What race category do you compete in?
I’m interested in knowing the average category racer of a TR user.
I only started last year, and only raced CX at that. I started (and finished) in the bottom category (C races / cat 4). This year I plan on racing road as well, and plan is to race half season (4-5 races) before moving up.
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Road 3
Cross 3
MTB 1
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Maybe try a poll? That could make it easier to see forum responses.
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Mtb 3 last year but think I’m going to make the leap to 1 this year
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Road 4 (Only because I don’t HAVE to be a 5)
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Slightly different here in the UK (You start at Cat 4, you get 12 points, you move up to cat 3 and NEVER move back down, 10 points for a local/regional race win, 1 point for 10th even if there are exactly 1010 riders)
I race cat 3 with an FTP at around 280-90. Realised a few years ago I could get up to cat 2 (40 pts) if I raced a lot, but I can’t race a lot. so that was that!
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Thinking of trying a couple of Regional B road races in the UK this year on a day license around triathlons (I know I won’t get points).
My last Ramp Test gave me an FTP of 223w (2.8w/kg) after a lengthy training hiatus, next RAMP Test due Monday so will see how I fair then. In your experience, what sort of FTP do I need to be looking at to hold my own in a UK Cat 3/4? Normally I’d just give it a go but given road isn’t my focus this year I don’t want to bury myself and derail the rest of my training!
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Really depends on what course you’re racing on. A couple of the crit circuits round here have horrible dead hairpins followed by long straights, so you really need to be going well to stay in the front group.
However some of the wider flat road race circuits, you’d be absolutely fine at that level.
Where are these flat road races? I need them please
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Thanks, I live in the SW and have a 3/4 RR literally on my doorstep in Apr which I might try. It’s only about 65km and the course is one of my regular training routes for SS intervals (hit Tray Mountain over it last week).
I guess I might as well give it a go, only so much damage one can do over a couple of hours.
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Well, this weekend there are two near me! One on aintree motor racing circuit, the other at Pimbo industrial estate. The bad news is the one on the motor racing circuit is a handicap race with a handful of actual olympians. Make a weekend of it next year!
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Which region are you in? The Royal Navy run a circuit series around an airfield circuit in Somerset (RNAS Merryfield) which is up on the BC website.
Behind the Bikeshed Racing also run a number of events around the Thruxton race circuit, it looks like they’ve dropped their weekend races and are just running two mini-series (Apr and Aug) due to poor turnout last year, but there is something at least.
Edit: the series run on Wednesday evenings with either a 1830 or 1845 start.
I’m also aware of circuit racing in the Portsmouth Area and at the Torbay Velopark in Paignton but don’t have any details I’m afraid.
1, 1/2, and masters 35+
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In London, we have some flat crit courses, I was just wondering about a mythical flat roadrace where I wouldn’t be penalised for being a fatty (well 80kg with 10%bf, but still… at 5’11 in bike racing, 80kg makes me a fatboi)
Last year was my first year racing so I got my 10 Cat 5 races and I’m now a CAT 4 on the road.
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Tell me about it. I’m 5’8 at 79kg!
I wouldn’t worry about your FTP or any other metric to be honest. Not being flippant. My personal experience with BC sanctioned crits/road races is that bike handling, pack riding and the ability to quickly familiarise yourself with the course (if it’s a circuit) are far more beneficial.
Since swapping my TACX Flux S for a TACX Flux 2 my FTP has plummeted from 319 to 255. I race 2/3 (UK) and have been getting top 10s with 255 so I really would encourage you to go and give it a shot 
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Zwiftpower Cat A (FTP > 4w/kg and > 250W)
(TFIC)
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Thanks for the idea. I’ll try and get a poll sorted.