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Post your road bicycle

Discussion in 'General' started by cha0s#242, May 19, 2016.

  1. rice r0cket

    rice r0cket Well-Known Member

    No way, in a Cat 5 crit, you just ride around in a big pack. If you're in the middle of that pack, you're pushing maybe 50 watts. There's no real exertion until the final sprint, where mayhem ensues.

    Cat 4, maybe there's a few people organized enough to make a breakaway and you have to do some actual chasing.

    Road races are different, especially w/ hills, you can get dropped on climbs if you're not pushing.
     
  2. tecknojoe

    tecknojoe Well-Known Member

    Ah, it just dawned on me that it'd be the equivalent of NovU all over again, sounds painful

    I thought that guy at the bike shop was a little full of himself. He seemed very excited to tell me about him being a Cat 3, sponsored, and all that. Maybe I'll go roll around in the pack and just check it out, I like the idea of having to use cornering and some of the roadrace craft type stuff. For now I do enjoy the crit racing on Zwift for a great little hard effort
     
  3. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    I was out of racing before power training became ubiquitous, but that sounds roughly about right. Keep in mind, it's only for 20-30 minutes or so. The part that always killed me in crit racing was the surging.
     
    tecknojoe likes this.
  4. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    Road cycling accidents and deaths are on the rise, I believe. That perception has had a big impact on the grids as less people are riding road, especially in comparison to the peak of the Armstrong era. It also doesn't help that lower category crit racing has a reputation of being a crashfest.
     
  5. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    Keep in mind that you're cornering in a big ass group of usually fairly new riders. It's not like on track where you can select your own line for the corner - you're pretty much locked into your line based on your pack positioning. Also, lot of crit designs are fairly boring in order to make them safe for a bunch or rider to ride through. I've seen some cool crits on YT, though, like NorCal Cycling's videos.
     
    tecknojoe likes this.
  6. Newsshooter

    Newsshooter Well-Known Member

    I raced bicycles before I road raced motorcycles so the closeness of racing wasn't a big deal. Staying up front in a crit is a very close racing, it wasn't uncommon to lean on someone in a corner, put a hand on someone's hip to keep them from moving over in the pack. It's easier if you're up front, less of the rubberband effect and more of a steady effort. You'll slow less in the corners at the front, I always carried as much speed as possible so I didn't have to accelerate as much.

    Lower category races especially at the beginning of the year can be crash fests. Strong riders with less skill can cause problems. I got taken out two years in a row in early bird crit races when someone swerved over bots dots taking out the front wheel of another rider who then went sliding across the pack.
     
    tecknojoe and Senna like this.
  7. Cannoli

    Cannoli Typical Uccio

    No desire to race, but I do have a general question regarding tubeless setups. I just picked up a Canyon CF SLX Disc 9.0 Di2 and it came with tubeless tires and wheels, but shipped with tubes. Is switching to tubeless something you've done? If so, what are your overall thoughts? if not, why?
     
    rafa and Senna like this.
  8. awalk9905

    awalk9905 Well-Known Member

    I switched over to tubeless 28's and would recommend it. I usually run 75psi in them and they ride great. Got one season on tubeless and didn't have any issues with it. You'll need to pick up a tubeless kit with sealant and an injector, maybe some tape depending on the wheels, and tubeless valve stems.
     
    Cannoli likes this.
  9. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    Ever break your collarbone?
     
  10. Newsshooter

    Newsshooter Well-Known Member

    Nope, never got a concussion either even though I killed a couple bicycle helmets. Some big bruises and road rash from bicycles. Never landed on my shoulder hard enough or put my arm out in a crash on bicycles or motorcycles, broke plenty of other bones crashing motorcycles. I've done complete somersaults a couple times after hitting someone that fell in front of me. Once was on the last lap of a crit that I was pretty sure I was going to win, lots of tight corners and I'd gain a couple bike lengths in every corner without trying hard. I was in 4th with three corners to go and the guy in front lowsided and slid across in front of me on his ass. I center punched him on his spine at and the next contact was my rear wheel hitting the pavement. Thought for a second I was going to land it. :) Got up and started screaming at him that he cost me the race. Bike frame and wheels were toast too.
     
    Senna likes this.
  11. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    Usually, your local hammer fest ride is a good indicator of the fitness required for racing. If you can hang on the A group, you’d be fine in a Cat 4/5 race.
     
  12. Rich

    Rich Well-Known Member

    Yep. I'll have to go look, but I'm a crappy Cat 4 and I don't think I do 250 watts for 30 min. Very unlikely, because my 20 min is only 254. Cost of entry is nothing like a motorcycle race....go out and try it! I do recommend that you do a road race or two first.

    As someone else mentioned, staying up front is key. The rubber band analogy couldn't be more accurate, and it also impacts safety. You'll do way better if you stay tenth wheel or better.

    Intend to do about 10 weekends myself, although the season opener is on the 23rd and I have fitness to make up!
     
    tecknojoe likes this.
  13. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    It’s funny you mention the entry cost. I guess quite a lot of people bitch about the cost of entry fees to USAC events. A former teammate of mine runs events and a team out of the Chicago area and he’s said as much. These folks would absolutely shit if they saw how much motorcycle race fees and track days cost just for the privilege to be on track. :D
     
  14. Jed

    Jed mellifluous

    It really depends on the course though. Tight braking turns cause everyone to go into jump mode after the clear the corner making every turn a mini sprint to keep position.
     
    cha0s#242 likes this.
  15. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    Finished up another block of Low Volume Base with TrainerRoad. I was surprised to see a 22 watt gain in my calculated FTP after the latest ramp test. I even had some missed workouts in this block due to some travel and fighting some extreme DOMS after my weight workouts. I'm also down about 6 pounds in bodyweight from when I started TR. The training seems to work. :beer:
     
    Cannoli likes this.
  16. Cannoli

    Cannoli Typical Uccio

    Good stuff! I’ve been training with Sufferfest and doing active recovery rides with FulGaz. However, if the weather isn’t wet and the temperature is above 45 degrees, I’m hitting the real thing outside. Nothing can replace actually being on the road.
     
  17. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    Yea, I'll be canceling my subscription once April/May rolls around and the temps increase. I don't mind trainer work too much, but it's nothing like rolling outside.
     
  18. cha0s#242

    cha0s#242 Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand

    I did that last year in May and lost most of the gains I did on the trainer because the weather sucked and I only got out 3 times during the whole month... lol
     
  19. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    What are your thoughts on the canyon?
     
  20. Senna

    Senna Well-Known Member

    I have a couple 1 month passes for TrainerRoad, if any of you are interested. Weather here has been pretty good lately, so I’ll probably shut down my subscription by end of March.

    I picked up the Aeolus Comp saddle from my local Trek shop last week in the 145 width. It’s about as close to saddle perfection as I’ve gotten. The wide nose and wide channel really helps with numbness and discomfort in an aggressive position. It was dramatically better than Specialized Power and a bit better than the Romin Evo for me.
     

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