Why can't our club get a team?

Spaniard

I always see posts on this forum from riders who say they're keen to race. However, this sentiment doesn't seem to exist in my own club. we are a big club with a strong mtb, TT and youth / track racing, however very few riders involved in RR. i've put posts on our website - these have been greeted with a deafening silence. This year only myself and one other club member seemed to want to RR.
I've not been racing long myself - only started in spring, and I'm a fairly unspectacular vet. I'd really like to learn from more experienced riders, or at least have friends around me in races, but just can't get the interest. I've suggested training rides, chaingangs, etc but to no avail. I could join a different club I suppose, but as my club is on my doorstep and I've got to know its members I'd rather not. any suggestions :?:

Team4Luke

clubs go through phases with racing, with members attracted more to certain types of racing one year and another type later down the road, have all your ex roadies, retired, left, joined a better road club, moved to racing teams?.............how is membership recruitment, who are you attracting, how are you targetting members, do you have awards for racing to encourage take up.

jgsi

Also think it is a phase with your club as well..
you could always suggest a reliability ride for early 2013, that might drag a few out of their slumbers...

Pross

Yep, our club was the top ranked in the region for road racing 2 years ago with 4 or 5 2nd cat riders regularly winning local races. However, last year they barely raced and are all back to either 3rd cat or have given up altogether and this season we have probably only had about 8 senior riders taking part in road races at all with no-one doing more than a handful. To be honest, team work is rare in lower level amateur races in my experience with riders often having the aim of beating their club mates so you won't be at a big disadvantage. The bigger problem is the lack of chain gangs etc., are there any other clubs in your area as they will usually be happy for you to ride with them.

saprkzz

I have the same issue with my club, who are only into sportives and casual riding, They do "training" in chain gangs and sprint training etc etc which is great for me, but I am the only one who wants to move more competitive and start racing.

I managed to form a very small team of 4 with two work mates and someone we met in a sportive. The thing that has made this work is we are all the same sort of ability and interested in racing. I have made this team up seperate to my club and as no one else lives in my immediate area we all train seperatley. We discuss what to enter and all meet up on the day. It seems to work really well.

I would love my club to be more into racing.

dulldave

You're in the wrong club.

Team4Luke

saprkzz wrote:

I have the same issue with my club, who are only into sportives and casual riding, They do "training" in chain gangs and sprint training etc etc which is great for me, but I am the only one who wants to move more competitive and start racing.

I managed to form a very small team of 4 with two work mates and someone we met in a sportive. The thing that has made this work is we are all the same sort of ability and interested in racing. I have made this team up seperate to my club and as no one else lives in my immediate area we all train seperatley. We discuss what to enter and all meet up on the day. It seems to work really well.

I would love my club to be more into racing.

why are they doing chaingangs and sprints for sportives

So, have you registered the team with the relevant bodies ?

mamba80

Lots of people do that and never go near a RR ....... Training is the new racing for many clubs/riders
that and Strava, gives all the thrills with non of the pressure (i dont agree with this, but having seen what happens with even very large clubs, thats my conclusion)

RR is very hard, the races short and plenty of cyclists who most folk would say are very fit, dont last more than a few miles before riding round on their own, then get lapped and vow "never again!"
unlike running, you dont turn up dressed as a banana, with a charity bucket and expect to have a good time.

Would you need to register an informal grp of mates to BC as a team? that would need club clothing, registration fees - expense etc

Tom Dean

saprkzz wrote:

We discuss what to enter and all meet up on the day. It seems to work really well.

Maybe you get an advantage from the fact your competitiors don't know you're working together. I would question whether this is a sporting way to race.

amaferanga

Tom Dean wrote:

saprkzz wrote:

We discuss what to enter and all meet up on the day. It seems to work really well.

Maybe you get an advantage from the fact your competitiors don't know you're working together. I would question whether this is a sporting way to race.

Eh? Plenty of folk have mates in other teams/clubs and will work together (or at least not against each other).

Tom Dean

What, work FOR someone from another club?

Team4Luke

mamba80 wrote:

Lots of people do that and never go near a RR ....... Training is the new racing for many clubs/riders
that and Strava, gives all the thrills with non of the pressure (i dont agree with this, but having seen what happens with even very large clubs, thats my conclusion)

RR is very hard, the races short and plenty of cyclists who most folk would say are very fit, dont last more than a few miles before riding round on their own, then get lapped and vow "never again!"
unlike running, you dont turn up dressed as a banana, with a charity bucket and expect to have a good time.

