BC Point system

24

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  • Stuntman
    Stuntman Posts: 267
    HAHA. Yeah I learnt all my group riding before I did my first tri... but still did that on a hybrid.

    I'm not shaving my legs until I place top 5 in a road race though! You shaved yours for the Sunday rides? ;o)
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  • Thick Tester
    Thick Tester Posts: 380
    Stuntman wrote:
    I'm not shaving my legs until I place top 5 in a road race though!

    Laminate floorings on the way out, so rugs are in my amigo

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  • maryka
    maryka Posts: 748
    I've seen at least a dozen carbon bikes trashed in the past year or so at races. There's a saying about carbon bikes (and wheels): don't race what you can't afford to replace. A few were really spectacular crashes (knees going through toptubes), but a few others were minor -- one guy went down at slow speed and his hand caught another guy's bottle cage and ripped the bolts right out of the carbon. Frame = done. So don't think it can't happen to you!

    The good news is that HQ Fibre Products can fix most carbon frames. The bad news is you have to strip the frame down completely, ship it off to them in Norfolk, wait a couple weeks to get it back, then build it back up again. And it won't be nicely painted like new. So you need to weigh the "need" for a carbon frame against the risk. What's the sense in racing carbon if you find yourself sitting out of a sprint finish because you're afraid of a crash wrecking your frame?

    Re. the OP and 4th cat points, have a look around for races that match your strengths better. Hills (if you're a climber), technical circuits (if you're a good bike-handler), etc. Also see if you've got some teammates that will work for you to get you a good finish in exchange for a couple of pints.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    Stuntman wrote:
    I'm not shaving my legs until I place top 5 in a road race though!

    I'm struggling to find the logic in that statement....
  • Stuntman
    Stuntman Posts: 267
    @Thick Tester

    Glad my rug's coming back in fasion. Saves me following the trend.
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  • Stuntman
    Stuntman Posts: 267
    softlad wrote:
    Stuntman wrote:
    I'm not shaving my legs until I place top 5 in a road race though!

    I'm struggling to find the logic in that statement....

    I don't think I'll be shaving my legs anytime soon is pretty much what I'm trying to say :)
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  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Shaving legs does not make you faster, it's just so that when you crash, it is much easier to deal with cuts, as with hairy legs, the hair gets all stuck in em.

    But either way, I'm not shaving mine.
  • Stuntman
    Stuntman Posts: 267
    cheers freehub :) Glad it doesn't make you go faster but I'll try telling a few mates that it does just to see who believes me.

    I didn't want to say 'I'll shave my legs after I crash'... tempting fate a bit.
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  • RoadieBob
    RoadieBob Posts: 48
    I recently upgraded to a carbon bike from alu, but only because my old bike got trashed when I got hit by a car. I think as with any bike / component ugrade, it won't make you magically faster, but it might give a slight edge, IF you have the fitness to exploit it, for example on a climb if you're feeling good and want to attack. If you're already struggling on the climb, a carbon frame isn't going to change that.

    Re leg shaving, the only real reason IMO is because it looks better with lycra, and I guess to fit in - if the amount of time I spent having to deal with road rash ever remotely approached the amount of time spent leg shaving, I would definitely give up cycling!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    RobG100 wrote:
    If thats the case then, why was I surrounded with people with amazingly expensive carbon bikes and wheels that were very similar cyclists to me on Thursday then? It surely makes some difference otherwise why spend a hell of a lot more money on a bike which performs the same as an cheap Aluminium one?

    That bit sums it up - they were around you not in front of you. I own a carbon bike, I bought it because it was the bike I liked most out of those I tested in my price range. There's always an element (majority?) in cycling who are like magpies and like shiny things. It has little benefit on performance though - possibly some comfort benefits on longer rides and weight advantage on hillier rides but on a few laps of Castle Coombe it won't make a noticeable difference. By the way, I'm still crap on my carbon and now I can't even blame the bike! :wink:
  • grantus
    grantus Posts: 690
    to go back to the original question there seems to be some dubiety regarding the period over which you can accumulate your 10 points.

    I read a similar post on the BC website forum where two posters, both claiming to be BC commisaires, disagreed about whether you need to get them in a single season or whether you can collect them over a longer period.

    The BC Regs, IIRC, state that any rider accumulating 10 points moves up to 3rd cat.

    It doesn't mention in a single season whereas the jump from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to 1st expressly states that the 40 points/200 points are required in any one year.

    A lot of good third cats may score less than 10 points a season.

    I also understand that if you ask BC to upgrade you to 3rd they will do it upon request if you have ridden in a few races.

    Personally I would like to do it 'on merit', so to speak, and get the necessary points however I am unable at present to even hang onto the bunch for more than a few miles - not much point asking for a 3rd licence!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    I believe you are correct. This is straight from the BC site:-
    4th Category: A new junior or senior licence holder.

