Cycle club or no cycle club

[GmanUK65]

I am not sure if I want to join a club or not. I have been cycling for a few years now, but only on mountain bikes and hybrids which I only used for leasurely rides from A to B. I am getting a road bike in a few days to get involved in cycling more by eventually entering events such as races and time trials. At first I am going to use the road bike to rack up my riding mileage and increase my speed average to ready myself for future events. Before putting this plan in action I need to ask a few things:

1. Ive noticed that you need a full race licence to enter races and time trials, is this true?
2. Do I have to have a Silver/Gold membership of British Cycling to purchase a full race licence?
3. How much will it cost me to get a full racing licence?
4. Ive noticed that cycle clubs organise races and time trials, do I need to be a member of that club to enter their events?
5. Are there any races and time trials organised outside cycling clubs?

 

[fossala]

You have club TT's and open TT's. You need to be part of a club to take part in club TT's. If you want to take TT'ing seriously, you really need to join a club.

You shouldn't need a race licence for local club TT'ing.

 

[BSRU]

If you're going to start road racing then riding with a club will get you used to riding in a group rather than alone.

 

[Rob3rt]

I am not sure if I want to join a club or not. I have been cycling for a few years now, but only on mountain bikes and hybrids which I only used for leasurely rides from A to B. I am getting a road bike in a few days to get involved in cycling more by eventually entering events such as races and time trials. At first I am going to use the road bike to rack up my riding mileage and increase my speed average to ready myself for future events. Before putting this plan in action I need to ask a few things:

1. Ive noticed that you need a full race licence to enter races and time trials, is this true?

For road races and crits yes, although you can purchase a day license to try it out (you will still need BC membership), but if you get any points, you won't get to keep them against your rider category. IMO, you should have some high speed, close formation riding experience (i.e. chaingangs) before racing these kind of events because of the potential danger to yourself and others. You don't want to be a "chopper".

For time trials, you do not need a license. Uou can enter "club" or "come try it" events unattached, enter on the line, it usually costs £2-£4 a go. After a few, the hosting club might expect you to join them. "Open" events require you to be a member of a CTT affiliated cycling club and must be entered in advance, it usually costs £7-12 to enter and you are not guaranteed entry, you must give your fastest time at the nearest distance on the form and if an event is over subscribed, faster riders will be given priority, riders with previous times will be given priority over those with no previous times.

2. Do I have to have a Silver/Gold membership of British Cycling to purchase a full race licence?

Yes. You should have this anyway if you ride with a club, and arguably, in general, you should have it regardless, for the 3rd party insurance.

3. How much will it cost me to get a full racing licence?

The prices are on the British Cycling website, however assuming you are 18+ years old, then you will be charged £34 for a full race license (and £38 for Silver membership to BC, so £72 total). Since the season is pretty much over, you may as well wait until next year before buying a racing license (although it would be worth joining BC immediately at £38), as regardless of when you buy it, it will expire on the 31st December in the year of purchase, i.e. you would only have it for 4 months before it expires and there will be few races to enter in those few months as the season is pretty close to finishing.

4. Ive noticed that cycle clubs organise races and time trials, do I need to be a member of that club to enter their events?

No.

5. Are there any races and time trials organised outside cycling clubs?

Not likely since the club scene is the backbone of British Cycling.

 

[GmanUK65]

Thanx for that information. I think I will be putting it all at the back of my mind until next year and go back to reading this when the time comes

 

[DCLane]

@GmanUK65 - you may want to wait to join BC, but I'd suggest getting involved in a club now to get used to club runs/group riding at speed.

 

[GmanUK65]

I will have a look into that

 

[Rob3rt]

Joining a club over winter is a good idea, because the pace will drop back. Plus all the racers come back together to ride club runs and get miles in over winter and will slowly ramp up the pace etc in the early months of the new year. This will give you an opportunity to talk to them and get advice and they will pull your ability up as the pace increases in the new year.

In the summer, they will all disappear to train on their own or with a small group of similar riders and be off racing regularly, so will have no interest in riding around on general club runs. I haven't done a club run since February, all my riding has been solo training and racing. During the winter I would do 2-3 rides with the club weekly.

 

[GmanUK65]

I think I will get in touch with my local club to find out about riding with them in the latter part of the year.