Weight Class Racing - the FBT
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:41 pm
Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby TREKKER_MIKE » Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:28 pm
Do you know if there is a category for the more "rotund" rider like myself?
Here is my thought, i have bought a bike, and i am riding for the sydney to gong at the moment, but i would love to get into a club and do some races one day.
In training i get smashed on the slightest incline, and they leave me for dead on the flats. If i was to race, i would be at the back the whole time and could loose the motivation to get up there, get disinterested and my bike could be a statistic collecting dust with all the other new years resolutioners
It would be cool/hope it has been done if i can start racing against the other chunky riders, aim for podiums, competition brings motivation, more training and will eventually have me in the lower weight class/normal category. for example, the 110kilo+ category.
It could be called the FBT (not fringe benefits tax) but the "Fat B@stard Trophy". Have a laugh with it too, it wouldnt be the yellow jersey, it would be the yellow tent.
Has anyone heard of this sort of categories within a club?
I dont know the first thing about it.
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby toolonglegs » Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:01 pm
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:41 pm
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby TREKKER_MIKE » Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:28 pm
I might tag along to a race day and watch. see how it all works
- RonK
- Posts: 11508
- Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
- Location: If you need to know, ask me
- Contact:
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby RonK » Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:58 pm
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby toolonglegs » Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:03 pm
Masters are still graded A to F ... only championship races are graded by age.RonK wrote:Unless you qualify for masters racing, in which there are age divisions.
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:41 pm
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby TREKKER_MIKE » Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:54 pm
i was just thinking the power to weight and newbie big boys
- Derny Driver
- Posts: 3039
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:18 pm
- Location: Wollongong
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby Derny Driver » Fri Aug 23, 2013 9:42 pm
Charity rides will do nothing for you apart from a small sense of achievement at completing the thing. Sydney to Gong is just downright dangerous and you need to be very careful. Its full of kids on BMXs and dinkys and people who have never even ridden a bike but just pulled some old rusty thing out of a back shed and pumped up the perished tyres which will fail them on the first hill. I live in Wollongong and the hospital will be full on Monday. So be careful. There will be people everywhere doing unpredictable and dangerous things.
I can see the attraction of charity rides for a casual cyclist, but once you have done a race or two you will never go near a gran fondo again. Don't worry about your performance or where you will finish in a race. Just do it. You will eventually creep up through the grades and get a few results. But you need to persevere at it.
Good on you for getting on your bike and having a go mate. Good luck with everything.
-
- Posts: 998
- Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:08 am
- Location: West Gippsland, Victoria
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby toppity » Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:22 am
That is why God invented Criteriums. Almost ever cycling club races them over the summer months, some clubs go throughout the year. Only a few have hills and even then they are usually manageable. Often courses are close to flat. Big bloke racing.
If that doesn't work, get on the track. I believe there are even some heavy weight only racing on the track. But one thing for certain there are no hills.
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:41 pm
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby TREKKER_MIKE » Sat Aug 24, 2013 11:21 am
Derny Driver wrote:Gidday Mike. Its true that cycling favours the lean skinny guys unfortunately. Big blokes are at a disadvantage in a number of areas. Nevertheless, there are quite a few big units who do okay in bike races. Im glad you are considering racing. Too many blokes decide to just go the charity ride /gran fondo / coffee shop cruiser path because they realise they will never make A grade in a real bike race. But bike racing has so much to offer and I don't mean a plastic trophy. I mean a network of like minded guys who have a ball every weekend, who form friendships when they are in the trenches (of a race) together, who motivate each other to train and stay healthy. I have met literally thousands of people through bike racing and no one gives a crap if you are in D grade or A grade. Its a brilliant sport full of great people.
Charity rides will do nothing for you apart from a small sense of achievement at completing the thing. Sydney to Gong is just downright dangerous and you need to be very careful. Its full of kids on BMXs and dinkys and people who have never even ridden a bike but just pulled some old rusty thing out of a back shed and pumped up the perished tyres which will fail them on the first hill. I live in Wollongong and the hospital will be full on Monday. So be careful. There will be people everywhere doing unpredictable and dangerous things.
