From D grade to A Grade in 1 year?

[ColinOldnCranky]

^^ Why not? ^^

if you've ever been on a bunch ride/race with a trathlete in the mix you'll know why...

For a start, wouldn't a triathlete have different bars? Flat bars?

[toolonglegs]

^^ Why not? ^^

if you've ever been on a bunch ride/race with a trathlete in the mix you'll know why...

For a start, wouldn't a triathlete have different bars? Flat bars?

No,they would be able to start with tri bars.

[drubie]

As someone back to cycling after 40yrs off and only started to keep fit, I am getting more and more interested.
can someone give me an understanding of what times a D verses a A grader consistanly has to acheive.
What grade would a 57yr beginer be in.
John

+ 1.
I'd like to do some crits and road races this year (53yo).

Would anyone here know what pace a D grade crit (I live in Nth Qld) might average and also a road race like the Tour de Tablelands?

It isn't so much about "pace" or times, it's whether you can hang onto a bunch in that grade or not so you can feature in the finish. Ride with that group on their training rides first and they'll soon sort you out into a grade.

[ireland57]

I know I can't stay with the A graders when they sprint.

[toolonglegs]

I know I can't stay with the A graders when they sprint.

Plenty of C graders probably put out more wattage in a sprint than many A graders...the trick is making it too the sprint...and even if you do have some left in the tank .

[brendancg]

As someone back to cycling after 40yrs off and only started to keep fit, I am getting more and more interested.
can someone give me an understanding of what times a D verses a A grader consistanly has to acheive.

At Penrith the average speed for a 1hr Crit in C grade is just below 40kph, B grade about 41 - 42kph and A grade about 45kph.

[JV911]

Plenty of C graders probably put out more wattage in a sprint than many A graders...the trick is making it too the sprint...and even if you do have some left in the tank .

spot on

tactics play a big part

and it's just not about fitness either...fitness doesnt always translate to race fitness esp in crits with all the surging and break-aways that go on.

[/\ |_ |]

[/quote]At Penrith the average speed for a 1hr Crit in C grade is just below 40kph, B grade about 41 - 42kph and A grade about 45kph.[/quote]

Speed is never a good indicator of diffrence between groups. A rider who leading his group for most of the race might be putting out as much power as a rider in the grade above who is riding in the middle of the pack.

When i was riding down at homebush in the group training rides, I found the diffrence between the groups to be approx 10% (power) over a 40min period. That 10% diffrence is made up in the last 10 - 15 mins of the ride. When I moved up a group I was dropped a few times but once i got my fitness up I was able to keep up. But i was never going to get that level fitness hanging around in the group below.

[toppity]

Well, as of next week, I will have made the transition from D to A in about 3 months. HOWEVER, this is a totally misleading thing to actually say due to where I started and where I'm going to be racing "A" grade. I started "D" grade at Southern Vets at the beginning of their 2010/2011 Crit' Season. As it was my first race for 20 years they asked if I wanted to start in "E" or "D". I took the "D" option. There were about 30 riders that day (all SVCC grades "D" and above have 30 plus riders in them at Sandown). I won that race and a few more in "D", a couple in "C", and will be racing "B" grade. I've also started racing Warragul's Crit' series. There are fewer riders there, perhaps 10-15 per grade max'. After winning there a few times I'm now up to "A" grade. Although a few of the riders there are exceptional, I still wouldn't consider myself anywhere near a true "A" grader. But at least I can say I've done it.

[scotto]

made the transition from e to d last night. 5 laps in a 2-3 man breakaway with extra long sprint to the finish. average speed went from 33 to 37km/h. into a headwind we had to call out passing to A grade to get out of our way - then they started riding seriously and went blurry as they passed us...i thought to myself " that'll never happen" theres not enough hours in the day for me to train that much..

[brentono]

I jumped 5th grade, saved a year.

[brendancg]

Speed is never a good indicator of difference between groups. A rider who leading his group for most of the race might be putting out as much power as a rider in the grade above who is riding in the middle of the pack.

Now I appreciate your response but most of us are not fortunate to own a power meter and must use the tools we have available. Most of us will own a computer which will indicate speed and time. My response was to the question further up that was asked regarding the times for differences within grades. Now a 1hr crit will have the same time but the difference which we will all have access to is average speed.

Now if you consider that a rider is going to maintain about 70% of the effort of the front rider whilst wheel sucking, then for 'A' grade at a 45kph average they are going to have to be comfortable maintaining about 31.5kph on their own. I acknowledge that bike handling skills, tactics, anaerobic ability and power will come into play but basically think my above answer will give the questioner an indication. It is what I considered when I started racing.

[toolonglegs]

If you can go out and hold 30-32kmph on flatish ground for half an hour then you will be able to find a grade suitable to slot into very easily...probably around C-D grade.

[ireland57]

That answers mine for the moment Thankyou.

D grade would suit me but I don't want to turn up and get dropped at the first acceleration.

That would mean training even harder/more/whatever.

[stinhambo]

Would anyone here know what pace a D grade crit (I live in Nth Qld) might average and also a road race like the Tour de Tablelands?

Where abouts in Nth Qld are you based?

[ireland57]

Would anyone here know what pace a D grade crit (I live in Nth Qld) might average and also a road race like the Tour de Tablelands?

Where abouts in Nth Qld are you based?

Townsville.

[stinhambo]

Would anyone here know what pace a D grade crit (I live in Nth Qld) might average and also a road race like the Tour de Tablelands?

Where abouts in Nth Qld are you based?

Townsville.

I'm in Cairns. How many calls have you received from people asking how you are coping with the floods?

[ireland57]

Haha. No calls thank goodness. First time though.

[mikesbytes]

D grades generally don't have too many accelerations but being dropped is all part of learning to race

[ireland57]

D grades generally don't have too many accelerations but being dropped is all part of learning to race

Getting dropped is ok. I'm actually quite good at it.

But I don't want to start my first race polishing the technique on the first hard bit.

[Redbull]

Funny thing is B grade can often be slower than the lower grades until they pull their finger out and get serious.

[stinhambo]

Newbie question here but is there a resource on how much and what kind of training these riders do? I'm curious about types of road racing after watching SBS at the weekend!

[jacks1071]

As someone back to cycling after 40yrs off and only started to keep fit, I am getting more and more interested.
can someone give me an understanding of what times a D verses a A grader consistanly has to acheive.
What grade would a 57yr beginer be in.
John

+ 1.
I'd like to do some crits and road races this year (53yo).

Would anyone here know what pace a D grade crit (I live in Nth Qld) might average and also a road race like the Tour de Tablelands?

There is pleanty of riders older than yourself racing D Grade at Tablelands - do the training and you'll be right, its a fantastic event.

[Myddraal]

Having no cycling race experience at all, I'd say D to A in a year could be done. But it would require some serious training, and a good coach. You'd have no time for anything else.

[Grant. W]

Newbie question here but is there a resource on how much and what kind of training these riders do? I'm curious about types of road racing after watching SBS at the weekend!

Bit off the topic Stin,
Good luck tonight mate, hope you are all safe up there.