Tactic for Hillingdon 4th Cat

fish156

Setarkos wrote:

Regarding points; according to David (organiser of of Winter in the Park Series) their points count until the end of March.

I suspect that he'll be referring to points for The Winter in the Park Series, not BC licence points. There will be prizes for the highest points scorers over the entire series.

Setarkos

fish156 wrote:

I suspect that he'll be referring to points for The Winter in the Park Series, not BC licence points. There will be prizes for the highest points scorers over the entire series.

I think he meant BC license points:

I spoke to The commissaries at my race and was told all points count till end of march...

bigmat

Setarkos wrote:

fish156 wrote:

I suspect that he'll be referring to points for The Winter in the Park Series, not BC licence points. There will be prizes for the highest points scorers over the entire series.

I think he meant BC license points:

I spoke to The commissaries at my race and was told all points count till end of march...

That's what he told me as well. Which seems mad, as you could be getting points for next year before points for this year. Not sure why they can't just have a simple cut off date, like the end of the year (I'm sure there are all sorts of historical / technical reasons, but its a bit confusing!)

Anyway, I will be getting myself down to Winter In the Park in the New Year - December already looking like a write off after my final race of the year next Sunday!

Setarkos

I just rang British Cycling and they said points are indeed reset on 1st Dec. So Winter in the Park as well as Imperial Hillingdon will count towards 2013 and my five points don't count for anything

okgo

And did we establish that if I've had a license for 2012 will it cover me for winter series races at Hillingdon in December?

A mate of mine wants to race this Saturday, but obviously can't buy a license before the 1st, which is the day of the race! I can't remember what I did last year, I don't think I raced the very first one...

edeverett

I can't remember what the solution is to not being able to get a license in time is, but I was in the same situation last year and a phone call to BC sorted it out. They are used to the situation.

Strith

jibberjim wrote:

I was 4th in the 4th cats at hillingdon a few years back without breaking 800watts for 1 second (I broke 1200 a number of times in the race trying to get away)...

Can I just ask, and rather than start a new thread. You were racing 4th cat and using a power meter? Is this common for guys to use power meters in 4th cat racing?

okgo

It is not common but it's certainly becoming more common.

There were a fair few riders using powermeters when I was racing as a 4th cat.

maryka

Strith wrote:

jibberjim wrote:

I was 4th in the 4th cats at hillingdon a few years back without breaking 800watts for 1 second (I broke 1200 a number of times in the race trying to get away)...

Can I just ask, and rather than start a new thread. You were racing 4th cat and using a power meter? Is this common for guys to use power meters in 4th cat racing?

Lots of people come into road racing from other sports, triathlon being one where powermeters are on the rise.

Also lots of people who don't necessarily race but want to train and improve their riding for whatever reason have powermeters. Given the number of Mamils riding around on £5k worth of carbon frame and wheels, what's another £600-700 on a powertap? Frankly I think a powermeter is a way better investment for any half-serious rider than a set of Zipp 404s or whatever they think makes them look cool. Then as these folks get stronger they start to think about racing and next thing you know they are 4th cats with a powermeter.

jgsi

maryka wrote:

Strith wrote:

jibberjim wrote:

I was 4th in the 4th cats at hillingdon a few years back without breaking 800watts for 1 second (I broke 1200 a number of times in the race trying to get away)...

Can I just ask, and rather than start a new thread. You were racing 4th cat and using a power meter? Is this common for guys to use power meters in 4th cat racing?

Lots of people come into road racing from other sports, triathlon being one where powermeters are on the rise.

Also lots of people who don't necessarily race but want to train and improve their riding for whatever reason have powermeters. Given the number of Mamils riding around on £5k worth of carbon frame and wheels, what's another £600-700 on a powertap? Frankly I think a powermeter is a way better investment for any half-serious rider than a set of Zipp 404s or whatever they think makes them look cool. Then as these folks get stronger they start to think about racing and next thing you know they are 4th cats with a powermeter.

£600 on a PT basic wheel ? I bet they keep the Zipps and go for a Quarq

okgo

Do I know you?

Strith

Cheers for the replies. Was just wondering really, more as an estimate to how serious the 4th cat is taken, as I fancied maybe entering a few of the winter series races for a bit of fun.

Will probably pop down and take a look one weekend first.

jibberjim

Strith wrote:

Can I just ask, and rather than start a new thread. You were racing 4th cat and using a power meter? Is this common for guys to use power meters in 4th cat racing?

