NyoGoat

I come from a history of running. I always preferred the half marathon because it was casual and less time commitment. I'm not sure how to transfer to similar cycle races. As I look around I see crit races that I would equate with 5k - 10k foot races and heavy competition and I see gran fondos that tend to be in the 100+ range and are potentially fully lacking in competition. I don't fully understand bike racing though, i've never entered. I'm trying to find the comfortable sweet spot of time myself for an equivalent half marathon that's fun and mildly competitive. Do they exist? I have seen a few 30 or 70 mile races but they seem to be rare.

WalksOn2Wheels

What you're thinking of is what is commonly called a "charity ride" event as opposed to a licensed race event. There are tons of them ranging from 50 and 100K (often referred to as a metric century) as well as 100 mile rides (called century rides).

If you're seeing large events that don't require a racing license, it will fall into the casual category. If you need to sign up and they're asking if you're CAT 4 or 5, you're in the wrong place.

caloso

I'm not sure I understand the phrase "mildly competitive." Can you elaborate?

therhodeo

Hahaha

Dan333SP

+1.

OP, bike racing is a very different beast than a timed 5k or 10k. The main thing is the pack dynamic in real races or even in sporting charity rides, you're constantly battling for positioning and being wary of moves taking place around you. A 10k, you just run it at your own pace and if you can't keep up with the leaders, so be it, you're doing your own thing pounding your joints into oblivion. In a "real" bike race, if you get dropped from the lead group you can sometimes be pulled from the race entirely, particularly in short course races (typically "crits").

At the entry level of USAC-sanctioned racing, Cat(egory) 5, you'll typically see races that are, say, 40 minutes to an hour in length (so 16-22 miles-ish). As you move up through the categories with experience and success, you'll get into longer races. Just as a random example for a hypothetical event, the Cat 5 race may be a single 20 mile lap of an open road course, but the Cat 1/2 field will do 4 or 5 laps of the same course, and they're definitely not taking it easy until the last lap.

If you don't want to get a USAC license and just want to do longer, "mildly competitive" rides, look for a fast paced group in your area that does a 3-4 hour group ride every week. Most times they'll have sprint points and extended periods of high speed riding, which gives you a little taste of pushing yourself without the hyper-competitive environment you get at most sanctioned races.

rmfnla

Nobody's perfect...

Maelochs

Most group rides, commonly organized by local bicycle shops (LBSs) are "mildly competitive" at the least. Depending on wherre you live, there may be an "A," "B," and "C" ride, starting with a no-drop 15-mph-average ride up to a whatever speed .... basically, a "We said we weren't racing but that's only so we don't feel bad if we lose" pace.

On these rides riders probably won't push as hard as they would in an organized and sanctioned race, but there will definitely be plenty of "friendly" competition and the faster groups take their riding Very seriously (Search for a thread called, "We will yell at you!")

These rides tend to be about as long as people with families can free up on a weekend morning, say two-three hours, maybe 30-45 miles or thereabouts.

Bring a helmet and some extra-thick skin---they Will yell at you.

chasm54

As far as road cycling is concerned, there are criteriums, circuit races, road races, hill climbs and time trials. The first three are mass start events, the latter two are individuals against the clock. Crits and circuit races will tend to be shorter than road races, though many in the higher categories will last longer than an hour and cover 30 miles and up.

I've never heard of a "mildly competitive" bike race. And if you want to race, as opposed to ride fairly fast for long distances (gran fondos etc) you probably need to take out a licence and start as a Cat 5 - assuming you're in the States.

therhodeo

Oh and runner or not don't overestimate how fit you are compared to guys that race. You might ride 200 miles a week and sleep in spandex and guys that are fit racers will drop you like you're on stickshift schwinn with a banana seat.

chasm54

It's the type of fitness. Runners tend to be fit for longish periods at a steady pace, they translate relatively easily to TTs and triathlons. (emphasis on relatively) The repeated accelerations in a bike race is what kills 'em.

dr_lha

One of the things I find odd about charity rides is that they don't time riders mostly. I did 6 charity rides last year, and only one had a race aspect and that was a prize for first place only. No other placing a were made. In comparison every charity 5K I've ever done has posted everyone's times. I know, the last 5K I did I came dead last!

NyoGoat

I like to have timed race results, but i'm never gunning to win. I've always just raced against myself. Cycling involved a lot more group involvement than i'm used to and I don't really understand it ... mostly because I haven't done it. So i'm trying to find a similar experience of a challenging but not overly time consuming race distance. Because of the group aspects I don't think I can find the "same race" as my preferred half marathon.

I've been maintaining my half marathon time over the last 10 years and it requires a steady training plan to reach my time. I can jump on a bike and ride 15 miles without thinking about it, but i'm used to thinking in terms of distance and reaching mileage points that I don't think transfers over the same. Rather than miles I need to think of hours in the saddle for comfort. I'm excited to be biking and i'm just trying to figure out how to find my comfortable challenge to keep me riding.

Gran fondos look interesting but I don't see times. Crits look interesting but a lot more intense. The idea of charity rides seems like it lacks the motivation to push myself. Maybe I should just start entering things to see what I like

HTupolev

Sign up for Strava, use your phone for GPS tracking, you can look at performance data after an "untimed" event.