Would you need to register an informal grp of mates to BC as a team? that would need club clothing, registration fees - expense etc

your less likely to get in events or in local race leagues where the local clubs pay an affiliation to be registered in the league and their members get cheaper entry into the league. If your not registered with BC as a club or team then you will have far less legal cover. You also won't be able to Register your team kit with BC and if your turning up as a team in same kit I don't think it would go down well with BC or regular riders as your basically circumventing the ruling body of the sport and not contributing to it. Can't remember without checking with my RR sec, but around £50-70 to register so not much really.

amaferanga

Tom Dean wrote:

What, work FOR someone from another club?

For a mate. Perhaps you don't have any?

Tom Dean

Ho ho.
Mates that I want to sacrifice my chances for, racing against my clubmates? No I don't have any of those.

I wouldn't consider not chasing or working together to chase to be teamwork. Setting someone up to attack or chasing down riders who try to catch them, if they're not a real teammate is lame IMO.

amaferanga

As is often said, there's a difference between a club where riders ride in the same colours and a (proper) team where riders actually ride with a common goal. With clubs it is more often than not every man for himself so I personally don't see an issue in helping a mate as opposed to helping some guy that just happens to be riding in the same kit as me. It's not lame IMO.

Tom Dean

I know for some a club is nothing more than a jersey to wear to races. It's a shame.

mamba80

Deleted

saprkzz

Team4Luke wrote:

saprkzz wrote:

I have the same issue with my club, who are only into sportives and casual riding, They do "training" in chain gangs and sprint training etc etc which is great for me, but I am the only one who wants to move more competitive and start racing.

I managed to form a very small team of 4 with two work mates and someone we met in a sportive. The thing that has made this work is we are all the same sort of ability and interested in racing. I have made this team up seperate to my club and as no one else lives in my immediate area we all train seperatley. We discuss what to enter and all meet up on the day. It seems to work really well.

I would love my club to be more into racing.

why are they doing chaingangs and sprints for sportives

So, have you registered the team with the relevant bodies ?

I dont know why they do, they have training nights & routes and zone training, but dont actually do anything with the results, (i.e. race), i suppose they all like to compete against each other, a bit of willy waving really. I have only just got into road cycling 2 years ago, so its all new to me.

The one decent race team/club in my area ride on the nights i cant cant, so its no good to me.

Havent registered the team yet as its only a group of mates at the moment, will have a look at what we need to do if we enjoy it and it continues.

Pross

Why not just join the decent club in your area together with your mates and then have a chat with other members about setting-up an additional ride on nights that suit you (maybe have a quick chat with the secretary beforehand so you don't look too cheeky)? Worst case is that it would still be just you and your mates but there will probably be other club members that can't make the current night or who would like to get out on an extra night. It has to be easier than setting-up a new club from scratch and there will be even more club riders to work with at races if you join forces with an established club.

jibberjim

saprkzz wrote:

I dont know why they do, they have training nights & routes and zone training, but dont actually do anything with the results, (i.e. race), i suppose they all like to compete against each other, a bit of willy waving really. I have only just got into road cycling 2 years ago, so its all new to me.

Racing is expensive (15+ quid entry a time), time consuming (2.5 hours travel/prep for a 2 hour race), risky (you're up against strangers of unknown ability who can't tell to piss off home) and isn't always that much fun (put a team mate in the break and a bunch that doesn't give a toss that's not a fun day out...)

Training is fun, exercise is fun, working hard is fun. I train - not that hard as I don't have that much time - I'm pretty strong, but I don't race 'cos just isn't worth the time or financial expense, nor the risk. If the racing was better I might do it again, but not currently for sure.

Monty Dog

Whilst training in a club is important for race skills and fitness, there's no reason you can't ride races on your own. If you've not raced before you'll probably find it hard enough to get a few quality finishes under your belt before you need to start worrying about what your club mates are doing. At that point, it may be worth considering joining another club, particularly if you're now in a position to contribute to how the team performs. The majority or riders in 4th Cat races are merely hanging-on to try and finish.

saprkzz

Yeah I know what you mean, and your right, i think another reason to race with mates is a confidence thing. I am one of these people that motivates when others around me do. Like cycling on a sunday morning, i will go out if no else is up for it, but i would much rather go out with a equally abled mate. In a race if they race off its no problem, but registering / turning up / waiting for the start will boost my confidence if i have someone to chat with.

Not just in cycling either, i am like it for things like walking in a pub, going shopping, etc i will do it on my own, but would rather someone else there! :roll:

Yes I am a strange chap 8)