Thinking about raceing

[GTR]

42

[ft_critical]

Hi All
I have taken up riding a few year ago now, to lose some waight but am now addicted. I went and had a look at the raceing down at the penrith regatta center on the week end and would like to have a go but they look like they were flying and dont know if i would be able to keep up. I took my bike down the other week end to get some riding on the flats in as i am from Katoomba all hills my average speed on a 40km loop at katoomba is 29km very hilly but at the regatta center i did 45km at an average of 39km/h by my self and i held 2 full laps (10km) at 48km/h but thought i was goin to die, is this a competive speed, I dont want to go down an get total put off racing by just getting left for dead.

With those speeds/distance if you add some bunch riding skills, then you will be winning A grade in 3mths. If these numbers are real and you are young enough, you should immediately go see a coach in preparation for turning PRO.

[GTR]

43

[philip]

i held 2 full laps (10km) at 48km/h

This means you're doing each lap at 6m15s

the guys racing were lapping at around 6m45s A grade

if these are the same laps, something doesn't sound quite right...

[GTR]

44

[Comptine]

Hey GTR,

I live in the blue mountains too race at Penrith sometimes. If you want to test yourself, you can join the group ride at BikeMinded on Saturday Mornings at 7am, some of the guys there race B grade and if you can keep up with them when they turn it on you are doing pretty well, they are nice guys too. Or just head down to the races at Penrith and have a go, it's not that hard.

[zozza]

48km Avg. for two laps is impressive, especially solo

[leximack]

Does your name happen to be Eddie or Peter

[GTR]

45

[Parker]

from all of the sarcastic ramarks I understand why people i have talked to, who have had a go at racing have warned me off raceing. Most of the guys I meet on the road are great and fantastic guys but the racers seem to have something to gain by dissing people staight up before they realy know, because no one could be faster then them could they. and for the record I went out there with my wife late yesterday and 35km this time at 37km/h average and i only droped my wife on the last lap because the last lap I went all out again and did it at 47km/h little bit windy this time. So i might give the race thing a miss Im happy just doing what Im doing.

A friend once said to me, don't listen to anyone on a forum, he races A grade, and he'd probably tell you that he's the fastest guy in the world and that you'd never catch him... I can catch him when he's sick

Go race, you never know what you're capable of until you try... and prove em wrong.

[philip]

I'm not sure why you've taken offense at the replies, I don't see "all of the sarcastic remarks". Averaging 48km/h over 10km solo is something not many people can do, you can understand why anyone would be skeptical. Most of the people I race with are great, friendly guys. Take Comptine's advice, go and do some group riding and join a club, it's really great fun.

[mikesbytes]

I coudn't do that on a wooden velodrome in full aero kit.

Why don't you have a go at time trailing

[MichaelB]

I'd love to manage those speeds

My best for a 45+ km ride is 32.5km/hr, but that does include a few traffic lights, but still a long way off.

Go for it !!! The worst that can happen is that you come last (except crashing, but you REALLY try and avoid that one ....

[r2160]

Hey bud

Just give it a go, you will never know how you go until you try!!

cheers
Glenn

[leximack]

you have the fitness to win B grade and do well in A grade
But you probably have no Group riding skills (i could be wrong, you have not mentioned this), this is important, you need to be able to ride within cm's of 30-40 other riders and know what to do when they move into you, cut you off, brake hard in front of you etc. Find a local Group and ride with them.
Then jump into B gradem, smash em, then go and play with the guys in A grade.
You will do well.
As a reference i race top end C grade, mid pack B grade and can average 36-37km/h Solo on a flat course like the regatta with no wind for 40+km.
Main thing is to have fun

Don

[GTR]

46

[ft_critical]

from all of the sarcastic ramarks I understand why people i have talked to, who have had a go at racing have warned me off raceing. Most of the guys I meet on the road are great and fantastic guys but the racers seem to have something to gain by dissing people staight up before they realy know, because no one could be faster then them could they. and for the record I went out there with my wife late yesterday and 35km this time at 37km/h average and i only droped my wife on the last lap because the last lap I went all out again and did it at 47km/h little bit windy this time. So i might give the race thing a miss Im happy just doing what Im doing.

Check the wheel size setting in your computer.

[othy]

from all of the sarcastic ramarks I understand why people i have talked to, who have had a go at racing have warned me off raceing. Most of the guys I meet on the road are great and fantastic guys but the racers seem to have something to gain by dissing people staight up before they realy know, because no one could be faster then them could they. and for the record I went out there with my wife late yesterday and 35km this time at 37km/h average and i only droped my wife on the last lap because the last lap I went all out again and did it at 47km/h little bit windy this time. So i might give the race thing a miss Im happy just doing what Im doing.

Check the wheel size setting in your computer.

That was my first thought reading this thread....

[mikesbytes]

Even if your wheel size setting is wrong, your more than quick enough to race. Most races are graded by ability, so you will end up racing riders of similar ability to you.

[GTR]

47

[leximack]

hi I checked the wheel setting and thats why i took my wife along so i had another computor to check and they were the same apart from the last lap so i dont know whats going on but by the sounds of it i must be doing something wrong as most replies are saying it is highly unlikly i could do it any way i have a nother question when i sprint i can hold 74km for about 200m is this way off the mark it has got me thinking i might be kidding my self and something is wrong with my computor

i think you need to check it again
The Pros, ie Cavendish, McEwen etc have a top sprint speed of 75-80km/h (pretty sure i read this in an article, 80 is real hardcore though)
If you can hold 74km/h for 200m find a coach, get some sponsors
Be nice watching you in the TDF next year.

Don

[mikesbytes]

The world record in the flying 200 is about 80kph.

Personally the fastest I've ever done at the velodrome is 64.9kph

[PortableDave]

hi I checked the wheel setting and thats why i took my wife along so i had another computor to check and they were the same apart from the last lap so i dont know whats going on but by the sounds of it i must be doing something wrong as most replies are saying it is highly unlikly i could do it any way i have a nother question when i sprint i can hold 74km for about 200m is this way off the mark it has got me thinking i might be kidding my self and something is wrong with my computor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ1j8sXtMqI have a look at the speed on screen at 2:00 and Hoy isn't exactly a slouch

[zozza]

i have a nother question when i sprint i can hold 74km for about 200m

This is also genuinely impressive!

Where did you achieve this?

[Spiza]

hi I checked the wheel setting and thats why i took my wife along so i had another computor to check and they were the same apart from the last lap so i dont know whats going on but by the sounds of it i must be doing something wrong as most replies are saying it is highly unlikly i could do it any way i have a nother question when i sprint i can hold 74km for about 200m is this way off the mark it has got me thinking i might be kidding my self and something is wrong with my computor

i think you need to check it again
The Pros, ie Cavendish, McEwen etc have a top sprint speed of 75-80km/h (pretty sure i read this in an article, 80 is real hardcore though)
If you can hold 74km/h for 200m find a coach, get some sponsors
Be nice watching you in the TDF next year.

Don

Do you have 2 magnets on your front wheel or 1?
Diameter/circumference mix up on the computer?
Some satnavs like TomTom have batteries. Borrow one and check your speed that way.
iPhone app if you have an iPhone???