# Am I fast enough to race/tt



## timeyer (May 24, 2005)

I mainly ride as cross training to running. I have a decent road bike (17ish pounds), so I don't think that's holding me back. My typical ride is a 25 mile round trip with a 5 mile climb, or an hour around a neighborhood street. About every other weekend I'll ride 50-60 miles, easily averaging over 21 mph

When I ride the hour, I usually can cover 23 miles, with 24.1 being the most I've gone.

I know I could enter cat 5 races...but do I have the ability to move up? Is it worth it? To me it seems like the licensing is too much of an expense/pain to be worth it. HOwever, I seem to enjoy biking. Is it worth the trouble?

If I want to TT, can I get away with a standard road bike?


----------



## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

the answer to all of the questions is yes.

just try it. you can buy a one-day license at the race for $10 so it's not a huge investment.

careful though... you might get hooked.


----------



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

No, stick with the running. You know you can do that, so why try something new? Besides, going 50-60 miles averaging easily over 21 miles per hour..that is too slow. You will never get out of cat 5, either and who wants to spend all that money on a license if you can't just win at the highest level right away? Moving up, that takes time and practice...save it for running.

this above is sarcasm...

Of course you can race. You have to try it to see if you can do it well enough to satisfy yourself. I can assure you there is more to it than just riding at a pretty fast pace and you'll probably be a little surprised at the intensity of a wheel to wheel race. TTs are a good way to gauge how your speed potential compares to others you may race against.


----------



## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

The licensing portion is a cake walk. If that's too difficult, I don't know what to tell ya.


----------



## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

timeyer said:


> I mainly ride as cross training to running. I have a decent road bike (17ish pounds), so I don't think that's holding me back. My typical ride is a 25 mile round trip with a 5 mile climb, or an hour around a neighborhood street. About every other weekend I'll ride 50-60 miles, easily averaging over 21 mph
> 
> When I ride the hour, I usually can cover 23 miles, with 24.1 being the most I've gone.
> 
> ...


Fitness level wise, you appear to be fit enough.
You didn't mention it above, so I must ask you, do you participate in many group/pack rides? Being able to ride in a tight pack with elbows rubbing and being comfortable with it is also very important. Give it a shot, and have fun.


----------



## the_gormandizer (May 12, 2006)

timeyer said:


> I know I could enter cat 5 races...but do I have the ability to move up? Is it worth it?


Anybody can do 10 Cat 5 races and move up. I'm a 50+ Cat 5 with 10 races behind me, so I am eligible to cat up but I'll probably never be more than a Cat 4. 

I have spent thousands on bikes, equipment, entry fees and and now have a coach. I train really hard. I think it's worth it. For me, racing is fun. It might be fun for you too.


----------



## timeyer (May 24, 2005)

Good advice from all.

I'd like to try a crit....but am not use to elbow to elbow racing.

I bought some cheap Clip ons, and will try a TT after testing an aero position. If I don't feel comfortable, I'll just ride in the drops.

I also found a few road races with less than 60 participants. I'll try those before the crit.

Along with running about 25 miles a week, my training plan is as follows:

2 easy rides, usually 23-26 miles
1 interval session (either a repeated hill climb, or other)
1 long ride, 40-60 miles


----------



## the_gormandizer (May 12, 2006)

Around here, Cat 5 fields are typically limited to 50. A circuit race might be a good compromise between a road race and a crit. If you manage to stay with the lead group, you don't _have_ to contest the sprint finish.

I think the biggest shock in racing (vs TT) is having to respond to surges. It's not uncommon to get dropped in your first race. That's another reason that group rides are important. You should try a couple of fast group rides, and try to hang as long as possible.


----------



## timeyer (May 24, 2005)

I do manage to hang in group rides. I can't say I like the people too much. There is no order to pace lines, and nobody is friendly. I try to follow protocol, but the rides usually turn into a big mess...


----------



## the_gormandizer (May 12, 2006)

timeyer said:


> I do manage to hang in group rides. I can't say I like the people too much. There is no order to pace lines, and nobody is friendly. I try to follow protocol, but the rides usually turn into a big mess...


