Help for a clueless 16 year old?!

Halotope

Hey,

Im 17 in September and want to start racing to put it bluntly. I am in the process of joining a club and ride regularly atm. Is the Dunton Test Track the best place to start. Also would I be Cat 4 or Youth?

Any other advice or info would help!

Thanks

T.

thel33ter

You would still be in Youth. You also need a race licence and possibly a league mebership.

This is a good read, it pretty much sums everything up, including the silly rule stating you must have a max gear of 52x14 :evil:
http://www.charlottevillecc.org.uk/inde ... &Itemid=58

I'm tempted to start but much prefer MTB and it's a hassle to get to local cubs, and there aren't many local youth races.

Halotope

So is it true, you can only race in leagues which you or your club provide membership for? So I couldnt go to the midlands for example and do a race, if i was staying there?

Bronzie

Halotope wrote:

Im 17 in September..............would I be Cat 4 or Youth?.

You are a Junior, not Youth.

You can enter any race open to Juniors, or apply for a dispensation to ride with Seniors if you wish to race on the road (you can only ride closed circuit races as a Junior).

The gear restriction is correct though (7.93m per crank revolution ~52x14).

From 1st Jan of year in which 17th birthday falls to 31st December of year in
which 18th birthday falls.

thel33ter

As far as I know that is true, but I'm not 100%.

Bronzie

Halotope wrote:

So is it true, you can only race in leagues which you or your club provide membership for? So I couldnt go to the midlands for example and do a race, if i was staying there?

You can enter any race open to Juniors

Halotope

Does the Crystal Palace Summer League not do races for juniors, because on the events page on the BC website, none are for juniors. If anyone knows of any races in the South East area for juniors, I would greatly appreciate your input.

Thanks to thel33ter and bronzie for the help so far

T.

Bronzie

Bronzie wrote:

You can enter any race open to Juniors, or apply for a dispensation to ride with Seniors if you wish to race on the road (you can only ride closed circuit races as a Junior).

Sorry, I'm confusing Junior with Youth myself here. :x
Juniors can race on the open road, Youth riders can't (unless they get a dispensation).

As a Junior 4th Cat, you can ride any Regional A, Regional B or Regional C/C+ race.

You'll need a parental permission form to be signed to either apply for a full racing licence or if you apply for a Day Licence which applies just for the single race you are entering.

I would think they are easier circuits to start on than Crystal Palace - it is notoriously tough. Hillingdon would be a better introduction in my opinion.

Whatever you decide to do, get some experience of riding in a bunch before you roll up to your first race. Do any of the clubs local to you organise a chaingang or training races that you could try your hand at first?

Halotope

Thanks for the info bronzie. Just to clarify, I can ride Senior Cat 4 races, with a license an parental permission etc?

I have a few clubs in mind, and I am trying to contact them about rides etc.

Bronzie

Yes - from the BC Handbook / Road Rules:

Regional A – open to Senior and Junior male 2nd, 3rd and 4th category riders and Senior and Junior female riders of all categories

Regional B – open to Senior and Junior male 3rd and 4th category riders and Senior and Junior female riders of all categories

Regional C+ and Regional C – open to Senior and Junior riders of all categories, to be run as a handicap event, or other appropriate format. Such events may also be restricted to 4th Category riders only.

A member who has not reached his 18th birthday may not compete without having provided the consent of their parent or guardian in the form as prescribed from time to time by the Board.

Applicants for an annual licence must send such a Parental Consent Form, duly completed and signed, to Federation Headquarters and any licence issued is only valid if such a form has been received. At the time of application for an annual licence the parent's or guardian's signature must be witnessed by an official of the member's club or other responsible adult.

You can download a parental consent form here:
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/ ... onsent.doc

love2ride

Bronzie wrote:

Sorry, I'm confusing Junior with Youth myself here. :x
Juniors can race on the open road, Youth riders can't (unless they get a dispensation).

I wish! Youth riders cant race on the open road even with a dispensation. A dispensation only allows a youth to ride in any senior event at a closed circuit venue.

Bronzie

Thanks for the correction - I suppose it makes sense that U16's are restricted to traffic free circuits.

fludey

Just read rules on 52x14 was going to ask if applied to all but see its a junior only thing,