Where is the crit?

---

-----------------------:)
SUPPORT OPERATION REBOUND:
http://www.operationreboundcalifornia.kintera.org/ejs3

Kestrel Syndicate
Macca Fan Club

Arlington Heights

Any interest?

http://www.arlingtonbikerace.com/

If you are accustomed to riding with roadies, then you will get a similar sensation riding the crit. What you will not be able to anticipate is the accelerations out of each turn. Anticipate these and be ready to jump each time you go through a turn. It will be anaerobic the whole way, but the duration of a Cat 5 race is such that you will have plenty of time to recover for your double the following weekend.

It will be dangerous. Cat 5 racers are generally not experienced enough to make good decisions and often make mistakes that put them and the people around them on the floor. The key thing is to learn to feather your brakes if you use them at all. If its raining, it will be even more tricky. Keep your wheels between you and the road.

Regarding the size of the logos, its been some time since I've done any USCF races, but if you go to USA Cycling's web site, you will find the allowable dimensions.

Have fun, don't get hurt, stay near the front as the group will split. Fight for wheels, be intimidating, learn to growl.

Rocketboy

cant do it, big training weekend, two races in 3 weeks, maybe next year. I do want to do a tt this year. plus im still getting used to fast roadie rides.

The guy who runs that race told me that he doesnt bike race when training for an ironman, too much risk of injury.

---

-----------------------:)
SUPPORT OPERATION REBOUND:
http://www.operationreboundcalifornia.kintera.org/ejs3

Kestrel Syndicate
Macca Fan Club

I would go for it. Crits don't tear up nearly as badly as Tris, as long as you keep the rubber side down. A few weeks back I rode a crit on Sat and an Oly on Sunday. I felt no ill effects for the Tri.

Just stay up front and you should be able to stay out of trouble. They are fun. Just get read for a lactic acid bath. Crits hurt in a way that you don't get from Tri's.

I haven't done a Crit yet but I did my first road race a few months ago. It was a blast and I am definitely going to do more - and some Crits to. I say go for it. At my race, there were about 60 riders in Cat 5 - about 40 had done this before and the rest were rookies. The course was not tecnhincal and had some hills so it broke up pretty quick and was safe so I don't have much to say about whether you'll come home in one piece.

The vibe was alot different than a tri. People, by and large, were there to race, not chit chat and it definitely was more intense but it was really fun. I too fretted about what to wear but just wear what you have (I'm not aware of any rules to the contrary). In the race I did there were teams decked out and working together (even in Cat 5) and guys wearing all the off the rack stuff you'd see at a club ride. Face it, you'll probably look like a dork because you are one - doing your first race and all - but there will be at least a few guys dorkier (and slower) than you so just go for it.

Ask yourself this- how important are your upcoming tri races??

If they matter at all to you, I would suggest passing on the crit race. Almost every cat 5 race sees a crash (or two). If you get injured, you could be watching the triathlons from the sidelines.

H

I second Tri Girl's advice. Crits are dangerous if you're in the 2,1,pro race. They're a crapshoot if you're in with the 5's. Lots of things can happen that can cause a crash, and you don't even have to be involved to get caught up in the crash. And crit crashes are different from any other kind, they can be brutal, it is VERY easy to get hurt bad enough to screw up your tri training. One broken finger...no swim training for weeks; banged up knee...no running for weeks. As was already said, just make sure you know what your priorities are.

If you decide to do it, have fun, and remember to ride it like you stole it, there's no run afterwards! :)

Chris

The problem is the lack of balance between ambition and skill. Too much of the former, and too little of the latter. They are dangerous unless you are out front the whole time. Get out there and stay out there, or don't do it.

---

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

I've done about 10 crits and only crashed once. I was way way off the front w/ four corners to go doing 38mph into a turn and next thing I know I'm lying on the ground. 2 broken bones in my wrist and hand (never came out of the drops until I started sliding) and some road rash. Was racing du's with a cast 4 weeks later.
All in all the cat 5 races were faster than the cat 4's. Get to the front and stay there. the first couple of laps are the twitchy ones then it settles as the field breaks apart. I've done only one where there were more than 10 of us left at the end of the race. The rest of the field got lapped. Once we rode so hard that only 4 of us finished the race, all cat 5's in a 4/5 field.

---

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I literally can't count the number of crits I have done - hundreds? Figure, by the time you upgrade to cat 1 you have done a lot of them....

I have crashed in crits a grand total of 2 (3?) times (knock on wood.)

Those are pretty good odds. Less than 1%.

The worst way to approach a crit is worrying about the crash factor. It's a self perpetuating problem; when you are nervous, you tense up, you are more likely to crash, wash, rinse, repeat.

Go to the race, have fun, and don't make a huge deal out of it.

DO a search on this board for road race tips - you will find a bunch of good info.

Always smile when you get nervous on the bike. It automatically forces you to loosen up.

---

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/

But I can't convince myself that I'm ready. Is there some way to convert a 30k or 40k bike split into Cat 5 race readiness? Obviously they are two very different races, but there must be some speed threshold that those of you with crit experience would feel comfortable recommending that a novice have reached before entering a crit. I mean, do I have to average 25 mph? 22? Thanks.

---

-------
Andrew

"When will i learn, people do not want to hurt but will spend $500.00 bucks to go four seconds faster." - randall t

the two are at totally opposite ends of the spectrum. you could be as strong as a cat1 in a tt and still get dropped in a crit if you use too much brakes going into corners and have to sprint back on every turn. that is the fastest way to cook your legs. maintain your speed through the turns on someones wheel and you'll be surprised how easy a crit can be.

In USCF racing, your jersey must have sleeves. Typical tri tops are not allowed. Many officials are strict on this point. Don't expect to be allowed to race unless your jersey has sleeves. Don't worry about the logos.

---

2015 American Zofingen Du is May 17.
R.I.P. Chris Gleason

Can't agree more. The best thing to do is go watch a cat1 crit, watch how they take the corners. Staying near the front is very important, especially for larger fields, as there is an accordion effect as you go through turns -- the people in the back have to go much faster out of the turns. The cat5 races are pretty much useless, except for gaining experience, so win a couple, or get your 10 races in, and cat up if you are comfortable with the racing. A cat4, sometimes even a cat5 crit can be nearly as fast as a cat1/2 race, but the riders are no where near as skilled. See if you can find a training crit, we have a couple before the road season starts that are perfect for begginers. Make sure to talk, either verbally or with hand signals to let people know where you are going, try to avoid sudden moves, and make sure not to panic.

Depends on the course too... the demands of sprinting in cycling make it hard to predict from a TT or tri time.



To the original poster - go do the crit, just attack early when the speed drops (which it will at some point)... a reckless suicide attack might only have a 20% chance of succeeding, but you'll likely have zero chance in a field sprint.