fast riders racing in the 'fun' category

Does it happen?

Only ive entered the Cannock winter classic for next February as something to train for, but i’m wondering what sort of people im going to be facing.

I’ve entered the fun category as it sounded about right for someone of average fitness.

I reckon i’ll do alright (ie: not last), but will i be getting my legs ripped off by fast riders who want an easy podium finish? or do the more experienced riders self regulate and enter the appropriate category?

I guess im perhaps a little bit nervous, as my one and only race i did in 2007 was a complete disaster i don’t want to repeat.

It’s all relative… the ones who win the Gorrick ‘FUN’ races would be trounced in Elite Mens….

So yes… they do.. but it’s not always a deliberate action just to get a race win.

IMO one you podium in Fun you should not be allowed to ride in that catagory again.

An old ‘un, but a goodun!

Fun class racing no fun anymore!

I reckon i’ll do alright

If you only have fun you’ll be doing alright in that category, surely?

In my opinion, it becomes an issue when people are put off entering the fun category for fear of coming dead last/making a fool of themselves.

On the flip side I love it when people on the start line are complaining along the lines of ‘if such and such raced the category he should be in, I’d have got 10th’…..yeah, and if everyone else went up a category you’d win by default…

There is as always (usually) someone faster….

There will be some slow & tubby veteran (like me) who objects 🙂

If you’re bothered by who beats you, where is the ‘fun’?

The thing I love about racing is that whatever class you’re in and whatever position in that class, you’ll find a race within a race. It becomes about beating the people around you, up the front is a different race. I guarantee if you give it your all, even if you have to fight to not be in last position, you’ll be beaming when you stop.
If you back off and mentally give up before the end you’ll feel lousy so don’t do this!

Once you nail a couple of top 10% finishes or just when you want to, then time to move up a cat and feel proud of yourself for making it.

IMO if your truely average fitness then race sport,

Did a fun class race many years back when I was fit(hectic time schedule meant I couldn’t make the sport class), didn’t feel good about it, but felt justified as I only raced for fun anyway. I started at the back,gave it everything I had, and finished with nobody in sight. Turns out I was third, and the first two were miles ahead of me, still wonder now if they were doing it for fun as well.

This is why points should be awarded and recorded on a license so cheats cant prosper

Have fun and go for it.

It’s all relative. Long time ago I used to give my all in fun and come nowhere. Then got a coach, joined a well known team and first race out went into fun as last time I raced it was enough. Well found myself in all the sponsored team kit out front with one other. Red mist descended and we had a coming together with about half a mile to go which resulted in a bloody face for me and a broken wheel. Made me realise that it was time for a life of mediocrity in Masters :).

I doubt if my experience is unique. You don’t really know where you stack up until you race.

That sounds Fun!

Fun isn’t a BC sanctioned category anyway, and how many people are likely to give it a go if they need a licence?!

There may be some trophy hunters, but it’s not like there’s much bragging in doing ‘fun’, so unlikely to be many. Just do it and enjoy yourself.

Appreciate you shouldnt need a license for fun so maybe anyone getting top 5 say in fun automatically gets a license or at least has their results recorded to try and weed out the glory hunters?

average fitness then race sport

Not sure about that, I’ve been racing two seasons now and would classify myself as average fitness and pretty quick on a bike compared to your average rider (well those I see at trail centres…)

Racing open I tend to be mid third. On endurance events like Torq I do slightly better usually top half. Aim for 2014 is to be racing Sport. If I moved to Sport now I reckon I’d be lucky to not come dead last. Different league if you ask me.

So many sport riders should ride expert then ?

I think there are a lot of trophy hunters. First Open race I did, there was one keen looking young lad on the start line who openly admitted he was fed up of coming 3rd or 4th in sport so he entered open to win something. Hardly sporting.

There has been a huge creep in standards since I first raced in the early 90s. Sport is far faster than it used to be I reckon.

So many sport riders should ride expert then ?

Well given that sport seems to be rammed and Expert has hardly anyone in it, I’d say so.

To be honest, I’d rather be able to call myself an Expert rider than do well in Sport, but that’s just me. It’s not like the prizes are worth anything, it’s all about kudos.

Appreciate you shouldnt need a license for fun so maybe anyone getting top 5 say in fun automatically gets a license or at least has their results recorded to try and weed out the glory hunters?

Is that the same licence that everyone else has to pay £70 for, or a different licence? Are you only allowed to do one fun race before stumping up £70? Etc etc. Who follows which cat riders enter? If you do a fun Southern race and win, are you then excluded from Gorrick and Midlands races? Impossible to police.

There has been a huge creep in standards since I first raced in the early 90s. Sport is far faster than it used to be I reckon.

Dunno about that far back, but I reckon it’s been about the same the 12 years I’ve been racing. There’s always a few ‘ringers’ in virtually any category!

