I've done a handful of MTB races but have never been in a road race. I just started road riding this fall and think I might enter a couple local races this spring/summer just to give it a try.

I've read about how it's important to be familiar with riding in a group etc. but I can't figure out what exactly is of importance besides having some common sense and an awareness of where other riders are.

So, what is it that I should know in order to not offend or physically hurt anyone during my first race?

So, what is it that I should know in order to not offend or physically hurt anyone during my first race?Good bike handling skills, and being calm when disaster seems to be approaching, no freaking out. Being able to have other people touch you when your riding, and not over react is good also.

Opps double post.

I can't figure out what exactly is of importance besides having some common sense and an awareness of where other riders are.

. . . and I could be wrong, but something about your "awareness where other riders are" makes me think that you've not ridden much in a tightly-packed group. If you stay in the pack, there's no question where the other riders are - they're within inches of you, or even making slight contact with you. This is what is meant by "being familiar riding in a group." It's not good to experience such close-in riding for the first time in a high-speed race.

If by "awareness" you meant "reading the race" in the sense of where the other riders are on the course, I guessed wrong.

Edit: FTF said it well as I was writing my post.

.

. . . makes me think that you've not ridden much in a tightly-packed group.

It's not good to experience such close-in riding for the first time in a high-speed race.



You're exactly right, I haven't ridden in a tight pack on the road. I assumed that this was the concern but wasn't sure if there was even more to be aware of (ie unwritten rules of the road, other courtesies like yelling "car back", secret handshakes, etc).

Unfortunately, I think my first race will be my first time in a tight pack but it would only be a relatively small local event and I imagine there will be a slower beginner's catergory. Montana isn't exacly a hot-bed for road racing so I doubt there will be any NY Marathon style mass starts.

I doubt there will be any NY Marathon style mass starts.

Your bike race will be a mass start, just fewer people.

Don't misunderstand the reason for the "closely-knit pack." It's not formed because there's not enough room and too many people.

Bike racers don't fan out after the start to ride their own race in their own space, like runners do. Bike riders intentionally form a tight pack to gain an aerodynamic advantage. In other words, they crowd together because they need to. If you want to ride a good first race, you need to be part of that pack for as long as possible.

It might be helpful to visualize 4 lanes of urban interstate at bumper-to-bumper 80 mph traffic - with you in the middle. No sudden moves, no nervousness, a bit of aggression, caution when needed, and so on.

I've done a handful of MTB races but have never been in a road race. I just started road riding this fall and think I might enter a couple local races this spring/summer just to give it a try.

I've read about how it's important to be familiar with riding in a group etc. but I can't figure out what exactly is of importance besides having some common sense and an awareness of where other riders are.

So, what is it that I should know in order to not offend or physically hurt anyone during my first race?


some of us could write volumes...but here is what to expect in general...the race will be lane restricted to one side of the road (the officials will threaten DQ if you cross over the center lane..but they rarely do that as its often necessary to skirt pending distaster). so imagine riding upwards of 35mph (if your stomach can handle it) with 3 other riders across in one lane of traffic. if its a longer race, you have TO STAY AWAKE AND ALERT as the road noise, wind, and fatigue actually start to lull people "asleep" after some time. NEVER cross your front wheel past the rear wheel of the guy in front of you...EVER. that is the reason most people go down.
when taking corners...HOLD YOUR LINE because that's another way to potentially hurt someone or yourself. expect much faster speeds that riding alone and expect there to be less air resistance if you're sitting more than 3 or 4 riders off the front..this means it will take less work to maintain your speed (its sort of surreal the first time) or HIT the guy in front of you if he hits his brakes (it happens). Expect natural variations in speed between riders so ALWAYS COVER YOUR BRAKES and expect the smallest of gaps to close very quickly. ride to the outside if you can so as to escape potential bumps however if you swerve out, make sure no car is coming (good way to die).
if there are hills in course, don't hang out in front until the base of it (from my personal experience)...you will have already burned up your climbing energy pushing through the wind and will get dropped quickly. TALK TO OTHER RIDERS. don't worry about winning your first unless you've got the energy to spring....with that said, don't expect to be able to sprint after your first race (liable to get hurt or go down). sprinting is a learned technique.
HYDRATE. EAT. HAVE FUN. :)

...but here is what to expect in general...

