First race questions

barrybridges

Hello,

After a 10 year absence from competitive cycling, I'm giving road racing a first go next Sunday with a Cat4 Surrey League warm-up event. I used to time-trial weekly as a junior, but now I'm 26 and about to give it a go on the road.

However, I have some dumb questions that I'm embarrassed about asking (so I'm going to do it here and hope you will be kind enough to help me!):

Clothing

What kit should I race in at this time of year? Given it's -728 degrees out there at the moment and my race is next Sunday, would I be out of place wearing leggings and jacket? Or should I ditch the jacket for a long-sleeve jersey (arm warmers?) and 3/4 length tights? Will people be 'dressed to race' or is it likely to be 'dressed to train'?

Wheels and punctures?

What is the procedure for if you puncture during a race? I do not drive and will be cycling to/from the start so won't be able to carry a spare wheel, but is this the normal thing to do? If I puncture I'm assuming the race is over for me?

If so, what about some of these 'slime' products that bike shops sell, or is this a stupid thing to ask? I'm guessing these slime gels that prevent punctures probably don't work or it would be pretty commonplace in local races?

Bike quality

I'm not the richest person in the world and I only have one bike - it's my pride and joy (Trek 5200) and it's not too shabby, but I doubt I'll be turning anyone's heads. Will I be laughed at for racing on it? When I started time-trialling 12 years ago as a juvenile I remember certain cyclists laughing at my bike then (Trek 320!) only for me to pass them on their carbon fibre with disc wheels. From what I've heard, Cat 4 races can be carnage at times and so I probably wouldn't want to go in there with the best kit anyway as it'll probably experience some knocks and dongs over the course of a season!

If anyone can help I would be really pleased - and apologies if any of these questions have been asked before!

barrybridges

Oh, and one other thing. Despite being optimistic about my fitness, my aim for the first season is just to go from 4th to 3rd cat. However, I notice on the Surrey League website that there aren't actually that many Cat 4 events around: most are 1/2/3 - after Feb 22nd, the next one is April 22nd - 2 months!

Are Cat 4 races regular in the SE?

Bronzie

barrybridges wrote:

What kit should I race in at this time of year?

This should be ideal:

barrybridges wrote:

If I puncture I'm assuming the race is over for me?

Yes - but you'll still want to get home, so fit a mini pump to your frame (or CO2 cartridge), spare tube and tyre levers in a jersey pocket

barrybridges wrote:

Will I be laughed at for racing on it?

Possibly, but they will be tw@ts

barrybridges wrote:

Are Cat 4 races regular in the SE?!

Have a look at BC's event calendar - quite a few 3/4's (Regional in the South-East it appears.

hot rod

Dress to race
as your cycling to the event it should help you judge what to wear,sounds odd but feeling cold before the race is not a bad thing as you will soon warm up :shock:

punctures what Bronzie said

don't worry about your bike as you will fall sometime but it'll be cheaper to fix and get back for the next race

just enjoy and try to stay in the bunch if not theres always next week
are you a member of a club/team?

jibberjim

barrybridges wrote:

Clothing
What kit should I race in at this time of year? Given it's -728 degrees out there at the moment and my race is next Sunday, would I be out of place wearing leggings and jacket? Or should I ditch the jacket for a long-sleeve jersey (arm warmers?) and 3/4 length tights? Will people be 'dressed to race' or is it likely to be 'dressed to train'?

Chertsey on the 22nd? If so it'll be my first race too, unless I succomb to entering hillingdon for just one race. I'll be dressed in rights, a number of layers (depends exactly how hot) from Hillingdon experience watching, I doubt anyone will be dressed much different than you. I'll have slightly less than when training, since I expect to be working somewhat harder the entire time.

barrybridges wrote:

What is the procedure for if you puncture during a race? I do not drive and will be cycling to/from the start so won't be able to carry a spare wheel, but is this the normal thing to do? If I puncture I'm assuming the race is over for me?

There might be a spare wheel you can borrow to swap in, and I'm pretty sure you can get a free lap to rejoin the bunch when they return around. Just stop at the start/finish.

barrybridges wrote:

I'm not the richest person in the world and I only have one bike - it's my pride and joy (Trek 5200) and it's not too shabby, but I doubt I'll be turning anyone's heads. Will I be laughed at for racing on it?

I will probably be riding my Giant SCR 1, I think your bike is better than that - Again from Hillingdon 4th Cat's your bike would fit in well. I don't think you need to worry about what your bike looks like at all, it's a "beginners race". I don't think anyone there is going to be much different from you in either equipment, anyone who's any good, really should've moved up on from beginners races already.

Jim.

terongi

jibberjim wrote:

anyone who's any good, really should've moved up on from beginners races already.

Jim.

As someone who has yet to move up from beginner's races (not through lack of trying), I didn't find your forum post did a huge amount for my self-esteem.

Seriously though, I think it makes a big difference where you race. If you race as a Cat 4 in Cat 4 only races, it is easier to move up than if your local circuit runs Cat 3/4 races. In the latter case, you have to beat the Cat 3 riders in order to gain Cat 4 points in my experience.

jibberjim

terongi wrote:

jibberjim wrote:

anyone who's any good, really should've moved up on from beginners races already.

As someone who has yet to move up from beginner's races (not through lack of trying), I didn't find your forum post did a huge amount for my self-esteem.

