Racing in Perth - pointers on where to start.

[lunar_c]

Hi all,

I am keen to do some organised training rides with a club and doing some criteriums this summer.

I live in Mt Hawthorn and I'm thinking of joining a club .. Any suggestions on where to start looking?

I am getting in about 150-200km a week on the bike (rode all through winter too) and this will rise as the weather becomes nicer, and I'm getting in 2-3 gym sessions a week.

Do clubs generally start you off in D grade and see how you go? I wouldn't know where to start as far as rating myself.

[HappyHumber]

You're going daft in your old age, Ben

[lunar_c]

Haha! I need something to keep up this new found fitness Kym

[nickobec]

Assuming you want to race (road or criterium) more than a handful times a year your choice is really limited to either Peel District (PDCC) or West Coast Masters (WCMCC) assuming you are over 35.

Peel District http://pdcc.asn.au/ races 30+ times a year with road race circuits in Casuarina, Baldivis, Serpentine and criterium circuits at the Motorplex, Rockingham, Mandurah and this year Pinjarra and race under Cycling Australia licence.

West Coast races 40+ times a year with road race circuits in Casuarina, Baldivis, Pickering Brook, Herne Hill, Chidlow, Neerabup and criterium circuits at the Rockingham, Kewdale and Wangara and race under Australian Veteran Cycling Council licence (it is cheaper than Cycling AU licence, mainly paying for the same insurance but restricted to WCMCC events only)

There is nothing wrong with SPR, RCCC, Northern Beaches and Midland (all race under Cycling Australia licence), except they only put on a few races each year. And if you are a racing member of one of these clubs, you can race at Peel (just costs you a little more).

You can hold both a Cycling AU licence and an AVCC licence, I do. Because in winter PDCC races Saturday afternoon and WCMCC Sunday mornings. Also PDCC has a few weeks break between road races and criteriums, WCMCC has a week.

Try before you buy, WCMCC download the trial rider form from their website, fill it in, front up at a race pay your $20 and race. Want a second race, get a licence.

PDCC rock up get a 3 day (event) licence for $50, next two races are $10 each, want to race after that get a licence, you should get $40 off your licence fee as you bought a 3 day licence. Cycling AU licence, if you get one in October it covers you for 15 months for the cost of 12.

Next races, PDCC is the President Handicap. A handicap is not a great introduction into racing. More how long you can hand on to a small group of riders (5 to 10), riding flat out, to catch the bunch in front and not get caught by the bunches behind. After that a few TTs but the crit season starts 22 November.

WCMCC, this weekend is 2 day 4 event race and nomination for members have closed. Week after regular road race at Dog Hill, Baldivis, probably a good place to start.

Grade, PDCC or WCMCC depending on how young and fit you look, you might start in C or D grade. PDCC has a policy 1st race in C, unless you are very fit, or unfit, old or young. WCMCC used to be much the same, but the riders in D are looking younger and fitter all the time. Basically front up, talk to the handicapper and he will put you in a grade. It helps if somebody you ride with races with them and they can put in a word for you.

That is club grading. Open races not every club A grade rider wants to race with Graeme Brown, Travis Meyer and half the Navitas Satalyst Racing Team. So they drop to B grade. Most club B graders drop to C. So everybody else races D. So if you want to race an open event that you book via Cycling Australia site, select D grade. Ignore what Cycling Australia says about A, B, C and D grades. Unless you are fit (ie riding 12000km a year) you will find it very hard to survive an open C grade race without any experience.

It you want to ride time trials, join ATTA atta.asn.au and sign up for the early birds in the park series now.

Interesting in track, Track Cycling WA http://trackcyclingwa.com.au/ - don't know much about that, velodrome is long way from my house.

[nickobec]

Back to your original question, where to start?

You can just literally jump in at the deep end start racing and try and work out everything from there, I did.

Though experience in bunch riding would definitely help.

So where to get this experience, some help with training and a little guidance about racing.

Couple of choices club or bike shop ride.

