The Beginner's Guide to Racing - Ask a Cycling Coach 165

We're taking your questions on today's podcast to come up with the beginner's guide to bike racing. Join us live and let us know what you wish you knew when you started out, or what you still don't understand about the nuanced world of bike racing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE   Nutrition, pacing and equipment strategies for Tahoe Trail 100 How to get into bike racing Which type of bike racing is best for beginners? How to find a group to ride with? How fast should you be before signing up for a bike race? Why bike skill is more important than fitness for new racers How to save energy in a race What category should you race? Should new racers compete in Elite and Masters categories? How to upgrade categories in USAC Why ketosis isn't a practical solution for cycling Drills to make you a faster sprinter A pre-race checklist for new racers How to find a nearby bike race Should new bike racers get a one-day or annual USAC license? Pre-race nutrition for bike racers The first thing you need to do when you arrive at a bike race Should you warmup before a bike race? Should you carry spares and tools during a bike race? What tire pressure is best for road racing Why lubing your chain before you ride is a bad idea Do you need to warm up on the trainer before a race? What it means to "hold your line" How close do you have to ride to people in a pack? How to know when you are in the draft How long should you pull during a bike race? Why racing in the rain isn't that scary Should you just sit in during your first bike race? Why getting dropped in a bike race is not a failure How to know when you should upgrade categories Tips for racing in a small field Which type of mountain bike race is best for beginners What are the rules for passing in mountain biking? What bike is best for beginner mountain bikers? What category should you race when transferring disciplines? Why you should never look back when you hear a crash How to pin your number like a pro Do heavy riders need to train differently than light riders? Should beginner riders use flat pedals or clips? More training questions answered here: bit.ly/Training-Questions-Help-Center   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   THE ONLY PODCAST DEDICATED TO MAKING YOU A FASTER CYCLIST   Each week Coach Chad Timmerman, Coach Jonathan and TrainerRoad’s CEO Nate Pearson gather to answer queries submitted from athletes around the globe, as well as dish about their latest training experiments, discoveries and tips.   Subscribe to the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast: www.trainerroad.com/podcast   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ABOUT TRAINERROAD — CYCLING’S MOST EFFECTIVE TRAINING SYSTEM   TrainerRoad makes cyclists faster. Athletes get structured indoor workouts, science-backed training plans, and easy-to-use performance analysis tools to reach their goals   Get started today: bit.ly/Get-Faster-TrainerRoad Download the TrainerRoad app: bit.ly/Download-TrainerRoad Browse training plans: bit.ly/TR-Training-Plans   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   FOLLOW TRAINERROAD   Facebook: www.facebook.com/TrainerRd Instagram: www.instagram.com/TrainerRoad Twitter: www. twitter.com/TrainerRoad Strava Club: www.strava.com/clubs/TrainerRoad