[Closed] So I want to try road racing + build a bike specifically for this

You can do it!

Only use energy to get into a good spot towards the end, before unleashing.

I want a report of 1 point at least!!

This should be you:

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Lol! Now we're talking 😆

Lovely evening for it!

Good luck!

I think I will keep it brief tonight!

The pressure was on of course! And deliberately so. By calling myself out beforehand, I hoped it would focus my attention.

I scheduled an easy day at work and ironically, a bit like with a rest day with no cycling, I felt rubbish because of it! I knew a good warm up would sort things out though and I did around 8 miles of gentle spinning.
Sure enough, by the end, I was feeling good!

Pre-race I had done things slightly differently. I didn't stop at the garage for chocolate and Lucozade Sport or even a recovery shake
and instead just relied on what I had eaten today.
Breakfast was scrambled egg on toast, early lunch was a full English breakfast at the Farm Park, later lunch was Tuna on toast and just before I left, I forced down some cornflakes although for some reason I wasn't overly hungry by then lol

The place was rammed! I think Leigh said 80 for the 2/3 race and we were closer to 50 than 40 I think.
There were a mix of old and new faces as I scanned the start line and I did laugh out loud at the earlier comment about the field being full of 80kg monsters- there were probably 30 riders fitting that description and I began to worry about the result. Too late now- just have to have faith in my fitness.

I started well back and soon found myself drifting right off of the back! I laughed out loud about the prospect of getting dropped. That would make a good write up if nothing else.
I clung to the belief of prior experience that said it would be 25mph average with a 27mph final lap. And so it proved.

I had met Leigh in warmup- great to put a name to a face, you seemed to ride a smart race so well done mate.

Sticking to the bore-fest plan, I entertained myself by trying different lines at the top chicane. At one point, I got bellowed at by a group of guys who were convinced my inside line was going to wipe them out- never fear chaps, I'm Hillingdon educated don't you know lol
I kind of see their point- it did look like there was nowhere to go but I didn't even need to stop pedalling.
So I stuck to swooping around the outside instead.

I would generally come past the finish line in last place or so, take a drink, move up to top third at the chicane, drift backwards on the downhill and then climb the hill at the rear of the bunch.

Breaks were attempted but the only good one was when four guys who all looked strong got away. I was soooooo tempted! Nath's wagging finger sprung to mind saying "Ah ah ah!" so I left it to the group to chase down.
Leigh came moving up hard down the left hand side at this point and it looked like you were going to go for it and bridge! Sadly, common sense got the better of you too!

It was of course the right decision- it was all back together by the end.

A surge occurred with 2 to go and I moved up almost as a leg-opener and then drifted back again.
The Bell lap came and I tried to stay in the top half but I can't overstate how competitive it was. The whole bunch was too fresh!
As I predicted in another post, loads of people would soon fade so I held my nerve.
A slight mistake on the hill, meant I panicked and did an 1120w dig to get back on the wheel.

I made a decision tonight to only have my average power per lap on display so I don't have a clue how hard I was going at that moment but as a result of all that laziness, I felt great!
I spotted Leigh front right and just surfed through the bunch, making up places all the time.
A brief ease for the chicane and then off again and any doubts I had about the competition seemed ill-founded. I was moving up hard and fast and had the front group in sight.

I had been building up to this all day and visualised it a thousand times and in my head there should have been a proper 'Grrrrr!' moment as I clenched the drops and sprinted for dear life but I just kind of found myself sprinting without realising.
As I rounded one group, I moved from right to left seamlessly through the hole and sadly, I probably went half a meter too far to the left as I felt a noticeable whack of wind resistance. I pushed hard to the line, still moving forward and as I relaxed out of my sprint position, I was in second place.
Sadly, this was 20m after the line and I reckon I crossed it in 12th or 13th.

Always the Bridesmaid!!!!

Nice write up!

Why do I have a wagging finger now, I've never wagged my finger haha.

In the 4s my "rush" came from a few false attacks, but mainly the last couple of laps, the rest was build/warmup. I'm glad you're starting to see how I got addicted to the latter now.

