Is racing only for the young? Brisbane oldie

[Money_Shot]

Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.

 

[Boostland]

"Money_Shot" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
> raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
> perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.
>
> Do they have racing for older peoples??
>
> I hope so.
>
> Thanks.
>

I am 38 years old and am enjoying racing very much so, my 63 year old father
came and watched me in a few races and decided he would start racing as
well.

He started off with the Veterans in F grade and won his first race, he won
again the following week and was put up to E grade.
He struggled a bit in E and was dropped a few times as he was on the front
doing too much and they attacked when he was tired, so he was put back to F
grade.

He raced only one race in F grade as he made the old guys suffer as he was
dragging them around at a pace much higher than they wanted to ride at, he
totally smashed them on the last lap and the group was not even in sight
when he finished.
The following week the old guys in F grade refused to start the race if he
was in with them, so now he has to ride E grade and has learned not to do
too much work on the front and can stay with them no problems and even has a
go in the sprints.

I built him a track bike and he also has been track racing on the velodrome,
they only go as low as D grade so he struggles a bit when the pace gets
high, he is more suited to the longer distance events as he has good
endurance but lacks the power for the shorter events.

So if you consider 40 to be old what would you think if you had to race
against Colin Appleyard who is 76 years old and won the Australian masters
criterium championships ( for his age group ) last year, and rides in D
grade in Newcastle and is one of the pace setters in that grade.
I came back to racing after a 15 year break about a year ago and found
myself racing against him, when I got fitter after around a month or so of
racing he was the only rider that would come around me to do a turn into the
headwinds when I was driving the bunch at 36 to 38 km/h.

I am now riding in A grade for veterans and B grade at my club, I will be in
A grade if I get a 2nd or better, at this time I am not trying to get any
places as I want to win the B grade club championships next month and then
go up to A.

 

[Bleve]

On Mar 5, 10:44 pm, "Money_Shot" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
> raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
> perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.
>
> Do they have racing for older peoples??

Yes. There's even a veterans assoc (in rivalry to CA, cycling
australia/UCI masters cycling) if you don't like mixing it in with
people under 35.

 

[Darryl C]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Money_Shot" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi
>
> I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
> raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
> perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.
>
> Do they have racing for older peoples??
>
> I hope so.
>
> Thanks.

Waratahs Veterans Cycling Club in Sydney has six grades and is for old
folks exclusively:
<http://www.waratahvcc.asn.au/>

cheers,
Darryl

 

[Donga]

On Mar 5, 9:44 pm, "Money_Shot" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
> raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
> perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.
>
> Do they have racing for older peoples??
>
> I hope so.
>
> Thanks.

Gday MS - from another Brissie semi-youth (46). Yes, we race. So do
the real old farts - 70 years + - although I know one guy who is near
80 who is thinking about handing in his licence. Where do you live,
and I can give you some tips on where to ride.

Donga

 

[Patrick Keogh]

Money_Shot wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
> raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
> perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.
>
> Do they have racing for older peoples??
>
> I hope so.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
40? Old? Humbug!

 

[531Aussie]

Hi
.

I did an A-Grade vets race (over 35s) a few weeks ago which was probably the hardest race I've done in my life. I was wondering where all these "old" blokes got their speed from

 

[adam85]

Hi

I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.

Do they have racing for older peoples??

I hope so.

Thanks.

What's wrong with a harley or a convertible?

There are probably more masters (35+) racers in Brisbane than under 35 so why not give it a go?

Adam
(39.08)

 

[DeF]

Money_Shot wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am 40 years of age and have been cycling for about a year. I have never
> raced, but upon hearing the tales of "roid rage" above, it sounds like a
> perfect way to deal with a mid life crisis.
>
> Do they have racing for older peoples??
>
> I hope so.
>
> Thanks.
>
>

Very much so. I started racing in Nov 2005 at 41.
Won my first race at C-grade with the WCMCC (WA Masters
club). Got put up to B-grade the following race and
have been there ever since. Not won a B-grade race
but have placed several times.

It's a good way to meet other riders and talk bikes.
It's a good way to motivate you to get out and train.
If you watch any bike racing (eg TdF on telly), it
gives you an extra level of appreciation of the sport.

Note that it's not free (but it's not very expensive
either). You usually need to get a license ($130 in
WA) and play nomination fees for each race (typically
$10). Peanuts compared with the cost of a racing bike.

DeF.

