Anyone on here taken part in these – what are they like?

I did these a few times – too old and fat now but they are good fun. Good training too as 30/40 mins but all at top speed.

The girls get put in with the Youths I think now.

Expect carnage, roadies are mince at cornering, so they haul on the brakes coming into the corner then sprint away from it. I just used to hang back a bit and maintain speed. I got yelled at once for cutting the corner by going on the grass – looked fair game to me.

The key is to get in a group and sit on wheels all the way around and then come around at the end and sprint for the line. Its a flat circuit around the highland show grounds so very hard to get away from the bunch.

Hmmm thanks. I’m no sprinter by any means but i may give the first one a go to see what i think before deciding if i want to do the rest. Of course maybe after the lakes apr i might decide to give up on the road and back to mtbing 😉

Are you riding much these days or just organising events?

When do they start? They are not far from me so would be decent to go and watch.

Expect carnage, roadies are mince at cornering, so they haul on the brakes coming into the corner then sprint away from it. I just used to hang back a bit and maintain speed.

Erm, OK, i dont really agree with this, roadies are pretty good bike handlers, moving at 40mph in a bunch pretty much demands it.

Being at the back is the workst place to be in a bunch, stay in the middle.

I got yelled at once for cutting the corner by going on the grass – looked fair game to me.

Yup, i would have yelled too, well out of order and dangerous.

The key is to get in a group and sit on wheels all the way around and then come around at the end and sprint for the line. Its a flat circuit around the highland show grounds so very hard to get away from the bunch.

Don’t whatever you do listen to this advice, if you come round in the sprint but don’t have the speed to maintain the sprint you WILL cause a crash as the riders who are sprinting and maintaining their speed pile into the back of you, sprinting is something you should only get involved in after a few races.

Just ride mid pack, learn what to do and when not to do things, watch how the bunch moves and reacts to situations.

To be fair, I’d be going with Hels advice on this one.

To be fair, I’d be going with Hels advice on this one.

To be fair, care to explain why ?

Hmm, my post is based on my experience actually doing the crits, and there are a lot fewer women in the races so it is a whole different race, unless you are secretly Victoria Pendleton signing on to this forum you won’t have to worry about being at the front !

The womens sprint involves about 6 riders, on a busy day, so I am not quite sure who would be contributing to the pile-up Mr 1969 is fantasising about.

Bunch indeed – snigger. The very fast woman (if one turns up) will be in it (depending on what group they put you in with) the rest will go about in wee groups with some of the younger boys.

Another good trick is to jump back on the main bunch when you get lapped, they are usually tiring and if you are lucky will tow you to the line.

And I am sorry but I have seen loads of cack bike handling at these crits esp on corners so expect pointless braking, but they are supposed to be for novices so I am sure people learn.

Hmm, my post is based on my experience actually doing the crits, and there are a lot fewer women in the races so it is a whole different race, unless you are secretly Victoria Pendleton signing on to this forum you won’t have to worry about being at the front !

The womens sprint involves about 6 riders, on a busy day, so I am not quite sure who would be contributing to the pile-up Mr 1969 is fantasising about.

Bunch indeed – snigger. The very fast woman (if one turns up) will be in it (depending on what group they put you in with) the rest will go about in wee groups with some of the younger boys.

Another good trick is to jump back on the main bunch when you get lapped, they are usually tiring and if you are lucky will tow you to the line.

How the F was i supposed to know that there were 6 people riding, mind reader, no, ex road and crit rider offering friendly advice, yes.

The clue is in her name, she’s a GIRL. There are only ever 6 in a Scottish race, it’s a rule I believe. Although riding like girls, thats something else entirely…

We will let you off this time Mr 1969, but next time you have to do two laps in a skirt and pigtails in a bunch of 5 11 year old boys, so you understand how it feels for us.

Isn’t tagging on after being lapped against the rules, tis in my league anyhow.

The clue is in her name, she’s a GIRL. There are only ever 6 in a Scottish race, it’s a rule I believe. Although riding like girls, thats something else entirely…

We will let you off this time Mr 1969, but next time you have to do two laps in a skirt and pigtails in a bunch of 5 11 year old boys, so you understand how it feels for us.

Yeah i should have put 2 and 2 together and got 4 but i got 10 and starting coming the pompous roadie instead, apologies 😳

I do sympathise though, Mrs 1969 road raced for years, she gave up riding with the ladies and rode mens races in the end, much better quality of racing and more to go at.

Oldgit – really ?? I did it every round, and I wasn’t the only one. Perhaps I just never got caught !! Or perhaps nobody cared.