I usually ride Elite (I am one of the 10 slowest Elite riders in the whole country)
However, I may try a coupe of fun or open races early next year because a) I am coming back from injury and they are shorter and b) I will be riding a rigid singlespeed which would result in good kicking in Elite/Expert races and be no fun.
I genuinely have no idea what my speed or stamina will be like in a few weeks when I can ride again and so will use it as a test event. I expect some (hopefully good-natured) abuse on the start line, and then to be really slow and fit in well when the race starts!
There are usually others there who really don’t know if they will be fast (maybe really fit roadies or marathon runners who are just starting out in MTB and testing the water with a fun race)
.
Fast is relative anyway, if I can finish on the same lap as Oli or Liam I have had a very good race! I will probably go off to Masters next year, I am now old 🙁
.
Note that the winner of a fun category race will always be mocked, he should have done ‘Sport’.

so cheats cant prosper

Who is cheating?

I’m no where near good enough to be promoted to expert (you need to be top 15 in sport in the country at the end of the season) yet I’ve won ‘open’ races where you didn’t need a license. I didn’t feel bad about it, I got to stand on the podium (after a really good battle with another lad) and get a prize. It made me want to improve and do well in the next category up. At the nationals I was a lowly 56th, regionals I’m top 20 so yes, I should (just about (lower end)) be racing in Sport. If you’re pitching up for the fun category and rinsing everyone it can’t be much ‘fun’ just riding round on your own – to me that wouldn’t be much of a challenge and would soon become boring.

Njee (hope he doesn’t mind me saying) races expert and there’s a world apart between him and me – I certainly wouldn’t want to be racing in the same bracket as him (well not until I lose three stone and develop some proper lungs). As much as its no fun riding round at the front on your own, its no fun being at the back either.

Forcing folk to move up a category will just stop them from racing with the knock on effect of fewer racers turning up, less money for the event and eventually less events. There’s a chap on here (won’t name names) who constantly whinges about people ‘racing in classes they shouldn’t be racing’ and stating he’d have come top 20 if they’d have gone in another class. To me that’s just throwing your toys out the pram, either get faster, stop moaning or give up.

Njee (hope he doesn’t mind me saying) races expert and there’s a world apart between him and me – I certainly wouldn’t want to be racing in the same bracket as him (well not until I lose three stone and develop some proper lungs). As much as its no fun riding round at the front on your own, its no fun being at the back either.

Don’t be too sure! A distinct lack of fitness means I’m firmly ensconced in the ‘getting a kicking’ bracket at the moment, but because I have an expert licence rather feel I ought to stay put (and frankly dropping down does seem like regression). It’s a rather dull place to be though! Perhaps I ought to return to training, rather than just riding my bike a bit!

I class myself as ‘fit’…. I am quick at trailcentres uphill….. However i struggled to get top 50% in ‘fun’ LOL.

Njee – Did you do the Brass Monkeys at the weekend? Brutal although I was racing with a hangover (which I’m using as an excuse). I do like racing with those in higher categories though, shows you how properly quick they are.

Dunno about that far back, but I reckon it’s been about the same the 12 years I’ve been racing.

First time I raced sport, aged 19 or so, with no training other than a bit of riding, I was about top 1/3. 10 years later I’d done loads of proper training and was vastly fitter, I again came top 1/3 in sport.

The OP is worried about entering the Fun cat but is talking about training.

That sums up the problem

I’ve only ever raced in the Gorrick Vets and it was often the fastest class due to loads of super-fit ex-Roadies. My aim was not to be lapped and in the top half.

Seemed not right to enter the Fun category, as i didn’t race for ‘fun’!

I’m old, fat and unfit and to make the top half of fun would be an achievement for me. I’ve always believed in any sport that pride should have you playing at the best level you can just about survive in. You keep going up until you find that level, then you gradually work back down again clinging on as long as you can.

If you get pride simply out of beating biffers like me so you can stand on the podium in fun class you’re made of something different to me.

Like i said, in the grand scheme I’m a distinctly ordinary cyclist but i was a decent cricketer so to put it in that context – I could have played for the local village and made thousands of runs a season but I moved up a few grades and played at a level where most weeks you’d play against first class overseas players, including occasionally players with Test match or ODI experience. I only made two league tons in my career, but I’m immensely proud of them, and i wouldn’t swap either of them for 50 tons against Highmoor Village 2XI.

The OP is worried about entering the Fun cat but is talking about training.

There is a ‘first timer’ category that just didn’t seem right. Then it goes ‘fun’, ‘enthusiast’ then ‘pro/expert’.

I ride on average once a week, and at 33 am no spring chicken. I am planning on using this race as a warm up for the midlands xc series which I’d like to have a go at.

Like many I’d like to be fitter, but always find excuses not to ride, I am hoping entering a race will give me the focus to get out more. As a reference for my fitness, on a good day I can do ftd at Cannock in about 40 minutes, surely that’s not considered fast?

