Accreditation for road racing?

Pross

I was surprised having got back into cycling to find that several clubmates won't race in 3/4 races anymore despite having raced for 20 years or more in some cases. The reason being they find them too dangerous, especially on closed circuits. This got me wondering, should there be an accreditation system before you can get a racing licence similar to that used on the track? When I raced virtually all those in the bunch were club members and used to riding in large groups (although some were still a danger). I'm all for making racing more accessible and from threads on here it appears that many already find it hard to get involved so would be reluctant to put another potential barrier in the way but I also feel it would benefit beginners in giving them confidence to ride close together at speed as well as making racing safer for all. Does anyone have any views?

Chip \'oyler

Pross wrote:

I was surprised having got back into cycling to find that several clubmates won't race in 3/4 races anymore despite having raced for 20 years or more in some cases. The reason being they find them too dangerous, especially on closed circuits. This got me wondering, should there be an accreditation system before you can get a racing licence similar to that used on the track? When I raced virtually all those in the bunch were club members and used to riding in large groups (although some were still a danger). I'm all for making racing more accessible and from threads on here it appears that many already find it hard to get involved so would be reluctant to put another potential barrier in the way but I also feel it would benefit beginners in giving them confidence to ride close together at speed as well as making racing safer for all. Does anyone have any views?

That's easy to sort out. Join a club, go out on weekend rides in a group, then when they're fitter go on the local chaingang. That was the old way of 'accreditation'.

What's probably happening now is that newcomers are jumping straight into doing Sportives, then go along and try their hand at racing, bypassing their apprenticeships in a cycling club

Pross

I agree to be honest but I have seen so many threads on here from people who have a hang up on joining a club (elitest, cliquey etc.) so it would offer them a way in without having to join one although I still think that's the best route. That said, some club cyclists might benefit from learning the basic etiquette before racing too. I believe a lot of motorsport requires you to pass a test before you have a racing licence, maybe it's time we did the same?

Pokerface

Not a bad idea, except for the fact that there are just too many people with racing licences to make them all do some sort of accreditation.

Plus, think of it this way: people have to do driving lessons, then pass a test to get a driving licence. And yet....there are still tons of accidents. So - would it be the same for road racing?

And how would you test someone? Put them in a bunch and see if they crash?

But there should be some sort of 'intro to racing' booklet/course available - one that was designed 50 years ago!

Even a club chaingang or clubrun will only teach you so much. The rest you have to learn on the fly....

richard_l

Pross wrote:

I was surprised having got back into cycling to find that several clubmates won't race in 3/4 races anymore despite having raced for 20 years or more in some cases. The reason being they find them too dangerous, especially on closed circuits. This got me wondering, should there be an accreditation system before you can get a racing licence similar to that used on the track? When I raced virtually all those in the bunch were club members and used to riding in large groups (although some were still a danger). I'm all for making racing more accessible and from threads on here it appears that many already find it hard to get involved so would be reluctant to put another potential barrier in the way but I also feel it would benefit beginners in giving them confidence to ride close together at speed as well as making racing safer for all. Does anyone have any views?

Do you mean that they have stopped racing or do different events, or choose only to race with E/1/2?

Pross

They tend to race in events open to 1/2 as well as 3/4 I think as many novices want to avoid competing against the better racers. I think it also the closed circuits such as Llandow that they try to avoid.

Infamous

How about only members of BC affiliated clubs can race? (like with the CTT).

Bronzie

Infamous wrote:

How about only members of BC affiliated clubs can race? (like with the CTT).

How would that help - just because you belong to a club doesn't mean you actually ride in a group situation regularly or indeed at all

Bronzie

Pross - I believe this idea has been mooted quite a few times for Hillingdon (Dess1e will know for sure as he is/was part of the organising team down there) - I think it's always been shunned away from as it's yet another (perceived) barrier to actually getting more people racing.

Pross

I think Hillingdon is probably quite similar to Llandow from what I've read on here. It does seem it can be a bit hairy in the 4th cat races in particular. As any racing I do for the foreseeable future will be as a 4th cat I think I'll use my training bike to race lol

fastercyclist

If your bike is so expensive you don't want to race it then I think you've just answered your own problem.

You don't need some of the wheelsets I've seen 4th cats turn up to a race with, only take what you can afford to lose.

Tom Butcher

Just because it isn't compulsory there is no reason why we shouldn't have introduction to racing days where people can train up and get some coaching. I think most 4th cats would welcome the opportunity to have a bit of coaching how to race before actually racing.

fastercyclist

fastercyclist wrote:

If your bike is so expensive you don't want to race it then I think you've just answered your own problem.