EEK! That wasn't what I meant to say at all - I guess that's what happens when all of a sudden high priority work messages jump in the way of you typing in a forum...

What I was intending to write - no idea why I didn't, was that the sort of person who is going to point and laugh at the kit beginners turn up to race in because they've all got a race set-up suitable for a grand tour, should have moved up already.

terongi wrote:

Seriously though, I think it makes a big difference where you race. If you race as a Cat 4 in Cat 4 only races, it is easier to move up than if your local circuit runs Cat 3/4 races. In the latter case, you have to beat the Cat 3 riders in order to gain Cat 4 points in my experience.

I certainly expect to spend a long time in Cat 4. I currently cannot hold the wheel of my girlfriend for 1 lap of Richmond Park, she's comfortable riding in a Cat 4. race, but it certainly doesn't give me the idea that I'm going to come away with anything other than staying in the pack as a success for a long time to come.

Simon Notley

I'll be at Chertsey on the 22nd too I hope, although I'll be in the third cats race. I don't think you're allowed laps out at chertsey if you puncture (unless you puncture right next to the start, it would be more like 5 laps out anyway!) so yeah, puncture = race over.

Don't worry about your bike, it's what you do with it that counts!

there are quite a few cat 4 or 3/4 races, Hillingdon has races every weekend pretty much and there are quite a few at Chertsey as well as numerous on-road races and a few other circuits.

I'll be wearing Reading kit and riding a Time, say hi if you see me!

Simon

leguape

I'll probably be down at Chertsey as well, for about the third year running, having failed to move up consistently for the last few years, not for want of trying.

From memory I've always ridden them in baselayer, long sleeve jersey or armwarmers and either knee or legwarmers depending on the degree of chill. I cycle out from London and tend to take a rucksack with a couple of spare bottles filled and food, money for tea and a couple of dry layers plus a waterproof.

As for bikes, there's usually everything from hand-me-down frames and classic steel to the full carbon, deep section Pro Tour rigs. I'm riding my Merckx Racing frame and there'll be pretty much every price of bike covered. If they laugh at your bike, it's all the more reason to kick their arse.

No mudguards or racks mind.

terongi

leguape wrote:

No mudguards or racks mind.

You've all got the wrong idea.

My dream is to enter and win a road race on a hybrid with Britax child seat and panniers on the back wearing baggy shorts, a flappy rain mac with hood and doc martens.

Anyone can make it look easy in lycra on a carbon frame.

genki

leguape wrote:

No mudguards or racks mind.

I rode my first race at Chertsey and no-one laughed at my mudguards. I did get told to take my wing mirror off though.

Good luck, have fun and don't overlap wheels :P

eh

Most races will ask you to remove stuff like frame pumps, etc for fear of them falling off and into someones wheel

SteveR_100Milers

Bronzie wrote:

barrybridges wrote:
Will I be laughed at for racing on it?


Possibly, but they will be tw@ts

I like your style! Made me chuckle anyway. Of course they are if you beat them, if they totally shred you then its best to quietly leave unnoticed.....

barrybridges

Thanks for all your advice! I can't wait to get stuck in. I'm interested in the Crystal Palace race series as that's not too far from me, but can't seem to find any website for it online - any ideas?

andyp

The Crystal Palace series normally features on the London Cycle Sport website. The races are normally every Tuesday evening @ 7 pm from the middle of April until the end of August.

However, Crystal Palace Park is being re-developed so I'm not sure if they are able to race there this season.

Monty Dog

In response to your original question, if you puncture during the race, sit-up and put your hand in the air and move to the inside of the circuit to let others pass. You have the option to sit-out a lap and join in next time they come around as long as you don't try and contest the finish. Suggest you carry a spare tube, sticky patches and a CO2 cannister for a fast repair. Make sure your tyres are in good condition and correctly inflated to minimise the risk of punctures too. Good luck.

barrybridges

Thanks for all the answers - I'm looking forward to getting started, especially as I watch the weather forecast and see that the icy freeze is coming to an end! Bring on summer cycling!

pinkbikini

barrybridges wrote:

Thanks for all your advice! I can't wait to get stuck in. I'm interested in the Crystal Palace race series as that's not too far from me, but can't seem to find any website for it online - any ideas?

The races are running this year again - check out the British Cycling website calendar for details. They are Cat 3/4 races though, and they are very, very tough - quite a tight course, fast, a draggy slope every lap (each lap about 1mile) and a couple of interesting bends - one you have to take almost 'blind' with your head inches from the bushes!!! Very hard to move up the bunch - in fact, quite tough just to finish with the bunch - normally people getting shelled out the back during most of the race. Great fun though, one of the more picturesque circuits. If you're light and nimble (I'm not) you might find it a bit easier. If it has been raining/forecast to rain don't bother to go - rain makes the surface under the trees very, very slippery and a bit of an accident-fest - the race will probably be cancelled.

Out of Chertsey, Hillingdon and Crystal Palace I find Hillingdon the easiest, racing both as a 4th last year and as a 3rd (yes, the E123 at Hillingdon is easier than the 3/4 at Palace if your aim is to finish with the bunch). Chertsey is a great circuit I think - quite wide and spacious, although usually quite windy as well. Get through the first 2 or 3 laps and then enjoy yourself!