cost of racing - can of worms about to open...

mamba80

maryka wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

I already said I don't have much money. So it doesn't take much logic to work out that I'm not in a well paid job. Racing is a privilege, not a right. FFS. If you can't afford it, tough sh*t.

+1

I think the "privilege not a right" thing is where people go wrong. I'm quite happy to see racing at a cost level that makes people think twice about doing it to make sure they can afford it. And actually I can't think of any other sport with the possibility of seriously injuring other people (crashes caused by idiot riders happen all the time) and racking up tons of damaged equipment is so high, yet the relative cost is so low.

Anyone who thinks they can't afford to race should think a bit more about how much it could cost them if they end up with a broken arm or leg, or back, unable to work and support their family. Cycle road racing isn't a sport to be gotten into as a lark, the risk is very real. And it's quite scary how many people think they should be entitled to do it, and who have no respect for the danger of bunch riding in return. If you think it's too expensive and someone (BC) should be subsidising your desire to go out and get your thrills, go back to cricket.

Couldnt agree more - the real issue is why there is no pre training requirement for road racing, yet there is in track - which is far an away safer.

kieranb

reading Fignon's book at the moment, seems he got into racing for the fun of it. Looking at cycling from another perspective, from the point of view of developing talent for Team GB or future pro-riders, these will mainly be young people probably on little or no money, should these be put off racing due to the expense ?

Herbsman

No it's sad that young riders might not be able to race due to the cost. If I had wanted to race when I was 13 instead of riding a BMX in skateparks I'd not have been able to afford it. But... what's the solution? I don't think there is one - it's tough luck!

simon t

kieranb wrote:

reading Fignon's book at the moment, seems he got into racing for the fun of it. Looking at cycling from another perspective, from the point of view of developing talent for Team GB or future pro-riders, these will mainly be young people probably on little or no money, should these be put off racing due to the expense ?

my lad has raced cyclocross maybe 10 times. most races are either free or £2 to enter.

Pross

simon t wrote:

kieranb wrote:

reading Fignon's book at the moment, seems he got into racing for the fun of it. Looking at cycling from another perspective, from the point of view of developing talent for Team GB or future pro-riders, these will mainly be young people probably on little or no money, should these be put off racing due to the expense ?

my lad has raced cyclocross maybe 10 times. most races are either free or £2 to enter.

The local circuit series that is currently going on around my area is only £5, this is hardly entering extortion territory either. The main financial obstacle for kids is the cost of a bike and kit. Our club has a few loan bikes for people or are starting out and I'm sure other clubs are the same and kit is subsidised. Club membership for kids is about £10 I think and for that they get a free 1.5 hour coaching session about 50 weeks per year, if parents and / or siblings cycle too then the family membership at £25 offers even greater value. I suspect there are other sports that are far more expensive for kids to get into.

Herbsman

Blimey, that's cheaper than BMX was for me. Back in 1999 I had to pay £6.50 to ride at Storm skatepark in Derby, and about the same money for train fare (30 miles from home). There were no outdoor council/Lottery-funded skateparks nearby back then..

Equivalent to having to pay £13 every time you want to go out training on your road bike at the weekend....

kieranb

I know club membership is great value. For a young racer (say 18 to mid 20s) though it can be expensive and hard to get to unless you have the support of a good club or very loving parents. I would disagree with earlier comments about cycling not being a lark. I thought it was and I am not sure what the motivation of most racers is if it isn't to have fun, as certainly most 4th/3rd cat riders are not seriously there for the win or prizes.

okgo

Also lets be honest, how much do most young people manage to go through on booze? One night out is the same cost as 4 races, and one ski holiday is the cost of a decent race bike.

Priority I suppose, if you don't have a lot of spare cash.

hammerite

kieranb wrote:

I know club membership is great value. For a young racer (say 18 to mid 20s) though it can be expensive and hard to get to unless you have the support of a good club or very loving parents. I would disagree with earlier comments about cycling not being a lark. I thought it was and I am not sure what the motivation of most racers is if it isn't to have fun, as certainly most 4th/3rd cat riders are not seriously there for the win or prizes.

One of BC's priorities has been Go Ride kids coaching/racing for the last few years. They're now focussing on slightly older riders - teens to mid 20s, so you never know things may become easier for cash strapped Jnr's.

The main cost for them (or their parents!) isn't race entries, it's the cost of a race bike, travel to races and the time all this takes. I have to say I had a fair amount of bike envy when I saw some of the bikes some of the U16s were riding when I first took Jnr to a circuit race.

