Its coming! (road bike)

[ChrisB]

I have something in the works that I am picking up on Monday. I will post picture when I get it, but lets just say CARBON! Going to be the best bike I have ever owned. Time to start thinking about road racing.

A question for the road gurus here. I know there are not many road races in SoCal, so what are some good ones that are not too far of a drive away? Maybe 3-4 hours or so isn't too bad. Also, if I was to do centuries and hang in the front, is it pretty competitive or all just kind of a leisurely ride?

[psyclerider]

If you don't have a girlfriend or spouse to tick off, you can do this race on valentines day.
http://www.veloavanti.com/pdf_doc/20...nouncement.pdf

[Albacore]

It all depends on the type of road racing you want to do. There are crits almost every weekend from now through August.

[GeorgiaOfTheJungle]

CONGRAT!

Check out this site: http://socalcycling.com/

Devil's Punchbowl is supposed to be good. Mark Reynolds San Luis Rey and Bakersfield are fun, too. Sign up early, the Cat 5s fill up fast! Aside from road races, there are some fun crits--faster paced for a shorter period of time.

Take some time on the road bike first though, make sure you're comfy in groups; the Cat 5 races can be dangerous due to inexperience (not necessarily yours).

The plus? Having ridden mountain bikes gives you skills to get through/around most of these incidents. Just remember that the falls can hurt a bit more (road rash is common with a slider fall).

Check in your area for practice crits. Although a bit different than road races, the experience will help. I know there are some at El Dorado Park and the Rose Bowl. The season is just starting, so go out for some FUN!

[Rivet]

By "road racing" I assume you mean something other than 45-60 minutes crits. When looking at calendars look for races labeled "road race" or "RR" that signifies that it will be a true road race which are generally longer and favor overall fitness, not just "chubby sprinter" crit guys

Locally
1. BLVD- today, too late.
2. San Dimas stage race - Always fun and hard, have to do the uphill TT on Fri. to do the road race on Sat.
3. San Diego cyclovets omnium has a good road race course and you don't have to do the other stages, you can just do the road race.
4. Devils Punch Bowl - Hard...fun...hard.
5. San Luis Rey - best road race in Southern California.
6. State Championships in Bakersfield.

If you feel like driving, Central and Northern Cal have the best road races in the country.

http://www.ncnca.org/road/

[ChrisB]

I don't really want to do crits, but I may try one (on my old bike). I hear the risk of falling is high and I don't want to put my new bike in a place where it might get hurt easily. And I want to do more of the long road races, I like long endurance stuff, so 5-6 hours in the saddle is a good thing.

ANd I heard northern CA has a lot of road races, and so does arizona. Not too far to drive a few times a year.

[MnMDan]

Go for the Camp Pendelton Bulldog Race at the end of February...its a road race, not a crit, and its a pretty good course with a 10% climb at the midpoint...

After that, there are a few that drive the hour from your neck of the woods for Food Park on Sat and Como on Sun down here in OC...those will whet your whistle and tell you if you're fast, or just think you are.

Or, go big and try and set some PB's at some double-century rides.