I was curious about registering for a bike race. How do I get a license. If I have never done a bike race (or not in the last decade anyway), am I automatically a catagory 4 or 5 racer? Is it fun?
I did a 48 mile bike race in Stowe, Vermont in 1990, got dropped by the peleton literally in the parking lot, but had a blast, and I was thinking about giving it another try. There is a 15-mile race in Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ a few miles from my house, and a stage race in Vermont that looks like the race I did in 1990, but I’m not sure. If I don’t have experience riding in a pack, will a endanger others around me? or will I probably get dropped in the parking lot like last time?
Yes, you’ll endanger others … and they’ll endanger you. That’s the problem with Cat. 5. But ya gotta learn somewhere. Be careful. Don’t do anything erratic and unpredictable. Hold your line. Stay off your brakes as much as possible.
I think it might be wise to figure out if you’re doing a 48 mile road race or a 15 mile circuit race in the park. The circuit race will likely be far more dangerous, and much faster.
Go to usacycling.org for a license.
You know at this time of the year, with only about 2-3 months of racing left in many parts of the country, a USCF racing license will still $60 to race Category 5. I suggest that if the promoter is offering one-day licenses, the orginal poster consider purchasing a one day to get a feel for the water before laying out $60.
I’m probably doing th Branch Brook race in a couple of weeks…did it last year, but this is a different course. Last year it was 8 laps of a 1.8 mile course, or something like that. This year, the course is about 4 miles and chage, so its only 3 laps for the cat 5s.
I’m racing cat 5, its still only my fourth bike race. There are always crashes. It is fast. stay up front, hang on for the first five miles, it gets easier. It’s over before you know it.
good luck…look me up if you go to branch brook…Team Bikery/Shebell adn Shebell, grey cannondale 6/13, probably the biogfgest guy there at 6’1 210.
From the New Jersey Bicycling Asscoaition web site.
Getting a racing license
All road bike races in New Jersey are governed by the rules and regulations of USA Cycling, the national governing body for the sport of bike racing, and by the New Jersey Bicycling Association, it’s local affiliate. To participate in a bike race, it is necessary to purchase a license. You can get an annual license at www.usacycling.org for $60, or you can buy a one-day license for $10 on the day of the race if you are not sure you want to commit to an annual license. License fees pay for liability and medical insurance and fund the activities of USA Cycling. Although most bike racers are members of clubs, you don’t have to join a club to enter a race. Some races charge an “unattached” fee of $5 or $10 for riders who don’t belong to a club. Joining a club is a good way to make new friends and gain the group riding experience you need to participate in mass start racing.
You need a license but for most races you can buy a one day license as part of your registration for the race. It just adds $10 to your entry fee. If you’re new (less than 10 mass start races in 12 months), you’re in Category 5.
If I don’t have experience riding in a pack, will a endanger others around me? or will I probably get dropped in the parking lot like last time?
If you don’t have experience riding in a pack, you and everyone else in the race will be best served if you are dropped in the parking lot. Do some group rides and learn the ins and outs of pack riding. Besides the obvious benefit of not maiming or killing yourself or others, being able to ride in a group and draft is the most basic element of bike racing. Its what makes bike racing what it is so if you’re missing this basic skill, you aren’t really experiencing the sport.
I don’t have experience riding in a pack, will a endanger others around me?
YES! Ditto what the others said about pack skills.
RRs have a little more leeway than crits - done 6 crits this year and every one of them has had multiple crashes with guys taking corners terrible, crossing wheels and catching pedals in turns. Best to practice your skills before you get to a race situation. Besides, getting dropped in the parking lot is a waste of money IMO - you can get that on a fast group ride for free. Maybe take a skills clinic and find some group rides. When you are comfortable in a rotating paceline, can take a drink with one hand and hold your line without swerving, comfortably stay six inches off someone’s wheel for 2.5-3 hours then you are ready. Most folks tend to lose concentration when they are under pressure and tired, so you need to practice that.
I was curious about registering for a bike race. How do I get a license. If I have never done a bike race (or not in the last decade anyway), am I automatically a catagory 4 or 5 racer? Is it fun?
I did a 48 mile bike race in Stowe, Vermont in 1990, got dropped by the peleton literally in the parking lot, but had a blast, and I was thinking about giving it another try. There is a 15-mile race in Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ a few miles from my house, and a stage race in Vermont that looks like the race I did in 1990, but I’m not sure. If I don’t have experience riding in a pack, will a endanger others around me? or will I probably get dropped in the parking lot like last time?