Tom Butcher

simon t wrote:

kieranb wrote:

reading Fignon's book at the moment, seems he got into racing for the fun of it. Looking at cycling from another perspective, from the point of view of developing talent for Team GB or future pro-riders, these will mainly be young people probably on little or no money, should these be put off racing due to the expense ?

my lad has raced cyclocross maybe 10 times. most races are either free or £2 to enter.

Well my twins are 11 - and will be for the majority of the next CX season though because they turn 12 before 2014 they will be youths rather than under 12s - one proposal for the AGM coming up is that they'll pay an EOL fee of £10 a race this coming season. Stuff that for a 25 minutes riding round a public park game of soldiers.

Pross

Tom Butcher wrote:

simon t wrote:

kieranb wrote:

reading Fignon's book at the moment, seems he got into racing for the fun of it. Looking at cycling from another perspective, from the point of view of developing talent for Team GB or future pro-riders, these will mainly be young people probably on little or no money, should these be put off racing due to the expense ?

my lad has raced cyclocross maybe 10 times. most races are either free or £2 to enter.

Well my twins are 11 - and will be for the majority of the next CX season though because they turn 12 before 2014 they will be youths rather than under 12s - one proposal for the AGM coming up is that they'll pay an EOL fee of £10 a race this coming season. Stuff that for a 25 minutes riding round a public park game of soldiers.

Agreed, that's way too high. I don't think the adult races cost that much around here.

ga02clr

I think for the OP the answer is picking your races. If you seasons aim is to get Cat 3 that’s 10 points. 1 win or made up of placing’s. You will quickly work out what races in your current state of fitness and experience suits your riding style and ability. There is therefore limited point in riding 3 races a month that don’t suit you and 1 that does. It’s not hard on here to find course descriptions or just ask people.
Spend the 3 week or 2 of those weeks training on the area of weakness be that sprinting or climbing etc and then let it rip on the remaining two race weekends. Your results will probably be better anyway.
I am absolutely bewildered by people’s expectations of sponsorship. Why would anyone get sponsored as a Cat 4, 3 or even cat 2?
I race as a Cat 2 and with some luck may get close to Cat1 this season. I have a couple of placing’s already this season in E12’s and 2/3’s races but I certainly don’t expect anyone else to put their hand in their pocket to pay for my kit or entry fees.
I used to race mountain bikes as a youth and junior and the sponsorship situation for young riders now is far better than it was 15-20 years ago. BC pick up a whole heap of talented young riders and people like VO2 and local shop teams help those just below that.
It’s the decent youth and junior riders that deserve the helping hand of sponsorship as they actually have some potential to do something long term in the sport.
I would be slightly concerned if the whole sense of entitlement that the benefits system and successive Governments have seemingly implemented has started to edge into peoples thinking about sports.
In sport if you want something you work of it as it should be in life. If you want it bad enough you will get it. You certainly don’t need a £3k bike to win a cat 4 race. I have seen them won on 10 year old cross bikes with slick tyres fitted. This sport is only really expensive if you chose to make it so. If your sensible with your kit costs, learn to do your own maintenance etc you should be able to get by.

Thick Tester

Dear OP... Racing too expensive?

Are you honestly having a laugh?

Look at it this way.

For a typical Closed circuit crit. These are some of the costs involved :

500k to build the facility split 50 /50 between local government and BC ( Sport England )
£100-200 To hire the circuit for the day. per event
£50- £100 for first aid cover per event
3 x Commisaires at £30 a pop expenses per event
£250 for Short range radios for marshalls and officials - one off
£500 for a photo finish camera - the same again when it gets dropped.
£500 for a HD Laptop and Monitor for producing the results
£200 for race numbers
£60 for a printer for the results / signing on sheets
ongoing cost of paper / ink
£30 for the oodles of safety pins you lot manage to bend through the season.
£50 in postage for all the licenses that get left behind after events throughout thes season
£XX in phone calls to / from riders / officials / volunteers trying to sort the event out.

40% of your £10 race fee goes to BC and the region in levies that cover the event insurance etc, pays for the training of officials, updating of event listing results.

Dont even get me started on the cost of increasing costs of petrol for lead cars, commisaires cars, first aid, village hall fees or even the price of tea bags for you post race cuppa.

And all of this is before you factor in the 10+ vounteers who give up their time for free- usually around half a day only to have their best efforts derided as ' Too expensive'.

Its not nice toput so much effort into putting a race on barely covering your costs only to have someone belittle your efforts.

Just be bloody glad there are folk out there who love the sport enough for for you to enter.
Seriously - try getting involved with a clubs race promotion or with the officials - its a REAL eye opener and you'll understand that the true cost is actually hidden and you are being subsidised.

Herbsman

*like*