New to the sport

[Bulldog Racing]

I just bought my first Road Bike. Im 37 and have been racing motocross my entire life. I have always been a runner and wanted to get into cycling, I am so excited!!!

Looking for tips and advice on the do's and dont's to get into racing

Dave Granade
Bulldog Racing
http://www.bulldogracing.com

 

[ridley]

Welcome Bulldog - hang out here and you will pick up some amazing tips and tricks, but also sharpen your filter to negotiate a lot of jibberish and fluff ...

Have a good read

 

[amp300]

Just get out and ride, enjoy it and build up to your first race. With a running background, you will have a tendency to be better at hills than the flats at first. Try to find a buddy(s) to ride with first, but if that isn't available look around for a group ride (usually on weekends) in your area.

 

[brianf7]

What I always tell people is to go ride your bike for 4,000 miles and if you still want to race come back.

Untill you get that base you will only suffer and probably give it away.

Good Luck

 

[Andrichuk]

What I always tell people is to go ride your bike for 4,000 miles and if you still want to race come back.

Untill you get that base you will only suffer and probably give it away.

Good Luck

Real encouraging...

 

[Christophe]

Spend your first year or so of riding building a good base and getting comfortable on the bike. Get a good professional bike fit with an eye toward how it will change as you develop.

 

[red_flanders]

I just bought my first Road Bike. Im 37 and have been racing motocross my entire life. I have always been a runner and wanted to get into cycling, I am so excited!!!

Looking for tips and advice on the do's and dont's to get into racing

Dave Granade
Bulldog Racing
http://www.bulldogracing.com

Get a copy of Joe Friel's "The Cyclist's Training Bible" if you're looking to race. It is the standard a lot of amateur racers use for creating training plans, and should give you a general idea what kind of time commitment you're getting into. It can be shocking, but with a running and a racing background in MX, you may have more insight into training than the pure newbie.

Welcome aboard!

 

[eljimberino]

When you need that extra something, head over to the clinic.

 

[Anonymous]

Ride through the summer building up some miles, strength and fitness and then enter some cyclocross races over the winter.

They are only short usually 1hr races on a circuit so you wont get left behind, and if you are used to cross country style thing on a motorbike doing it on a bicycle should feel more natural than doing road racing initially.

 

[the delgados]

I remember thinking I could take a short cut to riding with the best by training in the big ring from day one.

Twenty minutes into my first ride on my brand new bike an experienced racer stopped and asked why I was sitting on the side of the road on the verge of tears.

After taking a look at the gear I was riding in, he told me to switch to a 42/17 and invited me to follow him. Thirty minutes later, before taking his leave, he suggested I build a base of at least 1000 km before even thinking of doing short intervals in a bigger gear. "High cadence in an easy gear," he said.

Best training advice I ever received.

Two years later I accomplished my goal of racing cat 1/2. But if not for him, I swear I would have sold my bike the next day.

Also, I'm far from expert on these matters, but I didn't wait to have 4000 km's before entering in novice/cat 4 races. Sure, I got shelled early on; but it didn't take long before I could hang in and not cause stupid wrecks.

 

[Anonymous]

Find group rides and show up every week. Of course, you will want to find a no-drop easier ride at first, but you can work your way up from there.

 

[flicker]

I remember thinking I could take a short cut to riding with the best by training in the big ring from day one.

Twenty minutes into my first ride on my brand new bike an experienced racer stopped and asked why I was sitting on the side of the road on the verge of tears.

After taking a look at the gear I was riding in, he told me to switch to a 42/17 and invited me to follow him. Thirty minutes later, before taking his leave, he suggested I build a base of at least 1000 km before even thinking of doing short intervals in a bigger gear. "High cadence in an easy gear," he said.

Best training advice I ever received.

Two years later I accomplished my goal of racing cat 1/2. But if not for him, I swear I would have sold my bike the next day.

Also, I'm far from expert on these matters, but I didn't wait to have 4000 km's before entering in novice/cat 4 races. Sure, I got shelled early on; but it didn't take long before I could hang in and not cause stupid wrecks.

This man above me knows what he says. Listen and learn 66 inch gear mantra spin tempo spin rest. Put in miles in a low gear. Learn how to ride slow and handle the bike. The bicycle will teach you the rest the brand does not matter the fit is everything. After you have aquired the finess and power experiment with position.

 

[the delgados]

One more thing:

When you're able to achieve your goal of riding with those you once looked up to, be sure to share what you've learned with beginners.

Take note of the new guy on the new bike whose riding in a 53/15. Drop back and proved words of encouragement.

Don't call him/her a "Fred." They'll probably thank you.

I have no idea why (perhaps it has something to do with the fact it's bloody hard), but the sport tends to breed an elitist crowd. Which is too bad, given that it's not the most popular sport around (at least here in Canada).

Anyhow, good luck and have fun.

 

[Bulldog Racing]

Just completed my first month and what an adventure. I really appeciate all the help and advice.

I hit just shy of 400 miles and had my first crash and a flat tire.

I tried to ride with a fast group just to see where I am at and got my doors blow off. I found a group and had my first 40 mile ride at an 18 mph average. I felt wipped out the rest of the day. I under estimated the addrenlian rush of going 35 mph on a bicycle, it is a blast.

I haven't entered in a race yet but I hope to by the end of the year.

 

[Bulldog Racing]

Get a copy of Joe Friel's "The Cyclist's Training Bible" if you're looking to race. It is the standard a lot of amateur racers use for creating training plans, and should give you a general idea what kind of time commitment you're getting into. It can be shocking, but with a running and a racing background in MX, you may have more insight into training than the pure newbie.

Welcome aboard!

Got the book and it has really helped me. Thanks for the advice. I am entering my first race this weekend (15th). It is only a 45 miler. I have been ridding 45 mile rides every Sunday and finished just under 3 hours. During the week I have been riding 3 times 15-25 miles. My goal is to finish in the 2.5 hour range or 18 mph.

 

[boardhanger]

Got the book and it has really helped me. Thanks for the advice. I am entering my first race this weekend (15th). It is only a 45 miler. I have been ridding 45 mile rides every Sunday and finished just under 3 hours. During the week I have been riding 3 times 15-25 miles. My goal is to finish in the 2.5 hour range or 18 mph.

I hope your riding low gears as often as you can when training (spinning). You need to develope (as Mickey says in Rocky) dirty greasy speed !! When you can spin 90-105 rpm riding 39/19 or 39/17 for a 2-3 hours it'll develope the muscles that will grow and then you can ride bigger gears at similar revs when the action requires it. All too often I see cyclists riding gears way to big for them. Even pro's ride 39/19 or 39/17 during their training. It'll hurt at the begining cause your using new muscle groups. But after a while it's natural. And you'll fly past those big gear chompers who get dropped at the exact same spot everytime. During the 80's it was well known anglo riders who came across to the mainland Europe had to be re-trained in this method. As Bruce Lee states to aquire the state of 'Zen' to do something natural like punching of kicking you need to do about 20,000 times before body adapts to it. In cycling terms I don't know how to translate, but you get my drift. G'luck!!c