license question...?!

TKing
TKing Posts: 43
edited May 2011 in Amateur race
basically, my club are hosting a cat4 beginners race in August, which I would like to try, just to see if I like it..... this would be a one of this season, because realistically im not fit enough to start racing at the moment.... however, I would like to do a winter series in december/january, when I think I will be ready to race... Now what should I do? do I buy a full license, or just a day license for the race in August? do you have to buy a 2012 license for the winter series? also will any points gained be for the 2012 season, or does it restart on the 1 Jan 2012?

Im really confused as you can probably tell... thanks in advance!

Comments

  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Your 2012 licence will cover Dec 2011 and all points scored in the Winter season will count towards 2012. I think BC actually start the season at the start of December (or thereabouts) to allow for Winter series.

    Get a day licence for the one coming up - no point in getting a full licence for one race.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • roadracedave
    roadracedave Posts: 107
    Hi TKing, If you are only planning on riding the one event in August, then it doesn't really make sense to purchase a full race license, as they cost around £30 so you would have to do at least 3 races to make it financially economical.

    However, where as British Cycling licenses run for a calendar year from the date of purchase, the race license runs from 1st Jan - 31st Dec. Therefore, if you were planning on doing the August race, and then 3 races in December it may be worth buying the full license.

    Remember that provisional/day licences do not allow you to collect points, so if you were to go and race in August and come in the top 10, you would not recieve any points. The same would go for the the races in December if you were still using a provisional license.

    If you have not previously been a member of British Cycling then you should be entitled to a free bronze membership, which includeds a provisional license that is valid for three races. This would be the best route to go down, and then you could always purchase a full license later on. British Cycling used to reduce the cost of the license if you bought it after, I think, 1st July. Not sure if that still applies though.

    The points run from 1st Jan - 31st Dec with the license, so you start from zero on 1st Jan. If you were to buy a Silver membership (minimum required for full license) in July, you would only need to renew your license in January as your membership would continue until the following July.

    At the minimum, I would reccomend getting a bronze membership, purely as it will save you paying for a day license.

    Hope that info helps you out a bit :)
    http://twitter.com/#!/davidcwhitfield
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/520831
  • roadracedave
    roadracedave Posts: 107
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    Your 2012 licence will cover Dec 2011 and all points scored in the Winter season will count towards 2012. I think BC actually start the season at the start of December (or thereabouts) to allow for Winter series.

    Get a day licence for the one coming up - no point in getting a full licence for one race.

    I didn't realise they carried December points across, I got points in December last year and my points weren't carried forward. :?

    If they do do this though, then it may be worth buying a full race license in December, ready for the winter series.
    http://twitter.com/#!/davidcwhitfield
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/520831
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Dave - I'm not 100% certain but I think the licence actually runs from the start of Dec because of Winter leagues.

    For a 4ths only race he'll also get a day licence without BC membership - which he may already have I suppose - but if not a full licence plus membership is going to be over £60
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Race licence runs Jan 1 to Dec 31. NOT the beginning of Dec.

    If you purchase a licence after July 1, they will only charge you half (for half the year). Just ask when you ring up.

    As the race licence only runs to Dec .31 - I suspect any points scored AFTER Jan 1 go towards your 2012 total, regardless if whether the series starts in Dec or not.

    Ask them if/when ordering your licence.
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    I am not saying winter series points count towards the previous year - I'm saying they count towards the next year - so Dec 11 will count towards 2012 points. I say this because I'm sure remember someone who was a few points short of 2nd cat thinking they might nip down to London to get some points in a winter league only to be told that in fact points in the Winter league counted towards the next year even if they were scored before New Year.

    I may be mistaken - I don't think I am but it has been known ;) As you say the only way to know for sure is phone and ask.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Tom Butcher wrote:

    I may be mistaken - I don't think I am but it has been known ;) As you say the only way to know for sure is phone and ask.


    I only know the validity of the licence itself (it says right on it that it expires Dec 31). I just don't know f-all about points from a 'Winter Series!"


    It would be good to know and have it posted if someone had a definitive answer.
  • maryka
    maryka Posts: 748
    roadracedave wrote:
    If you have not previously been a member of British Cycling then you should be entitled to a free bronze membership, which includeds a provisional license that is valid for three races.
    No, a provisional license is valid for the whole year, you could race every day if you want.

    TKing, get a bronze membership if you haven't already, which comes with provisional license. Race a few times, see how you do. If you feel like your fitness is better than expected and you are getting in the results and wanting to start collecting points and moving up categories, then shell out the full money for silver membership and full license. If not, just race on the bronze. You will pay £5 for a day license in Regional C/C+ (closed circuit races usually), or £10 for Regional A/B races (open road stuff usually).

    Of course, if you plan to do so many races on a day license that you'll spend the equivalent of a silver + full license, then just get that. Or just buy a silver membership with provisional license and pay no day license fee for Regional C/C+ races at all.

    What's been said about winter series races in Dec. 2011 being part of the 2012 license is correct. Note that a new rule this year is that no winter series races are higher than Band 5 points (10 for winner).
    http://www.twitter.com/smaryka

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