Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Hi all,

Have been around for about 1 year on a road bike and have loved it. My fitness has improved, lost some weight and feeling great. Would like to take my cycling to the next step, not into crits but do like road racing. I am tossing up whether to join a club or not or get a coach? Live up on the Sunshine coast and spend a great deal of the time in Armidale NSW. Am a 29 year old female and would love to improve all areas of my cycling. Not very fast at the moment but 28kph over 50km is ok. At the moment i do most of my riding alone or with a couple of older guys.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated
kaz

Hi kaz,

A coach or racing? Why not both

First step would be to ensure your and others' safety by developing your bunch riding skills. Speak with your LBS about organised bunch rides in your area.

If you are already comfortable in riding in a bunch and have some good bike handling skills, seek out your local cycling club. I am sure they will be very welcoming and helpful in getting you started. Perhaps attend a race to watch and see how it all works.

Be warned though...it is extremely addictive

Good luck

Matt

kaz wrote:Live up on the Sunshine coast and spend a great deal of the time in Armidale NSW. Am a 29 year old female and would love to improve all areas of my cycling. Not very fast at the moment but 28kph over 50km is ok. At the moment i do most of my riding alone or with a couple of older guys.

Join us! http://www.armidalecyclingclub.org/ 30km training rides Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30pm. We've just returned to Booralong Rd on Tuesdays now it's daylight savings (meet near the colleges) and Thursdays are out Dangarsleigh Rd (meet at the speed limit signs near the Jehovah's Witness church).

Post here or PM me if you'd like more info.

If you want to race you'll have to join a club, so you might as well join one!

Personally I would recommend doing a season of racing before you start thinking about coaching etc. This will give you some time to learn your strengths and weaknesses and also what you enjoy doing, as well as giving you an idea of tactics and how to ride in a bunch with others. There are many aspects of racing that you can only learn by racing!!

DanielS wrote:If you want to race you'll have to join a club, so you might as well join one!

Personally I would recommend doing a season of racing before you start thinking about coaching etc. This will give you some time to learn your strengths and weaknesses and also what you enjoy doing, as well as giving you an idea of tactics and how to ride in a bunch with others. There are many aspects of racing that you can only learn by racing!!

Definitely. Learn by doing is the way to go for your 1st season. People can tell you all about how to corner in the middle of a bunch, & riding a paceline in those Team Time Trial -style handicap road races, but it's only when you are literally in the thick of it, that you will develop the bike handling and race fitness you need.

ForkinGreat wrote: Definitely. Learn by doing is the way to go for your 1st season. People can tell you all about how to corner in the middle of a bunch, & riding a paceline in those Team Time Trial -style handicap road races, but it's only when you are literally in the thick of it, that you will develop the bike handling and race fitness you need.

I would strongly suggest that skills such as bunch riding should largely be developed before racing. Things such as not holding your line, grabbing a brake or touching a wheel can bring down a lot of people in a race...especially when the adrenaline is pumping.

Matt

Mattsbike wrote:I would strongly suggest that skills such as bunch riding should largely be developed before racing.

Agreed, our club does this in our training rides. Come on kaz, we don't bite

Thanks very much everybody for your comments. Yes i will look into joining. Lemmiwinks have sent you a pm.

Once again thanks
Kaz