[Closed] Darkside : First Road Race

[i]bearing in mind I've never ridden on road in a goup before?[/i]

Take some spare shorts - it can be ****ing scary in the middle of a pack traveling at 30+ mph!!!

I'd rather chuck myself down a rocky hillside anyday!

"bearing in mind I've never ridden on road in a goup before"[i]

😯

try and hang onto the back of the bunch and not to run into everyone when they slow down for a corner.

be prepared to travel further, quicker on a bicycle than you thought possible.

I imagine you won't be in the group for long 🙂
Prepare to get spanked, good and proper.

Go fast. HTH.

Not used to group riding? Good luck. Try not to get exposed to the wind.

Otherwise try not to go to the back of the pack, but don't be working at the front for no reason. When the hammer goes down remember that the pain will not last forever, and everyone around you is suffering as much as you are.

Enjoy! (I didn't, until they were over).

bearing in mind I've never ridden on road in a goup before?

Loiter at the back and hang on, and discover the meaning of pain. Once you've got your head round how fast you're going and how much is going on/you need ot think about all the time, enjoy the sound of lots of tyres rolling without the usual wind noise :-). DO NOT enter the pace line at the front of the group unless you are confident you have the power to actually go through-and-off, or you will get a good talking to in Anglo-Saxon. Be aware you may not actualy "enjoy" it until it's over 😉

I thought you couldn't ride a road-race without a Cat 3 licence which means you had to have ridden in the bunch on a track / circuit?

Tips, hell, too much to go into really, you have a lot to learn, but a few:

Dont let gaps appear in front you of more than a few meters, if you do you will either get dropped or a severe talking too.

Dont look behind you, eyes front all the time with the brakes covered.

Dont make sudden movements, if you do you will either take somebody down behind you or end up skating down the road on your arse as you take your own front wheel out.

Enjoy, thats assuming you can breathe through your arse !!

Edit: Its not the "darkside" its called a road bike

bllokcks you've all scared the bejeepers out of me.

Maybe I should add - it's a club race - handicapped and I'm going in group 4 of 5 with about 10 in each group.

I was hoping to get my bearings in the group before we catch other groups and scratch catch us - is this a daft way to get my first ride in a group?

is this a daft way to get my first ride in a group?

A bit, but not as bad as a full on 60+ field, a few club group rides would probably have been best first

Thats known as an Australian Pursuit Race, don't worry you'll be fine.

PROPER WORDS OF ADVISE.

Dont worry, keep near the front and out of trouble, near the back your ****ed if someone lets a wheel go you have to ride round them to get back on, not to mention the elastic band effect round corners etc.

If you hurting so is everyone else, just soak it up. 😛

Unless you are very fit you are going to get a right kicking.

When you feel strong, take it easy.

Have many of you guys ridden an Australian Pursuit Race? The op won't get a kicking there will more then likely be quite a few people there who have never raced before.

**** me I would have done some reliability trials earlier this year if you have no bunch riding experience. The bunch rides very tight you're looking at 1-2" away from each other with speeds in excess of 25 MPH. Also you have to be very aware of the other riders, there won't be any verbal warnings of riders coming through like xc racing so it will be assumed you know the score.
If you take the advice about staying at the back you'll probably not last. From the back to the front isn't far in a bunch but if there's a break or they attack on a tight corners you'll be fighting for your life.
If you do lose contact take a look over your shoulder to see if there are any other dropped riders and ask if they want to work with with you, if you can get a group of three minimum you should be able to get a thing going. If you do work together youmight come across dropped riders later on then just have your own race to the flag.
Now the very negative bit. A guy I know used to big himself up and entered a race I was doing,I reckon he lasted 300 yards before bailing a broken man and he kept apologising to passing riders, he even had to get his wife to pick him up as he was so shellshocked.
However, you could be a natuaral I've known a few, one of my mates collected points on his first outing.
Anyway what race are you doing? and good luck.
I'm racing Saturday and always post 'The Racing Post' here on Friday.

relax and enjoy it, at the end you will love it.