I can see the attraction of charity rides for a casual cyclist, but once you have done a race or two you will never go near a gran fondo again. Don't worry about your performance or where you will finish in a race. Just do it. You will eventually creep up through the grades and get a few results. But you need to persevere at it.
Good on you for getting on your bike and having a go mate. Good luck with everything.
Cheers Mate, thank you for your thoughts and advice, i will prob pop down to an LACC club race or something, try and meet some people.
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby trailgumby » Sat Aug 24, 2013 2:11 pm
+1 By all means do the events, I think everyone should do them at least once. But keep your expectations in check and your eyes wide open.Derny Driver wrote:Sydney to Gong is just downright dangerous and you need to be very careful. Its full of kids on BMXs and dinkys and people who have never even ridden a bike but just pulled some old rusty thing out of a back shed and pumped up the perished tyres which will fail them on the first hill. I live in Wollongong and the hospital will be full on Monday. So be careful. There will be people everywhere doing unpredictable and dangerous things.
I can see the attraction of charity rides for a casual cyclist, but once you have done a race or two you will never go near a gran fondo again. Don't worry about your performance or where you will finish in a race. Just do it. You will eventually creep up through the grades and get a few results. But you need to persevere at it.
Good on you for getting on your bike and having a go mate. Good luck with everything.
I agree 100% with derny's comments . The achievement bit was fun when I've done them, your colleagues look at you like you're some kind of super human but I found it a very tense experience. The road was full of windscreen wipers. You'd be coming up to pass and people would randomly change their line or sweep straight across in front of you. Lots of near misses on last few Spring Cycles and I witnessed a couple of stacks. Doubt I'll do another. At the first (and last) Gong ride I did, there were 3 or four ambulances in attendance along the descent from Waterfall station, and we were staged off and slow-paced down in groups by motos that we were not allowed to pass. Once they swung off I ended up riding slightly on the wrong side of the road most of the way just to be away from the risk of having my front wheel swept out from under me,
It's great to see families and kids out enjoying themselves, but I didn't really find the riding part to be so enjoyable - more tense than commuting by some margin in fact.
A club is much the better option. Or if you don't want the commitment, and have a mountain bike, events like the Kowalski Classic, Back Yamma Bigfoot, Highland Fling and other 50-100km point-to-point events are a lot of fun, the vibe is really good and chilled, and the windscreen wiper factor is almost non-existent.
Seeing you have a roadie I'd try the club first.
- jules21
- Posts: 10555
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: deep in the pain cave
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby jules21 » Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:14 pm
there is your answer!toppity wrote:That is why God invented Criteriums.
-
- Posts: 1545
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:05 pm
- Location: West Gippy
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby macca33 » Mon Aug 26, 2013 5:52 pm
You'll find that clubs cater for everyone and there will be different races / events conducted throughout the year. Club members can also provide training tips and advice on how to get faster / better on the bike.
I've found that racing increases fitness and with increased fitness, good diet and miles in the legs, you'll improve more than you can imagine!
Cheers and good luck.
-
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2013 7:41 pm
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby TREKKER_MIKE » Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:05 pm
i will go and check out a crit, and probably enter the next 30 of them
-
- Posts: 486
- Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:01 pm
- Location: Goulburn, NSW
Re: Weight Class Racing - the FBT
Postby brawlo » Tue Aug 27, 2013 2:37 pm
Get out there and enjoy racing. There are races that are not so friendly to the heavier amongst us, but there are also races that do favour us. You will need to build your fitness to just keep up as a start. Racing is the best way to really do this. It's way better than any training ride. Once you can keep up, that is a goal worth celebrating, and you can just get better from there.
I started out JRA and it didn't work for me. I LOVE racing as it gives me goals and incentive to get out there and keep going. I may not be the best, but I am certainly going to try to be the best I can be.
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.