Racing Guys?

I'm thinking about getting into racing. I'm seventeen. Do 17 year olds race together with mixed male/female?
I've just started to research this so I don't really know anything yet.

Sometimes, all juniors race together. Sometimes, just the junior women race together but the race may be run with the women's cat 4 race. It depends on the interest and size of fields in your area for the most part.

When is your birthday? USCF licenses make your racing age the age you will be at the end of the year, so by the time you start racing, you might be racing as 18 anyway.

Oh, if you do race as a junior, be sure you learn about junior gearing rules (juniors are limited in the gearing they are allowed to use).

If you are racing as a junior (which you can do until age 18) then you might find combined fields with both men and women, but I believe that they are always scored separately. In all likelihood you will end up racing in the women's field most of the time though - usually there are a limited number of races that have Juniors fields.

When/if you go to college you can race collegiate and the races will all be separated.

Now - you do have the option of racing with the men and are allowed to race one category down from your normal one if you choose. Sometimes I see women do this when they feel the need for challenge or if there is not a women's field. In this case you would not be scored separately. Often you'll see promoters give women and sometimes juniors a reduced entry fee if they have to race with the men.

Thanks! I haven't decided yet when I'd like to start racing, but just wondering what I'd be getting myself into at this point in time.
Wilda S. Bday is july2

Collegiate racing is awesome and a great way to get started.

There are lots of juniors races of all age groups around here, and the junior women usually race with the boys, but it can vary greatly. Do some research on your local races to see what you'd be in for there. If you wait till next season, then you'll be racing as 18, so it won't matter. You'd be in the women's 4. So also be on the lookout for what types of women's fields are in your area too. Are there many 4 fields or do they tend to be open (1/2/3/4)? Jumping into a race with some super fast ladies can be really intimidating, and if that's your only option, I'd cast my vote for going to a college with a racing club instead.

Try www.bikereg.com and search your geographic region.