Machka 

If it is a timed event you're after, look into Randonneuring or Audax events.


See my Links page: Charlene (Machka) - Links

The 24-hour events at the top might interest you as well, but scroll down to the Audax/Randonneuring section and have a look at the options there.

Those events (called "randonnees" or "brevets") are timed. You have to finish them within a certain time limit, and everyone who finishes within the required time limit "wins".

caloso

If you enjoy racing against yourself and the clock, you might enjoy time trials and hill climbs. I would not recommend criterium racing unless you have a lot of experience and comfort in riding in a group.

But I'd encourage you to seek out a local group ride and see if you enjoy it. Ask at your local bike shop. Any decent shop will know the local clubs and rides, and may even organize one.

asgelle

Given the much greater impact of wind and weather (assuming the same course) on cycling compared to running, absolute times are rather meaningless. Add to that the effect of drafting on race dynamics and absolute times become irrelevant for mass start events. Even precise place doesn't usually mean that much. If you want to judge how you did in a race there's basically 1) in the money, 2) off the front, 3) pack, and 4) off the back.

LesterOfPuppets

Also see if they have local time trials in your area. Here we have a summer TT series that's free for members (membership is $50/year) and $5 for non-members.

(oops, guess coloso already posted that while I was reading thread.,,)

PepeM

+1 for time trials. Also join a few group rides, just because you liked something before doesn't mean it is the only thing you'll ever like. You might find yourself enjoying mass start races. Or not. Best way to find out is to do group rides.

Heathpack 

There are definitely 100 and 200 mile (and longer) cycling events that are timed, with results posted at the end, just like your long running races. They are very similar in psychology/competitor mentality to marathons and half-marathons. By this I mean that some people are trying to win, some people are just happy to be finishers or get a good personal time. The world of cycling gets very caught up in not calling these races, but of course they are- everyone shows up on the same day, pins a number on their back, follows a set of rules, gets a finish time and a final placement. The main reason (I think) that the world of cycling delights in not calling these events races is because traditional cycling races involve a lot of cycling skills and strategies that don't particularly apply to ultra events. Traditional bike racers really work hard to develop these skills and that's what they value. They don't understand or value the skills and talents that ultra events require. However none of these means that ultra racing is not real.

(Admittedly its confusing because there are also lots of 100 mile charity rides that are strictly non-competitive.)

Time trials are awesome races but they are definitely a different beast than ultra events. I've never been a runner, but I'm pretty confident that TT are very different from half-marathons, both from the perspective of training and the type of effort you expend. In a TT, you spend your entire time on the edge of your lactate threshold. It's also pretty equipment-intensive if you get into it, although you could for sure start with a regular road bike.

Mass start road races like crits and longer road races are harder to just start doing on your own, because bike handling skills are hugely important. As many people have pointed out, the best start for mass start races is to group rides.

Maelochs

As fro timing, you will want a computer for your rides no matter what. They don't cast much, they are simple you use, and they let you track your own progress.

As stated, times/speeds really don't mean a lot, unless yo also track wind speed and direction, road conditions, weather, and if you ride in groups ... forget it. The group determines your pace most of the time. If you start doing LBS/local club group rides yuo can at least know that it is about the same group and similar group dynamics and get a good idea how you ride certain distances/routes, and keep track of progress that way.

A Lot of riders seem to use Strava. I don't so I know nothing about it, but apparently with Strava yo can track time-to-distance over the whole ride and over segments, elevation gain over the ride and segments, all kinds of stuff which you can use to motivate yourself to try to beat next time.

topflightpro

OP, you want to do a Gran Fondo.

A true Gran Fondo is a timed, competitive event and will offer prizes for the first to finish. Gran Fondos are more like your marathon or half marathon. There will be a select group of people on the front who will take off at the gun and hold a hard and fast pace to the finish. Everyone behind them is not so much a racer but a participant, working to set their own PR.

What separates a Gran Fondos from a real road race is that Gran Fondos typically are mass start events in which all participants start at the same time and cover the same course. In a Road Race, the event is separated by category, with some categories covering different distances than others.

Many charity rides or cookie rides operate like Gran Fondos, but they often do not time the event, nor is there an official winner. Still, there will be a group in pretty much every organized ride that is "racing" the event. And many people will record their own times for the event.

gregf83 

All the Gran Fondos in our area are timed events and as competitive as you want, paying up to $10,000 for the winner. You can try and hang on to the front group or compete in your age group similar to what you might do in a running race.

TMonk

I would also suggest that you try out a TT as well. They're easy, safe, and feature riders of all types.

pdedes

in a group start event, timing is largely irrelevant as it is not your entire effort that goes into generating your final time. you could be in the front of your group all day, and the wheelsucker, doesn't expend nearly the effort but could finish with the same time as the eager engine. most groups share the work, not always equitably. check out drafting, rotating pace lines, etc to get some idea.

w/r to events that chip time, the events cost more to provide timed results.

Doge

Races are raced differently based on region / level / gender / age.