Good beta, bikedog.

Here's some more for you, Elvis, that you'll need when you get hooked up in a local roadie group. Know it, learn it, live it:

Road cyclists are the biggest sandbaggers and secret trainers around. They’ll say anything to soften you up for the kill. Don’t let this happen to you. Study this handy rider’s phrasebook to find out what they really mean when they say:

“I’m out of shape.”

Translation: I ride 400 miles a week and haven’t missed a day since the Ford administration. I replace my 11-tooth cog more often than you wash your shorts. My body fat percentage is lower than your mortgage rate.

“I’m not into competition. I’m just riding to stay in shape.”

Translation: I will attack until you collapse in the gutter, babbling and whimpering. I will win the line sprint if I have to force you into oncoming traffic. I will crest this hill first if I have to grab your seat post and spray energy drink in your eyes.

“I’m on my beater bike.”

Translation: I had this baby custom-made in Tuscany using titanium blessed by the Pope. I took it to a wind tunnel and it disappeared. It weighs less than a fart and costs more than a divorce.

“It’s not that hilly.”

Translation: This climb lasts longer than a presidential campaign. Be careful on the steep sections or you’ll fall over backward. You have a 39x23 low gear? Here’s the name of my knee surgeon.

“You’re doing great, honey.”

Translation: Yo, lard ***, I’d like to get home before midnight. This is what you get for spending the winter decorating and eating chocolate. I should married that cute Cat 1 racer when I had the chance.

“This is a no-drop ride.”

Translation: I’ll need an article of your clothing for the search and rescue dogs.

“It’s not that far.”

Translation: Bring your passport.

*edits: typos

[ May 21, 2007, 10:56 PM: Message edited by: Evan ]

Evan- HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

That is so true...and I don't even race-LOL. Local club rides are like that at times. I ride in the "B" group, well more toward the latter half of the B's and things still get silly from time to time.

I did win my first ever town line sprint last week. Loopy and I went out for a nice easy Monday night ride and since he hadn't been on his his bike yet this year ( I only have about 60 miles on the road so far-LOL) I spanked him to the line. Of course, he didn't know we were racing to the line but I crossed it first so I won!

Oh yeah, Elvis, how tall are you? That thing looks big.

Man !!! thats one nice looking road bike !!!! How much does it weigh ??

Elvis,

You're gonna love it dude!

All these posts are spot on. You may wanna start in Cat 4, Cat 5 typically races with the public ( Un-liscensed riders) and those races are usually trouble because the riders are the guys who have done nothing but fun rides.

I grew up racing bmx and then crossed in to road as a young teenager. I would ride my road bike to the bmx track which was about 15 miles down the road, then hop on my bmx bike which my dad brought, and do laps at the track. All my budddy's were so impressed with how much power I built up from riding road.

It will help you're bmx racing.

Crit racing is so much fun!, bumping elbows, shadow boxing, gutter bonging, and sprinting like you're running from the cops.

Good for you & Good luck with it.

Keep us posted how you're doing!

Super cool that you got a new road rig, E.

I recently did a 63 mile (metric century) ride for Diabetes. Never realized the bike would make for much of a fundraiser, but, in my first effort, I generated nearly $600 for the cause ... and I'll be shooting for more than a grand next year.

I toyed with the idea of trying to race ... but, ya know ... I find myself happy just going on down the road. There is no "par" in cycling ... so, just enjoy the ride. I rode with a 51 year old who was in fine shape in the diabetes ride ... and, we had just a great conversation the whole way. We averaged 15.3 mph going out into 18 mph head winds on a day that the temp never cracked 50 degrees.

I mostly ride alone, which I like about the road ... I can ride whenever it works for me. I've ridden about 350 (road rides only) miles this spring.

There's a huge upside ... I'm super strong compared to when I started this spring ... can sprint up hills I nearly had to walk up back then ... and have lost about 10 lbs in the process. Let's see ... more power, less weight ... let's just say I'm starting to look forward to turning 41 !!!

I've also been going out for about 10 miles of XC riding each Monday night with a couple of guys from work to mix things up ... and, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some Fridays I bike commute to work.

And, of course, I still race cruiser from time to time.

Safe to say ... I've become a BMX-eR-OADIE-mountainbike-commuter ... or, ya know ... a biker.

BTW ... laughed my arse off at all of Evan's descriptions ... when pain is part of the program ... the head games come out in full force -- don't they? The one that really struck me is the gearing remark ... the smallest gear on the Lemond I showed here last year was 42-21 ... and, though Wisconsin is real flat compared to where you are ... I was getting a big workout on even modest climbs. I switched to a 12-23 in back ... which helps a ton.

Awesome bike. I know a guy that is just about married to his ORCA. He will be buried with that bike. I rode an old steel Colnago Master for years, and when i tried out one of the new bikes i was amazed at the difference.

I dont race (apart from fun rides), but just being out on my own 50 miles from home is what does it for me.

Road bikes are so much fun. I've got an Orbea as well (a Lobular with carbon seatstays) that is probably my favorite bike right now. It's mostly nine-speed Ultegra with Dura-Ace cranks and pedals and Easton EC90 bars and post. I don't know if I'll ever actually race, but I sure like going fast.