What made you start racing?

maloner

I've got a 50x34 and 11x28. I haven't needed the 34x28 combo often this year in racing (A4 - first year) but I used it plenty going up the last climb on the omagh 3 day - ~2km at about 7.5%.

Dan Martin in his diary said they had 34x28's on a stage in the Vuelta this week some other race...:

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/a-tough-day-for-me-right-from-the-start-and-the-plan-now-is-to-save-some-energy-and-stay-out-of-trouble-1.1507505

"We were using 34x28, so the gradient wasn’t a problem . . . it didn’t feel that steep to us. But some other teams weren’t so fortunate to have that knowledge, and were over-geared."


EDIT: Hum, on closer reading I think he was referring to a previous race where the gradient hit 30%. Thats a bit different....

hardCopy

maloner wrote: »

I've got a 50x34 and 11x28. I haven't needed the 34x28 combo often this year in racing (A4 - first year) but I used it plenty going up the last climb on the omagh 3 day - ~2km at about 7.5%.

Dan Martin in his diary said they had 34x28's on a stage in the Vuelta this week some other race...:

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/a-tough-day-for-me-right-from-the-start-and-the-plan-now-is-to-save-some-energy-and-stay-out-of-trouble-1.1507505

"We were using 34x28, so the gradient wasn’t a problem . . . it didn’t feel that steep to us. But some other teams weren’t so fortunate to have that knowledge, and were over-geared."


EDIT: Hum, on closer reading I think he was referring to a previous race where the gradient hit 30%. Thats a bit different....

I don't know how any team could have gone into that without realising there was a vicious ramp on the stage, it was all Eurosport talked about for the whole first hour.

Welshkev

Bit of a general question, but typically speaking what kind of distances would local club league races be?

lizzylad84

Going to race next year at club league level. Also getting married too so funds are a bit low so I'll have to make do with my current bike ( trek 1.5)....... Unless Santa brings me that cervelo I've been dreaming about

Beasty

Kevinleeowen wrote: »

Bit of a general question, but typically speaking what kind of distances would local club league races be?

Club League races must take place between Monday and Thursday and so are restricted due to light conditions. They are probably typically around 40km but could be less than 30km or 50km+ depending on sunset times

Welshkev

Cheers. Would there be any racing at weekends then?

smurphy29

Club racing, no. Open racing takes place at weekends, usually on sundays.

My experience is that although shorter, club races are usually harder and faster than open races, but because the numbers are smaller they are a good deal safer.

daragh_

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ericzeking

There should be scope for club league racing to be held some weekends if a club wanted to do so, there were a few weekends (not many mind) this year where I had no race unless I travelled a long distance. The organisers would use a bit of common sense as to which weekends they would have the league or maybe some brave souls would run a beginners race league.
Open race numbers are such now that weekend league racing wouldn't impact too drastically, I would have thought. It would provide a good learning ground for people starting off. Like by the time the summer evening leagues start off the season is half over.

QueensGael

ericzeking wrote: »

There should be scope for club league racing to be held some weekends

Looks like you'd have to set up a league and not one-off non-open races, unless you're >50 or a woman

"Non-open races may only be run on Mondays through to Thursdays. Notwithstanding non-open races
which are run as a series of races and known as a league may be run at any time subject to these being
promoted for a defined group of riders e.g. veterans, women, time trialists etc . A club promoting an open
race may run a non-open race on the day of their open promotion regardless of the day of the week in
respect of riders of 50 years old and over and women. "
http://cyclingireland.ie/Key-Documents/Technical.aspx

Beasty

I personally think Club races should be permitted at weekends, particularly in February and March when midweek racing is not feasible and the A4 races get inundated with novices having no alternative to Open races

Unfortunately current CI rules do not permit this - clubs are not even allowed to race Corkagh Park at weekends

killalanerr

Beasty wrote: »

I personally think Club races should be permitted at weekends, particularly in February and March when midweek racing is not feasible and the A4 races get inundated with novices having no alternative to Open races

Unfortunately current CI rules do not permit this - clubs are not even allowed to race Corkagh Park at weekends

If a club is willing to run a weekend race why can they not just make it an open race,all the infrastructure would be in place it would be a small step to make it an open race

Beasty

killalanerr wrote: »

If a club is willing to run a weekend race why can they not just make it an open race,all the infrastructure would be in place it would be a small step to make it an open race

Because you are only usually permitted to run one Open Race per Province per day, as I understand it. There is also a lot more work involved in putting on an Open Race

The reason I think weekend Club races should be permitted is to give novices a better early season option to learn the ropes (as well as spread the load)

Beasty

I would just add that it seems to me the current format is designed to maximise interest in Open races. It may have become a victim of it's own success as early season A4 (and indeed A3) races seem to attract fields that are really too big in many cases (in Leinster anyway - Ulster already has restrictions on numbers)

wav1

Beasty wrote: »

Because you are only usually permitted to run one Open Race per Province per day, as I understand it. There is also a lot more work involved in putting on an Open Race

The reason I think weekend Club races should be permitted is to give novices a better early season option to learn the ropes (as well as spread the load)

Hence the urgent need for commissions [in this case road] to be returned to a fully functional mode asap.A good road commission could sort stuff like this in a very short time.Working on the 2014 calender at the moment and today had to ask a promoter[to which he kindly agreed] to move to another date because of the 1 province 1 race thing,even though they were over a hundred miles apart.They dont have to be commissions.Call them what you want,but bodies of people with a half a brain and lots of cop on and know what their about.No reason why there couldn't be open races and club races all happening on the same day.

jimbo28

What made you start racing?


Cant remember............. it was 1990 and i was 10, but i vividly remember why i started riding