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Rider gradings



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 6th 03, 03:40 PM
Andrew Lighten
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Default Rider gradings

I've got a bit of a newbie question he how are riders graded for
competition?

I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to join
a club and start competing?

Thanks,
Andrew.


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  #2  
Old September 6th 03, 09:23 PM
Suzy Jackson
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Default Rider gradings

"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
...

I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and

how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to

join
a club and start competing?


It's all voodoo. If an unknown shows up to a club race, the handicapper
looks them over, and assigns a grade. If you haven't raced before, you
generally get put into D grade, which is the second lowest. E Grade is
usually reserved for the really old guys.

So then when you blow D grade apart on your first race, and finish 400m
ahead of the pack, a bunch of people will complain that you're a burglar,
and you'll get stuck into C grade next week. Some people get a bit of a
reputation for sneaking around the different clubs trying to con the
handicapper into putting them into a lower grade than they really should.

If you're properly graded, and a regular, you'll find your performance will
generally improve with time, so after a while you'll stop getting dropped,
then you'll start to get involved in the sprint, and get noticed by the
handicapper. If you're on the podium too many times in a row, they'll
suggest that it would be good for you to race with the next grade.

Of course if you show up to your first race with enormous bulging shaved
thighs, and a well worn expensive bike, be prepared to race your first race
with the C or even B graders.

Regards,

Suzy


  #3  
Old September 6th 03, 09:23 PM
Suzy Jackson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
...

I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and

how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to

join
a club and start competing?


It's all voodoo. If an unknown shows up to a club race, the handicapper
looks them over, and assigns a grade. If you haven't raced before, you
generally get put into D grade, which is the second lowest. E Grade is
usually reserved for the really old guys.

So then when you blow D grade apart on your first race, and finish 400m
ahead of the pack, a bunch of people will complain that you're a burglar,
and you'll get stuck into C grade next week. Some people get a bit of a
reputation for sneaking around the different clubs trying to con the
handicapper into putting them into a lower grade than they really should.

If you're properly graded, and a regular, you'll find your performance will
generally improve with time, so after a while you'll stop getting dropped,
then you'll start to get involved in the sprint, and get noticed by the
handicapper. If you're on the podium too many times in a row, they'll
suggest that it would be good for you to race with the next grade.

Of course if you show up to your first race with enormous bulging shaved
thighs, and a well worn expensive bike, be prepared to race your first race
with the C or even B graders.

Regards,

Suzy


  #4  
Old September 7th 03, 03:51 AM
Andrew Swan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

Andrew Lighten wrote:
I've got a bit of a newbie question he how are riders graded for
competition?

I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to join
a club and start competing?

Thanks,
Andrew.

Good question. If you're interested in winning, try to get into as low a
grade as possible, and like Suzy said, if you're graded too low, they'll
soon put you up!

OTOH, bike skills are generally better in the higher grades, so you'll
learn good habits right from the start if they do put you in a higher
grade. Also the bunch goes slightly faster in each grade, as you'd
expect, so you might improve your conditioning faster if you race in a
grade just above one in which you can comfortably sit in the bunch.

I guess burglars are a real problem (like in handicap golf), but I
didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted when for my first ever
race, the starter was very dubious about my claim to be a rank beginner
and therefore in D grade! He even asked (right in front of me) other
guys in my club (which I'd only just joined) whether they knew me.

The simple answer is if you're new to racing but reasonably fit and can
ride in a straight line, you should start in D grade and work your way
up (or stay in D grade and enjoy it!).

HTH,

&roo (who was misheard at the starter's table once and nearly ended up
in a B grade race instead of D grade)

  #5  
Old September 7th 03, 03:51 AM
Andrew Swan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

Andrew Lighten wrote:
I've got a bit of a newbie question he how are riders graded for
competition?

I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to join
a club and start competing?

Thanks,
Andrew.

Good question. If you're interested in winning, try to get into as low a
grade as possible, and like Suzy said, if you're graded too low, they'll
soon put you up!

OTOH, bike skills are generally better in the higher grades, so you'll
learn good habits right from the start if they do put you in a higher
grade. Also the bunch goes slightly faster in each grade, as you'd
expect, so you might improve your conditioning faster if you race in a
grade just above one in which you can comfortably sit in the bunch.

I guess burglars are a real problem (like in handicap golf), but I
didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted when for my first ever
race, the starter was very dubious about my claim to be a rank beginner
and therefore in D grade! He even asked (right in front of me) other
guys in my club (which I'd only just joined) whether they knew me.

The simple answer is if you're new to racing but reasonably fit and can
ride in a straight line, you should start in D grade and work your way
up (or stay in D grade and enjoy it!).

