Cheapest way into racing...

Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-arse into the
BrisVegan racing scene. Went and 'spectatored' (is that a word??) at
the Murrarie Crits, and thinking about having a perv at an upcoming
Lakeside Kermesse event soon as well, and will hopefully build up the
courage to take part in one sometime soon....

Anyway - I googled my way through some of the local club websites, and
was a bit aghast at the cost of membership/licencing... At least a
couple of hundred bucks to join a club and get a 'racing licence' (ie
CQ rego)...

Given that most of my riding is commuting weekdays, plus maybe a
'generic group ride' (ie NOT a club ride) on weekends, I'm not all that
keen to shell out heaps of my hard-earned to join a club. And with a
"wife-and-two-kids" family life, and can see myself racing only
once-a-month at best...

So - any opinions on the 'cheapest way' to get all my
membership/rego/licence issues worked out??

Thanks,
Absent Husband (who is looking for a crit race with a "lard-arse"
grade...!!)

On 20 Feb 2005 18:02:40 -0800, "Absent Husband"
wrote:

[chomp]

So - any opinions on the 'cheapest way' to get all my
membership/rego/licence issues worked out??

In the overall scheme of things (compared to most other sports)
$200 a year is not all that much. It's almost all insurance anyway,
the club gets stuff-all of that money. At least, that's how it works
in Victoria. When I started racing I was amazed by 2 things,
the first was how cheap it was to join and race, and the second
was how much cyclists whinged about how much it cost! A
good set of tyres will cost as much as your membership. A set
of poseur knicks & jersey will cost more than it costs to
go racing. 4 tanks of petrol will cost more than it costs to go
racing .... My old CAMS licence was around $500 a year
and that got me 6 or 7 rallies a year, my CA licence costs
around $200 and gets me into multiple races A WEEK!

Stop whining, go racing!

"Absent Husband" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-arse into the
BrisVegan racing scene. Went and 'spectatored' (is that a word??) at
the Murrarie Crits, and thinking about having a perv at an upcoming
Lakeside Kermesse event soon as well, and will hopefully build up the
courage to take part in one sometime soon....

Anyway - I googled my way through some of the local club websites, and
was a bit aghast at the cost of membership/licencing... At least a
couple of hundred bucks to join a club and get a 'racing licence' (ie
CQ rego)...

Given that most of my riding is commuting weekdays, plus maybe a
'generic group ride' (ie NOT a club ride) on weekends, I'm not all that
keen to shell out heaps of my hard-earned to join a club. And with a
"wife-and-two-kids" family life, and can see myself racing only
once-a-month at best...

So - any opinions on the 'cheapest way' to get all my
membership/rego/licence issues worked out??

Thanks,
Absent Husband (who is looking for a crit race with a "lard-arse"
grade...!!)

Try find a club that has a membership rate which only allows racing in
events organised by that club?
Only one i know of in melb is hawthorn. Cost $25 to join the club but i can
only race in events run by hawthorn unless i want to shell out for a day
license etc. Not sure if any exist that do that in brissie tho..
The aust cycle license or whatever its called is around the $175 mark? I too
didnt want to drop that much cash at first incase i didnt like racing etc.

I might do at the end of the year though so i can race at other crits other
than the wednesday night race which is sometimes hard to get to..

You could also see if some of the clubs do a day permit for their crits and
have a race here and there to see if you enjoy it?

Absent Husband Wrote:
Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-arse into the
BrisVegan racing scene. Went and 'spectatored' (is that a word??) at
the Murrarie Crits, and thinking about having a perv at an upcoming
Lakeside Kermesse event soon as well, and will hopefully build up the
courage to take part in one sometime soon....

Anyway - I googled my way through some of the local club websites, and
was a bit aghast at the cost of membership/licencing... At least a
couple of hundred bucks to join a club and get a 'racing licence' (ie
CQ rego)...

Given that most of my riding is commuting weekdays, plus maybe a
'generic group ride' (ie NOT a club ride) on weekends, I'm not al
that
keen to shell out heaps of my hard-earned to join a club. And with a
"wife-and-two-kids" family life, and can see myself racing only
once-a-month at best...

So - any opinions on the 'cheapest way' to get all my
membership/rego/licence issues worked out??

Thanks,
Absent Husband (who is looking for a crit race with a "lard-arse"
grade...!!)

If you want a CA licence, you'll have to shell out - the insuranc
premium is the bulk of the fee. Insurance cover as a racer is fairl
limited, but the insurance also protects pedestrians that inadvertantl
trip over your club's witches hats.

The flip side is that you can go in (just about) any club race yo
want.

Go for it!
Ritc

--
ritcho

Hi,

I think you can get a 1 race permit for $15.00 dollars or something like
that. Not at all cost effective if you intend to race throughout the
year but certainly worth it if you want to see if racing is to your
taste.

It's probably worth mentioning that you racing lic. does include
insurance while racing and while out training.

Cheers

Dej wrote:

"Absent Husband" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-arse into the
BrisVegan racing scene. Went and 'spectatored' (is that a word??) at
the Murrarie Crits, and thinking about having a perv at an upcoming
Lakeside Kermesse event soon as well, and will hopefully build up the
courage to take part in one sometime soon....

