Elvish Legion

Well lately I've found strict out road raceing a bit boring, I mean there aren't many races around and maybe its just cat 5, but it isn't hard enough. Will it get better once I get to cat 4/3 (and maybe even higher than that)

I mean its not the bike that bores me I still love that, but I;ve found my self using aeros more and more and drops less and less, to the point I'm looking into buying a tri bike.

Elvish

Sprocket Man

Have you won every cat 5 race you've entered? I certainly can't relate to that. It took me a couple of years before I had enough experience to place in the top 3.

I enjoy riding my road bike, but riding my tri-bike on a flat course in aero position - the sensation of speed is so addicting...

2Rodies

Geez your from the DFW area it's pan flat out there no wonder your bored!

If you are dominating your C5 races cat up they should let you. I think you'll find the C4 and 3 races can be even more boring until the last 1/3. C5's tend to go out hard from the start due to the lack of experience from most of involved while the 3/4 guys ride smarter and save it for the last part of the race.

garysol1 

Don't you have a Specialized Transition??? Isn't that a tri bike?

Elvish Legion

I have the multisport verison, its the tri frame just with drops instead of dedicated tri.

The few races I entered the last leg is just a mad dash in which I can usally catch/beat a lot of the guys a head of me.

I hope to shortly move to cat4 next year and I really want to start doing tris, that'll give me a lot of enjoyment.

I've found if I just go out for aride for no reason (jsut because not race trainning) I enjoy my self.

I guess crit races and road races arent for everyone.

hi565

CYCLOCROSS!

Sounds exactley like what you need

cuda2k

Just ride for the enjoyment of riding if that's what you enjoy. I know I enjoy challenging myself to go longer and harder than the day before, but know I would not enjoy racing personally. I was looking at my cycling log for the year last night and was very happy to see the steady climb in both distance and average speeds from May till now.

Elvish Legion

Texas is flat I think thats one of the issues. I've thought bout this, but I relized I know nothing about the sport. Like I said I'm not by a long shot giving up cycling, maybe just normal road racing less Ican move up to higher paced races, I can seriously avg about 21-22 solo on my 75 mile trainning ride most days.

I started long distance riding on a 35 pound walmart mountian bike and was able to avg 19 on that beast

hi565

so cyclocross isnt hill climbing. Its the thrill of a road bike but in thw woods. You do have trails right? At least woods. C'mon its fun!

bbattle

Yeah, in the summer time the cracks that open up in the dirt make for some exciting trail rides.

"fall in a crack, break your own back"

Elvish Legion

See I told you I know nothing about the sport. The only 'woods' near me surrond a local park and all the trails down are usally very steep, to the point I wouldn't be ready to try for a while...less I wanted a quick ticket to the ER...when I came too

Surferbruce

second on the cyclocross. it's short attention span racing and definitely not boring.

puddin' legs

So you need to fill us in...usually beat "a lot" of guys. Is this winning? Is this a top 10 finish, or just beating most of the people in a large pack? If you're really that much stronger than the other cat 5 riders, this is the advice I'd give you: If you're bored, you're boring. What does this mean? It means YOU should be the one driving the race. YOU should be putting the hurt on, trying breaks and working your heart out to make them stick and win solo. If there's a small group up the road, YOU should bust a move and bridge up, then drive the break. It sounds to me that you really need a coach or a club to ride with that will kick you out of your complacency. Just because the other Cat5's are racing negatively, that shouldnt' affect you at all. I'd think that breaking everyone's leg's and winning solo would brighten your day a bit. It's one of the best feelings in cycling regardless of catagory.

You'll also need this strength/skill/pain threshold/etc...to be sucessful as you move up. Half of success is learning how to win, not just participate.

Elvish Legion

Out by a lot I mean I finished top 10 twice and top 5 three times. I let the others drive the race till they run out of steam, then I kick in the over drive and push it and push it hard

DannoXYZ 

How about some crits? THose are always exciting!

Elvish Legion

Thats what the races were...and that maybe another part of the problem. But it just got boring doing a circut. I'm goign to give a full season a try instead f just 5 half arsed races that I could find to test my skill at. And that may also be it, I didn't have any real races (cycling lincese required races) just local things that people didn't seem to take serious

2Rodies

Texas is flat Austin isn't.

Elvish Legion

Keller texas is really flat save a few hills

puddin' legs

Nothing personal, but this is kind of the definition of negative racing. Seriously, YOU take the race by the horns and break legs. You need to experiment with this to find what you're actual thresholds/skills are. If you aren't mixing is up at the cat 5 level, even if you're finishing in the top 10, you aren't winning or learning anything other than how to sit in. Find a club and really try to ride an organized tactical race. It can be done if the club is organized and/or has some exceptional coaching.
We' all love to hear that you tried to get away 2 or 3 times, got caught, but finally made the 4th try stick with a small break, then with two laps to go, you attack again, ride the others off your wheel, then win. You might burn up and burn out the first few races trying this, but if you already know you can finish in the top 5 by just sitting in, you should just go for it. Like I said before, and I mean it the best way, if you're bored, you're boring. Sitting in the pack when you're capable of driving it or breaking it apart is......zzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzZZZzzzzzzzzzz.....boring. You're not racing, you're only participating.

Stick around on race day and watch the pro 1/2 races. Guys are working together, attacking, etc... all the time. The racing is animated and interesting to both the riders and the spectators.

merlinextraligh

my 2 cents, learn to win in Cat 5 before you upgrade. It gets a lot harder when you go up in category. Even if you have the fitness to compete in the 4's (which I don't think is a foregone conclusion just because you're finishing in the top 10 in the 5's), you need to learn how to race. You learn when to sprint, when to bridge, when to chase, when to let someone go, by being competitive and in the mix. You may blow your first couple of chances to win a race by making the wrong move, but you'll learn from it.
If you move up too quick, and are just hanging in as pack fill, you're missing an opportunity to mix it up (which should not be boring) and to learn.