You don't need some of the wheelsets I've seen 4th cats turn up to a race with, only take what you can afford to lose.

I saw a 4th cat racing a pair of lightweights today, just goes to emphasise my point.

fortytwosixteen

fastercyclist wrote:

If your bike is so expensive you don't want to race it then I think you've just answered your own problem.

You don't need some of the wheelsets I've seen 4th cats turn up to a race with, only take what you can afford to lose.

If it's your bike your worried about, you've got your priorities wrong. Your body is much more valuable!

freehub

I've never really thought about the damage that might happen to a bike when I race, I don't intend on crashing really O_o.

Pross

fastercyclist wrote:

If your bike is so expensive you don't want to race it then I think you've just answered your own problem.

You don't need some of the wheelsets I've seen 4th cats turn up to a race with, only take what you can afford to lose.

I've got about 10 seasons of experience (1 crash caused by loose sheep) behind me so I think I know what to expect, my bike is for racing and that's what it'll be used for. My comment was tongue in cheek. It just sounds like there are more riders in the bunch these days who don't seem to know what they're doing from what I've been told. As Tom Butcher says it may be worth having a voluntary scheme available as it may actually make it easier for those who want to race but are too nervous to try it.

Sheptastic

fortytwosixteen wrote:

fastercyclist wrote:

If your bike is so expensive you don't want to race it then I think you've just answered your own problem.

You don't need some of the wheelsets I've seen 4th cats turn up to a race with, only take what you can afford to lose.

If it's your bike your worried about, you've got your priorities wrong. Your body is much more valuable!

So if you crash you lose a bit of skin, if you're unlucky you'll snap a collarbone or something. Its an outdoor sport with 30 guys at 40kph within a 10 metre radius of you, people will make mistakes and eventually you will crash. If thats too much risk for a rider then time to go Testing.

However i do agree with the idea of novices riding some sort of apprenticeship - a tix box on their BC licence or a letter from the club sec would do. |I can imagine it being a beaurocratic nightmare tho.

fortytwosixteen

Sheptastic wrote:

fortytwosixteen wrote:

fastercyclist wrote:

If your bike is so expensive you don't want to race it then I think you've just answered your own problem.

You don't need some of the wheelsets I've seen 4th cats turn up to a race with, only take what you can afford to lose.

If it's your bike your worried about, you've got your priorities wrong. Your body is much more valuable!

So if you crash you lose a bit of skin, if you're unlucky you'll snap a collarbone or something. Its an outdoor sport with 30 guys at 40kph within a 10 metre radius of you, people will make mistakes and eventually you will crash. If thats too much risk for a rider then time to go Testing.

I wasnt suggesting bunch racing is particularly dangerous or that the risk of crashing is high, just that in the event of a crash it's me i worry about, not the bike.

Dess1e

Hillingdon over the last decade + has had a fantastic number of riders new to the sport start their racing carreers there. Yes people will still make mistakes through inexperiance or over enthusiasm , especially in the sprint. This has happened at elite level thoug as well as Cat 4.

Prime coaching do training sessions every thursday evening at the circuit for all levels of rider. I would strongly urge newer racers to attend these to learn group ettiquette, and the racing lines etc of the circuit.

One thing I always do laugh about is people blaming the esses before the finish though. Other circuits have had similar run ins, and most races will have managed to negotiate these safely at least 20 times in the race before the sprint. Hillingdon is naot a very techical circuit, but then again MOD Chertsey regulary had crashes on a finishing straight long and wide enough to land a proverbial jumbo on.

oldwelshman

Dess1e wrote:

Hillingdon over the last decade + has had a fantastic number of riders new to the sport start their racing carreers there. Yes people will still make mistakes through inexperiance or over enthusiasm , especially in the sprint. This has happened at elite level thoug as well as Cat 4.

Prime coaching do training sessions every thursday evening at the circuit for all levels of rider. I would strongly urge newer racers to attend these to learn group ettiquette, and the racing lines etc of the circuit.

One thing I always do laugh about is people blaming the esses before the finish though. Other circuits have had similar run ins, and most races will have managed to negotiate these safely at least 20 times in the race before the sprint. Hillingdon is naot a very techical circuit, but then again MOD Chertsey regulary had crashes on a finishing straight long and wide enough to land a proverbial jumbo on.

You are right about negotiating the S's during race but in the sprint, most riders ride a straight line through it which makes it a lot narrower.
Your also right about Chertsey :-) the more space the more they take :-) I notice wuite often riders go too early and die 100m before line so you have to pass them some how !!