get into racing

Im 16 and i would like to get into bike racing after my exams- end on june 23rd
I have looked for races but many are on hilly courses where a normal road bike would be needed
does anyone know of any relatively flat race courses in which i would be able to compete in using my single speed bike. fyi velodrome racing doesn't really appeal to me

any comments would be appreciated
Thanks

Hi, Where are you based?

You'll probably want a flat Crit circuit or alternatively a flat time trial. Most road races will have hills in of some sort.

Before doing that though, you probably need to join a local club that races. You'll get used to riding in a bunch (less important if you want to TT) and be able to judge your fitness against other riders who are racing at the moment. A local club will also be able to recommend races appropriate for you too.

Best bet is to join a club, if you want to ride fixed you won't be able to do any British Cycling road events, you'll be restricted to CTT time trials

in ealing, sorry for the sr

thanks!

Hi Piero,

            It's great to hear from some one of your age who wants to start racing.

I think that if you're going to start your season in late June and you have a single speed bike, you should forget road racing for this year and try some time trialling. With the experience you gain this year you will be in a better position to start road racing in 2017.

How should you go about gaining experience this year?

Well, as has been said above, you really need to join a club. This is not just because it is easier to enter events as a club member but, more importantly, you need to have contact with established riders who will (I hope) give you good advice.

I can offer one bit of advice now: whatever that single speed bike is that you have now, it will be fine to start time trialling. In fact the less good it is, the better! It doesn't matter what times you do to start with, the important tning is that you should be able to improve, so purely from the bike point of view, the worst thing to start on would be a super time trial bike. There are two reasons for this: first, you will improve as you go along, but improving your kit will make those improvements more marked and so more satisfying, secondly to do a poor ride (and nearly all novices' rides don't look good) on a flash bike can be downright embarrassing.

A disclaimer is needed here. You need to know that time trialling is a lot more dangerous than road racing. It doesn't feel that way when you're actually competing, but the fact is more riders are seriously injured in TT's than road races. I feel obliged to say this when writing to some one like yourself who is, perhaps, on the threshold of a lifetime of bike racing; however it's also worth saying that there are an awful lot of ancient racing men still around and still riding.

I can't really advise you on which club to join, but I will say that my club (Hounslow & District Wheelers, see our web site) does run a programme of club time trials which would be suitable for you, we are on the right side of London and we would welcome an application from some one like yourself. However, it must be admitted that we are do not have a strong youth section, and we are not great on road racing these days. We do have good club runs which are an excellent way to pick up the knowledge which you need.

If you want, feel free to send me a pm, or if you prefer, post a response here.

Chris.