Added Nathb
Added you too crosshair.
Took out silver membership and applied for my racing licence too this morning, which is pending.
Exciting times. 😆
nathb - MemberAdded you too crosshair.
Took out silver membership and applied for my racing licence too this morning, which is pending.
Exciting times.
I'm going to be spectating at Hillingdon and cheering on Crosshair if you make it off Nath.
I've never ridden in a fast paced group bar the Eisberg cycle a few pages back and regents park (which can get very busy) so I've never done the through and off - but I can do 52 miles solo @19-20mph (cringe sorry!) and get the principle of it. But yes experience like that would help.
If that's the case, your first objective should be just to sit in the group/hold a wheel safely. Watching a race to get an idea of the dynamics before diving in would not be a bad idea. At least you are aware of your group riding limitations, which is more than can be said for some people in 4th cat races! Until you are comfortable with it, don't get involved in the finish, just roll out the back. 4th cat sprints can be (often are) chaos.
Forget about through and off/any other kind of structured group riding - racing is completely different*
Good luck, have fun, don't worry about trying to score any points for the time being!
*it can happen - either if you're up the road in a break with a group who know how to work together, or say if a couple of teams get organised and decide to use their numbers on the front of the peleton to bring a break back. But you aint going to see much of that sort of thing in a 4th cat crit!
Good racecraft and a well practiced sprint more likely to get you points than a lot of watts.
This sums up 4th cat racing really. Bar the odd exceptional talent who has just started out and has the strength to go solo off the front and stay away - but you won't have to deal with them for long, cos they'll be cat3 in a couple of races time....
EDIT: attacking is a lot more fun than sitting in though.
weeksy
I'm going to be spectating at Hillingdon and cheering on Crosshair if you make it off Nath.
Yeah I'll be there, aiming to get there for about 1pm.. I'm cycling and terrible at following directions so hopefully I will see the start! 😆
david jey
If that's the case, your first objective should be just to sit in the group/hold a wheel safely. Watching a race to get an idea of the dynamics before diving in would not be a bad idea. At least you are aware of your group riding limitations, which is more than can be said for some people in 4th cat races! Until you are comfortable with it, don't get involved in the finish, just roll out the back. 4th cat sprints can be (often are) chaos.Forget about through and off/any other kind of structured group riding - racing is completely different*
Good luck, have fun, don't worry about trying to score any points for the time being!
*it can happen - either if you're up the road in a break with a group who know how to work together, or say if a couple of teams get organised and decide to use their numbers on the front of the peleton to bring a break back. But you aint going to see much of that sort of thing in a 4th cat crit!
Yeah I know now that on paper I potentially have the power to finish somewhere near the front, but I'm completely happy aiming for mid pack in my first few/year if it means not coming a cropper! Cheers for the advice.
Would be a dream if I turned up and could just mind my own business at the front though, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon! 😆
On a side note I need to stop eating junk food, damn waitrose with their chocolate torsades, and lose a couple of KG to say 68kg. 😕
Guys, I may have missed this information somewhere but is there any chance of a sighting lap at Hillingdon on Saturday morning? I can get there nice and early if so.
crosshair
Guys, I may have missed this information somewhere but is there any chance of a sighting lap at Hillingdon on Saturday morning? I can get there nice and early if so.
I've just looked at the calendar, someone has it booked until 12:30. The imperial series starts at 12:30, but the race isn't due to start until 13:10 so there must be time?
I don't know how long the lap is but every crit I've ever done, you get at least 10 minutes rolling round/warming up on the circuit. Not just a blind start from the gun.
Don't be the last one to roll up on the line, or you'll be on the back foot from the start. There's no shame in lingering near the line until the comissaire stops people rolling round. Then you can get a good start....or at least time to miss clipping in and not be fighting off the back straight away trying to attach foot to pedal 🙂
The few I've done they usually have an area in the infield you can roll around before the start. And they've not been full gas from the line so start position not critical.
Don't be the last one to roll up on the line, or you'll be on the back foot from the start.
I wouldn't worry about this TBH*. Crits often start off very slow and cagey - more so in cat 4s where everybody just waits for the sprint and breaks are less likely to stick. Make an effort to move up early on while its slow tho and don't linger at the back in general - if you're near the front it's easier to respond to accelerations.
