definition of cat 1 /2/3 riders ?

JimmyK

Ive no idea what they mean , is cat 3 a beginner ?

Jimmy

redddraggon

Cat 4 is a "beginner", cat3 is someone who got enough points to move up from Cat4

oldwelshman

Cat 4 may not necessarily be a beginner, they may be experienced cyclists who are just not fast or fit enough to get enough points to progress to 3rd cat.
Basically you start at cat 4 and when you get into top 10 in a race you get points awarded and when you get 10 you are a 3rd cat.
You do not go back to 4th cat once your a 3rd.
If you get more placings as a 3rd you move to second after 35 points and when a second either 190 or 200 to get a first, cant remember exact number but will be on bcf website.
Then when a 2nd or 1st cat you have to get enough points in a season to keep your category or you drop one lower, but no lower than third, agian numbers on bcf site.

JimmyK

oldwelshman wrote:

Cat 4 may not necessarily be a beginner, they may be experienced cyclists who are just not fast or fit enough to get enough points to progress to 3rd cat.
Basically you start at cat 4 and when you get into top 10 in a race you get points awarded and when you get 10 you are a 3rd cat.
You do not go back to 4th cat once your a 3rd.
If you get more placings as a 3rd you move to second after 35 points and when a second either 190 or 200 to get a first, cant remember exact number but will be on bcf website.
Then when a 2nd or 1st cat you have to get enough points in a season to keep your category or you drop one lower, but no lower than third, agian numbers on bcf site.

thanks for the info mate

Jimmy

giantsasquatch

http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/road/a ... ifications

milese

So if someone was a cat 1 20 years ago, they'd still be a cat 3?

Typically, how many enterants do you get in a cat 4 / 3 race?

Bronzie

Milese wrote:

So if someone was a cat 1 20 years ago, they'd still be a cat 3?

If they hadn't raced at all in that period and allowed their BC membership to lapse, then they'd have to start off as a 4th cat again. If they had kept their membership current during that time (but not raced), then yes, they should remain 3rd cat.

The points system 20 years ago was all paper based (when you gained points, they were manually added to your licence after the race by the commissaire). Therefore points weren't transferred for non-licence holders when the system went electronic.

Milese wrote:

Typically, how many enterants do you get in a cat 4 / 3 race?

Most 3/4 road races around here are full fields (anywhere between 60 and 80 riders depending on the course). Field size in closed circuit races varies a lot but an average of 50 riders would be common I'd say.

eh

If they hadn't raced at all in that period and allowed their BC membership to lapse, then they'd have to start off as a 4th cat again.

That may be true but its not in the spirit of why the 4th Cat level was invented and they should ask BC to start them at 3rd Cat IMO.

softlad

Bronzie wrote:

If they hadn't raced at all in that period and allowed their BC membership to lapse, then they'd have to start off as a 4th cat again. If they had kept their membership current during that time (but not raced), then yes, they should remain 3rd cat.

my BCF membership lapsed in 1998, along with my race licence, which was 3rd category. I've just re-joined and taken out a new licence for 2010 and they've given me a 3rd cat again.....I was suprised when they told me my licence history was still on record, seems their files go back quite a long way....

Matt the Tester

what pace is usually set by cat 4? does anyone know lol and the average age? if anyone has a slight idea please share it.

softlad

pace will depend entirely on the course profile - but just because the bunch might average 25mph over race distance (for instance), it doesn't mean that is the speed you need to be averaging on your own rides.....

sods_law

softlad wrote:

pace will depend entirely on the course profile - but just because the bunch might average 25mph over race distance (for instance), it doesn't mean that is the speed you need to be averaging on your own rides.....

Yea, don't worry about average speeds, 25mph in the middle of the pack is almost effortless. Its the sprints and cornering skill that separates the field.

Average age is too hard to tell. In my club there are 16 yr olds and 50+ yr olds that race.

nolf

In a 3/4 race don't worry about the speed (you'll always have bits faster than even the chaingang, and it'll seem easier!)

The great thing about racing is that skills really count. if you can stay near the front and corner well, attack where it counts, you don't need to be as fit as the others.