# Wanting to do short races or time trials



## mawilbolou (28 Jan 2009)

Hi all

I have never been in a road bike race or time-trials, but have always fancied it.

Firstly does anyone know of some open races coming up around April-May time?

Secondly... Do I need to be in bike club in order to compete? Because of crazy working hours I don't have time to join and ride with a club regularly.

any other tips in to how to get in to racing and any links to websites would be brilliant!

Thanks


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## Dave5N (28 Jan 2009)

Race calendar/Event finder  here.

Search for 4th Category events. Look out also for 'Go Race' events - a great way to get an introduction.

You don't need to be in a club. You need a BC membership card/licence or you will need to buy a day licence.

Personally, I think it's much safer if you go out with a club a few times, tell them your plans and get used to riding in a group.

If you do have a very high boredom threshold, time-trialling is a good way to ride up and down dual carriageways. Have a look at http://cyclingtimetrials.janet0102.co.uk/

Look for 'open' events, although most clubs will let you enter their own competitions a few times before expecting you to join.


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## palinurus (28 Jan 2009)

mawilbolou said:


> Hi all
> 
> Secondly... Do I need to be in bike club in order to compete? Because of crazy working hours I don't have time to join and ride with a club regularly.



You don't need to be in a club but it will be very useful, particularly when it comes to getting advice and gaining some experience.

I don't find time-trialling boring, although it's difficult to see why on the face of it. It does involve a certain amount of focus. It's worth trying to see if you get on with it.

I don't ride with my club very regularly as I tend to fit in my longer rides as and when I can, the only club events I turn up for regularly are time-trials.

If you want to try road racing you'll want to get some experience riding in a group first. Most clubs will have a regular ride, invariably on Sunday, and many race-oriented clubs will have an informal chain-gang type arrangement for those who want a faster race-style training ride.


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## wafflycat (28 Jan 2009)

timetrialling is NOT all about zooming up and down dual carriageways... Indeed most timetrials are not on dual carriageways. Indeed as an example, there's an entire series of SPOCO (special courses competitions) events where dual carriageways are specifically excluded and emphasis is on placing rather than time, and about consistency of entering, due to a points-based result scheme. If someone wants to race up and down dual carriageways they can, but that is not the only aspect of time trialling by any means. 

Just to clarify what 'open' events means in terms of timetrialling. It does NOT mean they are open to anyone. They are open to anyone who is a member of a club affiliated to CTT and require advance entry. 

Timetrials - most clubs affiliated to CTT have club events during the racing season (March to October). These are usually mid-week events. They are run as proper TTs but in a more 'relaxed' way than formal opens. They are used for training/compete for club trophies/social events.. Entry is something like £1 on the night - turn up and ride. Most clubs will welcome newcomers along to try out the sport, but expect to be asked to make a decision on joing the club after you've done a couple.. half-a-dozen..

Open events, as advertised on CTT calendar as open to any member of a club affiliated to CTT, are advance entry, with cut-off date normally 10-14 days before the event. Members of the public cannot turn up to an open event and expect to ride with entry 'on the line' There are logistical reasons for this as well as a limitation on the numbers allowed to be in any one event. 

My son did timetrials for years. He enjoyed it hugely, made many friends, kept fit and developed a general enjoyment of cycling as well. The only reason he's no longer competing is that he's at university now and that comes first.


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## Mike Rudkin (29 Jan 2009)

Hi,I came on here this morn to ask a similar Q-Dave5N mentions a BC license ? whats' that? and where does one get one?
I seem to remember in the '50s I had to join something and got a fixture book.Things seem to have changed a bit since then
Having just got my 1st road bike for 50 yrs,I took it out on Sun and after an hour I was feeling so exhilerated that my mind turned to 'evening 10's' just to see if ,at 71,I could still get under 'evens'
I never got bored time trialling-there was always the excitment of trying to catch the guy in front or the aprehension of being caught by your 'minute man' One Sun I looked at the start sheet for a 25 and found that I had 'Jordan' behind me-he was the first guy to go under the hour in UK-he caught me after about 5 miles and just vanished into the distance 
Ah happy days. Mike
ps-I cant work out how to 'quote' bits.


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## wafflycat (29 Jan 2009)

Mike Rudkin said:


> Hi,I came on here this morn to ask a similar Q-Dave5N mentions a BC license ? whats' that? and where does one get one?
> I seem to remember in the '50s I had to join something and got a fixture book.Things seem to have changed a bit since then
> Having just got my 1st road bike for 50 yrs,I took it out on Sun and after an hour I was feeling so exhilerated that my mind turned to 'evening 10's' just to see if ,at 71,I could still get under 'evens'
> I never got bored time trialling-there was always the excitment of trying to catch the guy in front or the aprehension of being caught by your 'minute man' One Sun I looked at the start sheet for a 25 and found that I had 'Jordan' behind me-he was the first guy to go under the hour in UK-he caught me after about 5 miles and just vanished into the distance
> ...




To get a BC (British Cycling) racing licence, you need to join British Cycling and with some classes of membership you get a 'provisional' race licence which allows you to take part in a limited type of races organised under the BC 'banner' You can buy a 'full' licence too, which opens up all BC racing to you. Joining BC with at least silver membership is a Good Thing anyway, as it gioves you third party indemnity insurance and access to legal help in the event you are involved in a prang whilst out cycling.

You do not *require* a BC licence or BC membership to do time trials, as time trials are run by CTT (Cycling Time Trials). For those, you just need to be a member of a CTT-affiliated club. Which is not expensive in the vast majority of cases.

You do need BC membership and a licence if you want to do massed start road races, cyclocross.... etc. But not for time trials.

Personally, I think time trials are an excellent cycle sport for all ages. Within it, as well as the usual 'fastest' in the event, there's age categories, handicapping systems... series of events where it placings in the event rather than pure speed... so you can do it at whatever level you wish to compete at. There's quite a few triathletes doing time trials these days, as it's excellent training for the cycle part of a triathlon.

CTT membership - automatic if you join a club affiliated to CTT. Adult club membership for the clubs I know is about £10 - £20 pa. Order a handbook of events for the year from CTT £7 Entry fees to events range from about £1 for a basic club event, to about £6.50'ish for a typical open event, with the national competitions costing.. hmm.. about £9'ish to enter. 

www.ctt.org.uk


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## Dave5N (29 Jan 2009)

You still get a printed Racing Calendar from British Cycling.


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