Beginners xc race ??

RandG
RandG Posts: 779
edited March 2013 in MTB beginners
There is an xc race local to me in a couple of weeks, with various categories including beginners men. However, and without trying to sound totally stupid, what type of field would be entering such an event :?

For example, is it going to be full of young whippersnappers that will wipe the floor with me, or will it have recreational mtb'ers of a certain vintage like myself :lol:

Comments

  • heavy_rat
    heavy_rat Posts: 264
    got any details of the race? website etc?
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    I'm guessing it's the Scottish XC? Never actually done one of their events, they seem to get pretty small fields, never really looked at the beginner fields in the results, but there'll likely be a full range of abilities there!

    Give it a go - what's the worst that can happen!?
  • Stu Coops
    Stu Coops Posts: 426
    You will definitely have some decent talent in the begginers race as this is where we all started for those of us who race so lots of guys looking to get there 4th cat license and so on but don't be put off by it as quite a few just enjoy taking part but the main thing is don't get phased by all the seriousness around you with turbo trainers/deep heat being applied LOL and a never ending stream of carbon fibre.

    The most important thing for your first time is enjoying it and staying upright and lets face it if you get dropped it's no big deal you just roll around.
    Zesty 514 Scott Scale 20 GT Expert HalfwayupMTB
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    You will definitely have some decent talent in the begginers race as this is where we all started for those of us who race so lots of guys looking to get there 4th cat license and so on but don't be put off by it as quite a few just enjoy taking part but the main thing is don't get phased by all the seriousness around you with turbo trainers/deep heat being applied LOL and a never ending stream of carbon fibre.

    4th cat licence is the basic one that every man and his dog can get... You can't get 'dropped' from an MTB race either! :?

    Like I say, I've not done a Scottish XC, but at the Gorrick Events down here there's Beginner, Fun, Open, Sport, Elite which are 1-5 laps respectively. Fun and Open are the biggest categories by a way, often each getting over 100 riders, whilst beginner tends to get 5 or so. If the Scottish events are the same I'd consider doing Fun or Open, you'll get more competition and a longer ride - beginner is 30 minutes.

    As for people riding in beginner (or fun) with turbo trainers and what not - they're pot hunting idiots, ignore them.
  • Stu Coops
    Stu Coops Posts: 426
    njee20 wrote:
    You will definitely have some decent talent in the begginers race as this is where we all started for those of us who race so lots of guys looking to get there 4th cat license and so on but don't be put off by it as quite a few just enjoy taking part but the main thing is don't get phased by all the seriousness around you with turbo trainers/deep heat being applied LOL and a never ending stream of carbon fibre.

    4th cat licence is the basic one that every man and his dog can get... You can't get 'dropped' from an MTB race either! :?

    Like I say, I've not done a Scottish XC, but at the Gorrick Events down here there's Beginner, Fun, Open, Sport, Elite which are 1-5 laps respectively. Fun and Open are the biggest categories by a way, often each getting over 100 riders, whilst beginner tends to get 5 or so. If the Scottish events are the same I'd consider doing Fun or Open, you'll get more competition and a longer ride - beginner is 30 minutes.

    As for people riding in beginner (or fun) with turbo trainers and what not - they're pot hunting idiots, ignore them.

    I was reffering to "other categories" when commenting on the Turbo Trainers as the OP stated, just because he is entering a beginner race this activity will still be going on around him by the 4th/3rds and so on and it can phase some people, as for the 4th Cat license i'm also aware of how it's obtained bu you can enter beginner races without one in certain circumstances as long as you have BC membership as they run certain events on race days to encourage people to take up racing hence the comment about people looking to get there 4th cat license.

    You already know this though.
    Zesty 514 Scott Scale 20 GT Expert HalfwayupMTB
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Are you talking about MTB racing? In the UK there's no 3/4th cat, that's road. You can do virtually all XC racing without a licence, except the ranked categories at National races.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Would tend to say get yourself into the beginners group as it where I started in MTB racing. But as others have said you might want to consider the time/distance your doing in that category or if the open might give you more racing.

    Let us know what the race is and I'm sure someone will be able to point you in the right direction.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    Details of the race are all a bit sketchy at the moment. I've been to the venue, it's an old disused quarry and doesn't look that big. Though they have said on their FB page that it will be approx a 6/7 km lap, with just being one lap, which seems a bit short IMO.

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... rfar#entry
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    I assume the word beginner is missing from that sentence?

    They're more expensive to enter than an NPS race!

    Looking at the results from R4 last year (chosen at random) they got 11 riders in Beginner (2 laps) and 12 in Open (3 laps) so pretty small fields.

    I still just say give it a go, nothing to lose.
  • Greer_
    Greer_ Posts: 1,716
    I've been doing a beginner series the last few weeks over here in norn iron - here's the results of one race - http://www.j15ulsterxc.dromaracc.co.uk/ ... esults.htm - there's anything from S1 riders lapping everyone, to people only managing a few laps. The top 10-20 are S1 and S2 riders, I'm S4 (beginner) and managed all right! As long as you move out of the way of faster riders there's no issues!

