OK i have read alot, alot and still believe that some plain answers are needed...
1.) Will my bike hold me back in races due to the gearing, weight, etc.
I have a 2005 Trek 1200; great components, but specifically i am wondering about the gearing. it is stock with a triple (30/42/52) and a 9-speed (12 - 26 cogs).
2.) is my current winter training acceptable?
I just started riding a little over 4.5 months ago. I am rather fit. Endurance wise i can ride 70-100 miles at Tempo (17.5-18mph) any day of the week. i entered 1 cat 5 TT and 1 cat 5circuit race at the end of last year. didnt come in last in the TT, but close to it(stock bike, not even aero bars though). and in the circuit race i got dropped after a failed sprint to the front of the pack on a very windy day mid way through the race. (Many guys told me that it was really a cat 4 race given that 95% of the riders had already gained more than 15 races and were just waiting till the end of the season to upgrage.)
so i started interval training two weeks ago. I do 10 miles of sprint intervals (as outlined in Lance;s performance progm book) and ride an 8 mile TT 4-5 days a week and ride at least a 50 miler once a week to keep endurnace up. i am also looking to add different intervals (ascending, and vo2 training) throughout the winter. since starting my average speed on rides is sloping higher 18.5-19.75mph. fastest ever average only 21.5.
is this adequate to build up my fitness into next season adn race COMPETITIVELY within the cat4 (after my intial 10-15 early season cat 5 races)? or should i be training different? or harder?
***quick note, 120 lbs, 23 yrs old, 8% body fat