While I totally believe that bringing all cycling governance under one body is a good thing, I really have issues with this deal, basically as it doubles the cost of getting licenced to race bikes in Colorado. Clubs will have to buy memberships in BOTH USAC and the new (Old?) Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado, as the ACA will become known. Our team is self-funded, and having to fork out another $150 to be a USAC club, on top of adding the $60 USAC individual licence will double the costs to participate. NOT my idea of making an already expensive and somewhat hostile sport to enter, any more accessible. At least the ACA dropped a few dollars a year off the individual membership costs, since it no longer has to administer licences, rules, and all that overhead.
My personal take? NOT worth the cost, just to benefit a few pros, a few people who go to nationals, and to "unify" cycling in Colorado. I have issues with being asked to support TWO cycling bureaucracies. Out of touch? maybe? better Idea? not really.
Make sure your club votes.
Many of us clubs are already registered with both ACA and USAC. So this actually saves us money. It is not perfect, of course USAC is not perfect, but neither is ACA. This is the way racing was in CO for years and it worked fine. Lets get this worked out and move forward.
ReplyDeleteI do like your blog and often read it, but man you have become grumpy. Always griping about "the Bubble" (did someone from Boulder beat you up?), complaining about courses, people who do not drive to races (aparently you do not drive too far either), reg lines that are too long, ACA/USAC, and on. Maybe you need a break, but cross should be fun man. Find what is fun and write about it.
Thanks Douce from Boulder.
ReplyDeleteSweet comment.
I'm with on not seeing worthwhile benefit to rejoining USAC.
ReplyDeleteArt
I agree with you on not joining the USAC. I think that would make the sport more complicated for the vast majority who participate: The recreational racers.
ReplyDeleteI just sent the following email to Chris at ACA:
I recently participated in a cyclocross race in Sacramento, California while there on a business trip.
I learned of some good ideas about how they run their races and would like to share them with you.
--All the races there are run as one series with various local clubs and shops sponsoring each event. That really unifies the races and allows for simpler registration among other things
The registration was simple and online.
--It only cost $30 for the first time registration and $25 for subsequent events.
--There is no racing license needed.
--There is only one waiver to sign for all the races (one page with multiple lines to enter name and signature, not one page per person). This sure beats the wasted time and paper it takes for each racer to fill this out during registeration before each race.
--The race numbers are re-used for all the races, minimizing waste (of numbers and pins) and allowing you to have the same number for the cx race season.
--The race chip timing was amazingly simple, efficient, and accurate. They provided a small sticker to place on the helmet free of charge. The results were posted on a computer screen as the racers were still finishing the race! Lap times were provided immediately as well (and included an average lap time which was really cool). The company that did the timing is called "TIME YOUR RACE" - here's the link: http://timeyourrace.com/
--They had an EMT on site
--They had a kids race
--The categories and schedule of events also made a lot of sense, allowing for catergorizing of ability and age while accounting for the limited time of day - see website for details.
--Here's the link to their website for more info: http://bicyclingevents.com/SacCx/
I bring up some of these ideas at a time when the ACA is looking to re-join the USAC.
Most participants are recreational racers who love the sport and participate for the fun and comradery of it.
It seems like keeping things simpler and cheaper to encourage participation would benefit the vast majority of the local cycling community.
While we have a great racing program here in Colorado which already has some of these ideas mentioned above, I hope we can adopt the ideas that can strengthen our racing program further.
Wow, my first semi-angry comment. I feel validated. Get so few comments here, it is great that someone took the time to write a comment and let me know they did not like what I wrote. I am truly happy that something I wrote got someone thinking/fired up enough to write a real comment. Thank You!
ReplyDeleteSo, Anonymous 11/14 3:25 PM, Thanks.
I am sure the majority of clubs are on your page, and will vote for the USAC merger. It's not all bad, but I believe it is a raw deal for the "recreational" racers out here, a better deal for the clubs with a broader focus to include "elite" participation. I really just want people to engage & get the vote out.
As to grumpy, I'm not always going to write about only the good. Looking back, 3 of the last 11 posts have ANY bitching, and only one with any real complaining, (Which was pretty much acknowledged and apologized for in the next post...) So, really I Don't think I'm that negative, but point noted.
And REALLY, thanks for the note. It's a treat to see someone actually reads & thinks about my ranting.
OCCUPY USAC! WE ARE THE 99%!
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