Road racing

Hog Hill is a fantastic facility/track but as a first time racer/4th cat it was a baptism of fire - it showed up my real lack of technical skills the first 3 or 4 times I raced (high speed cornering in a bunch is NOT my strongest suit I now know). Its like bend, bend, uphill, bend, downhill fast, fast bend, fast straight, fast bend etc., you get the picture. However, rode my first sportive at the weekend (Essex Spring Lambs) and pitched up 5th overall - bit like a marathon I guess where some people do it for fun, some people aim for PBs/specific times and others race it. On balance I think I may aim to do some genuine road races (hone the technicals) before going back to Hog Hill/ a-n-other closed circuit.

All said and done - what I know now is that all racing is good. Should have started it years ago. So yeah - get stuck in whatever.

Chertsey is good for beginners, though fewer races are held here. Next Surrey Leagu event here is 30th May.

Hillingdon is ok too, tho' it can be congested.

Never raced Hogg Hill.

I'd just get out and race without worrying too much. All Cat 4 races on closed circuits are pretty manic and disorganised; don't think the circuit makes much difference.

Racing starts on Tuesday nights at Crystal Palace on the 21st of April. It's a tough little circuit and quite technical but even if you get dropped you'll find a group off the back that will ride at a decent pace still. It's good for working on positioning and the like if nothing else.

i really want to start racing, but alas i dont have a geared road bike, and cant afford anything but a cheap crappy one. my aim is to have one by next summer with another year of riding under my belt.

you say to start in cat 4. is there any standards i should try to reach in my training to prepare me for it?

Go out with your local cycling club (one that has some racers in it) for a bit. After getting used to riding at their usual club run pace, try the slowest chaingang that they have and see how you get on.

Racing starts on Tuesday nights at Crystal Palace on the 21st of April. It's a tough little circuit and quite technical but even if you get dropped you'll find a group off the back that will ride at a decent pace still. It's good for working on positioning and the like if nothing else.

what time do the races start? i'd be up for trying these even if just to try and stay in the group to start with...

Racing starts at 7 pm.

you say to start in cat 4. is there any standards i should try to reach in my training to prepare me for it?

You could do worse than go out with London Dynamo on a Saturday morning for laps of Richmond Park in a group. Main thing is to be comfortable riding on someone's wheel in a group at speed.

You could do worse than go out with London Dynamo on a Saturday morning for laps of Richmond Park in a group.

I'm not sure you could.

Now, not to disparage our gay cousins...
but bike 'road racing' as a sport, is as gay a sport, as any sport can get.

Everything about it - is gay. As soon as you put on Lycra, the silly half a walnut hat, those poncy shiny shades - you're gay. Have you seen racing magazines, rouleur and the like... or rapha clothing etc... It's all highly refined gay porn.

You're probably gay aren't you... so do you agree, it's the epitome of all 'man loving man' recreational activities ?

you and your 'threads'

HA!
this forum is amazing.

£1

/sniff sniff

alt?

sounds like someone needs some cock.

<3

It's all highly refined gay porn.

You've obviously never seen gay porn. It's really not that refined.

two men in a room is gay too.

and two men standing at a bar too.

all gay.

You're right. I fathered 6 kids before I started riding bikes. Now I use a male grooming skincare product on an occasional basis.

Theres nothing gay about weight obsessed men in pink lycra. ;)

oh dear. someone needs to talk to their parents.

You're right. I fathered 6 kids before I started riding bikes. Now I use a male grooming skincare product on an occasional basis.

Is it intense facial rehydration?

I hate those adverts, it's fucking moisturiser just accept it lads.

my moisturiser has turbos or something.

No, I mean I groom males regularly. Tends to give me chapped lips.

bike 'road racing' as a sport, is as gay a sport, as any sport can get.