Anyway - I googled my way through some of the local club websites, and
was a bit aghast at the cost of membership/licencing... At least a
couple of hundred bucks to join a club and get a 'racing licence' (ie
CQ rego)...

Given that most of my riding is commuting weekdays, plus maybe a
'generic group ride' (ie NOT a club ride) on weekends, I'm not all that
keen to shell out heaps of my hard-earned to join a club. And with a
"wife-and-two-kids" family life, and can see myself racing only
once-a-month at best...

So - any opinions on the 'cheapest way' to get all my
membership/rego/licence issues worked out??

Thanks,
Absent Husband (who is looking for a crit race with a "lard-arse"
grade...!!)

Try find a club that has a membership rate which only allows racing in
events organised by that club?
Only one i know of in melb is hawthorn. Cost $25 to join the club but i can
only race in events run by hawthorn unless i want to shell out for a day
license etc. Not sure if any exist that do that in brissie tho..
The aust cycle license or whatever its called is around the $175 mark? I too
didnt want to drop that much cash at first incase i didnt like racing etc.

I might do at the end of the year though so i can race at other crits other
than the wednesday night race which is sometimes hard to get to..

You could also see if some of the clubs do a day permit for their crits and
have a race here and there to see if you enjoy it?

Absent Husband Wrote:
Hi all

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-arse into th
BrisVegan racing scene. Went and 'spectatored' (is that a word??) a
the Murrarie Crits, and thinking about having a perv at an upcomin
Lakeside Kermesse event soon as well, and will hopefully build up th
courage to take part in one sometime soon...

Anyway - I googled my way through some of the local club websites, an
was a bit aghast at the cost of membership/licencing... At least
couple of hundred bucks to join a club and get a 'racing licence' (i
CQ rego)..

Given that most of my riding is commuting weekdays, plus maybe
'generic group ride' (ie NOT a club ride) on weekends, I'm not all tha
keen to shell out heaps of my hard-earned to join a club. And with
"wife-and-two-kids" family life, and can see myself racing onl
once-a-month at best..

So - any opinions on the 'cheapest way' to get all m
membership/rego/licence issues worked out?

Thanks
Absent Husband (who is looking for a crit race with a "lard-arse
grade...!!)Stick to your commuting and group rides, if cost is a factor. Gettin
into racing tends to "loosen up the wallet". The next thing you know
you are justifying the cost of $1000 wheels

Cheer

--
trackieusa

Dej Wrote:


Try find a club that has a membership rate which only allows racing in
events organised by that club?
Only one i know of in melb is hawthorn. Cost $25 to join the club but
can
only race in events run by hawthorn unless i want to shell out for
day
license etc. Not sure if any exist that do that in brissie tho..


Cluc licences are supposed to be $142, plus the club fee ($25). You
and anyone else you take down with you won't be covered if Hawthorn ar
offering these as racing licenses without paying the CA insurance. (An
given that Hawthorn have no money, I'd be surprised if they were takin
on the risk.....)

You do have the option of a 6 month license, or get one in Octobe
which will last for 15 months

--
Shabby

Shabby Wrote:
Club licences are supposed to be $142, plus the club fee ($25). You, an
anyone else you take down with you won't be covered if Hawthorn ar
offering these as racing licenses without paying the CA insurance. (An
given that Hawthorn have no money, I'd be surprised if they were takin
on the risk.....)

You do have the option of a 6 month license, or get one in Octobe
which will last for 15 months.

Hawthorn are in a unique situation, as I understand, because they ar
run as a not-for-profit organisation (they are part of Hawthor
Citizen's Youth Club). Because of this (please don't question me on th
specifics), they are able to take out their own insurance which cover
their own events, and 'club-only' members can take advantage of this
You're correct in assuming they are not risking racing withou
cover...

With respect to the O.P. it may be worth finding out if their ar
similar clubs in their area, although as several people have pointe
out, the CA membership fee represents reasonably good VFM.

Cheers,
Craigster

--
craigster_jd

"Stop whining, go racing!"

Ha ha - thanks for the blunt approach..... Sorry for the whinging -
but I guess that's why I don't have 'race tyres'; my two jerseys have
lasted me about 10 years; I shelled out BIG MONEY for my Sora groupset;
why my commuter/road/tri bike are all the same, etc, etc... Can be
difficult to justify $200 when you've knocked the kids back on
something even cheaper for their own 'hobby'.....

Luckily for me, its a lot cheaper (but not easier!!) at present to
shave kilos off my arse, than shave grams off my bike!!!!!

I think I'll take the day licence approach for the first few races (see
what I think), then shell out for the club/CQ licence if I get into it.

Many thanks for the info!!
Absent Husband (who probably would shell out for a "Lard Arse" jersey
if he could find an appropriate one...)

Absent husband wrote:

Can be difficult to justify $200 when you've knocked
the kids back on something even cheaper for their own 'hobby'.....

I get the "how many bike clubs do you need to be a member of?
question. It's hard to justify a race licence on top of BNSW
Bikenorth, and Audax membership. Hey, my Audax membership card i
issued by CA, and sorta looks like a race licence. If I hold my thum
over the "rec" bit when I register at races...

Regards,

Suz

--
suzyj