runner turned bike rider. need racing tips

[aa]

Hello,
I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
half marathons.
Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.
Thanks.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

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

> Hello,
> I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
> cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
> How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
> half marathons.
> Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
> bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
> Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
> Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.
> Thanks.

The first rule of your first bike race: don't sweat it.

A 30 km race will probably run, on a reasonably level course, at 35-40
km/h average speed. If you have never done any pack racing before (and
it sounds like that may be the case), then you have only two goals:

2) Stay with the pack
1) Don't run into anyone!

Seriously, don't be a sketch pilot. Make nice, smooth moves through the
pack. Err on the side of caution. Understand the basics of pack
etiquette. Avoid half-wheeling the guy ahead of you: that's when the
front of your front wheel is ahead of the back of his back wheel. If he
moves towards you in that situation, it's a very probable crash for you.

Don't sweat the aero stuff. It won't win or lose the race. For you, just
stay in the drops of the handlebars when you're going downhill.

If you can run a half-marathon, this event will be like a 10k or so. The
real question is, how fast can you run a half-marathon?

Good luck, and stay with the pack.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Steven Bornfeld]

aa wrote:
> Hello,
> I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
> cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
> How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
> half marathons.
> Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
> bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
> Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
> Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.
> Thanks.
>


This is a mass-start race? Do you have experience riding in large groups?
No one expects you to have experience in your first race (assuming
you're a Cat V, no one else will have much experience either), but do
you know anything about race tactics? Following a wheel? Holding a
line? Have you watched a bunch of races and see how they develop? Has
anyone with race experience pointed out what was going on, how riders
work together or against each other?
It's almost September, and most of the riders will have been riding all
season. Are you fit?

Steve

 

[RonSonic]

On 20 Aug 2006 15:08:08 -0700, "aa" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hello,
>I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
>cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
>How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
>half marathons.
>Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
>bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
>Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
>Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.

I'm guessing, only guessing this is a time trial? With as little experience as
you evidently have, don't try anything new in a race. In fact, when you've got a
lot of experience, you'll know not to try anything new in a race.

The aero position is always a compromise between your ability to make power and
reduce drag. You'll just have to feel your way on that.

Don't worry too much about this. It's your first race and is otherwise
unimportant. Enjoy it and learn.

Ron

 

[Mark Fennell]

Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> The first rule of your first bike race: don't sweat it.
<snip>

What he said. Plus, try not to think about this kind of thing...

http://www.kckingphoto.com/gallery/1699635/1/83596588

....even though it seems to happen in just about every beginner mass-start
race.

 

[ST]

On 8/20/06 6:30 PM, in article D08Gg.1417$AP2.290@fed1read10, "Mark Fennell"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>> The first rule of your first bike race: don't sweat it.
> <snip>
>
> What he said. Plus, try not to think about this kind of thing...
>
> http://www.kckingphoto.com/gallery/1699635/1/83596588
>
> ...even though it seems to happen in just about every beginner mass-start
> race.
>
>
Like this?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/aug06/USPROcrit06/USPROcrit062/Downer
s2006-01.jpg

 

[Raptor]

aa wrote:
> Hello,
> I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
> cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
> How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
> half marathons.
> Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
> bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
> Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
> Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.
> Thanks.

If it's a mass start event, I suggest hanging out in the back of the
pack, sucking up the draft. This is not conducive to winning but is
conducive to finishing upright and with the main group. It also allows
you to be a little sloppy with your bike handling. Watch out for crashes
in front of you!

The hills will quite possibly be the end of you. Even if you're a string
bean, you're going to be short on technique.

If, against all odds, you find yourself with the lead group with 2 miles
to go, start moving through the group and attack from position 10 or so
about a half-mile out. Others will have this same plan, of course, so
just be stronger than they are. Easy money!

--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the
trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view,
the most insidious of traitors."
George H.W. Bush, April 16, 1999,

 

[[email protected]]

aa wrote:
> Hello,
> I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
> cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
> How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
> half marathons.
> Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
> bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
> Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
> Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.
> Thanks.

If this is a TT, your speed is paced by how fast you can go
without blowing up over 30km, like in a running race. None
of us can tell you how fast that is, the best way to determine
it is to do it. You can do a shorter TT to get an idea of the
effort level. Push your pace on the hills but not so hard that
you blow up.

If this is a mass start race, there are really only two speeds:
hanging with the pack, and dropped. (Unless you can just
ride away from the pack, in which case you don't need our
advice.) Doing mass start races cold is not really the best
way to learn the skills. Going on training rides with more
experienced riders and learning how to ride in a pack helps.

 

[aa]

wow so many questions.
Flat city ride, roads blocked off. 10ks i run in about 42mins.
Is there an etiquite for roatition on who leads the packs, it cant be
one person the whole way?
Is there a good website which points illistrates how to sit and arm
positioning and that sort of stuff?

 

[nobody]

On 20 Aug 2006 20:55:18 -0700, "aa" <[email protected]> wrote:

>wow so many questions.
>Flat city ride, roads blocked off. 10ks i run in about 42mins.

