ACC Road Race - Saturday October 27th 2007

[Sylv]

Someone should put the date in the title, took me an age to find it

[Tony]

Toks - you need to be careful in banding around average speed statistics, even if the BCF seems to give them some kind of credence to similar figures on their Website.

I did not join a cycling club for years (around ten to be precise!) based on the misguided notion that there was no hope for you if you couldn't average 20mph. This view was perpetrated widely at the time, and of course 20mph was easy for all the club cyclists I knew! Annoyingly people (e.g. BCF) still use this as a benchmark.

Sorry - but IMHO it is a very unhelpful target. When racing on a flat time trial course for 10miles with no junctions to slow down for when you can maintain your pace, then evens (20mph) is a respectable target for a novice. However, newcomers to racing have never had this opportunity to test themselves. Further as flat-road TTing favours heavier adult riders rather than leaner junior ones, an average of 16-17mph around a reasonably tough circuit on your own is a more representative target. Had I know this 15 years ago, my cycling-life may have been very different!

[MJ_1993]

[quote="Toks"]Each lap is approximately a mile, - you're at school you do the Maths

[Andrew G]

If even mildly inquizative then all should have a go.

It costs nothing.

It's a club event so friendly faces.

If you get dropped you can still have your own race with others in the same position (that's what I've been doing at Palace ).

[MJ_1993]

Is anyone going from CSS?

[quote="Tony"]Toks - you need to be careful in banding around average speed statistics, even if the BCF seems to give them some kind of credence to similar figures on their Website.
!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Toks,
Technically this event will be under BC regulations, and in that case Mo should not be allowed to compete with senior riders, but I have a way round it - call the race a handicap, and let Mo start a little ahead of the others.

Have you appointed a commissaire?

I could take on the role if no-one objects (no I won't disqualify everyone in front of me)

Non-BC members should pay a day-licence fee, but I think we can get round that one as well, but will check.

[MJ_1993]

thnx Paul, plz tell me theres no gear restrictions for me

[richv]

Youths are always subject to gear restrictions in BC events and if Paul doesn't check them I'll be complaining

How else are us old codgers supposed to cope

[MJ_1993]

a guy in butlers taught me ten ways how to avoid it/fool the race organisers, so it doesn't matter, it just means a lazy teenager has to get off his backside

[Tony]

Toks - If you wish to continue the conversation privately - I'm happy to do so. The general point that I will re-iterate (as it is important) is below:

I want to ensure that nobody is put off from racing (or even riding with any club) by looking at average riding speeds without proper context or without a context that a novice rider can relate to.

As I said in an earlier post - this is exactly what happened to me for years! I rode around on my own or occasionally with friends for years on the premise that 20mph was the cut-off for being a club / racing cyclist. No matter how hard I hammered round even quite short routes I could not average 20mph. My best cycling days were already behind me when I actually took the plunge, joined a club and realised I had been more than good enough for the preceding 10-years!

Where we clearly do agreed is that a 'respectable' showing in the intermediate or quicker groups on the clubrun is sufficient to ride with the 4ths and novices in the ACC promotion. Riders of this standard should definitely ride if they want to.

[Andrew G]

I was still riding with the 17s/18s last year when I did the ACC race. Got dropped from the lead 4 after 20mins but had a great time. Hung on long enough for the 1st prime and won a couple of beers .

[Toks]

[quote="mrpvt"]Toks,


Have you appointed a commissaire?

[Toks]

[quote="Tony"]
I want to ensure that nobody is put off from racing (or even riding with any club) by looking at average riding speeds without proper context or without a context that a novice rider can relate to.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]Youths are always subject to gear restrictions in BC events and if Paul doesn't check them I'll be complaining