[COmtbiker12]

There's a road race coming up in Salida Colorado that I'd like to do. For SM4 it would be 60miles on a 12mile course, and my friend who races 4 told me that its really hard (I'm fairly new to road riding) but I dunno, I really wanna do it and challenge myself. OR on Sunday (day after rr) there's a Crit that would be fun. I've never done a Crit either so it'd be new experiences all around. However if I did crit I'd probably race the citizen's category which would make things a lot easier for my noobi-ness but at the same time I realy want a challenge. I dunno what to do. Any suggestions or advice for a newbie wanting to start racing?

 

[Serial Midget]

Crits are dangerous... of the two I would definately go for the road race. If you just want to measure yourself and see where you stack up - look for a time trial, I think those are the most fun.

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

Don't be fooled into thinking the Crit would be easy.Like Midget said,they are dangerous and def a challenge,but i love doin them.Got one tomorrow and it's supposed to be the hottest day of the year,98* and 9873656% humidity .Whichever you do just have fun

 

[DRB]

Crits are insanely hard and insanely scary. In Citz or 5 there are very good odds that you'll get taken out by someone.

In either case, don't be discouraged but there is a huge probability you are going straight out the back as soon as the race starts.

 

[COmtbiker12]

Crits are insanely hard and insanely scary. In Citz or 5 there are very good odds that you'll get taken out by someone.

In either case, don't be discouraged but there is a huge probability you are going straight out the back as soon as the race starts.

Lol that much is expected I figure as far as not having the experience and skills necessary to be a real contender or anything.


Will doing the crit in Cit or 5 be especially dangerous because of other inexperienced riders like myself?

 

[Serial Midget]

You gotta learn somewhere... :devil:

The last crit I did for fun I was taken out by a guy who took a hard corner with inside pedal down. I was nervous about him and had been watching but couldn'd find a gap to escape. I was boxed in from all sides and this bozoo was about a bike lenght ahead to my right. We all took the corner pretty fast (faster than we should have anyway) when this guy leaned into his pedal, dug in, turned sideways and slid - most of the pack either rode over him and crashed (what I did) or slammed their brakes and piled up.

 

[Reactor]

Lol that much is expected I figure as far as not having the experience and skills necessary to be a real contender or anything.


Will doing the crit in Cit or 5 be especially dangerous because of other inexperienced riders like myself?

Crits are insanely dangerous, no matter what. Having an inexperienced rider in one only makes it more so. The speeds are high, the corners tight, and the pack's bunched up. Crashing in inevitable. One guy goes down and it's trainwreck city. Race crits long enough and you will go down.

Falling on the rode hurts, usually involves a broken bone and/or a concussion. I've never been seriously injured during mountain biking events/rides in spite of probably a hundred falls (O.K. once I needed 11 stiches). I went down once on a road bike and was nearly killed.


I'd do the regular road race, if I were you.

 

[axlvid23]

Lol that much is expected I figure as far as not having the experience and skills necessary to be a real contender or anything.


Will doing the crit in Cit or 5 be especially dangerous because of other inexperienced riders like myself?

Perhaps you should save this experience for a flatter RR...or until you get more than 2 weeks of sustained riding under your belt. I just read in the race bible that there's going to be 6k vert feet of climbing in this bad boy up part of monarch pass 5X in 60 miles.

Both RR's and Crits are especially dangerous when considering you're inexperienced on the skinny tires. Though in colorado races cat4/5 manages to stay out of trouble most of the time I've been to upwards of 30 races this year and have not crashed once and have only witnessed maybe 5 crashes all of which involved pedaling in corners or curb/gutter incidents.

In either case, good luck, and if you do decide to put yourself through this I'll see you up there.

 

[DRB]

Lol that much is expected I figure as far as not having the experience and skills necessary to be a real contender or anything.


Will doing the crit in Cit or 5 be especially dangerous because of other inexperienced riders like myself?

A Citz / CAT 5 crit is like a knife fight. You may not get killed but you will get hurt. The problem is to survive a crit you have to be in the pack or you'll get dropped and once dropped there is no getting back. But being in the pack is where all the silliness occurs.

BUT if you have been doing training rides with a group and are use to being around other riders, there isn't much beyond that you can do. Also see if you can get some guys you ride with to do the race as well. That way at least you know what some of the guys are going to do.

So ride near the front (but not on the front) try to stay to the inside on the corners, and if someone goes down in front of you its just like mountain biking if you can get your front wheel over it you'll probably be okay.

 

[sanjuro]

Firstly, I would avoid a criterium as your first race. There are a lot of pack dynamics and cornering which will screw you up.

I would do that road race first. Besides being much safer, it will be a better test of your fitness. I also recommend finding a good training crit to learn on. Those races emphasis safety over a sprint for a tire.

Finally, you might get dropped on your first race. I would not worry much, and I would continue as hard you could until the end of the race. They usually pull dropped riders a lap early or just before you get lapped, so keep it up!

 

[COmtbiker12]

Thanks for all the advice. I dont think I'll end up going because I just got back from a weeklong trip this week with 10+ hours of driving several days and for sure need to lose some of the extra food consumed during the trip and just become a stronger cyclist all around. axlvid is a friend of mine and hopefully he'll be somewhat of a mentor to me as he has been so far with advice and just general information with road cycling and just biking in general. (good luck at the race alex )

 

[DBR X6 RIDER]

A part of me wants to do a road race/crit before too long. Only a small part, though. The other parts of me know better...I've watched enough of the local races to see that the cit/cat 5's are dicey at best.
Don't know what you have there as far as a weekly series, but if I ever decide to turn my pedals in anger I will likely do it in one of the weekly series going on here. I would guess that there's a little more order in those kinds of races seeing that it's a series as opposed to a one-time situation that most crits/rr's provide. I will surely try my hand at a time-trial before too long. Like SM says, it's a way to truly see where you stand in your fitness and general riding abilities.

Whatever you do, have fun and don't touch the tire ahead of you with your front one. You'll lose every time.