First race in 8 years.

[jazmo]

Rode my first race (criterium) in 8 years last night!!!

I forgot how much hard work it is !!! Felt very ordinary after the race but managed to get second place in D grade.

Joined up with Blackburn Cyling Club (Vic) and had a race at the METEC course last night. It's a pretty good course out there.

Might have to shave my legs soon.

 

[cfsmtb]

Originally posted by jazmo
Rode my first race (criterium) in 8 years last night!!!

I forgot how much hard work it is !!! Felt very ordinary after the race but managed to get second place in D grade.

Joined up with Blackburn Cyling Club (Vic) and had a race at the METEC course last night. It's a pretty good course out there.

Might have to shave my legs soon.

Ahhhaa, wait until someone tries to convince you waxing is better, ouch!!!
2nd in the crit is an excellent result, keep going & have fun.
BTW, Hippy, were you there too?

 

[Hippy]

"jazmo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Rode my first race (criterium) in 8 years last night!!!
>
> I forgot how much hard work it is !!! Felt very ordinary after the
race
> but managed to get second place in D grade.

Nice work!! Bunch sprint for the finish? Moving to C grade?

I've been told to try the Monday night track sessions, so if I live through one I might actually be
able to race METEC again. I renewed my race license last night too.

> Joined up with Blackburn Cyling Club (Vic) and had a race at the METEC course last night. It's a
> pretty good course out there.

I reckon it's the best one I've ridden in Melbourne. It's the trickiest for me at least with the
"hill" and then the sharp left. Do you race Glenvale on Sundays?

> Might have to shave my legs soon.

I'm of the shaved pegs clan at the moment...

hippy

 

[Hippy]

"cfsmtb" <spam@spameggs&spam.com.vic> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ahhhaa, wait until someone tries to convince you waxing is better, ouch!!! 2nd in the crit is an
> excellent result, keep going & have fun. BTW, Hippy, were you there too?

Nah, I started missing METEC races before xmas so I could do the Thursday night track sessions. The
plan was to get my track skills up enough to move to the Monday track nights (non-novice) and then
I'd be free to race METEC again. I also let my race licence slide (wanted to save money for my
holiday) until I caved in and renewed it last night (My desire to race has increased recently for
some reason).

Yeah, that's cool man.. first race in 8 years and 2nd place! You obviously didn't let the bike
gather dust for those 8 years

hippy

 

[jazmo]

Originally posted by Hippy
"jazmo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Rode my first race (criterium) in 8 years last night!!!
>
> I forgot how much hard work it is !!! Felt very ordinary after the
race
> but managed to get second place in D grade.

Nice work!! Bunch sprint for the finish? Moving to C grade?

I've been told to try the Monday night track sessions, so if I live through one I might actually be
able to race METEC again. I renewed my race license last night too.

> Joined up with Blackburn Cyling Club (Vic) and had a race at the METEC course last night. It's a
> pretty good course out there.

I reckon it's the best one I've ridden in Melbourne. It's the trickiest for me at least with the
"hill" and then the sharp left. Do you race Glenvale on Sundays?

> Might have to shave my legs soon.

I'm of the shaved pegs clan at the moment...

hippy

Someone broke away with about 4 laps to go. I gave chase but could not catch him, he finished about 70 m in front of me and the 3rd placed rider finished around 70 metres behind me.

I also found the course a bit tricky to start with, I was a bit tentative about the sharp left before the final straight (i.e pedal hitting the ground) but soon got used to it.

I'll have to wait 'till next week to find out if I'm riding C grade I guess.

Are you still doing the 1/20 on Wednesdays with the Croydon Cycleworks group? It's a bummer that I can't make it these days.

 

[jazmo]

Originally posted by cfsmtb
Ahhhaa, wait until someone tries to convince you waxing is better, ouch!!!
2nd in the crit is an excellent result, keep going & have fun.
BTW, Hippy, were you there too?

Thanks cfsmtb! Yeah, I'll keep going with it and see how far I can go.

 

[flyingdutch]

Hey, this sounds all good!

