Two people in the past 24 hours have asked:

Where do I find information about time trials in the area?

Not at Chicago Bike Racing, I'm afraid. I'm keeping the focus here on mass-start bicycle racing, so help me God.

But ABR sanctions quite a few time trials close to Chicago. Check out its calendar here. And the Illinois Cycling Association is looking to start a series of USCF-sanctioned events with the Chicago Time Trial Series.

I recommend the John Fraser Time Trial the first week of April. (Full disclosure: It's run by ABD, a sponsor of this site.) I expect a handful of mass-start specialists will do it, so you can measure where you are relative to the people you'll be racing against later in the season. It's also on the same route as the Fall Fling, a four-race series in October, so it's a chance to preview the course. Plus, if you do both you'll have a valuable benchmark to see how much you've improved over the season.

Reader Jason writes:

I've recently been practicing some out-of-saddle sprints, usually coming out of 90-degree corners. As soon as I start pulling on the drops and push hard on the cranks, my front end starts to float as if I'm trying to do a wheelie, regardless of whether I've shifted my body weight to the front by standing up. Usually the front just lifts a couple of inches from the ground on the downstroke, but it's the sideways hopping that I'm concerned about. Is there a correct/safer way to do sprints like these? Am I just using the wrong gear/cog?

I'm afraid I'm not expert enough of a sprinter to give Jason a good answer, but I bet others can. A little help for our sprinter?

Peter Allen (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) writes:

What is the general rule/practice for race directors when it comes to canceling or postponing races due to weather? The reason I ask is the thunderstorm forecast for this weekend. I figure the race will go on if there is light rain, but they might cancel or delay due to lightning or heavy rain. Any words of wisdom?

Rule 1E2(h) of the USCF rule book says, "Road races are normally run rain or shine." Indeed, my experience is that promoters will race no matter the conditions. Weather patterns in the Midwest are too fickle to do otherwise, and it's too much work to change permits and find volunteers for new dates. (My experience also includes two bad crashes while racing in the rain, so proceed at your own peril.)

That said, several Indiana races were canceled this spring because of extreme cold, and no promoter worth his insurance premiums will send riders into a lightning storm. The good news is that our thunderstorms tend to be brief and isolated, so schedules can be adjusted around them. Expect delays but don't count on them.

A reader writes:

I have been riding a pretty old and worn out Schwinn Letour circa 1980. I am wondering what is a decent investment in a new bike that would not get laughed at when you pull up to the line at a race?

I'm hoping some other readers can jump in in the comments and give their take, but here's how I replied:

Expect to spend around $1,000-$1,200 for a new bike. That's about the minimum for a raceworthy set-up.

People just starting out shouldn't get hung up on bling, and one shouldn't spend much more than that because: 1. There are a lot of hidden costs down the road (race fees, team costs, transportation costs, other equipment) that one should save for. 2. You might end up not enjoying the sport, but if you don't you'll still have a good bike for long rides. 3. If you do fall in love with the sport, you'll want to upgrade in a year or two anyhow once you know more about racing and what kind of bike would be good for you.

Pay more attention to components than frame manufacturer. In that price range, most frames are for all intents and purposes the same, but you'll want a reliable set of components. If you go Shimano, that means 105 or Ultegra. Stay away from Sora or Tiagra.

Steel? Aluminum? Carbon? Doesn't matter. What matters more is whether it fits correctly and whether you go to a good shop that will give you the service you'll need as a racer.

My first racing bike was a steel Jamis Quest. In 2005 this ran $1,200 and came with mostly Ultegra parts and heavy but sturdy Mavic Cosmos wheels. It was the perfect entry-level racer, and my neighborhood shop always gave me top-notch attention. I got dropped from most of my races that year, but I still would have gotten dropped if I were riding a $7,000 dream machine.