    If I were you, I'd definitely be giving racing a go!
    Orbea Alma Team Carbon - Strava -Specialized Allez Sport
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    Hold on a minute, move out the way :lol:

    If you check the link you'll see some races at 11am and some at 2pm. The top guys are later and the rubbish are earlier. I believe the races that start at 11 go off in 1 minute intervals, though I might be wrong
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Does anyone know if i need a license for this race?

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... -1#summary

    It would be the first ever race i've entered and i'm not sure if i'd need a membership to british cycling or not.
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    bennett_346 wrote:
    Does anyone know if i need a license for this race?

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... -1#summary

    It would be the first ever race i've entered and i'm not sure if i'd need a membership to british cycling or not.


    Feck knows, best way to find out is to start your own topic :roll:
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Didn't see much point when this topic is already about beginner xc races. :roll:
  • Greer_
    Greer_ Posts: 1,716
    bennett_346 wrote:
    Does anyone know if i need a license for this race?

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... -1#summary

    It would be the first ever race i've entered and i'm not sure if i'd need a membership to british cycling or not.

    Not sure how it works for yous, but we need some form of Cycling Ireland Licence for all races, even club ones, so I'm guessing you do too. Best way to find out is a quick email!
    Orbea Alma Team Carbon - Strava -Specialized Allez Sport
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Yeah, sent the organiser an email. I just wondered if British Cycling membership is a universal thing for all events listed on their site. Thanks.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    You don't need a licence to do most BC races, just to gain points and for racing nationals etc.
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    Makes sense really. The £10m liability cover looks good anyway mind, since i commute in to uni every day.
  • danlightbulb
    danlightbulb Posts: 701
    Greer_ wrote:
    I've been doing a beginner series the last few weeks over here in norn iron - here's the results of one race - http://www.j15ulsterxc.dromaracc.co.uk/ ... esults.htm - there's anything from S1 riders lapping everyone, to people only managing a few laps. The top 10-20 are S1 and S2 riders, I'm S4 (beginner) and managed all right! As long as you move out of the way of faster riders there's no issues!

    If I were you, I'd definitely be giving racing a go!


    Ive been thinking of entering a race, and to be honest this is the reason I haven't. Its rather a waste of an entrance fee if 'elite' type riders also enter the beginner type categories and just thrash everyone. May as well just go up to them and give them my tenner and go home.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    If you go for a 'proper' XC race they're not like that though. There's multiple categories racing together, so you may find there are much faster people racing at the same time, but not against you. There may be a couple of quicker riders in Fun/Open, but it isn't full of elites in the off season or anything, it really isn't.

    Endurance/marathon type events are different, they are all comers, so you'll have everyone from folk who've never ridden a mountain bike to elites in a category.

    Agree on the benefit of BC membership too, I crashed into a car about 10 years ago, she tried to sue me £3500 for the damage 10 months later (we agreed six of one/half a dozen of t'other at the time), so I filed a counter claim with the BC solicitors. Had to go and see them once and complete some paperwork. 9 months later I got £2000, they paid half of her claim, I didn't pay a penny. Happy days.
  • Greer_
    Greer_ Posts: 1,716
    See all the other races (Ulster XC series and NPS) will be graded by category, so S1 (elite) are separate from S4 (beginners).
    Orbea Alma Team Carbon - Strava -Specialized Allez Sport
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Since this thread includes discussion about BC points and licences. Is there anything to distinguish between DH & XC points? I need to get up 100 points for next season to enter BDS races and just thought maybe I could make up some of them in local XC and enduro races as well as DH races.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • iDad
    iDad Posts: 68
    What about this sort of event to get some experience in?

    http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/
    https://www.facebook.com/MTBmarathonSeries
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Is there anything to distinguish between DH & XC points? I need to get up 100 points for next season to enter BDS races and just thought maybe I could make up some of them in local XC and enduro races as well as DH races.

    Don't know for certain, but I'd be bloody surprised if they let you do that, you certainly can't use road points towards your XC category progression (for example).

    That said, if you have loads of XC points (ie you're an elite rider) then there's a good chance they'd give you an appropriate licence for racing BDS events. Is there a method for awarding points at Enduros yet?

    Why can't you just do a few DH races? If you aspire to the BDSs surely it's more relevant experience than XC racing?
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    njee20 wrote:
    Why can't you just do a few DH races? If you aspire to the BDSs surely it's more relevant experience than XC racing?

    I'm doing a DH race every month as well as souther and south west champs this year but there are a few XC races fairly local that I was thinking of having a go at as well. Hopefully I will make up the 100 points from just the DH races.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Yeah I think you'll have to - I know my licence has separate categories noted for BMX/Road/DH and XC
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    My back up plan is to find some obscure DH races late in the year where there are not too many entrants in the masters and I get easy points if I'm a bit short and avoid the FoD races with 90 entrants in the masters.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    My back up plan is to find some obscure DH races late in the year where there are not too many entrants in the masters and I get easy points if I'm a bit short and avoid the FoD races with 90 entrants in the masters.
    If they're only regional C you hardly get any points.

    edit: it seems the lowest DH ranking is regional B which is double the points of the lowest XC ranking. So your plan sounds a good idea.

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