Hey all new here - Am i too late?!

[Eyekon]

Hi all!

Firstly I'm Mark and I'm 27 from UK/England/Oxford.

I've always been into bikes from a young age. At first it was just standard mountain bikes and then from about 14 i got into downhill riding and went from a hardtail to a full sus and i loved it but got a bit tired of it as there's not too many places around Oxfordshire to ride a full sus. Then i got into Trials bikes and have since got married and had a little one so don't have much time for it now.

Anyway I'd like to get a road bike with eventually leading up to racing. Am i too late for training to race?
Can anyone throw some advice or show me some race rules or how they work?

It's all a bit random I know but I just feel like it's time

Also can anyone advise on a good starter/competition road bike?

Thanks
Mark

 

[danfoz]

Is it too late to start training to race? Absolutely not. Is it too late to be an elite, national level, or pro? Unless you have very special genetics, probably. Doesn't matter though as there are different categories based on level and experience.

In the states we have USAC, you blokes probably have something similar in Britain that someone else will have to steer you toward. It'll likely break down the rules and regs, fees, list partner orgs, list races, clubs, etc. A good bike shop is also a good place to get info on the local competitive scene.

I started racing on a **** bike with a few key upgrades. You don't need a bike the guys are racing in the Tour. But a smoothly functioning bike, and here's they... that fits you well, is essential. Definitely a bike from a proper bike shop and not a big department store (those bikes are usually on par with the quality of bikes found in toy shops, but maybe things are different in the UK).

Other than that you'll need to ride a lot. How much depends on your goals, your available time, and your motivation. With regular training it may take anywhere between a few months and a year to develop the strength for your first race. If you join a club or go on competitively spirited group rides you'll quickly find your place in the pecking order. Weekly training could be 6-10 hours a week for some entry level racing fun, 10-15 hours a week to realize some more lofty aspirations, or even more. But forget about that 3 x 30 minutes of cardio a week nonsense, that's for civilians./img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

Cheers

PS. check the road cycling and training threads as well - there's a lot of helpful information and advice directly related to your question.

 

[jhuskey]

Individuals have started at your age with no prior experience and become pros some have become elite pros but the odds are against you for sure. You can start at any age and race so set yourself some realistic goals , make some contacts in your area with a club or just an experienced cyclist and have fun.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

USA cycling regulations per USAC/USCF: http://www.usacycling.org/forms/USAC_rulebook.pdf

All fracking 278 pages of them! Hopefully GB is less...er...codified! Google up your regulating body and they will probably have a similar download of their rule book.

Any decent bike shop dealer will have very good bikes for beginning racing and training on. AS JH suggested, the best advice is to find a local club or a couple of racers to help guide you along. There really is a good bit to learn.

Enjoy the journey! Racing is a lot of fun at any age.