please help

The answer will probably be top quality tires and better wheels in that order, but why don't you list what's on there so we know where you're starting.

It's really not about the bike as you already know from your rides with your friend.

You've just got to make sure it's safe which means checking that everything works correctly especially the brakes and that everything is in good shape including, tires, wheels, bearings, shifters, etc. Take it down to a good local bike shop and have some one experienced take a look at everything.

You'll probably want some good clipless pedals and a pair of road shoes with matching cleats but you don't 'need' to upgrade anything on a late '90s bike to make it race worthy if everything works properly. In time you might want to upgrade the shifting (probably 8 or 9 speed now) and sooner or later you'll want nicer wheels but it really is the rider not the bike and you're going to have to start in the lowest category for racing regardless so there's plenty of time to upgrade gear as your skills, fitness and results improve and you move up into more competitive groups.

FWIW, when I renewed my racing license after more than a decade away from the sport I raced my mid '80s steel bike set up 7 speed for two full seasons before upgrading to a newer bike. That was only four years ago so I regularly lined up next to guys on full carbon and titanium bikes outfitted with the latest equipment groups. I did just fine with a handful of podium placings and even a couple of wins. I sure like my current bike but still ride my vintage rig in lousy weather and it still goes plenty fast.

Have someone make sure the bike is basically safe and working well, get out and ride it a lot, think about joining a local racing club to learn how to ride safely in a fast moving group, take out a license, get to some races and don't worry about upgrades beyond basic safety before you start racing.

Good luck,
-Dave

I own a 1986 SuperCourse and it was a good entry level (and then some) racer back then. As Dave said, all that you really need to upgrade is a good set of clipless pedals. And have the bike checked and serviced by a good mechanic. The only bad thing about older steel bikes is the possibility of internal rust in places where it is not immediately evident.

Yeah...don't be intimidated by other riders' bling. Like the others said clipless pedals will make the biggest difference. The Cat 5 races probably have the most variation in terms of equipment. You will see some people decked out in the latest $10,000 bikes and also some people riding old 70's steel frames with downtube shifters. There's a guy who races locally in my division and I call him "Mr. Classy" because his bike looks like it's 30 years old but he's still able to keep up with the leaders and do well.

If you're strong you will do fine in the Cat 5 races. Be aware though, equipment makes a much bigger difference in Cat 3 and higher, and to a certain extent, Cat 4.

thank you to EVERYONE who took the time to post on this....just to let you all know...its a two metal frame...its aluminum and steel...im in great shape...i wrestled in college and this is my first year out of it....and i WAS an avid runner prior to discovering this sport...which is incredible...i was also wondering...this bike has the old school down tube shifters...and i was wondering if it would be possible to upgrade them the new age shifting near the handlebars...if not thats fine...and you can all see i am a noob...but i really think that i can excell in this sport...i also ran track in high school and ran like a mad man...running 4:20 mile times and such...but fitness is not the issue...just wondering what all i would need to do to it...

genedan said:

... equipment makes a much bigger difference in Cat 3 and higher, and to a certain extent, Cat 4.

IME it doesn't. Those were Cat 3 and Cat 1/2/3 masters races I was talking about and I wasn't the only rider doing all right on older gear.

It really isn't about the bike, sure we all want to ride really nice stuff but outside of pure hill climbs my races haven't gotten noticeably faster with a full carbon bike and a modern gruppo.

Even in half hour steep and continuous hill climbs I've only gone roughly 20 seconds faster for the same power on my newer bike even though it's several pounds lighter, stiffer, easier to shift and has more gear choices. In mass start events on typical courses the difference isn't measurable and riding smart makes a far bigger difference than the weight, gruppo or vintage of the bike.

-Dave

allllright I probably should have been more clear,

The differences are still small but they're relevant only when you've reached a certain level of competitiveness.

For instance, air resistance increases exponentially as the velocity of your bike increases. With respect to something fancy like deep aero rims, this means that you gain almost no advantage if you're going less than 24 mph, but once you reach 25 mph + you spend a lot less effort maintaining that speed.

The same thing happens with frame stiffness. If you're a light or low-power rider you won't be able to tell the difference, but once you reach the ability to hammer out big watts stiffness will matter.

In short, cutting edge stuff is the kind of stuff that might help you get from second place to first. However, it is your own body and improvement in fitness that gets you from wheelsucker to podium finisher.