*unless you're an idiot like me who likes to attack from the gun. In which case wear MTB SPDs to ensure a smooth clip-in** and attack the start like it's a cyclocross race
**i've never actually done this
Make an effort to move up early on while its slow tho and don't linger at the back in general
Re this, you do quickly realise that the old saying that "if you're not going forwards you're going backwards" is very true. Easy to find yourself at the back of the pack very quickly. Something to keep in mind.
Good tips. 🙂
The hillingdon races are 25 laps (23.5 miles) aren't they? Does someone do a lap counter?
Looking forward to watching tomorrow. 8)
Races are time-based. I think the 4th cat race will be 40 or 45 minutes plus 5 laps. That equates to about 25 laps. Average pace is typically 2:00 (fast) to 2:20 (modest) per lap. You will have time to warm up on the circuit. It's not really a crit because there are no sharp corners, you can actually pedal the entire circuit (it was designed as such). Brian's Bends is the only slightly technical left- then right-hander. You can take that at full gas.
Say Hi. I'll be in my blue TCC Twickenham kit with a black and yellow helmet, white Giant Propel and with Teen 2 in tag as a course marshal.
Will do.
I'm hoping to be on [url= 
]THIS[/url], if I can figure out the bearings in time, if not then [url= 
]THIS[/url] with a Black/white kask helmet (black cap underneath), thick gloves and probably looking lost! 😆
Crits often start off very slow and cagey
I must come and race down south sometime in that case 😉
Maybe they haven't felt like a slow start cos I've been grappling to get clipped in....
I'm used to Zwift race starts at the moment so I should be leading for the first 50y 😉 😀
I think I'm a little bit early 😀
Haha a bit!
Setting off shortly, hopefully the twicks traffic isn't too bad!
Good luck all!
I'm here now, some really nice bikes!!
Ouch! that was tough. I got lapped 4 times and pulled off when they had 2 to go. I got a new FTP so not all bad I suppose!
Great atmosphere though and some great blokes. I did my best to keep out of the way but the bunch were polite, courteous and vocal when passing and it never felt at all sketchy.
I reckon I might get light enough to hang with the bunch by this time 2017 😀
@crosshair what kit/bike were you out on? Good show!
I've got some videos of you all flying by, I was the guy sat on one of the benches just passed the start line with my bike and a bright neck thingy on lol
I was in my shiny new TFC Kit from Zwift. Bright yellow with short sleeves and bib shorts riding a tasty Triban 5 with MTB SPD's 🙂
Much like my first crit, it looks like you used up a lot of your effort staying out of trouble 🙂 Worth checking out the data from those with a PM who finished in the bunch, generally much less effort expended.
I reckon I might get light enough to hang with the bunch by this time 2017
With that sort of effort and a bit of experience you should have no trouble. Less weight wouldn't make much difference.
So you signed up for round 2? 🙂
Sadly, winter Saturdays off are almost unheard of. I need to carefully check the dates.
I actually loved it! I found the people friendlier than say the XCRampage crowd and certainly felt less intimidated than at CX.
Sorry to the kind guys who worked with me for a few laps- I would have taken more pulls if I wasn't so knackered and dejected 😀
Yes, definitely inefficient but I sat in quite well for the first lap. Down the start finish straight, I remember them stringing out in front and of course, I was rolling into the next corner whilst the front runners were half way up the hill and then PING, that was that!
Ah I remember seeing a guy on a silver/grey Triban chapeau!
Are you doing it next weekend?
Start:
Slow mo finish (I'd turn the volume off/down): 😆
Rode the 4th cat at the back wearing my YGA#. Shouted a bit, coached a bit, encouraged a bit, helped a few riders get back into the bunch. Overall, it was a reasonable race. Pace was not too high. A lot of bunching into the wind past the clubhouse, brakes were applied, but largely the riding was of a good standard. The rider who attacked stayed away for 10 points. A good move given the windy conditions.
Then I raced the E123 race (I'm yellow 48). I've had a kidney infection and not ridden for two weeks, so this was always a training race. Team mate attacked on lap 1 so I blocked for a lap or so, then dropped back to midpack and stayed there. Not much for the sprint and it didn't matter as riders were on the grass on that last lap. Think I was 33rd , middle tritile. Happy with that. Teen2 is happy because he earned £30 as a marshal.
