How Do I get Started - Cat 4 Racing?

tweenster

I'm 44 and would like to have a go at a bike race or 2. I've been doing triathlon for 6 years so am used to time trial style efforts, not bunch riding. I did a sportive recently and it gave me a taste of bunch cycling and I really enjoyed it, and would like to do some more. I assume the starting point is joining a bike club but what else do I need to think about?

And yes, I have a road bike without tribars!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

guv001

Speed you need lots of it...

brownbosh

did my first last week - what an education!! Im no expert TT rider but steady enough. The issue with group racing is the changes in speed. Practice many many intense efforts on all terrain when out riding, Going hard and slowing etc is the way to survive, now if only i can nail that myself ill be ok!

Monty Dog

Join a club and even better if they have a regular chain gang - the only way to learn to ride fast in a group is to do it regularly. The best value racing is LVRC racing as you're over 40. If you ride LVRC, perhaps start in an older category e.g. over 50s - the event organiser would be able to advise. You'll probably find your first race a bit of a shock and realistically your aim will be to finish. Stay near the front of the bunch, conserve your energies as the only thing that matters is getting to the last lap and crossing the line.

SteveR_100Milers

You might want to spend more time doing 2-3 minute all out intervals than say the classic testers 2x20 staple. Average speed is much less important, as you can spend a fair ramount of time in the group drafting, but when the group breaks up you'll need to be able to close any gaps that open up, which happens a lot. Most 4th cat events seem to be ridden completely flat out from the start, so if you in the bottom quarter percentile it's going to hurt

andrewgturnbull

Hi Tweenster - welcome back!

Join a local club, don't worry too much about their Sunday club rides, but if you can find a mid-week chaingang, that will bring you up to speed quickly. When you ride the chaingang, go through and do your turn at the front until you can do so no more, then hand on to the wheels and dont_get_dropped. When you do get dropped, come back next week and try again!

Cheers, Andy

Bronzie

Entry level racing is available through British Cycling "Go Race" events - you don't need a full racing licence (£65) as you can enter with a Bronze licence (£12 or even FOC through many clubs). You'll need a full licence to ride other 4th cat events.

As Monty says, another route is League of Veteran Racing Cyclists - membership only £16 and entry fees all £6 - the standard of riding tends to be better as well.

You don't need to be a member of a club to ride either BC or LVRC races, but I'd highly recommend you link up with a local club with a decent membership of road racers for the tips and advice alone.

Jez mon

From what I've heard LVRC races are very tough (being 18 I've got a while to go before being eligible to compete)

The main thing about 4th cat races is the changes in pace and being able to handle a bike in a bunch. Most Tri guys that I've ridden with are extremely strong, but not great bike handlers (sorry). I would suggest finding a friendly club whose members race (some "Racing Clubs" aren't the friendliest organizations) and going on some rides with them, you'll soon find out how each others fitness compares.

Finally when it comes to race day, if it's a 4th cat Crit then breaks rarely go away (however, they do, and i was mighty pi$$ed off when one went last season whilst i was sitting in the bunch waiting for the apparently inevitable bunch sprint!!) I would recommends just sitting in mid bunch, and then looking at how the sprint turns out. Next week try and get into position for the sprint, you don't have to be the worlds best sprinter to do well, just know what positions to get in, and once you have a clear line, go as hard as possible.

tweenster

Thanks for all the comments. I'm planning to do this as well as triathlon for a bit of fun and to keep it all fresh (variety being the spice of life etc!). For the technically minded, my FTP is around 315 watts - what should I expect if/when I do get to the startline - will I be embarrassed?

I did notice when I went on a Sunday club ride recently and on the sportive that cyclists (as opposed to triathletes) do tend to accelerate hard out of slow corners. I am more used to a sustained, even effort.

Thanks for the welcome back Andy, it has been a while since I've been on here.

Toks

tweenster wrote:

Thanks for all the comments. I'm planning to do this as well as triathlon for a bit of fun and to keep it all fresh (variety being the spice of life etc!). For the technically minded, my FTP is around 315 watts - what should I expect if/when I do get to the startline - will I be embarrassed?

I did notice when I went on a Sunday club ride recently and on the sportive that cyclists (as opposed to triathletes) do tend to accelerate hard out of slow corners. I am more used to a sustained, even effort.

Thanks for the welcome back Andy, it has been a while since I've been on here.

I don't know how much you weigh but if its less than 80 kilo's you should be pretty comfortable in terms of bunch pace. In fact if you race smartly you should be up there at the finish. Don't do what a quite a few Triathlon guys do and sit on the front and drag the whole bunch around with you. If you do that everyone will just sprint around you on the finish line. Measure your efforts and conserve energy by sitting on wheels. If a dangerous attack goes clear and you feel strong then try and go with it. or indeed perhaps initaite your own attack. Above all ride safely, hold your line, don't overlap wheels infront of you and enjoy it. Let us know how ya get on.

tweenster

Thanks Toks, I'm 74kg at the moment and reckon I have another 2kg to lose.

Just need to find a local race to get started now that fits into my busy tri schedule.

Tom Butcher

I think with silver BC membership you can get a free day licence for any Regional C/C+ graded race. You wont be getting points doing that but if you just want to dip you toe in the water and the races you are doing are Regional Cs anyway then no need to get a racing licence.

Chucky212

Best thing to do is jump in and gain experience. Leave the ego behind.

terongi

Bronzie wrote:

Entry level racing is available through British Cycling "Go Race" events - you don't need a full racing licence (£65) as you can enter with a Bronze licence (£12 or even FOC through many clubs). You'll need a full licence to ride other 4th cat events.

There is a Go-Race at Dunton Test Track tonight in Essex.

Has anyone had experience of these?

Are they extra dangerous because everyone is a beginner?

Or are they slower?

cjcp

Hi Tweenster

What Toks said.

Best experience is to just go for it - a club run speed is slower than race speed, so just get in there. If my recollection from the tri forum is right, you'll have a good pair of lungs on you.

Tom Butcher

Did you do the GoRace event? Never done one but I reckon that if it's a big field then it might be slightly more dangerous - but if it's a relatively small field of say 40 odd then it's probably safer than a field of 80-100 in a 3/4. The other thing about a GoRace event is it's likely that you'll find it easier to stay up near the front - partly because the speed will be slower but partly because other riders will have less experience so you'll be able to hold your position more easily. That was my experience of 4ths only events vs 2/3/4 events.

terongi

Tom Butcher wrote:

Did you do the GoRace event? Never done one but I reckon that if it's a big field then it might be slightly more dangerous - but if it's a relatively small field of say 40 odd then it's probably safer than a field of 80-100 in a 3/4. The other thing about a GoRace event is it's likely that you'll find it easier to stay up near the front - partly because the speed will be slower but partly because other riders will have less experience so you'll be able to hold your position more easily. That was my experience of 4ths only events vs 2/3/4 events.

I didn't get there in the end because I could not get away from work early enough.

I am thinking of trying to go back to the Dunton circuit next Thursday for a Cat 3/4 race, but it sounds from what you say that I might find that quite challenging.

What is it about cat 3 riders which makes it difficult to hold your position near the front?

Is it the speed or do they just push you out the way?

Tom Butcher

I think it's just with more experience people are less likely to yield up a space - when everyone else is a novice an average rider becomes Robbie McEwan like by comparison in terms of bike handling and positioning - when everyone else is pretty good a rider who is average finds it difficult.