Is 40 too old??

freeagent35

It's never too old to start racing, but you have to be honest about what you want. If you want to go out and finish mid pack and have fun, then you can do so by keeping a reasonable regimen. If you want to move up classes and compete with the fast guys, it WILL become a 2nd job to some extent in terms of diet, committment to fitness, equipment (and expense).

I raced BMX, then road, then mountain, and then a mix over about 15 years. I am a bigger guy (5'8, 175 lbs). What I learned was to focus on my weaknesses (weight, climbing) while maximizing my strengths (bike handling, sprinting, and pain tolerance). I'd get a book on racing (Greg Lemond's, etc.) as they contain tons of great tips on pack skills and racing tactics. Little things like learning how to draft in echelon with a cross wind can make a big difference in how much energy you burn. Overall, if you are new to racing, learn how to sit in and conserve as much energy as you can, saving it for those times when it will best serve you. Also, eat/drink often. I have trounced many a faster guy over longer distances because they don't eat/drink. I try to drink a bottle an hour and have a small granola bar or something about every 60 to 75 minutes. My last 20 minutes before the finish I usually consume a gel packet and find that these give a great last effort boost (especially the ones with caffeine). There are also some great recovery drinks out there that really seem to help with post ride recovery so you'll be ready for action sooner. Post ride massage (I use a rolling pin) is great for recovery as well.

Your bike is likely just fine. If you have any areas of nagging discomfort (back, neck, knees, etc.) consider having a "fit kit" done to make sure your riding position is optimum. The longer the distances and higher the exertion, the more little errors in setup will show and reduce performance through pain and fatigue.

If you want to consider an upgrade look first at WHEELS and tires. Rotating weight is most crucial and you will get more performance per dollar here than anywhere else. Neuvation has some great semi aero wheels that they are selling at discount right now. I haven't ridden them, but reviews and consumer opinions are very good. I personally run Ksyrium SSC SL and Cane Creek Aerohead. The CC's are a lot cheaper and if running criterium type races, or slower races with a lot of climbs, they would be my pick. Otherwise, I think a semi aero wheel is definitely the way to go. High quality Kevlar tires can be had for pretty cheap prices via mail order if you look around. I buy them cheap and change them out fairly early (at race speeds, any loss of traction can be serious, and they seem to have more rolling resistance when you develop a flat spot in the center of the tread. (Not worth saving a few $ versus eating pavement).

If you don't already train with a heart rate monitor, I would start. Many of us tend to overtrain or overdo it. At 40 plus, the chance of this being fatal certainly would seem to increase. I also find that I recover faster if I try to stay in zone (and out of redline more often). Using one religously really helped my fitness. If you are really serious, the concensus is that power measurement (wattage) is the best measure. You can get set up with a Polar 720i and a power measurement option for about $500 to $600.

I will say this, in closing. After racing off and on for many years, I pretty much gave it up. It just felt too much like a 2nd job and took away the fun of riding for me. I find fast recreational rides (weekend group rides) to be more satisfying. You get a lot of the same feeling (sprinting for stop signs, breakaways, and the "finish line") depending upon the group, but without the added expense and pressure of an organized race. I found that unless I finished in the top few places I just wasn't happy. And my HRM showed me that in doing so I wasn't always being very wise (pushing myself over the limit). Whatever you decide, just try to have fun, and ask around as a lot of guys are wiling to give you tips and help (true with mountain bikers more than true roadies, but there are always at least a few nice people to be found.)