I been thinking about going down and checking out the crit rides but dont know how to go about it or even where to go

My cousin rides Agrade down at (i think he said) cnr of springvale and Wellington Rds. Is this the METEC course you refer to?

How do you get graded/started/etc?

wots the 1/20 ride? I have heard of a group going from cycleworks in boxhill (they just put chorus04 on my steed for me - oooo-weeee!) and an 'Alpine in the suburbs' which sounds like fun (if thats youre idea of fun. burgundy st hill in 'friendly' rivalry just sounds naaasteh!)

can i play? huh,huh,huh???

 

[Hippy]

"jazmo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> Someone broke away with about 4 laps to go. I gave chase but could not catch him, he finished
> about 70 m in front of me and the 3rd placed rider finished around 70 metres behind me.

Wow, you don't often get finishes like that in crits. It's usually a bunch sprint. METEC gets lower
numbers than, say, Glenvale, so strange things happen

> I also found the course a bit tricky to start with, I was a bit tentative about the sharp left
> before the final straight (i.e pedal hitting the ground) but soon got used to it.

Sharp left? Do you mean the long, banking turn? I prefer that part of the circuit to the hill and
left hander at the back of the circuit.

> I'll have to wait 'till next week to find out if I'm riding C grade I guess.

Do you ride Glenvale at all? I might be there on Sunday.

> Are you still doing the 1/20 on Wednesdays with the Croydon Cycleworks group? It's a bummer that I
> can't make it these days.

Yeah, got myself a new PB the other night, took another 10 seconds off my time. I don't know if it
was the cold weather, carrying only 1 bidon or riding in the next higher gear that did it. Won the
final sprint too ;-)

hippy

 

[Hippy]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I been thinking about going down and checking out the crit rides but dont know how to go about it
> or even where to go

http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/racing/weekly_crits.html
http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/circuits/metec.html

> My cousin rides Agrade down at (i think he said) cnr of springvale and Wellington Rds. Is this the
> METEC course you refer to?

Nope. METEC is in Kilsyth which is out east. Not sure about the Springvale and Wellington Rd. thing,
but Glenvale Crescent criteriums on Sunday morning are popular. These are in Mulgrave I think, which
is near cnr Springvale/Princes Hwy. Okay, I just checked www.whereis.com.au and Glenvale IS the
circuit near Wellington Rd. in Mulgrave.

> How do you get graded/started/etc?

Turn up at a race, early! and tell them that this is your first race. You will need a race license
which most people have by way of joining a club, but you might still be able to get single race
licenses? I can't remember now. It will cost $5 per race at METEC and $10 at Glenvale + whatever
your license costs ($22 for a day lic?).

> wots the 1/20 ride? I have heard of a group going from cycleworks in boxhill (they just put
> chorus04 on my steed for me - oooo-weeee!) and
an
> 'Alpine in the suburbs' which sounds like fun (if thats youre idea of fun. burgundy st hill in
> 'friendly' rivalry just sounds naaasteh!)

http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/circuits/120.html

I don't know about cycleworks in Box Hill. The only 1:20 ride I've done is the Croydon Cycle Works
ride which leaves Wed nights at 6pm from the shop.

http://www.thehippy.net/Cycling/TrainingRides.asp

Basically:
6:15pm-8:15pm Croydon Cycleworks Road Ride (HILLS) where: Croydon Cycleworks, 182 Mount Dandenong
Rd, Croydon. Parking is available at shop when: every wed night leaves at 6.15pm sharp! duration:
varies around 2-2.5 hours aprox 50-60km via Sassafras and Olinda returning to Croydon don't
forget: lights, spares and pump, water, food

hth hippy

 

[flyingdutch]

wanting to do this too. My closest and most convenient raceclub appears to be HawthornCC and their racing at Yarra/Kew boulevard

Anyone raced this course?
rode around it last night briefly on my commute home.
All closed off and with a nasty little hill taking up about a quarter of the course, looks like it could be quite hard at racepace

 

[Hippy]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> wanting to do this too. My closest and most convenient raceclub
appears
> to be HawthornCC and their racing at Yarra/Kew boulevard
>
> Anyone raced this course? rode around it last night briefly on my commute home. All closed off and
> with a nasty little hill taking up about a quarter of the course, looks like it could be quite
> hard at racepace

I've heard the course is tough due to the hill. Never raced there myself though.

