[dhriderII]

im racing my 1st road event this year and im not at all sure what Cat. i need to enter into, is it a age limit to that or skill level or how does that work, any help would be great thanks. the race that im doing is the http://www.wintergreenresort.com/activities/wintergreen_ascent.asp#racers

 

[Wumpus]

Road racing is not like mountain biking.

Everyone starts as a Cat 5(Track is Cat 4). Sometimes an official will let you easily move up to a Cat 4. You have to have results to move up after that. I guess the exception would be if you were a pro XC racer.

 

[Wumpus]

Here you go -- page 5 --> http://www.usacycling.org/forms/2005_USAC_rulebook.pdf

 

[Heidi]

Road racing is not like mountain biking.

Everyone starts as a Cat 5(Track is Cat 4). Sometimes an official will let you easily move up to a Cat 4. You have to have results to move up after that. I guess the exception would be if you were a pro XC racer.

My first road race they made me race Cat 4 (where women start). I petitioned to move up and they denied! So, I petitioned to someone higher and they finally approved it.

 

[Wumpus]

My first road race they made me race Cat 4 (where women start). I petitioned to move up and they denied! So, I petitioned to someone higher and they finally approved it.

Did you get to upgrade straight to pro?

 

[Heidi]

Did you get to upgrade straight to pro?

Nope, just to Cat 3 so I could do the big races that are Pro - 3...like the Cascade Cycling Classic. So we race all together and get scored together a lot of times. The few times I have raced 3/4, I have owned the race.

 

[sanjuro]

When it comes to mtn bikers and road racing, there is a very strict upgrade path, for good reason. I remember one crit there was a downhill corner where riders hit it at 35mph. I could tell all the mtn bikers in the Cat 5 race because they were taking the corner with both pedals level.

For men, unless you are a Pro mtn biker, you are a Cat 5. I knew one very senior Expert who was not happy about it. I have not heard of a Cat 5 receiving an upgrade before doing his 10 races (although I know there are clinics which count for 5 races).

 

[Heidi]

For men, unless you are a Pro mtn biker, you are a Cat 5. I knew one very senior Expert who was not happy about it. I have not heard of a Cat 5 receiving an upgrade before doing his 10 races (although I know there are clinics which count for 5 races).

Upgrades are way easier than you might think. I know a lot of guys who have gotten upgraded to 4 after having done 1 or 2 races.

 

[Captain Cogset]

When it comes to mtn bikers and road racing, there is a very strict upgrade path, for good reason. I remember one crit there was a downhill corner where riders hit it at 35mph. I could tell all the mtn bikers in the Cat 5 race because they were taking the corner with both pedals level.

For men, unless you are a Pro mtn biker, you are a Cat 5. I knew one very senior Expert who was not happy about it. I have not heard of a Cat 5 receiving an upgrade before doing his 10 races (although I know there are clinics which count for 5 races).

I got an upgrade to Cat 4 after one Cat 5 race. I told the USA Cycling representative that I race expert XC and that the race was too easy, and I got upgraded.

 

[indieboy]

I got an upgrade to Cat 4 after one Cat 5 race. I told the USA Cycling representative that I race expert XC and that the race was too easy, and I got upgraded.

that doesn't work in every case, trust me

 

[Captain Cogset]

My point wasn't that anyone can be upgraded who asks for it. I was just pointing out that you don't necessarilly need to be a pro to avoid having to get your 10 Cat5 races to upgrade to Cat4. I am sure each upgrade request depends on the experience of the racer in question.

 

[sanjuro]

My point wasn't that anyone can be upgraded who asks for it. I was just pointing out that you don't necessarilly need to be a pro to avoid having to get your 10 Cat5 races to upgrade to Cat4. I am sure each upgrade request depends on the experience of the racer in question.

Good point about receiving an upgrade. Obviously it has alot to do with the district rep. The Connecticut rep would not upgrade any experts, and obviously your rep would.

Still, it goes back to the question: does mtn bikers have the requisite skills to race road at the Cat 4 level? Not that I think Cat 4's are master bike handlers, but there is some differential between 4's and 5's in terms of handling in a pack, cornering, and basic race tactics as they pertain to safety.

Keep in mind an Expert racer should have the lungs and legs to rip open the average Cat 5 race. But I have seen the simplest mistake, like swerving around a sewer cap, bring down a pack of riders, which is why the Cat 5 exist to be a teaching category as well as protect the faster riders.

 

[Heidi]

Well, I would say it's safe to make a statement that a majority of expert mtb racers do a large majority of their training on the road, joining groups for group rides and what not. So I would think if an expert racer is doing well in some bigger mtb races, there should be no problem moving him/her up a Cat.

 

[sanjuro]

Yer probably right. I was thinking about a Sport rider who was moaning about the 10 race upgrade.

 

[mattv2099]

I got an upgrade to Cat 4 after one Cat 5 race. I told the USA Cycling representative that I race expert XC and that the race was too easy, and I got upgraded.

That doesn't work up here in WA. They combine the 4/5 fields... Small 4/5 races get 50-75 entrants...

 

[mattv2099]

For men, unless you are a Pro mtn biker, you are a Cat 5. I knew one very senior Expert who was not happy about it. I have not heard of a Cat 5 receiving an upgrade before doing his 10 races (although I know there are clinics which count for 5 races).

whoa. you know of any clinics in the seattle WA area??? I've never heard of such a thing. I'm a mountain biker / cyclocrosser and I really want to get my freakin cat 4 upgrade pronto... A clinic would cut my upgrade time in half

not that it would matter much since they combine 4/5's here. I just don't want to have a good result as a 5 and feel terrible cuz if I were a 4 I woulda gotten upgrade points!!!!!

 

[dhriderII]

alright thanks alot, i really doubt im gonna go all out in the road racing thing, ya know just kinda test the waters and see whats its like, ive raced dh for several years and xc for 2 seasons. but road is completely different and just something that i want to try

 

[indieboy]

Well, I would say it's safe to make a statement that a majority of expert mtb racers do a large majority of their training on the road, joining groups for group rides and what not. So I would think if an expert racer is doing well in some bigger mtb races, there should be no problem moving him/her up a Cat.

once again.....