So pretty much I want to start road racing and don’t know how to go about it.
I know I need to purchase a race licence but then have no idea which races I should begin with.
So if any one has some advice I’d appreciate it.
Get your license with a club close by or one frequented by XBBX.
Rock up to a crit or road race. Clubs like Carnegie Caulfield have an E grade for n00bs which was really good when i raced when i was like 15/16. That said, i thought CC sucked as a club.
Some clubs only go down to D grade though.
It’s really just a matter of rocking up and giving it a go, there are no specific races you should aim for.
But maybe give the Warny a miss for your first year.
If you’re over 35, Southern Vets have A-G grades as well.
Their website is really informative too.
http://www.southernvets.com.au/gradedetails.php
Where do you live I am sure some members here would be close by to help you with their own clubs. I know the st kilda crits have a E grade race and some crit training races from memory.
max is a young 'un. no vets for him for some time yet…
max: here’s a step by step guide. note that this is pretty similar to the “how do i get into track racing” thread.
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join a club. doing this will also get you a licence (and you can get one now that will last you all of 2011). pick one on a whim. brunswick is my club, and therefore awesome (and cheaper than other clubs). northcote is cadel evan’s club. some clubs do more road racing, some do more crits, but really, to be honest, it doesn’t really matter. there’s a good guide to clubs on cycling tips blog. being a member with one club never stops you from racing with another club - sometimes you just need a letter to do it.
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go to club races. now, this is where your timing is kinda shitty. road season is pretty much over. what this leaves you with is track / crit season. both will help your road racing immeasurably. there are crits at sandown run by caulfield carnegie on tuesday and thursday nights, crits at the boulie run by hawthorn wednesday night, st kilda crits on saturday (which have ride angels looking over the lower grades) and footscray crits on sunday. lotta racing through summer! but don’t overlook the track - nothing will improve your bike handling skills (and race smarts) more. there’s racing at DISC tuesday and thursday night. whatever you decide to race, look them up on the internet first for start times and entry fees.
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that’s it, really. just dive right in! seriously, once you have a licence and ten (or 15) bucks, you can just rock up and do it.
Thanks for the replies!
I’ll sign up to a club and start racing.
What they said.
Join one club, race 'em all.
This thread is of interest to me.
I won’t make a massive threadjack or anything, but I was wondering if anyone knew any more about any clubs out in the se suburbs of melbourne?
As far as I know, Caufield Carneie Cycling Club is the closest thing to me that isn’t an HPV club.
And whilst I’d love to be going to brunswick CC, 3 hours there and back? Expensive and fiscally irresponsible move cityward?
Maybe I’ll have to wait.
But I don’t want to.
sign up with brunswick, ride wherever you like.
hell, mitch docker is a brunswick member. and he lives in the netherlands (riding for skil-shimano).
Fuck Brunswick! Don’t join if you want to start road racing unless you own greyhounds and wear tracksuits. Join a decent road racing club like Cualfield Carnegie (not my club). If you want to be really cool and own a really cool dentist bike like myslef join us at St Kilda Cycling Club.
attempt at flame war duly noted, matthew.
if i wanted to join a club just for road racing, i’d join italo-australian. full of fucking strong riders, their training rides are epic (not to mention often joined by world champions), and they really know how to ride as a team. plus, their club champion is decided by a poker game each year. no kidding.
i dont know what it is like in the eastern states but here in SA it doesnt really matter which club you join as a club is just a means to get a license.
you can get a 3 race permit for club level events, but you cant race ‘open’ races on that permit
once you have a license rock up to a club level race and at the sign on desk just say its your 1st race, they will grade you, probably in a pretty low grade unless you look like a gun. after your 1st race you will work out if you need to change grades.
can i be a totes n00b for a sec… what exactly is a crit?
its a race probably in a flat industrial area and you race around a block of about 1km length for a set time, probs 30 mins, then they ring a bell with 2 laps to go and thats the end of that.
Not a bad effort though I thought. Forum’s a bit dull these day now the average aged has dropped down to 12 years old.
short for “criterium”. it’s a race around the block.
i pretty much concer with alex’s description, but for the hawthorn crits, which are on kew boulie and feature a significant hill. and here they tend to last for an hour.
What didn’t you like about them or what makes a good club?
there’s apparently a mad crit track near my place.
Also, CCCC is lookin’ the way for me.
Very serious atmosphere. If you thrive off competition then that’s the go, but i just thought it was a gathering of douche pongs yelling a lot with loud free wheels.