Thanks! That was what I was looking for.

Thanks! That was what I was looking for.


there are very nice people at races and there are D&*KS...don't be the latter. Be courteous and signal your intentions (pointing usually works) to move across lanes..try not to spit on anyone (look up "race spit" thread from last fall I started). Time trials are a good way to experience your thresholds and tolerances if they're offered locally. TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN. at least once, push yourself into glycogen depletion (bonking) so you know what it feels like when you're about to do it in a race (THEN EAT SOMETHING). TRAIN SOME MORE. Bonking is nonmistakable...it is associated with total fatigue, dizziness, mind/body separation, you can barely push down on the pedals and just want to fall off your bike (and don't really care about getting up).

the biggest and most important rule I learned last year at a local crit: KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND WATCH WHAT IS COMING AT YOU. a guy my age (30ish) last year died by putting his head down in a sprint when the field moved right...he went right into a cement post and died instantly. it was very tragic and a senseless death. respect that potential every time you step up to a line. with that said, learn the course before hand if possible. study it for potential problem spots. these things will become part of your racing if you do it long enough, but they are things to study at first...good luck.

Do yourself and your fellow racers a favor and seek out a local group/club ride before you start racing. As the racing season approaches a group ride often simulate racing quite well and they tend to be a little (or very) competitive but with more manners and safety conscience, a race will just be competitive and if you crash out it will just be fewer people to compete with. This is not meant to be harsh but if I knew you hadn't ridden in a group before I'd not be anywhere close to you. Oh, and don't even think about entering a crit!

Again, this is not to put you down, most people put off racing for too long and I wish I would have done it earlier, but your road racing career will be best served if you do a handful of group rides before racing, racing is not that difficult but like anything you should at least cover the basics and group riding is one of them. Ideally you could have someone experience teach you a few pointers and such, the best thing I did early on was to take a cycling safety course where we rode around on a grass field and bumped shoulders/elbows, bunny-hopped, cornered, and rode in a paceline.

Good luck

PLEASE, take it slowly. Road racing isn't like running in a fun run, you need to be pretty confident and comfortable with your abilities before you even start racing. Unlike a lot of sports, in road racing incompetence and a lack of familiarity really endangers all the other racers involved. Cat 5's aren't 'beginners,' they're just not as fast as they might be. Their handling skills and pack-riding skills should be pretty developed already.

Being able to have other people touch you when your riding....is good also.

huh? what kind of racing are YOU doing? :)

It's kind of funny/strange that there can seem to be no local activity until you get involved and connected locally and then find out there's tons of activity that you just weren't aware of locally. A quick google search turned up the following web page that might give you leads to local training rides and local teams willing to let a new road racer join some training rides. Also you might want to join the USCF and request a printed copy of the racing rule book, lots of good info in it. There's also an on-line version of it too.

http://www.montanacycling.org/

http://www.usacycling.org/forms/USCF_Rulebook.pdf

Also, if you google a bit you'll find team sites that give their training tips, like riding on a grassy area and bumping shoulders with other riders at slow speeds. There are also some good books out there on the subject, a quick search on the site here should lead to several discussions about them.

Have a good season, and post your experiences after the races, or even what you go thru leading up to the race season.

lots of good advice above.
do yourself this favor, too -- don't wait until mid-season. You may be tempted to "get into shape" first, but don't forget that everyone is getting into shape right along with you. Even beginners are coming into form in June -- the speeds are higher, the chances people take are greater. Start early in the season.
whoever above said you won't get touched is wrong. you get touched all the time. guys will brush against you, bang your hip or shoulder, just let you know they're there by touching your torso or hip, whatever. It can freak you out at 30 mph, if you're not used to it.
And don't eschew the beginners races because you have some speed. The beginners races, the real beginners races -- shorter distances, smaller fields -- will help you get acclimated. If you're that strong, go out and win them, but do them regardless. When you upgrade, unless you are a force of nature you will be humbled soon enough.