It's just so dull! At least in a failed break you can pretend to be racing for a bit.
Granted- moving forward through the pack at the finale was great! I enjoyed that a lot. I can see how with 4.6w/kg or whatever you used to have it would be even better 😆

My race-prep training session on Saturday was loads harder than tonight- which I guess is kind of the point 😀

I'm still not sure why I don't get the full-on Neuromuscular sprint though. I more just ramp up constantly from 500w to 1000. I think I need to rehearse a few finishes.

You popped up as a skinnier version of the Jurassic Park dude 😆

Well done CH. Tonight's 3/4 at Hillngdon was uneventful. I rode the E123. Stayed near the front, tried to bridge to the attack, but needed another 30 watts. Was off the bunch in no mans land for a lap or so. Worked hard on the chase, but to no avail. Attacked again with three. To go, but nuun sigma were having none of it. Tried for a sprint but I had little left. The [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/1101413075 ]HR trace[/url] tells me why. Fun though. Just need to recover for tomorrow's TT.

I try and do sprints after 2-3 hours in the saddle, there's a couple of short sharp hills that I use - perfect simulation.

Awesome stuff TiRed! Sounds like you had fun!

To be fair, the last three minutes of my Saturday Zwift ride after 90mins were very similar so perhaps I'm just expecting too much.

Zwift- 221w/251wNP for 90mins- last three minutes:

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Thruxton- 223w/262wNP for 55mins- last three minutes:

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*checks BC for the hundredth time.....*
CH cheers for the kind words. You seemed like a cool cucumber in the pack and very disciplined....I need to work on that!

Way too much practice I guess 😆
(Although not chasing that break cut me up inside 😉 )

The thing that really baffles me is the braking people do on the apex of that fast downhill right hander- it's like they're terrified of not being directly on someone's wheel for a second so knock 5mph off of their speed instead!

I hate the way BC tells you you have a new result even though the results tab hasn't been added 😆

That annoys me too! I've got 2 showing at the moment and don't seem to be able to do anything to clear them...!

I'm gonna have to email them soon 😆

Ah ah!! We can see where Nath learnt his pack skills now 😆

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And me my Aero position 😉 😆

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😆

You really need to charge your phone. HTH

Guy in blue to the right looks good though 8) . May have been actually dying at that point. Don't often get a suffer score of 120 from a 1hr race.

Wow! Good work. My Thruxton race was 56 😆

Slacker. I'm going to lower the bars by a cm which will slam them. The Propel has a long head tube and I'm a little more flexible. In the photos I'm on the drops throughout, so that's actually more aero than spending half time on the hoods.

Really enjoyed the race, even though it all came to nothing. And it cost me on weds in the time trial, where I was about half a minute down.

Resting until Ride London (and a half) as I have a big commute each way)

I'm gonna go Lazy++ again this week and try for a point and then if I get one, go back to trying random moves.
I'm thinking if another four or five man break goes, I could bridge across, then recover whilst the bunch chases and then attack just before they make the catch. I've yet to hang it all out on the front and see what happens (although tests out training would suggest 'not a lot!' 😀 )

Then at the August Saturday 3/4 races it will be back to clinging on for dear life 😆

I admire your determination CH... Although i do wonder what happens if/when you actually get the points.... Will that mean you've then acomplished and the desire dwindles ? Is there a longer term goal somewhere in there ?

So the goal for the moment is one point. There's plenty of racing left so hopefully that should happen.

Then rather than go after my Cat 3, the next goal is to try for a Cat4 win which I'm pinning my hopes on the Big Events race in October.

After that, I'd like to get my Cat3.

I really enjoy the racing because it's so close. It's taught me just how unfit I was and have been in previous years. In w/kg terms, I've gone from 3.2 to 3.7 and I won't be far off of 4 by the time I get points enough to move up I think.
But also, my riding (if not my position 😉 ) has improved so much too.
If I'm honest- I could have probably become fitter a little quicker by not racing as much but I love the buzz of it.