Don't know if this is a typo but that's what most of the 30-40 y.o. amateur
women do for the 10K (just under 7min mile). That's not running...it's
"jogging". ;-)

I'd suggest you ride some group rides and see if you can hang with the
Group-A recreational riders (they typically ride at ~18-21mph on the flats
for 60-90min).

Not putting down your efforts, mind you, just giving you a sense of scale.

>Is there an etiquite for roatition on who leads the packs, it cant be
>one person the whole way?

I think it's probably early to think you'll be able to rotate through the
lead. Just get some experience doing some club rides and re-assess.

>Is there a good website which points illistrates how to sit and arm
>positioning and that sort of stuff?

Look for a local cycling club. They can help you through all this stuff.
Good luck!

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <C10E5D83.1D33EC%[email protected]>, ST <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 8/20/06 6:30 PM, in article D08Gg.1417$AP2.290@fed1read10, "Mark Fennell"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Ryan Cousineau wrote:
> >> The first rule of your first bike race: don't sweat it.
> > <snip>
> >
> > What he said. Plus, try not to think about this kind of thing...
> >
> > http://www.kckingphoto.com/gallery/1699635/1/83596588
> >
> > ...even though it seems to happen in just about every beginner mass-start
> > race.
> >
> >
> Like this?
>
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/aug06/USPROcrit06/USPROcrit062/Downers2006-01.jpg

Professional riders, closed course. Do not attempt!

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, aa
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Hello,
> I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
> cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
> How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
> half marathons.
> Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
> bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
> Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.

If the bike is comfortable, don't mess with it. If it isn't comfortable,
get it comfortable.

Of course aerodynamics matter, but they don't matter that much in
mass-start racing. The main tip is keep yourself out of the wind and
don't do any more work than you have to for as long as possible. If
you're comfortable (and safe) riding close to others, try to stay in the
middle of the bunch until the last couple of kilometres. Then try to get
to the front. The classic beginner mistake it to burn your legs early
and have nothing left for the sprint.

Don't try to get into a breakaway until you're well practised at
chain-ganging. Breakaways can't afford passengers and they can't afford
people who break up the rhythm. Winning from a breakaway is the stylish
way to do it, but it takes much more technique and much more tactical
appreciation.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Just as defying the law of gravity through building aircraft requires
careful design and a lot of effort, so too does defying laws of
economics. It seems to be a deeply ingrained aspect of humanity to
forever strive to improve things, so unquestioning acceptance of a
free market system seems to me to be unnatural. ;; Charles Bryant

 

[Dan Gregory]

aa wrote:
> Hello,
> I have my first 30km race this weekend. Anyone have any tips? my slow
> cruising speed is around 31ks/h.
> How fast should i be able to go all the way remembering that i can run
> half marathons.
> Track has a few hills at the 10-12km mark. Any tips. I dont have aero
> bars, do i hold my arms straight or try to tuck them into my body?
> Also i am going to lower my handle bars to get down lower.
> Seat was adjusted by bike shop the other day for me.
> Thanks.
>
Try here :
http://www.easycycling.com/skills04.htm
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/roa/road_tactics.asp
http://www.abcc.co.uk/Articles/RRTactics.html

Above all else ENJOY!

All the best
Dan Gregory

 

[Mark & Steven Bornfeld]

aa wrote:

> wow so many questions.
> Flat city ride, roads blocked off. 10ks i run in about 42mins.
> Is there an etiquite for roatition on who leads the packs, it cant be
> one person the whole way?
> Is there a good website which points illistrates how to sit and arm
> positioning and that sort of stuff?
>


To a certain extent, bike setup is an individual taste, but there is
broad agreement in some areas. Sean Kelly had an awful position on the
bike, but no one was going to tell him to change what worked. Of
course, you won't find out what works without doing a lot of riding. To
a large extent, bike setup will dictate your position on the bike.
You shouldn't make sudden significant changes in your bike setup right
before a first race. You want to have a chance to get used to a new
setup and time for inevitable "fine tuning".
You should do your ride, enjoy it, and keep your eyes open. You will
be well-served by joining a racing club in your area, and you will get
plenty of help with the tech aspects. Until then, you should have a
reputable bike shop check out your setup. Here is a website with some
of the boilerplate information out there. There are also books you can
read (I'm not sure which the best current ones are).

http://www.sbraweb.org/setup.htm

Good luck,
Steve

--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

 

[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 05:11:32 GMT, Ryan Cousineau <[email protected]>
wrote:

>In article <C10E5D83.1D33EC%[email protected]>, ST <[email protected]> wrote:

>> http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/aug06/USPROcrit06/USPROcrit062/Downers2006-01.jpg
>
>Professional riders, closed course. Do not attempt!

Those are not pros.

JT

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[John Forrest Tomlinson]

On 20 Aug 2006 20:55:18 -0700, "aa" <[email protected]> wrote:

>wow so many questions.
>Flat city ride, roads blocked off. 10ks i run in about 42mins.
>Is there an etiquite for roatition on who leads the packs, it cant be
>one person the whole way?
>Is there a good website which points illistrates how to sit and arm
>positioning and that sort of stuff?

I'm not going to answer your questions -- just wish you luck in your
event. And say you should consider doing some group rides with a
local cycling club -- particularly one that offers coaching for
beginning racers.

JT


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