Clubs if you are under 18, Midland Cycling Club has a great juniors program (and that appears to be the bulk of their focus). SPR (South Perth Roulers), biggest club in WA in terms of riders (less so racers). More social/bunch rides than racing. Run bunch rides every day of week, for vary levels of fitness. Plenty of people to ask for guidance/advice/help. Northern Beaches Cycling Club, know very little about them, do social + training rides, regularly see their kit at races (particularly WCMCC), but maybe a bit far north for you..

I know Peel and West Coast Masters do not have official training rides. There is a "masters" group ride on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but is a lot of riders who race and others who don't, turning up and riding hard. I don't know about the other clubs.

Bike shops, most have regular group rides and I know in Peel, most local riders graduate from one the 4 different shop rides in the area and get convince by other riders to give racing ago. Of the shops close to you, I do see a lot of Riders Choice kits at races, again particularly WCMCC.

Two options for you SPR, check out their website, get along for a ride or two and see if it fits you and/or give Riders Choice in Leederville a call, see when the have a group ride and go along.

[Harrison Roberts]

A good place to start would have to be Midland Cycle Club.

Midland Cycle Club offers great opportunities for racing on both the road and track. There is training sessions every Tuesday at Kings Park which is close to Mt Hawthorn, group rides in Kalamunda and East Perth every Saturday and Sunday as well.

In terms of racing, you will need a Cycling Australia racing license which is about $150 per year. Once you get this you can enter races but you will have to pay a registration fee upon entry. With grading, the coaches would probably recommend you start in D or E grade. Though if you are doing 150-200 kms a week then you would probably start in D grade.

Anyway hope that helped,

Harrison

[dmwill]

I assume the twilight crits at Claremont showgrounds will be on again in Jan/Feb 2016?

That was every Wednesday from 6pm for about 8 weeks.

Never participated but am considering giving it a shot if it comes up again.

[nickobec]

Tech park crits (Bentley) are on
21/11/2015 Saturday Smashfest 1.00pm
5/12/2015 Saturday Smashfest 1.00pm
9/01/2016 Saturday Smashfest 1.00pm
16/01/2016 Saturday Smashfest 1.00pm
26/01/2016 Tuesday Australia Day 7.00am
20/02/2016 Saturday Renae's Race 1.00pm
27/02/2016 Saturday RCCC / SPR Club Champs 3.00pm
19/03/2016 Saturday State Criterium Champs 9.00am 6.00pm

It is a good place as any to start

[Tornado]

Hi Nick

Like PDCC races can I just rock up with my licence and pay a touch more to race as I am a member of Peel and not RCCC?

[lunar_c]

Glad this is proving useful to others.

I have been improving my fitness and testing myself with some fit cycling mates in the Perth hills lately, and am now planning on heading back to the track to train and race this summer, and do some shorter TT's later his summer on my track bike for training. Though I am still very tempted to try some crits.

[Tornado]

Though I am still very tempted to try some crits.

Do it. They are action packed and plenty of fun.

I normally do the Peel Districts (Summer Saturday Mornings) ones, but this year my Mrs wants to try her hand so I will look after our daughter while she has a go. The Roues Chaudes ones are in the afternoon so I might head up to Perth and get amongst the big kids in the big smoke.

[nickobec]

I normally do the Peel Districts (Summer Saturday Mornings) ones, but this year my Mrs wants to try her hand so I will look after our daughter while she has a go. The Roues Chaudes ones are in the afternoon so I might head up to Perth and get amongst the big kids in the big smoke.

The Peel ones are on Sunday morning same as West Coast.

With both clubs, the max number of grades on the road at one time are two. So as long as you and the good lady are in different grades, you both might be able to race the same day.

The Saturday afternoon RCCC/SPR are open races (so drop a grade) and other than the club champs are open to all Cycling Australia licence holders. You generally sign up and pay online a few days before the race. Best source is join RCCC on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/roueschaudes/

[Tornado]

With both clubs, the max number of grades on the road at one time are two. So as long as you and the good lady are in different grades, you both might be able to race the same day.

She would start off in D I would suggest and I have been a bit quick for D and just hung on in C a few times over winter at Peel. Chances are we will overlap ride times. Maybe I should up my training and get to B.