dentalman

i raced in my second crit today at wake forest university, nc, collegiate men's C.

we started off well, but then the group split. i think we were up to 20 seconds behind the first group but by the end we had finished 10 seconds behind. there was not very much organization for a chase.

my first crit a couple of months ago, i got dropped like nobody's business, so I was very happy to stay with the guys in this race (2nd group). we ended up averaging 23mph for about 30 minutes. it felt fairly hard for me, but definitely manageable. i probably couldn't go any faster. one think that sucks, is none of us could tell when our last lap was, so I pulled off when I thought the race was over (some guys had pulled off the course also)... and that may have been wrong, because I'm listed as dead last on the results and i was sure I was not dead last. there must have been still a lap left. so i'm disappointed about that. but i've learned quite a few things:

- don't pedal through the corners i clipped my pedals twice doing that. the first time I wasn't sure what was happening, I thought I ran into a rock that made my bike slid. the second time was a lot harder and i realized what was happening.
- grab wheels as fast as I can during the splits, if i see a gap forming sprint up and get the next wheel.

I have a question though. I realized that during the crit, I had been in the small ring the whole time (but I have an 11 cog on the back, not sure if I used it or not). should i have shifted into the larger ring more or at all??? i definitely felt an advantage coming up the steep hill/sharp turn, i could feel myself accelerating past everybody.

what other tips would could you provide for a better result next time?

Cleave

Hi dentalman,

You MIGHT get more response to this on the Road Bike Racing Subforum, but then again, you might not.

Let me reinforce something for you, don't EVER pedal through the apex of a corner unless you are going slow. Fast cornering + pedaling through the apex = problems

Let me also say that 23 MPH for 30 minutes on a flat course is not very fast for a crit. I expect that my 50+ race tomorrow will average 26+ MPH and that is with a bunch of old guys (obviously).

These days, expect the first few laps of any race to be very fast. After a few miles most races settle into a more consistent pace. Given this current situation, you need a good warmup before your race. I prefer riding on the road if I can get my heart rate up and a bit of a sweat going but otherwise I use a trainer.

As far as I'm concerned, crit = big ring. 39 X 11 means bad chain angle and isn't big enough anyway for higher average speeds. For flat crits I start and stay in the big ring and I am not a big guy by any description.

Hope this helps.

rufvelo

As cleave also said :

1) You need to be in the big ring for most crits, even at the risk of some cross chaining.
2) Don't ever pedal thru most crit turns, or even on your own in training when you lean the bike.
3) 23 mph is not fast in a group.
4) As you did, grab a wheel quick, don't allow a gap, it only gets bigger, unless you're done and simply can't follow.
5) When you do get dropped, work with others to group up and chase. Too often I see guys time trialling for some reason. Talk to them.
6) Nothing beats speedwork, intervals, mileage, weight loss and dieting. Work with a serious club to get better.
7) Congrats on finishing, not falling and/and getting hurt.

EventServices

OK, he already knew about the clipped pedals. No need to beat it into him any more.

23 is fast in a group if you've never done 23 in a group before. Speed is relative.

As for the questions: you need to get acquainted with fast and furious shifting. You've got a lot of choices in the gears; you need to learn how to use them, AND how to switch them fast.
Don't just work on getting your body stronger. Also spend time putting yourself in simulated race situations to work on the skills you need. One of those skills is shifting the gears without thinking. Another is cornering at high speed (one arc. Don't keep re-adjusting your line.)

Most of it will come with time, such as the ability to count the laps and listen for the Bell. That's actually a pretty common mistake for new racers.

Keep at it. When the pedal comes up, push it down again.

John Wilke

Sometimes you can pedal through a corner ... it depends on the corner itself, the line you take through it, your bike geometry, and the timing of your pedal stroke. Good to hear that you didn't crash when you hit your pedal!

Keep up the good work.

jw

dentalman

thanks for the advice. i'm going to start trying to ride in my big ring more to get used to it. sometimes it just feels too heavy though. i have a 10speed cog in the back, i think it's a 11-23, i keep forgetting. my front chainrings are 39/53.

Bobby Lex

+1. If you listen to Robby Ventura in "Race Day" he says to follow the guys who pedal through the corners. They're the fast guys. The guys coasting through the corners are slowing down. (Obviously the more you lean you bike, or the more off-camber the road is, the less applicable this advice would be).

Bob

thomspins

you did alright man! 23 for an AVG is quick. esp. with all the accel out of the corners and any hills..

most of my crits don't average much more than this..

cleave; are your 26 avg races all downhill?? phstt

John Wilke

Roger Young (fast rider from the ancient past) used to say don't lean the bike but turn the bars. I never quite figured out how to do that, but interesting concept. Perhaps one of the 100+ reasons I never was as fast as Roger Young.



jw

rufvelo

Works for > 4mph?

acorn_user

23mph is pretty good for collegiate C though. How did you prologue time trial and second crit go?
Did you have a go at the Jefferson cup?

thomspins

buy or check out at a library a book titled

A Twist of the Wrist

a book on motorcycle racing; explaining all the forces acting in turning, your weight distribution, traction, steering... etc.

Will help your cycling alot esp. racing..

I wish that the USCF would require cat 5 racers starting out read this book; everyone would handle much better.. I find myself thinking this in every race i'm in... "i wish some of these guys had ridden motorcycles before" it helps alot!

dentalman

you make it to the race too?

i had other things to do this weekend. so i could only make the first crit. i'm still down about them listing me as dead last on the results, i must have pulled off the course a lap early. i was going to try to dispute it, but it wouldn't make any sense, it's not like i won or anything.

acorn_user

No, I was working on some projects. My team made it though. I'm hoping to be able to race at Virginia Tech. That's going to be a very hard one, by all accounts. It seems fitting that one of the hardest courses should be at easter.

Maybe see you in the C field then!

EventServices

I know that technique that Roger Young is talking about. But I can't describe it well.

It's kind of like you're fighting the bike to keep it upright while you pedal through the turn. It takes a some practice, but it's really a good tool to have in the bag.

He had "some" success with it.

yonderboy

What if it's a fixed-gear crit?

I find myself off the back if I don't pedal through the corners (on the roadie). YMMV.