HTH,

&roo (who was misheard at the starter's table once and nearly ended up
in a B grade race instead of D grade)

  #6  
Old September 7th 03, 04:02 AM
Andrew Price
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Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings


"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
...
I've got a bit of a newbie question he how are riders graded for
competition?

Varies hugely, club to club, event to event, country to country.

When you get a grading in a club, DON'T think it has any relevance in opens
(Cycling Federation events - those guys and gels are gooood!)

Some of the greatest bulls**t artists in all humanity can be heard trying to
establish their credentials with the handicapper as an "X" grader - "well
I'm still recovering from the triple by pass, its my granny's old bike, I'm
a certified slow old fat *******, hardly ever raced before, might not be
able to go the distance here..."

The burglars get punted to a higher grade pretty smartly.

You can tell when the handicapper has got it pretty right when there is a
big bunch of you still together after the final corner and its anybody's
race - great fun and builds riding skills like nothing else

And ultimately, you are only competing against yourself - its what you can
do, when called on to do it, that counts

best, Andrew


  #7  
Old September 7th 03, 04:02 AM
Andrew Price
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings


"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
...
I've got a bit of a newbie question he how are riders graded for
competition?

Varies hugely, club to club, event to event, country to country.

When you get a grading in a club, DON'T think it has any relevance in opens
(Cycling Federation events - those guys and gels are gooood!)

Some of the greatest bulls**t artists in all humanity can be heard trying to
establish their credentials with the handicapper as an "X" grader - "well
I'm still recovering from the triple by pass, its my granny's old bike, I'm
a certified slow old fat *******, hardly ever raced before, might not be
able to go the distance here..."

The burglars get punted to a higher grade pretty smartly.

You can tell when the handicapper has got it pretty right when there is a
big bunch of you still together after the final corner and its anybody's
race - great fun and builds riding skills like nothing else

And ultimately, you are only competing against yourself - its what you can
do, when called on to do it, that counts

best, Andrew


  #8  
Old September 7th 03, 06:07 AM
hippy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
news:3f59f21a$0$95044$c30e37c6@lon-
I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and

how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to

join
a club and start competing?


If you've realistically not done any racing before, put yourself in
the lowest grade. Even being super fit doesn't mean you will
win, there's tactics and rules to be learnt.
If you wax the field then, sure, put yourself up a grade.

It's quite hard to tell and I had the same question when I started.
I worked my way up in D grade and in one race lapped the field.
Entered into C grade after that and got a place or two, then
crashed and my next C grade race (with many more riders)
I was left for dead - so, even getting the grade right doesn't
mean you will be near the front, or even be able to hang on!

It's nice to win, but it's better to fight for the win!

hippy


  #9  
Old September 7th 03, 06:07 AM
hippy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
news:3f59f21a$0$95044$c30e37c6@lon-
I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and

how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to

join
a club and start competing?


If you've realistically not done any racing before, put yourself in
the lowest grade. Even being super fit doesn't mean you will
win, there's tactics and rules to be learnt.
If you wax the field then, sure, put yourself up a grade.

It's quite hard to tell and I had the same question when I started.
I worked my way up in D grade and in one race lapped the field.
Entered into C grade after that and got a place or two, then
crashed and my next C grade race (with many more riders)
I was left for dead - so, even getting the grade right doesn't
mean you will be near the front, or even be able to hang on!

It's nice to win, but it's better to fight for the win!

hippy


  #10  
Old September 7th 03, 11:48 AM
Arpit
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

On Sat, 06 Sep 2003 20:23:27 GMT, "Suzy Jackson"
wrote:

"Andrew Lighten" wrote in message
...

I've seen mention of people being "D grade", "C grade", etc. What kind of
performance criteria are used to determine what grade someone is in, and

how
could I get a rough idea of what grade I might be in should I choose to

join
a club and start competing?


It's all voodoo. If an unknown shows up to a club race, the handicapper
looks them over, and assigns a grade. If you haven't raced before, you
generally get put into D grade, which is the second lowest. E Grade is
usually reserved for the really old guys.

So then when you blow D grade apart on your first race, and finish 400m
ahead of the pack, a bunch of people will complain that you're a burglar,
and you'll get stuck into C grade next week. Some people get a bit of a
reputation for sneaking around the different clubs trying to con the
handicapper into putting them into a lower grade than they really should.

If you're properly graded, and a regular, you'll find your performance will
generally improve with time, so after a while you'll stop getting dropped,
then you'll start to get involved in the sprint, and get noticed by the
handicapper. If you're on the podium too many times in a row, they'll
suggest that it would be good for you to race with the next grade.

Of course if you show up to your first race with enormous bulging shaved
thighs, and a well worn expensive bike, be prepared to race your first race
with the C or even B graders.

Regards,

Suzy


Hmm, I have always feared racing, since I only cycle occaisionally for
fun. I guess if there are grades its a different matter though.
 




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