It's not really dedication- more addiction. It's just bloody good fun ripping around on your bike. The carrot of a BC Point is just a bonus to make sense of it all I think.

Also Weeksy, and as I've said before in here- it's why TiReds list is so clever. It handicaps the challenges involved in racing.
So Nath was able to tick off his list (apart from 10 😉 ) relatively quickly but now- he's reset and has the fun of going after them all again at a higher level.

I guess the old truism about 'it never gets easier, you just get faster' applies to racing too. Nath, myself and Rupert Graham all started at the same time but are now poles apart. Ones winning the E,1,2,3 race, ones still stuck in Cat 4 and one only races on the computer 😆

Apart from I've only done 1 or 2 computer races in the last 2 months? 😆

Results are finally out and what an anti-climax: 13th again.

Well done Leigh 🙂

Went to the local APR again this week, with the intention of going with the fast group, however chickened out at the last minute and stuck to my normal middle group.

As it turns out, the fast group had a super strong rider this week, and he made a solo break off the front of the fast group. Feeling nice and fresh on the climb as he came past I made the somewhat foolhardy decision to join him 😕

In the next 10 mins I progressively regretted my decision more and more, until eventually being ridden off the wheel - on a downhill! So at this point with my legs in tatters, and my lungs long since being deposited at the side of the road, I sat up for a couple of mins easy spinning until I was caught by the fast group.

Slotted into the middle of the group no problem, and carried on towards the finish. Knowing my legs weren't up for contesting the punchy uphill finish any more, I took one final long hard pull on the front before drifting to the back (and nearly off the back) and following the last wheel to finish 15s or so down.

So overall, quite a good confidence boost, and one that lead me to the BC Events page, and running across a race that may actually suit me!
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/165762/Ochils-2/3/4
7 laps of a relatively hilly course: https://www.strava.com/routes/32185

Legs may be ruined for the season by the time i've done NC500 late August, but if they are still working, and there's still some spots, I may just get a race license and have a go

fifeandy, i've "raced" this course with the vet men before. It is worth a recce if you want to race it, very tight sharp left hander out of Glenfarg into a short steep climb. Riders all over the place with dropped or broken chains and some just going backwards still in the big ring. I decided never to race that course again after a number of horse incidents which split the field, as well as a running race on the same course on same day, combined with the addition of junior men into womens and vets field. It was never a course that suited me anyway but sounds like it'll suit you, just make sure you are always in the top 10 to avoid incidents. Not trying to put you off, Kinross organize a good event.

Yeah, i'd definitely recce it, its close enough to home to go ride a couple of laps as part of a weekend long ride.
TBH, I wouldn't say it suits me exactly, the climb is nowhere near long enough - but its better than most, and certainly better than a crit on an airfield!

DGOAB on the forum! Shut the front door!

Cheers CH, when you said 12th on the day I thought I passed you on the straight (must have been your stunt double!) So I was dreaming of maybe a point.....at least it took an extra 2 days to get the results up for me to sweat on it...! Fairly happy with 14th for the big STW 13/14.

I remember passing you somewhere near the chicane but had no idea after that lol
I had hoped for 12th as it would have been a pb but knew it was tight.
So close!

Fifeandy, two for next year might be battle of the braes and tour of the glens, good hilly courses. What about hill climb champs or up the kirk?

TSY just like old times minus Jamie and DD.

No Thruxton this week so have entered Hillingdon as a training race with the only goal of making it a tough ride and not getting dropped in the process 😀

I'll come down to watch after work - providing I can leave on time.

Full of a cold so can't quite go as quickly as last time!

CH, was planning on a local TT but I may pop over for that if I can get away in time.

FWIW a mate of mine who was cat 4 at the beginning of the year just got his cat 2 from one of the recent ORRL road races. Impressive stuff. He's not super powerful and doesn't have a huge sprint, but he is very good at reading a race and being in the right place at the right time and picking up points. I'd put this down to doing a lot of race like training with his club.

