Am I good enough?

DJD.

steve

I've been road biking for a while by myself and want to know if I'm good enough for competitive racing. I'd be in the Junior category (as I'm under 18) and I normally bike at around 20 mph, but my fastest speed on a 20+ mile ride was 25 mph.

My advice would be to simply join a club and start racing. Also try to go on group training rides, clubs often run these, its a great way to learn how to follow wheels and stay out of the wind.

You can't really compare racing speeds with training speeds.

Make sure you visit the training section of this forum, there is plenty of good advise there; Cycling Training - Cycling Forums (http://www.cyclingforums.com/cycling-training/)

regards

swampy1970

I've been road biking for a while by myself and want to know if I'm good enough for competitive racing.

Get a license and enter a race... You'll know way before the end of the race if you're good enough. It's pretty much the only way...

...I normally bike at around 20 mph, but my fastest speed on a 20+ mile ride was 25 mph.

If that was an average speed then you're in good shape but if that was just the fastest speed you hit you could be in for much fun and suffering - which makes things much more interesting!!!

Good luck and remember, it's not really fun until you've gone so hard you can't walk and you've puked up at the finish.

vspa

try first club rides then a race
It's hard mentally when you get drop too soon and too often !!

limerickman

Good advise thus far.

I just want to expand upon the joining the club advise.

After you join a club it is important to keep your performance level in perspective.
You may find that when you do join a club that you're struggling to keep up with your team mates on a training spin or in a race.

You've got to keep in mind that it takes time and effort to improve.
Your club coach should be advising and guiding you in relation to training/nutrition/race tactics.