Well done all. Say hi next week.
#yellow gilet of authority
Yeah the guy who won was on his own for at least the last 5 laps or so? Took me a lap or two to realise he was leading as he suddenly had such a large gap.
@tired did you have something dangling of your helmet? or was that someone else? If it was you I think I passed you near the club house but you were deep in conversation with someone and I was shivering and dying to get back on the bike to warm up!
If my licence shows up next week then I'll book in for the Saturday, unfortunately I'm not around the following Saturday.
The dangles are my clubmate rufus, they are to remember his wife who died recently taking that selfie on her bike. I was always at the back as I was the rolling marshall/coach/commissaire.
Obviously I didn't contest or attack, but the race needed a few more attacks to be honest.
If have paid online a printout of the BC page is all that is required.
I saw you rock up at the start TiRed 🙂 I started on row 2 on the inside and slowly worked my way backwards from there 😀
@tired the one that states Race Silver Membership? Can't see anywhere where it shows my licence. (sorry)
Ok so without starting a new 'credible cat 4' thread, what can I reasonably do to improve?? Practice group riding is number one I suppose and losing a couple of stone close behind 😀
Considering the two laps when I was cruising around at 17mph wondering whether to quit, I was quite pleased with my power. Best 20mins was 316w and laps one and two were 365w+!! Average for the race was 295 and weighted was 310.
Do more of them.
In the space of about 4 races I went from staying out of trouble but taking a load of wind and riding mostly z3/z4 to comfortably riding in the pack at z1/z2 expending not much effort. You just need to know what's going on and be in the right places at the right times (so not dangling off the back going into a series of slow bends!)
I'm sure TiRed is your man for advice though.
Zwift structured training? Then rest Thurs/Fri.
Now you've got your numbers maybe try and tuck in @300w?
I have no idea though, so looking forward to hearing replies. 😆
😯
How do you get popped off the back putting out a 295w average? Are you leaving too big a gap to rider(s) in front to get a proper tow?
Edit: Wrong time of year for it, but race pace group rides (apr's are good) get you used to riding close to others whilst going hard.
@MrBlobby Yes, you are right.
I enjoyed it immensely too- the surface is lovely and quick!
It just seems crazy that I missed such an obvious point. I was repeating my little 'forward not backwards' mantra for the first lap and actually moving up in places but I guess my positioning was just off enough to wear me out too soon.
Ah, bit harder work to get some shelter then.
I look out for blokes like you cos if i get the wheel its freewheeling time 😀
I seemed to have a constant train behind me around Ride London 😀
As i learned but didnt continue with, dont ride by numbers use your brains. Get tucked in the bunch, work to stay there and conserve energy, then fight at the finish. My best Crit was Iike this after following TiReds advice and i showed at 290w average. My "turbo ftp" was lower.
As for improvement - again as i found out find your power profile (hunter allen test on TR) then work on your weaknesses as well as the overall. Im hitting my max 2016 FTP in winter training which according to prior annual profile is 10% less than Ill end up in March (start XC season). Ive just performed and found some some 850w sprint sessions less than challenging, with sprint as my strength, plus a test race i entered showing strong on short climbs so all is looking good for 2017 MTB XC.
The old "find your strengths work on your weakness" adage seems to work for me. Im bravely entering a pan flat CX race on an mtb deliberatley to push my long interval strength / cardio as i wont have the gears or position to compete against drop bars and better gear ratios.
Hmmm. Can do the 17th if I ditch the SPAM winter challenge on the 18th...... that's actually a tough decision....
I wasn't riding by numbers I can assure you!
I wish I had onboard footage to review though as it would be great to see when I just drifted off too far. I was on the left of the bunch down the start/finish straight the lap I lost touch so probably catching the wind too much.
My powercal average was 228 watts for the back of the pack. 256 for the E123. I did try and encourage backmarkers to move into the gaps. Shelter is everything in racing and there was a strong wind today. Race craft will get you to the finish. I expect a gap just opened and a moments loss off focus and off you go. I got dropped going down a slope earlier this year! Most of surviving is mental. There is nothing wrong with the engine. But racing is full on concentration.
I'm 69 kilos today and 179cm.
