How to start road racing (Melbourne Outer East)

[beardi]

Hi there,
Long time lurker here and keen to ask people how to start road racing in the outer east of melbourne. I'm massively intimidated by it all and I guess I'm trying to work out how to dip a toe in the water? From what I can gather the closest club is blackburn (50mins away from me) which seems a long way. I'm in the Yarra Valley.
How have other people started....did you just do shop rides or your own training and then enter something or did you do more structured training/preparation with a club etc?

Can anyone recommend places to start training/learning with other people in the outer east?

Thanks in advance

[nickobec]

Can not help with location I am on the other side of Australia (WA)

I started racing, after riding 120km or so a week mainly commuting for a couple of years, very limited experience in riding in groups.

I meet a local racer here on BNA, rode to the next race with him, decided it was for me, bought my licence online, turned up at the next race. Raced and got hooked.

So my best advice jump in with both feet, find a club, (maybe even check out a race), buy a 3 day licence online (assuming Cycling AU and not an AVCC club) and start racing.

In the meantime, get some experience riding in a bunch. Ask at your fellow riders on shop rides, who races, you might be surprised. Of the two local shop rides, probably a third or more races regularly (ok we do have a strong local club).

50 minutes to your local club, if they are active is not bad. In Perth, you have a very limited choices if you want to race regularly. One club 45 minutes south of the city that races 3 out 4 weekends (my local), the masters if you are over 35 (and race under the AVCC requiring a difference licence) that race most weekends 45 minutes north, east or south of the city (they rotate) or a velodrome which is 45 minutes east of the city. There our a couple of other cycling AU clubs, but they hold races less than 10 times a year, a growing CX scene and a good TT club.

[digbyj]

I'm in the same position in the Yarra Valley and hope to join the Eastern Vets soon, that obviously only works if you are old enough! From memory I think it's 35 and over.
Google them for more info... if you're old enough, they have different grades etc.
To prepare myself I just ride heaps, doing hills, some intervals and trying to keep up with people that ride past me!

[GAV!N]

To prepare myself I just ride heaps, doing hills, some intervals and trying to keep up with people that ride past me!

If you haven't done much/any group riding, I'd suggest a few shop rides/group rides before racing. You really need to have some understanding of group riding before you go and race. You don't want to be the one causing an accident on your first few races.

Other than that just jump right in, start in the lower grades and see how you go.

[beardi]

Thanks for the great info everybody! Looks like i'm going to just have to jump in the deep end. Ive been riding for 15+ years on and off so i definitely have some experience riding in a group, though admittedly not under race conditions. Eastern vets looks absolutely perfect but im only 34 so still have to wait another year for that. Anyone know of a similar club without the age restrictions?

Thanks again everyone

[nickobec]

Eastern vets looks absolutely perfect but im only 34 so still have to wait another year for that.

Maybe not a full year, how about 5 weeks or so

NOTE : New members may join after Oct. 1st of the current year but must turn 35 (male) or 30 (female) before Dec. 31st of the following year.

[beardi]

That is gold...I'm definitely in that category so thank you for the info. I'll get in contact with them ASAP

[nickobec]

I'm in the same position in the Yarra Valley and hope to join the Eastern Vets soon

Don't wait, join as soon as you can, ie jump in with a trial race, get your licence on 1 October and race as often as you can.

You will learn more and get race fitter quicker by racing. Even if it is hanging at the back of a lower grade with a bunch of old guys, twice your age.

[ironhanglider]

This is a useful link you can filter by type of licence.

You will have noticed that there is a bit of racing in the Yarra Valley, which will be handy for you to get to.

You will have noticed that the talk about licence types, broadly speaking there are two umbrella bodies for bicycle racing in Australia, Cycling Australia who are affiliated with the UCI, and the AVCC who are affiliated with the ICF. Technically CA members are not allowed to also be members of the AVCC, but I suspect that it only is imposed on the national team members, because I know of many who are members of both organisations.

A licence lets you ride with any affiliated club, so joining a club does not restrict you to only their races. CA licences are more expensive, but opens up a greater variety of clubs and races, fondos etc because it is a much larger organisation. AVCC licences are cheaper, and the competitors generally have a stronger desire to keep their skin intact.

I moved to Melbourne from Canberra in April, and I still haven't made the ducks line up to get to a race yet. I have both CA and an AVCC licence so I am hoping to get out and race with whoever is nearest on whatever weekend I can get out. Eastern Vets is certainly on the cards for me.

Cheers,

Cameron

[Hildalgo]

If you're looking for group rides out that way, there's a group called Velo East that do regular weekend rides around the Dandenong Ranges, usually from the Northern side (Montrose):
https://www.facebook.com/VeloEast-71413 ... 4/?fref=ts
Not sure if they still do, but Yarra Valley Cycles used to do shop rides:
http://yarravalleycycles.bikeit.com.au/
Don't race myself, so can't give any suggestions, but from the sounds of it you'd probably have to travel considerably to race, so really up to you whether its worth it, or whether group rides may be a better option. There's also racing at Sandown Raceway in Springvale on Thursday & Tuesday nights, but probably too far.

[beardi]

Thanks everyone for their info - very useful. Cheers

[macca33]

At age 34 you can become a full member at Southern Masters Cycling club - they provide very good racing throughout the entire year, road races over winter, and a great criterium calendar over summer.

http://www.southernmasters.com/

Or, if you really want to come to a grouse club, with great racing calendar, then look at Warragul Cycling Club. We've got a few members from outer-eastern suburbs and put on some fairly good racing throughout the year!

http://www.warragulcyclingclub.org.au/

As for specific training - you've been riding for a while, so can ride a bunch. In that case, there is no better training for racing, than racing!

Lastly, if you wish to purchase a Race Licence - do it in early October, as that is the window period where it will run until 31 December the following year.

cheers

[1Rowdy1]

This is the link for southern masters for those that are interested.
https://www.smcc.net.au/public/index.php

[jules21]

How to Start Racing - a Guide

1. Buy a 3 race licence. If you hate it, you haven't wasted a bucker of money. If you love it, you can upgrade to an annual one.

2. The 3 race (or a full racing) licence must be bought via membership of a club. Pick a club. Don't be too fussy, you can change clubs later. Most are friendly these days. Give the membership officer a call, read their website and social media. Find out what they offer to new members.

3. This is the big one - enter a race. Start in the lowest grade on offer. Some clubs/events have beginner grade races that are run under control of marshals. It's a good idea to do these - start as low as you can. Don't be precious - there's plenty of opportunity to move up grades. Have a chat to the club you joined/are joining about this, they will offer you tips.

4. Get your butt handed to you. Get humiliated in a race by experienced D graders who leave you struggling for breath. If you are strong, this won't happen to you - good for you, in that case. Odds are it will though - racing is not like that nice, controlled, gradual riding you did before racing. It's about holding VO2max and if you haven't trained for that, you will get smashed.

5. Assuming you got smashed, decide if racing is for you. Some people want to come back and improve. And you will improve. Others think "nah, I like my coffee shop rides more" which is fair enough.

6. If you come back, and start training with more intensity, you'll improve and probably even win something at some point.

Remember - if you turn up to a race for the first time, people may look at you a bit funny. Like they're checking you out. You might feel self-conscious. Everyone else knows each other. They've been racing longer, they know the routine. You on the other hand don't know what's going on and your head might get a bit light as you wonder what you're doing there.

Those funny looks you're getting? That's respect for pinning a number on and giving it a go.