I think you need to find a better/different group. See this blog post from a local pro:

http://drummondcycles.com/2011/05/group-ride-etiquette/


----------



## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

timeyer said:


> I do manage to hang in group rides. I can't say I like the people too much. There is no order to pace lines, and nobody is friendly. I try to follow protocol, but the rides usually turn into a big mess...


No order and a mess in a 20+ mph average group ride? Sounds dangerous to me.

Kind of stinks for you if there are no other group ride options, but there probably are. Try more local clubs or bike shops will have a group ride sometimes. You best option though may be to contact some universities. Many universities have cycling teams that welcome other riders from the community on their training rides. 

In my experience, they tend to be much more disciplined than a bunch of guys from the hood because they are a team and have different goals. Don’t be bashful – let them know how strong you are so they know what to expect but also let them know what you are working on (riding in a paceline, etc.).


----------



## cdhbrad (Feb 18, 2003)

Not all TTs requiring a US Cycling license are done by class. Some are by bike type and further age grouped. I participate in the Fort Desoto Time Trial Series here in Fl and, in addition to an Open class with full on TT bikes, helmets, etc., they have created a "Merckx" class that is very popular for riders using road bikes with no aero components whatsoever and a 30mm wheel depth limit, no aero helmets. Finding something like that would be perfect for you to see how you like TT racing without feeling like equipment differences might have played a big part in your times relative to others in the race. If you can't find a series like that, find a race nearby and go have fun.


----------



## cowheelz (Jul 11, 2011)

the great thing about cycling is that you can use any bike. whatever you have will work, but if you want the advantage a proper TT bike will make a huge difference. But at firts give it a try and see what you enjoy and then start spending money. You may think you want to do TT now but who knows, you may want to race cyclocross once you try it out.


----------



## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

BostonG said:


> No order and a mess in a 20+ mph average group ride? Sounds dangerous to me.


Sounds like perfect prep for a 4/5 race. :thumbsup:


----------



## austincrx (Oct 22, 2008)

I could barely average 18 mph for an hour when I did my first CAT 5 race, I could still barely average 18mph for an hour when I moved up to CAT 4's. Now I'm doing pretty well in P-1-2, and that's after just 2 years of racing/training/riding. You'll be just fine, probably win some cat 5 races. Just be sure to have fun with it! And don't be afraid to relax on your training if you start to feel unmotivated.


----------



## Cableguy (Jun 6, 2010)

austincrx said:


> I could barely average 18 mph for an hour when I did my first CAT 5 race, I could still barely average 18mph for an hour when I moved up to CAT 4's. Now I'm doing pretty well in P-1-2, and that's after just 2 years of racing/training/riding. You'll be just fine, probably win some cat 5 races. Just be sure to have fun with it! And don't be afraid to relax on your training if you start to feel unmotivated.


How much do you average an hour now?


----------



## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

Any update? I think this thread is three months old. 

My advice: _Do it._ 

You can time trial on your road bike. No problem. If you want to TT against other guys on road bikes, look for Merckx rules. 

*Eddy Merckx Category Rules*

-No aero helmets, aero bars, deep-dish (30mm or larger) or full disk wheels, or skinsuits allowed.
-You must wear a regular road bike helmet.
-Winners will be determined by the five fastest times posted by qualifying entrants from all categories.
-You must use a standard road bike. No modifications allowed.
-No shaving of your face or legs for at least three (3) days prior to the race.



Beware: There are cardio machines in the Merckx races, as cats 1-5 are scored together. There might even be a guy sandbagging on a fixie/track bike with a front brake.


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Local Hero said:


> There might even be a guy sandbagging on a fixie/track bike with a front brake.


I dunno, "sandbagging" might not be the right word. In my mediocre career as a time-trialist, I tried the fixed gear quite a few times and have always found it to be a handicap. Even on a pancake-flat 40 km course and no wind, I'd consistently add about 20 seconds to my road bike time. On an out-and-back course with some wind blowing, the fixed gear is a very bad idea. And don't even think about fixed if the course is hilly.


----------



## Speedmenace (Aug 15, 2011)

Go for it, your times aren't bad


----------

