have raced just about every category except for track. Mountain, flat road race, hilly road race, time trial, crit, hill climb. It is possible to be decent in them all, but just about everyone specializes in one form or another. For me I'm still strongest in mtn bike racing, but I'm getting decent results in hill climbs also.

It's really fun to do multi-day races though. These almost always mix time trialing with a longish road race and crit. It's a nice assorted bag of suffering.
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Old 04-26-10, 09:01 AM
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race them all and pick the one you like best.
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Old 04-26-10, 12:42 PM
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I highly recommend cyclocross.

It's a great introduction to bike racing. The speeds are lower because you're racing on varied terrain, and it's an individual's race, so you don't need to be on a team to do well. The odds of "getting yelled at" are low, and you get to play in the mud. Plus, it's grueling and gritty, and you will suffer a lot. What could be more fun?
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Old 04-26-10, 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Gav888
Hi,

Im looking to train for a cycling sport as I have the urge to compete, but im not sure which one I want to go for.

Im looking at Time Trials, Road Racing, Criterium's and Triathlon's.

I have been to watch each one recently and I thought they all looked good, but I want to get good at one sport rather than average at all of them...

At present I just do my training to get quicking over a 50 or 60 mile ride that I do at weekends, im not training for anything specific if you know what I mean. Sometimes I go out on group rides which can be a laugh but I want to compete.

Do you race in one of these sports, if so why did you chose that sport and what's it like?
Triathlon is a different sport. The rest are just bike racing. To answer your question, I do them all, plus CX and hopefully I'll get a chance to get down to Hellyer this season and try out the track.

I tend to do well (an d enjoy) crits and flat/rolling road races. Some of that is because I just don't have the time to spend the long days in the hills that it would take to become a good climber.

Read the sticky, put together a training plan, ride lots, and sign up for a race. By the time the race is over, you'll know whether you like it or not.
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Old 04-26-10, 01:23 PM
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I race but usually without knowing!
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Old 04-26-10, 05:19 PM
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I do not race but if I ever will it'll be time trials. No interference from other riders, no drafting, no other trickery - you're on your own. Seems more fair to me.
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Old 04-26-10, 05:24 PM
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Road races are fun, but the crazyness of crits is the best I think.

TTs blow. (and mtn/CX is for hippies =])
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Old 04-26-10, 05:24 PM
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Originally Posted by lunacycle
I highly recommend cyclocross.

It's a great introduction to bike racing. The speeds are lower because you're racing on varied terrain, and it's an individual's race, so you don't need to be on a team to do well. The odds of "getting yelled at" are low, and you get to play in the mud. Plus, it's grueling and gritty, and you will suffer a lot. What could be more fun?
I have stayed away from cyclocross because bike maintenance is my least favorite part of cycling. All the cleaning and dirt getting into various parts seems like a drag.
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Old 04-26-10, 05:33 PM
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I have 3 bikes.

Cyclocross, mountain, and road.

Only have raced the first, and will race the other two this season.
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Old 04-26-10, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by kostyap
I do not race but if I ever will it'll be time trials. No interference from other riders, no drafting, no other trickery - you're on your own. Seems more fair to me.
Seems more masochistic to me.
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Old 04-26-10, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by tc83
I have stayed away from cyclocross because bike maintenance is my least favorite part of cycling. All the cleaning and dirt getting into various parts seems like a drag.
Am I supposed to clean my mountain bike ? I just give it a quick tune-up every 20 years or so.
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Old 04-26-10, 06:57 PM
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Road Race = Criterium = Time Trial = The sport of bicycle racing. Typically you will see events called Omniums which include the three races in one event. Your best bet for training is to find a group that trains for racing and ride with them. Also, the sub forum as mentioned for Road Racing is a better place to go for questions and answers on this topic.
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Old 04-26-10, 06:58 PM
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I find that when I race my bike, I always win, because it just sits there.
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Old 04-26-10, 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by caloso
Seems more masochistic to me.
Non cyclists will call you a masochist just looking at bike saddle, or for 40 miles long ride
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Old 04-26-10, 08:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Gav888
Do you race your bike?
yes
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Old 04-26-10, 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by bike eagle
I find that when I race my bike, I always win, because it just sits there.
Hahahhahah.

Nicely done!
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