# Cycle club or no cycle club



## GmanUK65 (19 Aug 2013)

I am not sure if I want to join a club or not. I have been cycling for a few years now, but only on mountain bikes and hybrids which I only used for leasurely rides from A to B. I am getting a road bike in a few days to get involved in cycling more by eventually entering events such as races and time trials. At first I am going to use the road bike to rack up my riding mileage and increase my speed average to ready myself for future events. Before putting this plan in action I need to ask a few things:

1. Ive noticed that you need a full race licence to enter races and time trials, is this true?
2. Do I have to have a Silver/Gold membership of British Cycling to purchase a full race licence?
3. How much will it cost me to get a full racing licence?
4. Ive noticed that cycle clubs organise races and time trials, do I need to be a member of that club to enter their events?
5. Are there any races and time trials organised outside cycling clubs?


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## fossala (19 Aug 2013)

You have club TT's and open TT's. You need to be part of a club to take part in club TT's. If you want to take TT'ing seriously, you really need to join a club.

You shouldn't need a race licence for local club TT'ing.


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## BSRU (19 Aug 2013)

If you're going to start road racing then riding with a club will get you used to riding in a group rather than alone.


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## Rob3rt (22 Aug 2013)

GmanUK65 said:


> I am not sure if I want to join a club or not. I have been cycling for a few years now, but only on mountain bikes and hybrids which I only used for leasurely rides from A to B. I am getting a road bike in a few days to get involved in cycling more by eventually entering events such as races and time trials. At first I am going to use the road bike to rack up my riding mileage and increase my speed average to ready myself for future events. Before putting this plan in action I need to ask a few things:
> 
> 1. Ive noticed that you need a full race licence to enter races and time trials, is this true?
> 
> ...


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## GmanUK65 (22 Aug 2013)

Thanx for that information. I think I will be putting it all at the back of my mind until next year and go back to reading this when the time comes


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## DCLane (23 Aug 2013)

@GmanUK65 - you may want to wait to join BC, but I'd suggest getting involved in a club now to get used to club runs/group riding at speed.


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## GmanUK65 (23 Aug 2013)

I will have a look into that


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## Rob3rt (23 Aug 2013)

Joining a club over winter is a good idea, because the pace will drop back. Plus all the racers come back together to ride club runs and get miles in over winter and will slowly ramp up the pace etc in the early months of the new year. This will give you an opportunity to talk to them and get advice and they will pull your ability up as the pace increases in the new year.

In the summer, they will all disappear to train on their own or with a small group of similar riders and be off racing regularly, so will have no interest in riding around on general club runs. I haven't done a club run since February, all my riding has been solo training and racing. During the winter I would do 2-3 rides with the club weekly.


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## GmanUK65 (23 Aug 2013)

I think I will get in touch with my local club to find out about riding with them in the latter part of the year.


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