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

 

[::dom::]

I've been cycling since I was 4 and only started racing about a year ago. You get out of bed earlier and train harder if you know there's races coming up.

A 49yo friend got into cycling about a year and has been through 10 years worth of bikes. He started with a x-mart MTB and then an entry level roadie followed by full carbon, full ultegra and now a Six-13 full DA. He had is first "proper" race a few weeks ago and was gobsmacked (I love that word) when he was dropped by "some wrinkley old ladies". But he loved it so he dropped a grade and won his first race.

Go for it! I race with people half my age and half my weight.

 

[Money_Shot]

"Donga" <[email protected]> wrote >
> Gday MS - from another Brissie semi-youth (46). Yes, we race. So do
> the real old farts - 70 years + - although I know one guy who is near
> 80 who is thinking about handing in his licence. Where do you live,
> and I can give you some tips on where to ride.
>
> Donga

Thanks Donga.

I'm in Kenmore. I commute to Chermside 3 days a week. Sometimes I ride out
to Redcliffe, but never do I ride Mt Cootha, although lately I've been
thinking about including it in my ride a few days a week. Note only thinking
about it...

One of these days I'll have to get that council CD of the cycle paths!!

So, there is some racing to be had in Bris! Great news.

 

[Donga]

On Mar 6, 9:51 pm, "Money_Shot" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Donga" <[email protected]> wrote >
>
> > Gday MS - from another Brissie semi-youth (46). Yes, we race. So do
> > the real old farts - 70 years + - although I know one guy who is near
> > 80 who is thinking about handing in his licence. Where do you live,
> > and I can give you some tips on where to ride.
>
> > Donga
>
> Thanks Donga.
>
> I'm in Kenmore. I commute to Chermside 3 days a week. Sometimes I ride out
> to Redcliffe, but never do I ride Mt Cootha, although lately I've been
> thinking about including it in my ride a few days a week. Note only thinking
> about it...
>
> One of these days I'll have to get that council CD of the cycle paths!!
>
> So, there is some racing to be had in Bris! Great news.

Forget the CD, you can find the council paths on the web on
OurBrisbane (the CD should be free, but they want folk to pay for it -
pah!).

Then check www.bikely.com for routes.

As for racing, get onto www.roadgrime.com.au for info about road
riding in SE Qld.

Your closest racing might be the crits run by the Ipswich Cycle Club,
somewhere around Jindalee. It's supposed to be a nice circuit - search
for threads on RoadGrime.

Also check the Nundah crits on Wed evenings in summer - on the way
home from work for you (the long way round). That club (Hamilton Pine
Rivers) also races Nundah on weekends and they have races at the
Lakeside circuit in the north.

Lots of other races too, e.g. Murarrie and on the road.

donga

Donga

 

[adam85]

On Mar 6, 9:51 pm, "Money_Shot" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Donga" <[email protected]> wrote >
>
> > Gday MS - from another Brissie semi-youth (46). Yes, we race. So do
> > the real old farts - 70 years + - although I know one guy who is near
> > 80 who is thinking about handing in his licence. Where do you live,
> > and I can give you some tips on where to ride.
>
> > Donga
>
> Thanks Donga.
>
> I'm in Kenmore. I commute to Chermside 3 days a week. Sometimes I ride out
> to Redcliffe, but never do I ride Mt Cootha, although lately I've been
> thinking about including it in my ride a few days a week. Note only thinking
> about it...
>
> One of these days I'll have to get that council CD of the cycle paths!!
>
> So, there is some racing to be had in Bris! Great news.

Forget the CD, you can find the council paths on the web on
OurBrisbane (the CD should be free, but they want folk to pay for it -
pah!).

Then check www.bikely.com for routes.

As for racing, get onto www.roadgrime.com.au for info about road
riding in SE Qld.

Your closest racing might be the crits run by the Ipswich Cycle Club,
somewhere around Jindalee. It's supposed to be a nice circuit - search
for threads on RoadGrime.

Also check the Nundah crits on Wed evenings in summer - on the way
home from work for you (the long way round). That club (Hamilton Pine
Rivers) also races Nundah on weekends and they have races at the
Lakeside circuit in the north.

Lots of other races too, e.g. Murarrie and on the road.

donga

Donga

All good stuff although roadgrime is:
http://www.roadgrime.com

Event Calendar is here:
http://www.roadgrime.com/modules.php?name=Kalender

Ipswich criteriums are in Wacole Park, in the Synergy Park industrial wasteland err...estate.

Adam