MtBlobby- awesome! Let me know if you want a lift, I can get two bikes in no problem.

The biggest problem with comparisons is context I guess. One mans 'not very powerful' is what another spends a whole season training towards 😉

I think race sim club rides would be awesome training and a good replacement for just racing a lot. Whether it's safer, more motivating or more enjoyable or even at a time suitable for your schedule all factor in of course.

For me, i want to be racing every week right now so I think a look at the other Cat races tells me whether I'm in the right place or not. Would I be active in the Thruxton 28 mph 2/3 race? Uh no 😀
Am I active in the Hillingdon 3/4 race? Just about.
Am active in a Cat 4 only? Yes at last 🙂

mrblobby -
FWIW a mate of mine who was cat 4 at the beginning of the year just got his cat 2 from one of the recent ORRL road races. Impressive stuff. He's not super powerful and doesn't have a huge sprint, but he is very good at reading a race and being in the right place at the right time and picking up points. I'd put this down to doing a lot of race like training with his club.

Circa 285/290w for 20 mins in fact. So no excuse for those 300+!!! 😛

@ what weight and height? 😆

The last clubrun I did with MrBlobby illustrates this perfectly. At 26mph, I was using more watts IN HIS DRAFT than it was taking him 😆

a mate of mine who was cat 4 at the beginning of the year just got his cat 2 from one of the recent ORRL road races

Who's that? I did similarly last year and sneaked victory in the league.

The last clubrun I did with MrBlobby illustrates this perfectly. At 26mph, I was using more watts IN HIS DRAFT than it was taking him

That sir is an impressive feat of unaerodynamicism (good word huh!) 😀

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See, MrBlobby is about as big as my right leg 😆

I watched Top Gun at the weekend and it is like when they are doing the training op's in their F14's against the instructors in the A4's 😆

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Who's that? I did similarly last year and sneaked victory in the league.

[url= https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/points?person_id=233853&year=2017&d=4 ]Martin S[/url]. Still shown as 3rd right now but last race result not up there yet where he got enough for 2nd.

@ what weight and height?

Bit shorter and heavier than me.

CH, chances are low but if I can make it I'll drop you an email.

Ok brill. Be nice to have some company up the motorway 🙂

If I had to quantify it based off of my experience, I'd say 3.0w/kg is your Cat 4 ticket of entry.
But to use the chess analogy, you only have a pawn so need your opposition to make all the mistakes to place anywhere and you need to know how to use it!

After that, I think you need more pieces in your set, with good five minute and one minute numbers to go with the better moves and either the skill or the brute force for a winning sprint.

Regardless- I would be very surprised if anyone scoring points consistently wasn't kicking on towards 4w/kg but certainly 3.5+.

See, MrBlobby is about as big as my right leg

Not knowing either of you IRL I'm none the wiser from a photo of about 10 guys 😆

Sorry, I'm the one in the yellow TFC kit and MrBlobby is in the blue and yellow Newbury kit trying not to get sucked into my back wheel from the tow 😆

I'm smaller because I'm further away 🙂

I'm smaller because I'm not a fat trougher

Fixed to reflect reality 😆

Was I in that race CH??

Nath, I've only done one and that was to come play with you and CH, so you were both there.

Yep 🙂

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And Weeksy too wasn't it?

Oops, locked arms there!

In my defence I was watching what mrblobby was doing 😆

That's why you only got 3rd 😆

Crazy that that was all that was left from what? 70 starters ❓

Is one of those Martin MrB? (Assuming far right?)

Yup,
I was there for my debut/only race.

I'll be back one day ..... maybe.

Is one of those Martin MrB? (Assuming far right?)

Yes

Why is everyone so spread out? 😯

If I remember rightly, there was a tailwind and we were approaching a RH turn that had just claimed the rest of the peloton - so rightly a bit more cautious than usual 😆

We pulled together after this corner, with mrblobby and I doing FAR too much work at the front to pull the rest of them...

Heading up to Hillingdon after work, see you there CH / / TiRed / Weeksy / Mrblobby??

