My second cat 4 race - another video for you guys to watch.

[CAMPYBOB]

Yeah...out of the saddle power-climbing on Apartment House Climb. You were already at 180 BPM and into the red at 184. You did well to hang on to the chase there.

I train with a 'Matt'. He hasn't upgraded from 4 and could win 3 races in his sleep. Kills road rides on a Cannonwhale Lefty Mtb! Drops us on his cross bike with 32 MM tires and tank wheel set. The 3 that rides with us is a solid 2. but he can't catch a break and the points just don't fall his way.

Holy Mother of God! Do you guys blow some stop signs FAST! BE CAREFUL!

When the brain is lacking oxygen, that's when you can end up as some Buick's new hood ornament. Of course...in my misspent youth I NEVER did anything like that!

 

[swampy1970]

I don't think I it'd be a Buick hood ornament, more like fresh roadkill or a human speed bump - a Happy Meal for the local vultures if you will.

 

[collin2985]

Latest race highlights with an ending that will define me as a wuss or a great bike handler depending on who you ask.

 

[swampy1970]

Well, it ain't gonna be a great bike handler... ... If you were you'd have been back on the road and back in the race. Glad you didn't end up ass over *** though.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Wow! How did you hit the gap between the cement curbs?

The only thing I ever did that is similar was at the finish of a late Fall road race...44 miles IIRC. The race had been safe and at a pretty easy tempo...until the last two or three miles to the finish. Arrow straight and slightly downgrade so everyone was flying. All 60 of us.

We wind up the sprint and suddenly there's multiple crashes left, right and center. Riderless bikes upside down in the air...guys hitting the deck...and I got no where to go except into the small crowd lining the finish area.

I somehow missed all the spectators (or maybe they dove out of my way!) and semi-sprinted that last 100 yards or so BEHIND the spectators across the front lawns of a few houses.

Cyclocross...indeed!

"My wife...thinking WTF?" Now THAT's funny! She never even got the chance to scream, "Collin must move up!"! Or at least a, "Collin must not run over me!".

You kept the rubber side down and you'll get 'em next weekend, Collin! My vote is for good bike handling.

 

[Bluman]

I'll have to go with "great bike handler" because I'd have likely missed that gap... and my crazy, aggressive car & kart racing side would have had me trying to stay in the race even if it killed me. (Even after a crash, it hasn't gotten through my head that I done have a rollcage anymore.) That said, unless you're getting paid tons of money to race, it's not worth hurting yourself trying to win. So you made the smart move, imho.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Quote by Bluman:
"...& kart racing side..."

Awesome! Shifter? Dirt?

I still have my old Margay. I enjoyed RR and dirt equally.

Yes, agree with a good move, but hitting that gap was probably as much luck as skill! And with my luck I would have been late on the bunny hop...pretzel the front wheel and bounce the rear out of control. At least Collin could have softened his landing with a face plant right into his wife's lap!

 

[Cuberacer]

 

[collin2985]

If I hit my wife with my bike, she would make me pick a new sport.

Here's the full video. I move up quite a bit in the last lap. I was at least 10 back and I moved up to 4th or 5th. I honestly think the Goon Ride has given me the fitness to get out in the wind at 29 mph and pull a little.

 

[Colnago62]

I am with you, Collin;total the bike, but always miss the wife.

 

[swampy1970]

If I hit my wife with my bike, she would make me pick a new sport. Here's the full video.  I move up quite a bit in the last lap.  I was at least 10 back and I moved up to 4th or 5th.  I honestly think the Goon Ride has given me the fitness to get out in the wind at 29 mph and pull a little.

One tip for getting used to the high speed stuff during interval training without a motorbike pacer or a bunch - find a hill that leads to a flat section that'll let you get to 30 to 35mph with some ease. Get down the hill at the desired speed and nail a 30 to 40 second effort... Don't go for a full minute. Turn around, rinse and repeat. That you're upto speed when you start the interval means that it's like coming off a wheel at speed and all ready in the required gear. You spend the energy at over-speed rather that trying to get there.

 

[Colnago62]

Looks like the team in green spent a lot of energy keeping the race together, but their sprinter couldn't deliver. I don't think I saw any of their jerseys near the front on the last lap.

 

[swampy1970]

I find the notion of "4th Cat teams" quite funny...

