Bike suggestions for first race!

[gnat23]

Is it a women's singlespeed category, or just one for women and men?

I say take the singlespeed bike, but ride with the women regular.

-- gnat! (woulda gotten 4th had I done that last time)

[spokewench]

Usually, the courses are not very long. Take both bikes; ride each one a lap around the course to see which one you want to ride.

And, sign up with the women to race. No way would I sign up for a mixed gender, mixed ability single speed race for my first race; that is just asking to be trounced and have no competition around you to make it fun.

spoke

[kermit]

I had looked at the schedule and race map, not very specific. The singlespeed catagory is mixed with "clunkers", and first timers. That race starts at lunch time, not sure thats the right catagory for me. Okay here is the blonde part of me asking about the womens catagory. They have two classes, womens A & B, 1-3X, and they are divided by 30 or 45 minutes. Whats the difference? Do you race for 30 minutes and see who gets the farthest? I am leaning more towards the mountain bike, the singlespeed is steel and heavier that the stumpy. It is just a low end bikesdirect toy I bought for our nasty georgia roads. I am hoping to scope out the course when I can, it will be flat and probably have lots of barriers to run over. I have no expectations for anything, just like my first sprint tri, and this is also virgin territory for the club hosting it. Here goes nothing! Thanks for the advice.

[spokewench]

Usually the womens a and b are based on ability. Usually the A is the higher category than the B. But you can tell, if the A is 45 minutes and the B is 30 minutes, then the B is the lower level.

And, when it is timed event like that, you ride until the first rider crosses at the 30 or 45 minute mark. You may have been lapped and if you have been lapped, then you will not do as many laps as the leader. They will pull you off the course when you cross the finish line. They usually give you a bell lap when you come through on your last lap (although it depends on when the leader crossed); but usually when you are coming thru on your last lap, they give you the bell and you know that is the last lap for you.

spoke

[kermit]

Cool. It looks like fun!

[ehirsch83]

i will be there to watch

[kermit]

Oh crap, pressures on!