New to Racing

gaybeer

I am keen to try some low level racing this year. I’m based in Dublin but don’t have a club and don’t know where to begin.

magicbastarder

join a club.
you'll need to learn the skills of cycling in a group before you can consider racing. unless you were to just enter time trials.

strmin

gaybeer wrote: »

I am keen to try some low level racing this year. I’m based in Dublin but don’t have a club and don’t know where to begin.

There are multiple club leagues around Dublin. Due to Covid, they start later this year, so you can still join. But first of all, join a club. Many clubs would have fast group to experience race speeds in more controlled environment. Where in Dublin are you based?

eeeee

As said before, join a club and do at least 1 club league before you go into an open race, for your own safety and everyone else's! You'll also get fitter, be stronger, and more ready to take on racing after a season out riding with more experienced people in groups, learning about tactics in the club league, then you can hit the ground running in your first open road race!
You learn so much just going out with more experienced people, it will make racing far more pleasurable if you're properly prepared for it.

gaybeer

strmin wrote: »

There are multiple club leagues around Dublin. Due to Covid, they start later this year, so you can still join. But first of all, join a club. Many clubs would have fast group to experience race speeds in more controlled environment. Where in Dublin are you based?

I’m in Castleknock. I’m quite experienced cycling in large groups.

strmin

gaybeer wrote: »

I’m in Castleknock. I’m quite experienced cycling in large groups.

Blanch Wheelies would be perfect for you. They have fast spin (35+km/h) every Tuesday evening and club league which includes other 4 clubs starts in a few weeks. It's a brilliant league.

daragh_

gaybeer wrote: »

I’m in Castleknock. I’m quite experienced cycling in large groups.

Race pace in groups is a different beast entirely. Join a Club (Blanch are great) and get a feel for it through fast group rides and then the League before trying Open Racing.

Safest way to get into racing and you'll be doing yourself and everyone else a favour. Best of luck - it's great fun.

timbel

Blanch Wheelies have a 50km leisure (no drop) spin tonight at 7pm starting from Cyclezone in Blanch Village which is a good way to meet members.

The Tuesday night training group do 3-4 laps (30-40km) around Ballycoolin at race pace (35-40kph) and can be a case of hanging on as long as possible, and improving week on week.

Just to say as mentioned earlier in the thread, the ICL\club league (which Blanch are part of) will start in June assuming all lifting of govt. restrictions proceed as planned.

CramCycle

strmin wrote: »

Blanch Wheelies would be perfect for you..

timbel wrote: »

Just to say as mentioned earlier in the thread, the ICL\club league (which Blanch are part of) will start in June assuming all lifting of govt. restrictions proceed as planned.

The Blanch league have an intro to racing night in Corkagh, so if you join them, now would be a good time to do it, it is on the first week in June. They are also running strava TTs at the minute.

gaybeer

Thanks all. Joined BW & have first session tomorrow evening

CramCycle

gaybeer wrote: »

Thanks all. Joined BW & have first session tomorrow evening

Enjoy your TT up the Sally Gap this week

Seriously though, a nice bunch of riders and hope you enjoy the racing.