Why not? They're pretty cheap (at 60 quid to get a licence and 10-20 quid a race you need a bit of cash anyway!), they're interesting if you're interested in that sort of thing, why wouldn't you have one before your first race? I did my first ride with a power meter 10.5 months after buying my first road bike having done under 4000km.

I didn't take it seriously, it's just interesting. I'm probably one of the least serious racers there is. I wasn't weak though.

Strith

Hey if I had the money I probably would too, and a ton of other stuff no doubt. Was just wondering how common they are.

okgo

Strith wrote:

Cheers for the replies. Was just wondering really, more as an estimate to how serious the 4th cat is taken, as I fancied maybe entering a few of the winter series races for a bit of fun.

Will probably pop down and take a look one weekend first.

Jim is certainly an exception as he's decent, unlike a lot of 4th cat riders But remember that in all sports you get the all the gear types so don't be put off, hell I've got a powermeter and I only know how to use half the software (getting there!)!

Rodrego Hernandez

One one hand you've got 4th cats with powertaps and at the other end of the scale you have riders like Thomas Voeckler that doesn't even train with a heart rate monitor.

Looking at a power meter want make you go fast!

Just get stuck in and enjoy it and you'll soon be getting some results.

Strith

Yeah thanks guys. I think I'm just gonna give it a go and see what happens.

proto

If you're riding this Saturday, you won't come last because I've entered! I suspect I'll get shelled out the back on the 3rd lap, possibly sooner :oops:

Setarkos

Strith wrote:

Cheers for the replies. Was just wondering really, more as an estimate to how serious the 4th cat is taken, as I fancied maybe entering a few of the winter series races for a bit of fun.

Will probably pop down and take a look one weekend first.

Standard doesn't seem to be very high (although I've only done one race so far). You will always have a few guys which have a cycling background who just haven't done any UK license racing yet but they'll be in 3rd quickly and since all riders in the Top10 get points, you can still pick up points if you ride regularly.

BTW, anyone up for a break on saturday?

okgo

Saturday should promise some fireworks by the sounds of it!

ozzzyosborn206

kind of wish i lived in England so i could ride there this weekend, 4th cats can never be taken too seriously as you would simply move up after a few top 5s(or one win)

Strith

I won't be racing this weekend, I'm gonna try and make it down the following one. Quite excited, looks like good fun too.

Unfortunately my breaks usually only involve kit kats, but you never know...

jibberjim

Setarkos wrote:

Standard doesn't seem to be very high (although I've only done one race so far). You will always have a few guys which have a cycling background who just haven't done any UK license racing yet but they'll be in 3rd quickly and since all riders in the Top10 get points, you can still pick up points if you ride regularly.

Standard will go up on sunday though, as it's 2013 points, so those guys waiting for those will turn out - which you can already see by the fact there's 60odd pre-entries already for the race against the number that were there last weekend.

okgo

Yes, there will be a few people there tomorrow who will be capable of much more, I know of one, and I'm sure among the other clubs there might be one or two aswell. I might go for the e123 to get a taste.

maryka

Yes, best advice for strong riders tomorrow is to make the race as hard as possible, from the start. Shed anyone who's not fit enough to hang in a fast bunch, get the bunch smaller, or split it. Safer for everyone. Tomorrow's race will have everyone from people with 1st cat fitness and strength to guys who haven't even ridden on a club run let alone in a bunch. There's a reason why I've never done the first race of the winter series and never will!

Setarkos

okgo wrote:

Yes, there will be a few people there tomorrow who will be capable of much more, I know of one, and I'm sure among the other clubs there might be one or two aswell.

Who is this? (pm?)

proto

Maryka, please don't encourage them. I'm looking for a nice steady pace, no breaks, no mad accelerations. Just a decent club run pace with a bit of a dash at thend, which I will watch from the back, just to be on the safe side.

okgo

Setarkos wrote:

okgo wrote:

Yes, there will be a few people there tomorrow who will be capable of much more, I know of one, and I'm sure among the other clubs there might be one or two aswell.

Who is this? (pm?)

You can find out for yourself tomorrow ;-)

jibberjim

okgo wrote:

Setarkos wrote:

okgo wrote:

Yes, there will be a few people there tomorrow who will be capable of much more, I know of one, and I'm sure among the other clubs there might be one or two aswell.

Who is this? (pm?)

You can find out for yourself tomorrow ;-)

but don't worry 'cos I can't sprint for toffee.

okgo

Ha, sounds about right. But it doesn't take a lot to win a 4th cat sprint there from what I saw.