Before Diving In

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Before diving in

Welcome to bike racing 101. Here we’ll cover topics on how to get started racing! You may be nervous, excited or even unsure. That’s ok! We’re here to help you.

Whether you’re interested in mountain bike racing, cyclocross racing, road racing or track racing, there are some common elements to getting involved.

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Community

The first step is to ask questions! (and lots of them) Do you have friends who race? Talk to them. Stop by your local bike shop and talk with them. Stop by an event in your area and talk to folks. Your most valuable resource is our amazing community. We all share a passion for bike racing and we love to share.

If there are clinics related to the type of bike racing you would like to do- take advantage of the opportunity! We have a number of great coaches in the community who can impart knowledge and training tips. For women’s cycling, we are lucky to have the “Let’s Race Bikes” program. Run by volunteers, this group of amazing women mentor and help women and junior women get into bicycle racing. If you want to try track racing, there are special Wednesday night development classes with track bikes available for rent.

Teams in OBRA are also great resources. Many teams host meet the team rides in the late fall into early winter to recruit new members. You can still meet teams on your own but this is a great way to meet a number of members at once! Teams are a critical component of racing. It’s not just about putting on a team kit, but it’s a support network. You create friendships – people that you can hang out with at events, mentors, friends you can commiserate or celebrate with after a race and friends you can ride with.

A list of teams in OBRA

Schedule of OBRA events

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Health and bike checks

Is your child good enough shape? Check in with your doctor to make sure you don’t have any medical conditions that would preclude them from racing or could present a danger.

Oregon Bicycle Racing Rule 7.2.3– All clothing and equipment will be in good repair and reasonably clean at the start.

Is their bike growing moss? Is their bike ghost shifting? Or is their wheel wobbling like a bowl full of jello? When was the last time you had their bicycle checked? Stop by your local bike shop and have their bike checked for safety!

Never ride untested equipment. If they have a new bike, new wheels or new components, make sure they ride them a couple times before coming to the race. There’s nothing worse than having to make adjustments at the race venue or having a piece of equipment malfunction.

Make sure your child is wearing appropriate clothing for bike racing.  Make sure they don’t show up with open toed shoes.  Gear makes a tremendous difference as to whether an event is great or a completely miserable experience.

Get a Road ID. Whether you’re just riding or racing it’s always important to carry some sort of identification.

Insurance

An important note that we cannot stress enough- make sure your child has health insurance! Bike racing does carry risks! Just as in any sport (triathlons, running, football, soccer, basketball, etc.) injuries do happen. While most injuries are limited to road rash and stitches, there is always a potential for death, serious injury or property loss. OBRA and the promoters do not provide insurance coverage for injuries and equipment loss that occur at the race! We also encourage racers to purchase an accident insurance policy through companies like Adventure Advocates.

Rules

Familiarize yourself with the rules. There won’t be a test but it’s good to be familiar with the racing rules. The last thing you want is to show up at an event and find out that your bike, equipment or clothing disqualifies you from racing.

Link to the OBRA Racing Rules

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