Cheapest way into racing...

On 20 Feb 2005 18:02:40 -0800, "Absent Husband"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[chomp]

Quoted message said:

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" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-[censored] 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-[censored]"
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 said:

Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-[censored] 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-[censored]"
grade...!!)

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

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

Go for it!
Ritch

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 said:

"Absent Husband" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-[censored] 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-[censored]"
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 said:

Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-[censored] 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-[censored]"
grade...!!)

Stick to your commuting and group rides, if cost is a factor. Getting into racing tends to "loosen up the wallet". The next thing you know, you are justifying the cost of $1000 wheels!

Cheers

Dej said:

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..

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 are offering these as racing licenses without paying the CA insurance. (And given that Hawthorn have no money, I'd be surprised if they were taking on the risk.....)

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

Shabby said:

Club 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 are offering these as racing licenses without paying the CA insurance. (And given that Hawthorn have no money, I'd be surprised if they were taking on the risk.....)

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

Hawthorn are in a unique situation, as I understand, because they are run as a not-for-profit organisation (they are part of Hawthorn Citizen's Youth Club). Because of this (please don't question me on the specifics), they are able to take out their own insurance which covers their own events, and 'club-only' members can take advantage of this. You're correct in assuming they are not risking racing without cover...

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

Cheers,
Craigster.

"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 [censored], 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 [censored]" jersey
if he could find an appropriate one...)

Absent husband said:

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 is issued by CA, and sorta looks like a race licence. If I hold my thumb over the "rec" bit when I register at races...

Regards,

Suzy

quote='suzyj'Absent husband said:

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 is issued by CA, and sorta looks like a race licence. If I hold my thumb over the "rec" bit when I register at races...

Regards,

Suzy[/QUOTE]

I just paid $150 for one race (not a bike race) makes paying for a CA membership and $10 a race seem cheap.

5 sporting memberships & counting (I'm not naming them as I might incriminate myself).

Absent Husband said:

Hi all,

Am slowly building up my confidence to 'launch' my lard-[censored] 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-[censored]"
grade...!!)

To join the club is only $20 the expensive bit is the CQ licence most of which is insurance. I'd say just come out and get a day licence for $20 and see if you like it. Go in the D grade handicap at lakeside and just say you're a lard-[censored] when you register!

At HPRW there are quite a few good events happening this year, including time trials, road races, a hill climb and century rides. If you're coming out to Lakeside one day let me know and I'll say hi. I ride out at an easy pace each saturday (from near the city) if you want to tag along.

Adam

PiledHigher said:

5 sporting memberships & counting (I'm not naming them as I might
incriminate myself).

What [censored] me is all these memberships who claim a main reason for
getting them is the bicycle insurance cover while you train. Bike Vic,
Tri Vic, Cycle clubs. How many different insurance covers do you need?
I'd love to see these groups offer membership with and without insurance
cover.

DaveB

Absent Husband said:

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

my vets racing licence was $90, so if your (turning)35.
This is AVCC not CA so you could end up wanting both.

DaveB said:

PiledHigher said:

5 sporting memberships & counting (I'm not naming them as I might
incriminate myself).

What [censored] me is all these memberships who claim a main reason for
getting them is the bicycle insurance cover while you train. Bike Vic,
Tri Vic, Cycle clubs. How many different insurance covers do you need?
I'd love to see these groups offer membership with and without insurance
cover.

You should check the wording of the policies too. I was going to claim
medical expenses for my collarbone break on the race license insurance
(all riding is training, right?) and I was told that the 'training ride'
has to be one organised by my club.
There was some discussion with a few people and they eventually let me
submit a claim, but you need to be careful.
I didn't end up claiming in the end - the paperwork wasn't worth the
effort! :S
I look at the license situation like this: 'no license = no race' and I
want to race. I buy a license.

hippy
- can do without those 4 slabs during the year anyway..

DaveB said:

What [censored] me is all these memberships who claim a main reason for
getting them is the bicycle insurance cover while you train. Bike Vic,
Tri Vic, Cycle clubs. How many different insurance covers do you need?
I'd love to see these groups offer membership with and without insurance
cover.

DaveB

I'd like to see the RACV offer breakdown service without that crappy magazine... but I digress.

BV get that question all the time (the insurance one). The simple answer is that BV insurance would cost heaps more if people who didn't ride much didn't take it up. Hence, by forcing every family who rides once a month on a bike path to take it up, their overall member accident rate goes down. (ie. if you commute every day and train on weekends, you're better off).

To me, the race license is a necessary evil, and I chose to sponsor BV becuase their Campaigns department does good work. Any insurance I might actually be able to claim on is a bonus.

Anyone who is complaining about $$$ shouldn't race the Austral ($40 for a total of 19 laps of racing for me last year). Hence, I'll invest it in the centre of the track.

Shabby said:

I'd like to see the RACV offer breakdown service without that crappy magazine... but I digress.

BV get that question all the time (the insurance one). The simple answer is that BV insurance would cost heaps more if people who didn't ride much didn't take it up. Hence, by forcing every family who rides once a month on a bike path to take it up, their overall member accident rate goes down. (ie. if you commute every day and train on weekends, you're better off).

To me, the race license is a necessary evil, and I chose to sponsor BV becuase their Campaigns department does good work. Any insurance I might actually be able to claim on is a bonus.

Anyone who is complaining about $$$ shouldn't race the Austral ($40 for a total of 19 laps of racing for me last year). Hence, I'll invest it in the centre of the track.

its called insurance companies getting you where the bike seat doesn't

and I unfortunately have to agree with the reading the fine print, if you are out riding by yourself and think you are covered because you have Triathlon/Australia/Vic membership or I imagine any of the other ones, think again, it has to be a training ride organised by the club/organisation.

for a small increase in house and contents (possibly none, depending on the price of your bike) they will happily cover your bike for theft and damage, which was pleasantly surprising, check with your insurer

plus the insurance is pretty ordinary anyway, we had some one in my old sport of inline hockey, make a claim for a broken leg during a game, he said for the pain and suffering of the paper work and the amount of money he got, it was hardly worth it.