Its a catch 22 isn’t it. Its a race, the aim is to win. But if you do win you should be in the category ahead

I did a series in the fun category one year. My mate did the same series. I think he was abou 20 th first race. But he piled on the fitness and one the last race, by mikes. I wasn’t riding as I was ill so I could hear the mid filed moaning about trophy hunters in front of them

I was thinking you could thrashed by some one who has not touched a bike in 6 weeks, deal with it. His time would have put him fourth in the sport race…

Surely there will always be a winner though. Promoting the top 5 would just see someone else winning and then what would you? Promote them aswell? Making every one have a licence is a sure fire way of making racing even less attractive, especially to newbies.Surely if youre “racing” for fun, does it matter whet anyone else is doing. The clues in the name, its just for fun.If soneone is taking it really seriously, does it matter?

I usually ride Elite (I am one of the 10 slowest Elite riders in the whole country)
However, I may try a coupe of fun or open races early next year because a) I am coming back from injury and they are shorter and b) I will be riding a rigid singlespeed which would result in good kicking in Elite/Expert races and be no fun.

Does it work the same as the road system. have you retained enough points in the season to stay elite? If not do you go down to expert?

Personally think you should race in the category you have your licence in? Surely they’d know you are elite?

Does it work the same as the road system. have you retained enough points in the season to stay elite? If not do you go down to expert?

Yes although I can’t remember how many. I think once you’ve got into expert you never drop down to sport though*

*I could have dreamt all of this

It’s not just a cycling thing this, I used to do motorbike trackdays and always went in intermediate, it was where I should be tbh. Then one day, I realised it was full of bellend failed or wannabe racers, who were fast enough to be in the fast group but went in intermediate so that they could overtake lots of people and feel like superheroes.

So from that day on I went into the fast group, where most people were not bellends.

Just be assured that if there’s anyone in fun class who shouldn’t be, they’re a dick. If they beat you, they will still be dicks.

I’d love to know what you would hope to learn racing a fun race if you are “elite?”

Fun races are very short so it’s not about the distance and if you are elite you should be able to win a fun on any bike.

I race masters and do alright though I’m never going to win a national or anything but I’d never enter a fun race injured or not,

That’s just not right

There is a ‘first timer’ category that just didn’t seem right. Then it goes ‘fun’, ‘enthusiast’ then ‘pro/expert’.

Sounds like a much clearer and more sensible choice of categories than the usual array of ability and age cats on offer.

Then one day, I realised it was full of bellend failed or wannabe racers, who were fast enough to be in the fast group but went in intermediate so that they could overtake lots of people and feel like superheroes.

Being a ‘failed’ racer doesn’t make you a bad rider… i’d argue all the ex-racers i ride with are far more polite due to their time in racing circles and the ability to not panic helps greatly.

For myself i don’t mind being overtaken, undertaken or even a brutal bit of cutting up done to me.

In inters though i don’t do that much overtaking.

Out of interest, what constitutes a ‘failed’ racer ?

weeksy – Member

Being a ‘failed’ racer doesn’t make you a bad rider…

Never said it does? Obviously not talking about all ex-racers here. But the ones that aren’t bellends aren’t in inters pretending it’s a race.

my take on this, did one race last year, choice was fun. sport or masters. I commute 150miles a week on the road, so hardly fun category fitness… Masters, well, i do have an issue with an age cat that is more old experts than anything else.

I was always of the opinion, this is going back over the last 20+ years, fun, was fun no prizes, no kudos, first few races but then into sport where you start racing properly. If good go to expert than elite. If crap stay in sport.

I do think that having open fun sport etc doesn’t really help. The road, 4,3,2,1 system,means you know what your getting.

I finished mid field which is fine, i got a good kicking, realised how unfit i was and gave me something to think about.

And for the OP, if you enter a few races over next year you’ll either give up or want to do better. For my riding-buddy and me we took the second option, and went from last to mid-pack within the year.

It really helped my MTBing, and even though I’ve not raced for a few years now I’m still fit plus realise that been fit makes it so much more pleasurable.

I’d love to know what you would hope to learn racing a fun race if you are “elite?”

How well my knee injury has healed!
I would like to try open for my first race back so that I have some competition, if I tried an Elite/Expert race straight away they would all just bugger off into the distance as soon as the gun went, I’ll try harder if here are other people racing near me. I could try Sport I suppose, no need of a licence for that IIRC.

I am one of the 10 slowest Elite riders in the whole country

That almost made me choke on my tea. 😀

Nice to know that even Elite riders suffer from feelings of inadequacy. Bet you’re still faster than 99% of ‘normal’ riders though.

I’ve never raced – and doubt I ever will. But if I did, I’d likely try the Fun class first and see how I placed. If I did well, I’d move up to the next class. I’d then keep doing that until I found a level where I was consistently placing somewhere in the middle of the field. I’d then stay there and work towards trying to place higher in that class.

Comfortably winning a ‘Fun’ race as a really fit and competent racer must be a hollow victory, but if I was racing in that class and lost to such a person, I doubt it would bother me too much.