You do realise that you don't have to be a member of a particular club to race in their races? i.e.
you could be a Blackburn member and race at Carnegie-Caulfield's Glenvale Cres. crits on Sundays or
you could be a SKCC (St. Kilda) member and race at Blackburn's METEC crits on Thursday nights.

Let us know how you fare with whichever club and circuit you decide to try... local race reports
would be very cool!!!

hippy

 

[flyingdutch]

no i didnt realise that (but if i had thought about it a bit I probably would have nutted it out!)

looks like a course that you could get dropped on very easily
Really sharp hairpin turns left and up the hill and I guess if youre not on a wheel or ready to get out of that corner

you mentioned I must be fast cos of all the k's I do

Probably not, sadly
I do alota K's but probably not fast enough and rarely any kind of sprinting (apart from to make the occasional light!)

I can stick with pretty much any group along Beach Rd and have done a few audaxes (including the Alpine Classic in Jan- ouch. that one hurt)

From what I can gather the constant acceleration and change of pace is probably going to be my downfall
(now if I could be leadout man for someone else; that would suit me)

Anyway, shall wander out there tomorrow night and see what happens. might go out to Medway on Sunday if Danny(and Mel) is racing out there too

 

[Richard Sherrat]

On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 23:34:03 GMT, flyingdutch
<[email protected]> wrote:

>wanting to do this too. My closest and most convenient raceclub appears to be HawthornCC and their
>racing at Yarra/Kew boulevard
>
>Anyone raced this course? rode around it last night briefly on my commute home. All closed off and
>with a nasty little hill taking up about a quarter of the course, looks like it could be quite hard
>at racepace

I haven't raced there myself, but I know people who do. It's a tough little course. Ride round it a
few times at close to race speed before getting serious. There are a couple of corners where the
camber is a bit tricky. And if you fall, it's a non-skid surface. Abrasive

--
Regards. Richard.

 

[Hippy]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:bDiYb.72983
> Probably not, sadly I do alota K's but probably not fast enough and rarely any kind of sprinting
> (apart from to make the occasional light!) From what I can gather the constant acceleration and
> change of pace is probably going to be my downfall (now if I could be leadout man for someone
> else; that would suit me)

Yeah, if you are doing lots of k's but no fast k's, you'll be good at long distance, slow k's... who
woulda thunk it?! That means that your first crit could be a very rude surprise. The more you do
though, the faster you get (though no less painful). I'm a sprinter.. you can lead out for me
anytime!

> Anyway, shall wander out there tomorrow night and see what happens. might go out to Medway on
> Sunday if Danny(and Mel) is racing out there too

Medway?

hippy

 

[flyingdutch]

doooh, Glenvale!

just realised that boroondara travel meeting is on tonight.
Oh, well. next week...

need to get the 13-29 cluster off my bike anyway. was handy on the Alpine Classic but i guess that would spin out on a crit course

hey, hippy. wots wit de bar end shifters on your peugot roadbike?
does this mean you ride on the drops all the time?

im not too worried re cornering. got some great lessons in counter-steering from a pal in the Adelaide hills over the xmas break which came in real handy coming down FallsCreek and Buffalo. makes a huge difference. the flying elbows might be another thing tho...

 

[Hippy]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> need to get the 13-29 cluster off my bike anyway. was handy on the Alpine Classic but i guess that
> would spin out on a crit course

Not necessarily. I generally ride in the big ring (and so do most other riders I think) when racing
in crits. I'm sure it plays havoc with cluster/chain life, but you'll often see racers in the big-
>small combination. This gives you the smallish gears needed to spin and the larger gears for
chasing breaks and sprinting without the risk of dropping a chain when shifting with the front derr.
You would be pretty fast if you were spinning out the big ring and 13T combo Still, if you have
a 23-11 or something, that's what most people would be using I think.