But anyway back to the original post, give it a go DGOAB it’s good fun really just watch yourself a bit, keep an eye on the other ladies and try and get in a race with them.

Not 100% sure, think it is though. I’ve only ridden one race where two blokes did that as we got lapped with 400 to go, annoying as they didn’t contribute a thing to the ‘survival’ group they’d been in the past hour.

BC Regs 20.12.4 A competitor in a road or circuit event when lapped must, unless otherwise instructed by the Chief Commissaire, retire from the race and report to the control point at the finish of the race.

You could always derail your chain and take a lap out 😉

BC Regs 20.12.4 A competitor in a road or circuit event when lapped must, unless otherwise instructed by the Chief Commissaire, retire from the race and report to the control point at the finish of the race.

Usual format is to allow lapped riders to stay in untl 5 laps to go unless they’re actually influencing the racing (eg by working on the front to close a break down).

Main tip I’d give is to avoid the first 2 early season crits – most of the riders haven’t done bunch racing since Aug/Sept last year, everyone has come off a winter of turbo training, everyone has shiny new kit and everyone thinks they’re the next Mark Cavendish. Result – a lot of rusty bike handlers piling into every corners as if their life depended on it! Once things are sorted out after the first couple of races things calm down a lot and the rest of the season is usually fairly safe and fun.

Crits really develop your speed and bike handling, they’re short and intense and once you get used to them they’re great fun.

Crits really develop your speed and bike handling, they’re short and intense and once you get used to them they’re great fun.

Yep I haven’t stopped laughing since 2010. Race at Milton Keynes Bowl every week and you won’t be saying that. 1.1km lap 😥

DG
If you’ve never been before, i would recommend just watching the first one and then racing the next/rest, if you’ve never done a crit before.
It lets you see what its all about/where to position yourself/how to corner etc…
I’ll be there as usual doing the gear checking/helping out, so i can give advise if you want it.
ERC info page,not yet updated for 2011.

You’re usually allowed to tag on to the back of a group if you get lapped, so long as you dont interfere if those other riders are racing for positions.

The first race usually starts around 6.30, but you can turn up an hour before that if you want and have a play around the course.
Wear/bring warm clothes if you’re going to be standing about watching.

my missus is a regular at ingleston crits, the most girls turning up is around 12. they get to race with the vets and youths depending on numbers.
Ingleston is pretty flat but normally has a nasty wind blowing down the home straight to make life interesting.
with the lower numbers (the girls tend to group together) there generally aren’t many problems with regards to bad handling skills

As above, you will find that the support race will probably split into smaller groups fairly quickly, which makes bunch riding skills less critical than in the big groups of the senior event.

However, if you are new to road racing, and don’t have experience of riding at close quarters and at speed, it is a good idea to do a bit of fast group riding to get used to this before you race. The Saturday morning rides that a lot of ERC members take part in are a good place to do this. There are lots of women members, and people will be happy to give you more information and helpful advice about the Ingliston races.

Do a search in Flickr for “Ingliston Crits” to see some photos from the events.

might like to consider some of these events

Cracking races to ride Claire. As said May be better to come watch the 1st race. The youth/women’s race won’t be as bad as the senior race.

But its common fact that plenty 4th cat riders are sketchy in a bunch/when covering.

uys,

The Ingliston crit series is back once again this April / May. To find out more about it check the following page;

http://www.edinburghrc.co.uk/index.php?page=122

Also to keep up to date with news / issues and other helpful information we have a facebook page;

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Edinburgh-Road-Club-Ingliston-Criterium-Series/202825979741814

Click LIKE and any developments will be posted on your WALL (Thats facebook language . If you don’t use it don’t worry about it the ERC page should have all you need to know)

Cheers

Hels/Olly/Lee, any ideas what sort of (rough) speed the women’s one averages? Just wondering how much to do/not do next week on the bike.

Lee, are you riding out on the night? Will em you on fb.

Hmm sorry never been one for worrying about measuring speed with numbers its all relative anyway. Quite fast ?? Not quite ride until you puke on the bars, but don’t expect to chat much.

Depends how fit you are really but races are 30/35 mins so I would rest the day before and after, and thats your high end training done that week. It’s a thurs so prolly OK if you are racing sunday, not saturday tho.

Just try and stay on the other girls for your first race. The proper fast ladies go in the A race anyway.

Thanks, just trying to gauge effort/rest etc so I’ll try what you suggest on the rest front…new to the short faster stuff so its trial and error until i find a combination that works. Not expecting anything other than to give it a go/learn/see if i like it.

*wonders where she put race license*