So tomorrow looks like rain and 40 degree weather...and a race at 9 am...

are fenders uci / usac legal? got a pair that are nice and light, would be nice to use the front to keep my toes a bit dryer...is everybody just too cool to use them? or are they just not legal? Love em on training rides, but for the life of me I can't ever remember seeing anyone racing with the things...

2fat

The best thing I can find is:

Mudguards (fenders), if fitted, may not extend towards the center of the wheel further than the wheel rim.

Sounds like they're pretty legal. Bring them with and ask before the start of the race.

Thanks, that sounds like the ticket to fender freedom...they are pretty easy to remove if anyone complains....

Best,
2fat

Sure.

Here in Seattle, people race with them all the time in the early-season training races.

Though the spray from 87 other riders will render them largely irrelevant...

Sure.

Here in Seattle, people race with them all the time in the early-season training races.

Though the spray from 87 other riders will render them largely irrelevant...

They ain't gonna keep your toes dry.

Hey maggie, am I gonna die in my first 1/2 race in April?

Hey maggie, am I gonna die in my first 1/2 race in April?

Yes, unfortunately. I have found that indeed, there is a much much steeper learning curve going from a 3 to a 2. That being said, it is indeed possible to finish well in your first cat.2 race, provided that you have some good fitness. Seeing your posts about training in this off season, and what you've been doing so far this year, I think that you'll be OK actually. Just hang in there. Essentially, you know how sometimes in the 3s it gets really hard, and then backs off after a couple of minutes or less? Well, the biggest difference I've found is that when it gets hard in a 1-2 race, it just stays hard for, oh, 30 minutes or more and it is kind of relentless. But honestly, you'll not really know how you're going to do until you line up in the race, but I think you probably knew this already. It's hard, and depending on who shows on a given weekend, sometimes it's a lot harder than other times. The NRC crits that I've raced in (about 10 or so total over the last few years), I've managed to finsh only about 3 of them, because in those especially, the pace is pegged from the start, and it never lets up. Sometimes 100k of really hard riding.

Good luck, let me know how it shakes out for you. I am actually looking at a possible downgrade for this season back to the 3s, mostly because I had all of last year off, too much work and all, and need to work my way back into it, but then again, I may just train my arse off, and get back in on the 1-2 level.

Hey maggie, am I gonna die in my first 1/2 race in April?

Holy crap. Did you get your 30 points already?!?

That's pretty much how I thought it would go. It's okay if I die, mostly I want to do the longer and harder races to get the experience racing with the big boys. My longer-term plan with my coach / mentor is to be a factor in some bigger 1/2 races NEXT season, so if I can do those races this season, and see how it goes, that will be nice.

Mostly it is the crits that I need to work on.

I wish I knew how to advise you, of course, since I've never been up there. I know that some of my cat 3 teammates with families, careers, etc etc, get by being packfill in cat 3 on like, 8-10 hours a week... it seems like in the 3's, like you said, the REALLY FAST part doesn't last very long unless you get into a break, so the pack will never just spit you out except on big climbs or something.

Cruzer, you need 25 points, I don't have 'em all yet, but I will by April. I have like 20 now that I've gotten in the flatter races, and there are a couple hilly races and a stage race in April, so I'll be able to pick 'em up.

Cruzer, you need 25 points, I don't have 'em all yet, but I will by April. I have like 20 now that I've gotten in the flatter races...

MONSTER