Always try to stay mid-group
Because your new, try and not lead the pack going into an uphill, they will pass you like you are standing still and the effort to get back onto a wheel is alot.
When the pace increases it will be painful and difficult but try and keep with them until it steadies again
Whenever you get the chance, rest your legs
And a big one....... because its so intense you might forget to drink so beware of this and drink regularly, and eat food on the flats
Try and remember what the 'sayings' are and what hand signals mean ( i.e. 'on the nose' means car approaching, 'left' means obstacle on left, right/left elbow flicks out means guy in front wants you to pass him on that side etc etc

You will also be amazed at the furious pace these groups can go at

I've never done it, but enjoyed what somebody posted up here quite a while ago

(something like):

Go as hard as you can
bit harder for the hills
WHen it hurts - attack

Don't call it the "Darkside" when you rock up... 😐

LOL

Edit, seen your other post. That'll be easier than a full on road race. I did assume it would be a closed circuit Crit which are basically bunch TTs
Last Saturday the fast boys covered 51Km in one hour and five laps with laps at less than a K, that's quick.

JtotheP68 - Member
Unless you are very fit you are going to get a right kicking.

DaRC_L - Member
I thought you couldn't ride a road-race without a Cat 3 licence which means you had to have ridden in the bunch on a track / circuit?

sofatester - Member
When you feel strong, take it easy.

Gary-M's advise is right also listen to raddogair.

I've only ridden in a group once - is "look at the arse on that!" an official hand-signal or did they make it up just for me ?

kingkongsfinger - Member
sofatester - Member
When you feel strong, take it easy.

Wrong, attack.

Jebus 🙄

If you have genuinely never cycled in a group before, I would think carefully about just turning up for a road race.

There are basic skills required for riding at speed in a group. These include awareness of what other riders are doing, following a wheel, knowing how to position yourself when taking a turn or sheltering from the wind, and generally developing the "feel" for how to move smoothly and safely around in a bunch. The safety of the group depends on everyone having those skills and using them properly.

Most novice riders will get experience by taking part in non-competitive or pseudo-competitive situations like club runs, reliability rides, etc. If you don't even have basic experience of drafting on a wheel, a race isn't the ideal place to learn. As mentioned above, the back of the group is not the best place to be if you are racing, but in this case it might be the safest place for you to start.

did my first chaingang yesterday eve and I would agree that you really cant just rock up and expect to be safe in a large group, i was getting quite a bit of talking too!!! be smooth.....
if its just 4 or 5 of you as you said though im sure you will be ok

Oh and I decided i would get dropped before i collapsed over the bars, make sure you know when your dropped

Have you ever done a club training run?

If not and you've just fit and going into this one then you could risk your safety and everyone else you take down with you.

Thank god for licences.

Anyone can get a licence.

I'm thinking this is a bad idea now, not just for my safety but everyone elses. I've genuinely never ridden in a group and I'm thinking a club run is a better place to start rather than a club race given I know no signals or shouts. I do have a full road license, which I agree is madness as I've no group experience, though I do race XC but it hardly comapares.

I may ask to drop to one of the slower groups to find my feet ...

Thanks for the advice!

Attack from the start line, treat it like a time trial 😉

kingkongsfinger - Member
PROPER WORDS OF ADVISE.

Dont worry, keep near the front and out of trouble, near the back your ****ed if someone lets a wheel go you have to ride round them to get back on, not to mention the elastic band effect round corners etc.

If you hurting so is everyone else, just soak it up.

+1

I've never raced that type of event, but groups of about ten is manageable. All it'll take is a couple of fast riders and you'll split up into 2/3 man groups and you'll learn lap by lap.

Don't know what the others think as it's not open road and not a Crit?

What's interesting is that I don't recall any signals in road racing that I've done apart from warnings about obstacles and that's only been on open road races. I've always found it to be unspoken understanding unless you're getting ready to get plucky or want to work to stay in touch.