> hey, hippy. wots wit de bar end shifters on your peugot roadbike? does this mean you ride on the
> drops all the time?

Barcons? Which pix did you see them on? That's actually the bike as it was 'before' I owned it. I
bought the frame/fork used and added a new groupset (with "standard" STI shifters), new wheels,
seat, post, bars, stem, etc. I only rode the bike for a weekend with the barcons, testing it before
I bought it and I'd generally be on the tops until a shift was needed and I moved to the ends of
the drops.

> im not too worried re cornering. got some great lessons in counter- steering from a pal in the
> Adelaide hills over the xmas break which
came
> in real handy coming down FallsCreek and Buffalo. makes a huge difference. the flying elbows might
> be another thing tho...

Wish I had the same training! Corner? What corner? No body told me about corners.. smack!

hippy

 

[Shabby]

Originally posted by Hippy
[
Not necessarily. I generally ride in the big ring (and so do most other riders I think) when racing
in crits. I'm sure it plays havoc with cluster/chain life, but you'll often see racers in the big-
>small combination. This gives you the smallish gears needed to spin and the larger gears for
chasing breaks and sprinting without the risk of dropping a chain when shifting with the front derr.
You would be pretty fast if you were spinning out the big ring and 13T combo Still, if you have
a 23-11 or something, that's what most people would be using I think.
hippy [/B]

If you're riding C or D, a 12-21 with a 53 or 52 is probably standard issue for crits, although you'll probably never use the 12 because it's way too big to accelerate out of the corners. It's a different story for road race type sprints, which tend to wind up from a long way out.

 

[flyingdutch]

ok, that sounds good. was
figuring it would just all be 53/13-14-15-16-17 anyways
(altho my new 10spd chorus does seem to be a bit less liking the more extreme angles...)

the barend shifters were on your site (my bikes - i think)

if you have ever ridden a motorbike, that is the best way to learn counter steering. Its all about: outside leg straight, inside knee hugging the top tube (not pointed into the corner!), hips/shoulders pointed OUTWARDS, inside shoulder forward, **** back.
Sound slike a lot but once you get the hang of it, its amazing!
the first time i nailed it, i almost hit the inside of the corner !!!

 

[Hippy]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> ok, that sounds good. was figuring it would just all be
53/13-14-15-16-
> 17 anyways (altho my new 10spd chorus does seem to be a bit less
liking
> the more extreme angles...)

Alas, I only know the feeling of 9spd.

> the barend shifters were on your site (my bikes - i think)

Fair enough. They are just old photos. I don't bother updating the pics much. I thought I had put
pictures of "my" bike up though, that's all.

> if you have ever ridden a motorbike, that is the best way to learn counter steering. Its all
> about: outside leg straight, inside knee hugging the top tube (not pointed into the corner!),
> hips/shoulders pointed OUTWARDS, inside shoulder forward, **** back. Sound slike a
lot
> but once you get the hang of it, its amazing! the first time i nailed it, i almost hit the inside
> of the corner !!!

I've been gaining some confidence on the 1in20 ride on Wed's (tonight actually). I still hang right
back because if I come off I don't want people watching! But if I'm in touch with the bunch on
the final downhill, I might try and keep up just to have a go at the sprint. It's strange for me -
left hand turns are not such an issue, but right hand turns seem much slower and less confident??
I'll never be a great descender but I'll get better...

hippy

 

[Shabby]

Originally posted by Hippy
[BIt's strange for me -
left hand turns are not such an issue, but right hand turns seem much slower and less confident??
hippy [/B]

Totally normal for people driving on LHS of road. Most crits have only left turns, road races are almost always loop courses that go anti-clockwise, and most high speed turns on the road are left handers (whereas you usually stop for right hand turns). Also track racing is always anti-clockwise (all leaning to left).

Now you know why, work on it and you'll have an advantage over other people.