I'm over in Luton visiting family before heading off on holiday for 3 weeks Nath, so i'll not be there, and when i get back i'll be fatter and slower !

Martin/ Stan is a beast..I'll be switching allegiance to Didcot next season (they are my local club) and hopefully will get more club rides in, maybe some of Stans ability will rub off? 8)

Resting tonight - have to head to the club to collect some kit, and I'm racing vets tomorrow evening. So based on last Tuesday's thrashfest, I'll be taking it easy!

If I remember rightly, there was a tailwind and we were approaching a RH turn that had just claimed the rest of the peloton - so rightly a bit more cautious than usual

If it was I'd not have been there as I was chasing to get back on for a couple of laps following the crash! Probably a lull going into the last few laps.

Yeah you're right, but not too close to the end as Weeksy and CH were stood next to the Windymilla (pink) guys by the line..

no idea 🙂

I think they are Cowley Condors in Pink. Pete is the one I've ridden with at Hillingdon with a fair bit. We both seem to last full race distance lately which is something I suppose 😆

Ah well, I'm still going tonight 🙂

Had a frustrating and busy day at work so far with a bit more to do so I plan on blowing out as many cobwebs as I can. Just filling up with cereals.

Condors, Cranks and Windy Milla all ride in pink.

Law of averages at Dalton would say it was Condors.

It was 🙂
Are you there tonight Yeti??

so I plan on blowing out as many cobwebs as I can.

Thanks FifeAndy 🙂

I'm proper up for it tonight so I had planned similar. Gonna start on the front row and just follow every move until I can't. Then recover and make sure I'm as far front as I can get on the last lap and go early.

Predicting 25th after getting swamped with 100m to go 🙂

It's only 45mins so I should have plenty of scope to have a play.

They were talking on FB about only running things anti-clockwise to keep it strung out more but if not it will be clockwise again ❓

I'm proper up for it tonight

Hahahaha! Spoiler alert- I called it almost perfectly 😆

CH, I'm admiring your perseverance 🙂

I know, I know, it sounds like a cop-out to refer to a race as a training race. But to me, it was an important distinction to make because it frees me up to have FUN. That’s why I do this after all.
My biggest regret from playing the Mr Sensible Zzzzzz – Sprint game last week is not that I missed out on points by two bike lengths. No! All week, my only thought was ‘what if I’d bridged to that (doomed) break’.

In my mind, I sprint across, shout out a few instructions to get folks organised and we drill it for the remaining laps until I out-sprint them for the win.

Cloud cuckoo land of course, but that’s what floats my boat in respect of Crits. Do I care that the Vegan Cyclist isn’t winning any races? No, but I lap up his videos because he encapsulates the type of racer I want to be. Strong, brave, attacking and active.

I was pretty up for it too. I’ve started a new plan with an eye on my target Big Events race which is around 9 weeks away. Suffering through SST on Sunday, it was the first time I really focussed on how the mental toughness to finish the intervals would help me in a race.
Work was not massively tough this morning but a few frustrating jobs helped fire me up to want to leave it all on the circuit tonight. No Z2!

Warming up I felt pants but took that as a good sign, I usually go well after. The headwind on the anti-clockwise straight reminded me of Abingdon with 260w good for about 16mph on the tops and about 16.01 in my best aero position lol

The Comm did a slightly better speech but then just stopped mid-sentence whilst stood in the middle of the circuit and said ‘OK, go on then!’ I didn’t even have one foot clipped in, was in the little ring and my visor wasn’t down.

A few guys drilled it straight away and I just got going as best I could and joined in the bunch. With my plan welling up inside me, I started moving up. I can’t remember if it was lap 2 or 3 but finally, someone launched it solo.

So I followed. Next lap, still in the front few riders, the counter came. So I followed and so it went on for a bit. Moves would go and I would follow them.

Eventually, things slowed and as we reached the bend before the clubhouse, the road opened up in front. So I went solo! Whizzing up the hill with the tailwind, I latched on to a guy who I didn’t even realise was off the front for a second and then passed him and carried on.