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Quote by Swampy":
"I find the notion of "4th Cat teams" quite funny..."

Most of them are a free-for-all for points to get out of the demo derby league, but there are some very well organized Cat. 4 squads in my area. They are the most numerous category of riders on almost every amateur squad and 'if' you can pound the basic concepts of team tactics into their heads they can sometimes deliver.

This is nothing new to well organized clubs or teams. Our Juniors and Cat. 4 riders were very successful back in the day.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
Quote by Swampy":
"I find the notion of "4th Cat teams" quite funny..."

Most of them are a free-for-all for points to get out of the demo derby league, but there are some very well organized Cat. 4 squads in my area. They are the most numerous category of riders on almost every amateur squad and 'if' you can pound the basic concepts of team tactics into their heads they can sometimes deliver.

This is nothing new to well organized clubs or teams. Our Juniors and Cat. 4 riders were very successful back in the day.

It is true, many Cat4 teams are essentially comprised of single agents and most of the time it is a free for all. That team in green although at the front quite a bit didn't seem to actually do any work for each other. My last team had a very cool "captain for a day" concept where a rider could choose a race when he was in good form and everyone would work for him. We were all good buds and there were no egos so it worked out well. One didn't mind turning their lungs inside out for someone else chasing a $5 medal and a $50 first prize because you knew they would return the favor. I dragged one of our riders in the last 1k to a couple wins not only because it was so much fun, but also because I knew he was going to pick up my tab at the diner for breakfast afterward

Sadly, the team disbanded and now unattached I find myself sucking wheels where I can ;P

 

[swampy1970]

If Cat 4 teams were any good, how do they manage to split the haul of points so they all kinda sorta upgrade to Cat 3 around the same time - or do most of the people just accept that Cat 4 is all they're good enough for and they just fight to get Billy to the front and scramble for points in the last 100 yards and watch him disappear to Cat 3?

 

[danfoz]

Could be, I have a hard time believing somebody would be genetically limited to 4 though. I like it because I can train half assed, drink like a fish, and still have some fun (reads not get dropped). If somebody takes it seriously though two wins with large fields (20 pts) will get a fella to Cat 3, without any top ten points it's gonna take 20 pack finishes in large field starts to get to 3. These days I only do a few races a year just to give me a reason not to let my fitness completely dwindle so could probably make it in the next couple years but then my chances of actually winning a race would plummet, because of course the downside of the 3's is one actually has to take things seriously for the most part. Well I guess an older guy who doesn't drink, or a younger guy who does with decent genes could slack a bit, but a master who also likes his beer... not a chance. But how would they split the points if they were any good? I have no idea, we weren't that good ;P

 

[Colnago62]

I wonder what the average, "Time In The Sport" for a bike racer is these days?

 

[swampy1970]

Not sure. You get some folks that ride all their life. Then you get folks like me that ride/race for some time, settle into a career and then start to ride again.... And then you have folks that take up cycling later on in life...

 

[swampy1970]

Could be, I have a hard time believing somebody would be genetically limited to 4 though. I like it because I can train half assed, drink like a fish, and still have some fun (reads not get dropped). If somebody takes it seriously though two wins with large fields (20 pts) will get a fella to Cat 3, without any top ten points it's gonna take 20 pack finishes in large field starts to get to 3. These days I only do a few races a year just to give me a reason not to let my fitness completely dwindle so could probably make it in the next couple years but then my chances of actually winning a race would plummet, because of course the downside of the 3's is one actually has to take things seriously for the most part. Well I guess an older guy who doesn't drink, or a younger guy who does with decent genes could slack a bit, but a master who also likes his beer... not a chance. But how would they split the points if they were any good? I have no idea, we weren't that good ;P

It would seem the genetic cut is between cat 3 and 2. I somewhat regret not using my PowerTap and good kit on the "march of the lemmings/suicide survival" - aka get rid of Cat 5 in 3 weekends a few years ago. There were a few periods of fun where I had some really fun digs but mistimed efforts. 7 minute laps at 4 minute best effort pace - not the best but it was nice just being able to ramp up the watts and still watch people suffer. But it was a laugh - I was out there on the training bike and PowerTap wheel was left at home. Cheap wheels and cheap frame and some deft bike handling skills to stay upright at times. Only had to lift the front wheel to ride over one unlucky sap. Most of the races around here are crits - I f**king hate crits.