Thanks oldgit. Yep, TLI looks like a better bet, lots of races near me through summer. Their website is absolutely the worst on earth though, I'll see if they want some help with that.

Samuri, I've been having a go at road races the last few weeks. I was put off by the cost and complexity of the BC route, so joined TLI. It's £15 membership and around £10 per race. There are quite a few round the NW, I've done the last 2 at Oulton Park, one in the Cheshire Road series, a Darley Moor and have a couple more lined up. They cater for all age groups (I'm 45), pretty relaxed organisation, but fairly serious racing up at the sharp end.
They do a lot of midweek races which suits me cos I don't have much time at weekends.
Their calendar is on http://www.theleagueinternational.com. LVRC also worth a look if you are >40.

ah, beat me to it :o)

Thanks Chris, just filling out the TLI form now. 😉
Do you *have* to be a member of TLI to race in those events? Just in case they're a bit slow and haven't got it back to me by the first race I have my eye on, the Seamons race on the 29th….

I'm 42 so we'll be racing in reasonably similar classes. 😉

aaah, no hang on.
There's only actually one race left in TLI that I could attend, never mind.

Fairly new to road racing but always try and do two things.
1)Lead the race even if it's only for a very brief period
2) Try to get in at least one break.Reckon you need at least 4 though and everyone has to do their turn for it to work

Been away for a couple of laps in at least a couple of races but caught as the move has broken down. It is far easier to just sit in the bunch but more fun to try and attack

It's hard not to get a bit annoyed with slackers. Two weeks ago two guys didn't lift a finger. Then we were lapped by the other race with just one lap to go, these two slackers actually jumped onto the back of the other group and got towed to victory. Which BTW is right against the rules, as it occurred out of the marshals view there wasn't much we could do about it but there was nearly fighting going on afterwards. I don't think they were cheats just clueless. They must have thought 'this road racing is easy' just stay in the bunch for an hour then join the other race and get pulled to the win.

Last night was a Crit, 1 hour plus 5 laps long, flat and windy, three single file corners per lap. Average speed +/-29MPH. Looking at my computer during the race 24MPH slowest 36MPH fastest.

Oldgit, you did say mph and not kph? 29mph average over and hour plus?!!! 😯 Is that normal?! I did consider myself to be a reasonably fit 30 year old but I may have to downgrade the 'reasonably' bit. Must admit that I have had the experience of been out on the road doing a steady 20-21 mph on the flat and being left for dead by people who are probably twice my age. Their bikes were probably 3-4 times the price of mine but I'm sure that makes minimal difference. Fair play though, I'm sure it takes a lot of hard work and 100s of hours in the saddle to get to that level 🙂

I think I'll give road racing a miss and stick to mountain biking, short solo road rides or slow-ish 50-60 mile road rides with friends and a cake/pie/pasty/pint/chips* at the mid point.

*delete as appropriate

ross980 don't forget that's a bunch working hard together, don't think for a moment I train at that speed. I'll stick my neck out here but I'd say you'd have to be able to cope with 18MPH average on your own at least, looking to nudge 21MPH average.
Closed circuit races can be like bunch TTs.
Off to get the speed for the fast boys, it's mind blowing.

ross980

Milton Keynes Bowl Closed circuit race. 1 hour + 5 laps 51Km
A lap is under a KM.

oh, fair enough. Still seems very quick though! I have averaged 19.5mph on a reasonably flat 32 mile loop but that is going flat out (annoyingly 20mph average has been elusive and 21 would need a lot of hard work)

The speed difference as I've said before is immense between a solo rider and a bunch.

I'll be racing again next week on the same circuit. What do you do? stay in the bunch and never try or keep trying and dying?

Ross980 – the Oulton park circuit race I do seems to work out at 25mph for 32 miles. Is that a bit more sensible? It's undulating with mostly fast bends. I guess the standards at oldgit's race must be pretty high, I'm fairly OK in a bunch at those speeds, but up at 29mph average, I couldn't do it.

I'll be racing again next week on the same circuit. What do you do? stay in the bunch and never try or keep trying and dying?

Surely the best thing is to try, but do it at the right place and time and make it count rather than waste your efforts on kamikaze attacks. Easier said than done of course…

Oi you know why my circuits fast.
Think I'll try the same. No way can I go early and if I leave it too late I'll get out sprinted.
In hindsight going with 4Km to go was never going to happen
Edit, Plus you've got me all confused now, I wasn't planning on having to do the 3 Peaks mid road season. I only have one brain cell per dicipline.

i firmly believe that if you can round in the bunch consistently then you are in contention to win an event. you have to try some sort of move be it a sprint late attack or early break…whatever suits your strengths. if you end up failing big time so what. theres always another race and you don't have be the best athlete to win. sometimes it helps to ride somewhere nobody knows you and make your attack look crap.