You certainly don't want to jeopardize all the time invested in training with faulty equipment. After all, you are relying on your fitness and your equipment in a race. That said, before you enter a race, bring your bike to a bike shop and have all the components checked, cleaned and tuned. Invest in a good set of tires. Now, it's time to choose a race.
Riders usually start individually and the racer with the fastest time wins.
The criterium races emphasize speed, cornering and sprinting. CBRC will be organizing a weekly training race on a 5-mile rolling loop in Feura Bush beginning Tuesday, April 3rd. In general, road races emphasize endurance and climbing. In 2001, all racers must pre-register. In the Lake Placid area, the 2001 Cloudsplitter Race has now been moved up to Memorial Day Weekend.