Some Questions about racing

Reality_Check1

Hello everyone,

Ive only recently got bit by the cycling bug. On New Years day I was 115kg and miserable. For some reason I decided to take the bike out of the shed thats been sitting there idle for a couple of years and a few spins later I was addicted! I've pretty much spent the last couple of months training on Zwift (bought a direct drive) and doing more and more Km's outside. Now I would like to do some sportives and races when they open back up. Btw im 33 male and currently 94kg I have a few questions if thats ok:

1. Can I just rock up and register? I have a limited Cycling Ireland licence that I got for doing the Zwift racing league. DO I need to upgrade this to a full licence?

2. Whats the standard like? Ive no problem getting smoked in A4 (I presume thats what I enter) but I don't want to be so bad that I get in the way or make it dangerous for others

3. Do I need to be a member of a club to race? There are a few located close to me that I hope to get in contact with once Covid ends

4. Is there any advice or things you think I should know / do before making the next step?

Thanks all

magicbastarder

i would strongly advise - not having any experience in what you're asking, but that never stopped me - to join a club and get used to group riding before you consider racing. anyone who isn't used to bunch riding at all would be an utter liability in a race (though people who actually know what they're talking about may be able to completely contradict me).

dahat

You can race as an unattached rider in black gear if you wish.

As above I would also strongly advise getting group rising experience before racing either in club leagues and/or Sunday club spins.

A license upgrade is needed to race.

You’ll be fine in A4 as races are 50-70km and normally end in a bunch sprint which can be very tricky which is why you’ll need group riding experience.

Reality_Check1

Thanks lads - Id normally be out on spins with 4/5 others and be comfortable riding 2 abreast etc. would this be adequate starting experience or is there more I would get from a group ride with a club? I will admit I get a bit nervous when we all bunch up a bit though

MojoMaker

115kg to 94kgs in 4 months is pretty amazing - congrats! Was it just from cycling as a matter of interest?

Just a note - the group riding experience mentioned above isn't the same as that you experience when out with a mate, or on a neatly organised club spin and cycling a tight pace line, it can be chaotic and quite stressful, not to mention unpredictable and risky. Definitely something you can't (or shouldn't) just drop into.

nilhg

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Thanks lads - Id normally be out on spins with 4/5 others and be comfortable riding 2 abreast etc. would this be adequate starting experience or is there more I would get from a group ride with a club? I will admit I get a bit nervous when we all bunch up a bit though

I'd suggest trying to go with the front group in a sportive or two before you try an open race, it's a totally different experience in a large group at full race pace.

At 33 you'd be a young fella in an A4, you've loads of time to learn the ropes.

Reality_Check1

MojoMaker wrote: »

115kg to 94kgs in 4 months is pretty amazing - congrats! Was it just from cycling as a matter of interest?

Just a note - the group riding experience mentioned above isn't the same as that you experience when out with a mate, or on a neatly organised club spin and cycling a tight pace line, it can be chaotic and quite stressful, not to mention unpredictable and risky. Definitely something you can't (or shouldn't) just drop into.

I get you. but is there any way I can get that experience of chaotic group riding without racing? Maybe start with time trials or Sportives? edit - sorry this was answered above

With the weightloss - Its been a stepwise process. I use myfitnesspal and log everything. for the first few weeks in January I didn't have Zwift set up and I was too heavy to do any other exercise so I just committed to doing 10k steps a day and I still have that streak going (110 days). I slowly upped the exercise intensity and its been surprising how fit ive gotten so quickly. At the moment im prob logging 10-12 hours a week of riding - for the first few months it was Zwift training plans, group rides and the odd race but now I go outdoors whenever I can. I run too but rarely. I also cut down my alcohol intake to nearly 0 which has helped significantly.

07Lapierre

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Thanks lads - Id normally be out on spins with 4/5 others and be comfortable riding 2 abreast etc. would this be adequate starting experience or is there more I would get from a group ride with a club? I will admit I get a bit nervous when we all bunch up a bit though

Would you be comfortable with 5 abreast with another 5 behind and another 5 in front... while doing 45+kph with only an inch or two between your front wheel and the rear wheel of the rider in front?

Join a club and do some club races first.

daragh_

100% what's been said above. Join a club and so some club league racing first. Best way to get used to close contact racing in a reasonably safe environment.

You are probably well able fitness wise for A4 but having a bit of race experience will help you stay out of the usual A4 madness.

CramCycle

Where are you based might be a better question and people can recommend where to go to get experience.

Reality_Check1

Thanks everyone - will take the advice and join a club first.

@CramCycle - based in Meath so would be looking at Trim / Bohermeen / Navan

Steve SilverMint

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Thanks lads - Id normally be out on spins with 4/5 others and be comfortable riding 2 abreast etc. would this be adequate starting experience or is there more I would get from a group ride with a club? I will admit I get a bit nervous when we all bunch up a bit though

If you get nervous in a bunch now you’d really need to work on that before getting involved in any racing. Start out with club spins when they resume and get involved in a club league and see how things go. TT’s might be a safer option for you at the moment as you’ll have nobody near you to worry about.

eeeee

daragh_ wrote: »

100% what's been said above. Join a club and so some club league racing first. Best way to get used to close contact racing in a reasonably safe environment.

You are probably well able fitness wise for A4 but having a bit of race experience will help you stay out of the usual A4 madness.

A thousand times this. For your often safety and everyone else's.

Club wise, you're in Bohermeen and Navan RC territory there, they should set you right. Navan race a lot, are a big and active club so a good one to get in touch with.

Kevincavan83

Reality_Check1 wrote: »

Thanks everyone - will take the advice and join a club first.

@CramCycle - based in Meath so would be looking at Trim / Bohermeen / Navan

All big clubs, plenty of members to give you advice if you choose either.
Hopefully with a bit of luck Navan might have their club league races this summer.
That was my plan for my first taste of racing, I've been in a club the last 3 years and decided to try racing.

In relation to safety Last summer their was some terrible crashes in the A4 races across the country and most people were saying it was to do with inexperience in group races. I would recommend get used to some fast group rides with fast cornering

iwillhtfu

07Lapierre wrote: »

Would you be comfortable with 5 abreast with another 5 behind and another 5 in front... while doing 45+kph with only an inch or two between your front wheel and the rear wheel of the rider in front?

Join a club and do some club races first.

I was never comfortable there myself so I generally just went up the road myself or was that out the back :D:D

07Lapierre

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I was never comfortable there myself so I generally just went up the road myself or was that out the back :D:D

Definitely out the back for me!

I was only at the business end of an A4 race once and I sprinted for the line out of pure fear, rather then good sprinting ability!

Macy0161

Definitely join a club and get used to fast spins, even going out with people you don't know/ trust etc. And then do club leagues.

Whilst club racing definitely helped, my club ran specific race skills training that was really good when I went into an open race. Covered things like contact (body and wheel), drinking and eating without stopping pedalling/ looking down, cornering/ descending etc.