Switching from running to cycling?

eridani
eridani Posts: 16
edited November 2008 in Road beginners
Hello all, I do hope I'm in the right place. A brief introduction: I was a quite serious distance runner, but two knackered feet rendered much of last season a washout and the quack reckons it's for the best that I switch to something lower impact. I've always done a fair bit of cross-training on a road bike, so road cycling seems the natural choice. I want to waste no time in getting racing next season but I don't really know the lay of the land. My fitness is excellent and I have no worries in that regard, but I've never ridden in a group, I know knob-all about racing bikes and to be honest it all seems a bit intimidating.

I know I need to practice my bike-handling skills and get some good experience of riding in a fast pack - can anyone recommend a decent ride in the Liverpool area? How does the whole licensing malarkey work? Do I need to join a club? Any general guidance or advice?

Thanks,
Eridani

Comments

  • Gary D
    Gary D Posts: 431
    Hello and welcome,

    Definitely join a club!!

    Log on to British Cycling http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... e/home.asp
    and find the clubs in your area. Most will have their own websites, so try and ascertain if they are a "race orientated" club - some will be more family orientated etc. The BC website should also answer your licensing questions.

    I would think that most clubs would let you go to meetings or tag along on a couple of club runs before making a commitment to join them. Talk to the members. You should quickly get an impression of whether they are going to satisfy your racing aspirations or not.

    You could also do a tour of the local bike shops and ask them about the local racing scene. They will likely have a pretty good handle on it - and I am sure they will be more than happy to advise you about race bikes and try and sell you one :wink::wink:

    Good luck :)

    Gary.
    Oh and I feel like I've been raped by an Orangutan :shock: And I've got legs like Girders :lol:
  • Get as much time on the bike as you can. I was a good runner before I had to go on the bike but soon found out that it was a totally different type of fitness.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    eridani wrote:
    How does the whole licensing malarkey work?
    A full racing licence will cost around £70 so it may be worth entering your first event on a "day licence" (£10) to see if it's for you before you splurge on a full one.

    As a new member, you'll be 4th Cat status and only able to enter events open to 4th cats. Have a look on the "Events Calendar" on the BC website and you can search for just events open to your category in your region. You need 10 points in any one season to move up to 3rd cat, and you get 10 points for a win in a 3/4 race but maybe that's getting a bit too far ahead. :wink:

    "Go Race" events are open to all and are the entry level for road racing, but the standard of riding can be a bit lairy for some.
  • Hi. I was where you are 3 years ago (without the injuries though). It is different fitness but you should be ok in a fairly short time. I was doing 50 miles on my own after 3/4 months from memory and then joined a club as I felt confident I could get round a Saturday club ride without too many dramas. Worst part at the start was a sore arse but you seem to build up a certain reisistance there after a while. Get good kit if you can, don't buy cheap, especially winter gear. Most of the time cycling is great (i have had some epic hard group rides in the summer that leave you on a high for the rest of the day) but be prepeared for the low points - I have never felt so low my life as on freezing, wet windy days when you've been dropped 30 miles from home and you can't feel your fingers or toes - character building. Definitley join a club. You'll get used to group riding, learn all the etiquette, you can gauge your improvement against other club members, talk nonsense about frames, wheels, tyres, shoes, retro jerseys, leg shaving etc etc. Have a go at time trialling as soon as you can. It's not so intimidating as road racing which you do need a licence as someone else explained. Downside is it can be a more obsessive sport than running, there is far more technology led products and you can end up spending extraordinary amounts of money on things, to be honest, you probably don't really need.