    3rd Category: Any junior or senior licence holder who has gained at least 10 but less than 40 points whilst holding a 4th category licence. Note: Riders are never downgraded to 4th category once a 3rd category licence has been achieved.

    2nd Category: Any junior or senior licence holder who has gained 40 points during any one season whilst holding a 3rd category licence. To retain a 2nd category licence for the following season, a rider must obtain at least 25 points in events open to that category of rider.

    That would suggest to me that the 4th cat points don't disappear at the end of the season.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    grantus wrote:
    It doesn't mention in a single season whereas the jump from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to 1st expressly states that the 40 points/200 points are required in any one year.
    4.5.4
    Each rider will start with zero points at the beginning of each year (i.e. no points will be carried forward from the previous year).

    http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/ ... _TRACK.pdf
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
    So you can get your Assos kicked in an E/1/2/3 :wink:
  • grantus
    grantus Posts: 690
    Yup, wot he just said :lol:
  • Thick Tester
    Thick Tester Posts: 380
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?

    So they can laugh in your face after you ask......
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Bronzie wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
    So you can get your Assos kicked in an E/1/2/3 :wink:

    How would I get my ass kicked in E/1/2/3? Since I'm already racing with E/1/2/3.

    I'm getting better, I was in the top 10 of an E/1/2/3/4 race today until I crashed, I should have known it would happen, the number on my back was 13.
  • The point of asking for a 3rd cat licence would be to ride E/1/2/3 races as I think 4th cats are not allowed to ride with Elites.

    I prefer riding on day licences then you don't have to worry about getting too many points and ending up a 2nd cat and having to ride the longer races.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Day licenses cost a bomb, £18 Vs 8 quid................
  • If you get a Silver membership then day licences are free for Regional C and C+ events.
    then you pay £5 for a day licence for other events and as there are hardly any races around these days and if you only race for part of the year it is cheaper to do it on day licences and stay a 3rd cat.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Why would you want to stay a 3rd cat, why not try and become a 2nd?
  • RoadieBob
    RoadieBob Posts: 48
    freehub wrote:
    Bronzie wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
    So you can get your Assos kicked in an E/1/2/3 :wink:

    How would I get my ass kicked in E/1/2/3? Since I'm already racing with E/1/2/3.

    I'm getting better, I was in the top 10 of an E/1/2/3/4 race today until I crashed, I should have known it would happen, the number on my back was 13.

    E/1/2/3/4? I've never seen that before, where / when was this race?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    freehub wrote:
    Bronzie wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
    So you can get your Assos kicked in an E/1/2/3 :wink:

    How would I get my ass kicked in E/1/2/3? Since I'm already racing with E/1/2/3.

    I'm getting better, I was in the top 10 of an E/1/2/3/4 race today until I crashed, I should have known it would happen, the number on my back was 13.

    Thats not getting better, you still lost.
  • grantus
    grantus Posts: 690
    E/1/2/3/4 are open races - quite a few up here in Scotland.

    Freehub - lighten up mate - I think it was a joke :D
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    dmclite wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    Bronzie wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
    So you can get your Assos kicked in an E/1/2/3 :wink:

    How would I get my ass kicked in E/1/2/3? Since I'm already racing with E/1/2/3.

    I'm getting better, I was in the top 10 of an E/1/2/3/4 race today until I crashed, I should have known it would happen, the number on my back was 13.

    Thats not getting better, you still lost.

    You'll find it's called getting better when you do better than the last race.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    freehub wrote:
    You'll find it's called getting better when you do better than the last race.
    Did you crash while you were in 11th place last outing then?
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    freehub wrote:
    dmclite wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    Bronzie wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    So I can ring up BC now if I wanted and become a 3rd cat? Wtf is the point in that?
    So you can get your Assos kicked in an E/1/2/3 :wink:

    How would I get my ass kicked in E/1/2/3? Since I'm already racing with E/1/2/3.

    I'm getting better, I was in the top 10 of an E/1/2/3/4 race today until I crashed, I should have known it would happen, the number on my back was 13.

    Thats not getting better, you still lost.

    You'll find it's called getting better when you do better than the last race.

    You mean you felt better this time? Because I'm not sure you can say you did better when you get a DNF
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  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    I deffo would have done better if it was not for the crash. I was many places up on me last week. I was in front of the guy who came 9th, until I crashed.

    I know no people like this, if I did not crash, cause they all hope and want me to do badly. I know this forum.
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    freehub wrote:
    I deffo would have done better if it was not for the crash. I was many places up on me last week. I was in front of the guy who came 9th, until I crashed.

    and you think everyone would have held those places until the finish line...?

    I did a circuit race last night - I was on the front for a while, so does that mean I could have claimed first place if I'd crashed at that point..?

    As it was, I finished near the back of the bunch - so where you were when you crashed is irrelevant.....