Did my first road race at the weekend. As people have said its a little unnerving riding in a tight group at an average speed of 22 ish mph. I was spat out the back fairly on but my mate was caught up in a nasty crash as someone went for their bottle and took a wobble. Consequently everyone else behind was wiped out. Smashed carbon fibre wheels and people scattered all over the road. But dont let that put you off!

Handicap racing is a great way to start. Just do a few turns on the front in your small group and as soon as a faster group catches you sit in. Once the fast boys catch you, the pace with ramp up hugely but hang on in for as long as you can. If it's well handicapped (Keith Butler of the Surrey League is the master of handicapping) it will come together late in the race and you'll have a good work out.

No doubt you'll enjoy it if you can stay in for a while and it will be a buzz.

I've done loads and I love them, even if I'm not in the scratch group these days.

Darley Dale birdy?

if youv'e got no experience of riding fast in a group then i would seriously think about not doing it. you are potentially very dangerous to yourself and others. get some experience of chaingang/clubrun type rides and enter some other race a couple months away. theres nothing to gain by jumping in at the deep end, so to speak.
australian pursuit/handicap events would be ideal. you'll have a little time in a small bunch before it all comes together. it usually ends up in a big bunch though.

As some others have said, start in an early group- make sure you point out its your first race to the organiser, and dont try and big yourself up! Take advantage of the few laps you'll have to get used to riding with others, if you manage to hang on when it all comes togeather, concentrate on staying close with no sudden movements or braking. you'll probbably get 'advice' from the other riders if you do something wrong!
Good luck, and enjoy it! If you get dropped this week dont give up, it may take you a few races to get used to it and learn how to ride etc.
The first time you dont get dropped and finish in the main group is a real buzz.

Don't have all of this bullshit at sportives do you? I was hoping that it might be fun 🙁

I wouldn't want to race with somebody who had no experience of riding in a bunch, a recipe for disaster imho.
maybe wear baggies, peaked lid and use a camelback.
this will help the other racers pick you out in the bunch and help them steer well clear.

Oops Not trying to put you off OP! I wouldn't advise a friend without experience in a huddle as it can be dangerous.

Just get some practise in a groups so it won't be a shock to you and you will be fine! Find a few riding groups and get in there!
If you get on well then you will be fine and gain more experience and read up on the hand signals now.

If you find it is tough, then drop back a bit. But if you focus on crashing you will vrash, if you focus on the race/finish line then you will be fine. Clear your mind and focus by practising now.

You will have to report back with your experiences!

Hope you do well and most of all Enjoy/be safe.

Towards riding in a bunch and everyones negativity, yes a cub run will help you understand it better but lets face it, even pro's get it wrong at times.

Just be aware of where everyone is around you. If your draughting someone always cover your brakes but whatever you do dont press to hard or you will cause a pile up and if you feel you want to get by them, check both shoulders prior to moving out and move out slowly.

Being part of a chaingang is one of the best experiences you'll have on a bike, it'll be tough at times and your body will ache the next day but for pure adrenaline not much can beat it, it focuses the mind and body in a great way

Don't have all of this bullshit at sportives do you? I was hoping that it might be fun

Good luck, and enjoy it. I've never done one myself (not fit enough or experienced at riding in a group) but I am thinking of trying some TTs this summer.

And don't despair if you get a kicking. All racers do at some point.

Lots of good stuff here about how to ride a race, but it's a bit "run before you can walk" if you don't have basic group riding skills. Even in a small APR group you need to know how to move safely, and if the groups come together you could find yourself in a large bunch.
It sounds like you are taking a sensible approach to the advice offered. Get a wee bit of experience of riding in some fast club groups before you enter your first race and you'll enjoy things a lot more.
You will enjoy it. Road racing is one of the most intense cycling buzzes you can get - sportives don't come close!

Agreed kcr ....sportives are just over priced audaxes .....but dont tell the sportivers that 😉