I was fairly toasted by the time I crossed the line so joined in with the front riders of the drawn out bunch and tried to recover as best I could. Sure enough, Johnny was next to counter but I was able to go with another couple of moves.

Luckily there is photo evidence of these shenanigans because soon after I was finally cooked, Nath arrived lol

I didn’t know if he would spot my new kit so I gave him a thumbs up next lap. Now for the training part, recovery whilst holding on and get ready to do it all again! A couple of laps later, a crash happened and this was about the time I felt ready to go- so I attacked straight after and joined the lead bunch but they didn’t really drill it, just gradually upped the pace. This allowed the whole bunch to reform and soon we were swamped from behind with the chasers.

I knew the end would be approaching and tried to move up again, placing myself in the top 10 or so. With 3 to go, a skinsuit guy launched a quality (winning) move off the front. I wasn’t behind him but I was aching to go. I think it’s fair to say I wouldn’t have hung on but nobody chased.

Two to go and I attacked the outside of the hill. As I passed the front of the bunch I joined in with another couple of guys with three in front of them and we separated from the bunch. Not wanting to do a Jesper and fade, I sat in as best I could.

The two guys I was with were rubbish through Brians though so I did them up the inside and found myself off the back of what must have been 2nd, 3rd and 4th on the road. As we rounded Bus Stops, relatively sheltered from the wind, I had 20y left to close. Absoultely burying myself, I closed the gap and crossed the line to the bell in 5th place. Now dig deep!

I was ecstatic! I could do this! I had a great tow and tried to keep my head down (well relatively I suppose!) and I wondered what the gap was.

Whoooosh! Ah. There is no longer a gap! At this point, I was very close to getting dropped altogether, as were the guys I was with. Training time- must stay on. So I pushed a little harder and clung on for dear life. A guy overtook me around Bus Stops so I jumped on his wheel and ‘out-sprinted’ him at the line just for the ego boost for what must have been 25th place or so (to within 5, I didn’t bother counting).

Ok, so I didn’t play the winning game but I certainly did what I set out to achieve.
AP was 280, NP was 304 and MP 1210
No points but also no regrets!

Gah, good write up as usual, and sounds like a lot of fun, but do a long sprint and get a point (or 6) already!!

Lol! To what end though? That's the point. I'm painfully aware of my relative abilities and firmly believe I'm in the right place.

If I just played the game and DID manage to get points, I'd then have to learn to race from scratch in Cat 3.
I would instantly lose Thruxton as a venue too as that 2/3 race looks painful!!

So I'd be racing the same 3/4 race at Hillingdon anyway, only with more pressure.

I know how I want to race, so I want to get fit enough to make that work if that makes sense.

It's pure escapism really. For those few laps, nothing else matters. It's probably hard to convey to people who don't know but I have a lot on my plate at work and a lot ofthe things that seriously effect my results each season are completely out of my hands. So this is my release and after a race like tonight's- I bloody love it 🙂

It's pure escapism really. For those few laps, nothing else matters.

Thanks TiRed!

I think you should be required to stand on a step ladder with a megaphone before each race and tell everyone "YOU CAN PEDAL THE WHOLE COURSE ON ANY LINE SO DON'T CUT, DON'T BRAKE AND DON'T BE A DICK" 😆
The other beauty of wasting energy in the front ten is that I missed most of the rubbish riding!!

In fairness, if you are going fast enough, you can grind a pedal on Brian's Bends. You won't have been going that fast. Front third is normally safer (except I had my worst crash at the front!).

Hillingdon is a safe course, it's just that it is not a course to break up the bunch, so when it all comes down to a sprint, there are sixty Alexander Kristoffs not four or five gunning for the line. That's what makes it unsafe. Other courses do a much better job. In fact almost every other course does this. Velopark in Paignton is a nice one. Cyclopark in Gravesend is probably the best of all. Never finished a race in a full bunch!

Nice write up CH!

There was a few arguments after the race 😆