Be race ready
There’s lots of fun racing action to be had for Sulis Scorpions riders. As well as Go-Ride racing, club members can also take part in British Cycling races – some held at Odd Down Circuit, others further afield.
All of these races take part on traffic-free circuits, and national ranking points are awarded for the British Cycling events – usually to the top 3 riders in each category.
To take part and win points, a British Cycling Race License is required (free with British Cycling Membership for Youth category riders). Alternatively, a day license can be bought at most events – though points will not then be awarded. See our BC race membership and race licence page for further info on this.
Here’s all you need to know about racing.
Youth Racing Requirements
Age Categories & Gear Restrictions
British Cycling have updated the Technical Regulations for Road/Circuit racing, and the following restrictions shall apply from 1st March 2025. The update has introduced changes to both the maximum roll out length and the maximum rim depth allowed for each youth category.
Youth riders ride with restricted gearing as set out by British Cycling, these restrictions vary with age group and are detailed below. The following resources may assist you:
· British Cycling - Technical Regulation Updates for 2025
· British Cycling - Full Handbook 2025
These restrictions do not apply for Go-Ride races, only those that are held under British Cycling’s technical regulations.
Before each race and as part of the registration process, all bikes are checked with a “roll out” to ensure they fall within the limits set.
The maximum gear metre “roll out” length stated is the distance covered by one complete pedal revolution, with the bike in its highest available gear. See section below on how to perform a “roll out”. Our coaches and volunteers can also provide help and guidance on race setup.
Under 16 / Youth A
Riders who will be 15 or 16 years old on 31st Dec of the year of the race.
Maximum roll out length = 7.18 metres.
Maximum rim depth = 40mm.
Example: 50t chainring with 15t cassette and 700 x 32c tyres.
Under 14 / Youth B
Riders who will be 13 or 14 years old on 31st Dec of the year of the race.
Maximum roll out length = 6.73 metres.
Maximum rim depth = 40mm.
Example: 50t chainring with 16t cassette and 700 x 32c tyres.
Under 12 / Youth C
Riders who will be 11 or 12 years old on 31st Dec of the year of the race.
Maximum roll out length = 6.34 metres.
Maximum rim depth = 35mm.
Example: 50t chainring with 17t cassette and 700 x 32c tyres.
Under 10 / Youth D and Under 8 / Youth E
No maximum roll out length.
Maximum rim depth = 35mm.
With the exception of the changes to rim depth limits, all of the roll out lengths have been increased, so any rider with a bike set up to the outgoing limits will not fail the pre-race checks.
Why are there gear restrictions?
If you are planning on racing in any youth category races you need to make sure that your bike has the correct gearing to comply with the British Cycling regulations for your age category.
There are some good reasons why gears are restricted for youth races:
It ensures all riders compete together on a fair and equal standing
It helps to reduce the risk of overuse injuries and avoid strength imbalances in young riders; it may also help riders to develop good pedalling technique
It encourages young riders to race using tactics as opposed to using bigger gears to go faster. This will help to support the riders in learning new techniques which they will need in future races.
How to check your gears
It’s useful to understand how to restrict your gears so that they comply with the British Cycling regulations for your race category.
A ‘roll out’ is the technique used to check whether a bike setup meets the British Cycling gear regulations. The maximum gear restriction is the distance the bike travels in a straight line through one full revolution of the pedals/cranks, when in the highest gear available. It’s always best to have a go at the roll out rather than just relying on reference charts you may find online, as tyre and wheel diameters can and do vary, regardless of the labelled sizes!
Performing a roll out:
Equipment needed:
A metal tape measure
Bike
Marker pen
Flat surface of at least 8m or length relative to the distance shown for road racing for your rider age category.
Narrow marking tape
What to do:
Lay a straight line of tape out to 8m
Mark the distance for the relevant categories out and make sure they are easily distinguishable
Ensure your bike is in its highest gear configuration (ie the ‘hardest’ gear) and that the gears are engaged correctly
Make sure the chain is engaged in the smallest possible rear sprocket and take all the slack/play out of the drive train
Inflate the tyres to racing pressure – don’t exceed the maximum pressure indicated on the tyre wall
Position the bike at the starting point on the rollout, ensure that the crank is in bottom dead centre position, aligned with the zero point on the measure
Roll the bike backwards, ensuring to stay in a straight line
Stop the bike once the crank has completed exactly one full revolution – the crank will be back at bottom dead centre
Assess whether the crank is within or over the gear restrictions relative to the distances marked out.
Things to consider:
All bikes should be checked before you go to the event (it will be the first thing that’s then ‘officially’ checked as part of the race registration process). The first three riders in the race, plus any riders picked at random, may be rechecked by race organisers as soon as the event finishes.
If a bike does not meet the regulations the rider will be disqualified. Please note that the sprocket and chain ring combination cannot be used in isolation to assess gear size. The absolute measure for gear restriction is the distance travelled in one complete revolution of the cranks.
Tyre dimensions: please be aware that although the manufacturer may detail their tyres as a standard dimension, there will be variations from brand to brand. For example because a tyre says ‘23’ on the sidewall, this does not automatically mean that it’s the same as another tyre with ‘23’ on the sidewall!
How to restrict your gears:
If, having measured your maximum gear distance as described above, you need to restrict your bike to a lower gear, here’s how to do it. Remember, there’s always plenty of help available at the circuit on race day, if you’re struggling with any of this (just get to the race nice and early to avoid any last minute stress)!
To restrict the gears you need to adjust the limit screw on the rear derailleur, as shown in the picture below. This will prevent the chain dropping onto the smaller sprockets; this can also be done with the front derailleur to restrict the big chain ring, if required.
For the rear derailleur, put the bike in the highest gear (ie smallest cog) available within the given gear restriction. Now adjust the small screw marked with an ‘H’ (for ‘high’). Make small adjustments to the screw, and after each adjustment, lift the back wheel of the bike, turn the pedals, and attempt to change gear down to a smaller cog. Once the derailleur is sufficiently restricted that it will no longer shift the chain beyond the highest gear (smallest cog) you are permitted to use, you’re done.