How about a time trial? You dont need a license for those (not in IL).
Bike racing is great fun. I think all that people are trying to get across is that you should do a couple group rides before a road race. You’ll have no problem picking up pack-ridding skills after a couple of times out. Also, most group rides turn out to be hammerfests/races so you’ll get the same think out of one of these as you would in a real race. Plus you’ll meet some great roadies.
Don’t bail yet. It’s true that road racing has a rather steep learning curve but the rewards in terms of bike fitness and confidence are huge and translate very well to triathlon.
You can shorten the learning process by joining an established club that has a sizeable membership and has a stated goal of developing riders. Once you can hang with some of the faster group rides you are ready to go in a race. Having teammates for both moral support and tactics (although Cat. 5 tactics are often just “go and blow”) really helps.
Join a club, ride for a month or two with them, and then get in a couple of races. Oh yeah, go for the one day license for the rest of the year if you can.
Come on, man. You sounded fired up in your original post. We weren’t trying to talk you out of it, just to help you get in the game.
While you do need to be comfortable riding in a pack, it sounds like you have been riding for a while so a few group rides will probably be all you need. If you are already comfortable in a group you may not even need that.
I started racing this summer and I wish I had taken it up 20 years ago. It’s not for everyone but I find it about 100 times more fun than triathlon. The races are shorter but more physically intense. The whole element of strategy and tactics is what really makes it fun. Whether it is figuring out a way to stay with a pack that is made up of riders who are stronger than you or manuvering yourself into a breakaway so you can go for the win, the whole mental part is really fun and is my favorite part. It really ends up being a chess game on wheels. IMHO, its way more fun than just seeing how fast you can cover a set distance by yourself.
Branchbrook Park is a great way to get started - with the larger course you you get more straight stretches and less turns (even the smaller course has only one noteable 90 degree turn). The speed will be pretty high (north of 21/23mph) but if you stay well tugged in the pack you’ll be fine for most of it.
For your own safety and others try to ride in your drops and with a finger on your gears/brakes with loose elbows (if you get bumped your front wheel won’t move much; more steady position) and keep your head up and aware all the time (protect your front wheel and watch for other wheels). Brakes - don’t ever use them hard; only gently and with a sense of riders being around and especially behind you. The further back you are in the pack the more you have to react to movements of the pack (accelerate longer and harder and react faster if the group slows). The safest spots are in the front. And make sure to call out changes in pace (i.e., slowing) …
Foremost: have fun
A one day license purchased at the race site for $10 gets your to the start line in the Cat 5 field …
Anyone know the average speed for a Cat 5 race in Branchbrook Park these days? How about peak sustained speed? Thinking of joining in a race. Will i have to sustain speeds of over 25 mph for more than a few minutes?
What’s the current course like? Totally flat I presume?
average speed just doesn’t mean anything.
this weekends cat4 race we had an average speed of 22.3mph in our breakaway pack, and we eventually shelled 6 of the 9 guys in it and the peleton never caught us. wind, surface,turns, hills, surges, etc all affect difficulty so much.
cat5 and 4 races can be be very unpredictable in difficulty. One or two bad asses with cat1 talent show up and its time to puke and get dropped.
other times its easy as pie.
if you ride a bike regularly though you will be fine. you might get popped but usually not right away =)
Reviving an old thread.
Anyone know the average speed for a Cat 5 race in Branchbrook Park these days? How about peak sustained speed? Thinking of joining in a race. Will i have to sustain speeds of over 25 mph for more than a few minutes?
What’s the current course like? Totally flat I presume?
Yea, figured that. It’s why I asked about the peak sustained speed. That’s probably more important. As well as how many times I’ll have to hit that speed!
Yea, figured that. It’s why I asked about the peak sustained speed. That’s probably more important. As well as how many times I’ll have to hit that speed!
nah, cuz 30mph might be easy at the back of the pack in a slight tailwind
or 20mph might be death if there is only 3 or 4 guys in your group with a head wind
=)
expect the pain meter to get pegged at some point. possibly the whole time.
Yea, figured that. It’s why I asked about the peak sustained speed. That’s probably more important. As well as how many times I’ll have to hit that speed!
nah, cuz 30mph might be easy at the back of the pack in a slight tailwind
or 20mph might be death if there is only 3 or 4 guys in your group with a head wind
=)
expect the pain meter to get pegged at some point. possibly the whole time.