AusCycling doesn't just hate MTB...

[Flow-Rider]

Legitimately, a lv0 (foundations) instructor can't teach on a blue and be covered by insurance, it's greens only. Sort of fair enough, the course is very basic, lv1 is a far more comprehensive accreditation.

Changing an existing trail to suit this is utterly ridiculous though, I'm sure there's a ton of firetrails around that you can practice braking and body position on

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It's a climb trail only, they could have added b-lines around the features, and there are 2 trails that already lead to the same place. The bigger issue is that they have already done this to other trails in the area, and there was a specific skills park built for kids that's now overgrown because no one uses it.

 

[kten]

It's a climb trail only, they could have added b-lines around the features, and there are 2 trails that already lead to the same place. The bigger issue is that they have already done this to other trails in the area, and there was a specific skills park built for kids that's now overgrown because no one uses it.

I've been biting my tongue on what they've been doing for a while now. Look it's awesome they are doing something and trying to get kids involved but some of the trail building is just wrong. The recent work they did on Dingo is a great example. Makeshift drains excavated mid berm so when the bike is fully loaded the support literally disappears. The earth they excavated for said drains has now morphed into pointless mounds that I guess someone is calling a kicker/jump but in reality is just a badly made speed hump that destroys any natural flow you had because now you need to just manage the speed to maintain a line. These will soon get destroyed anyway and a plethora of braking bumps will appear because they have obstacles...not features...on the trail. They just seem misguided imo.

 

[Flow-Rider]

I've been biting my tongue on what they've been doing for a while now. Look it's awesome they are doing something and trying to get kids involved but some of the trail building is just wrong. The recent work they did on Dingo is a great example. Makeshift drains excavated mid berm so when the bike is fully loaded the support literally disappears. The earth they excavated for said drains has now morphed into pointless mounds that I guess someone is calling a kicker/jump but in reality is just a badly made speed hump that destroys any natural flow you had because now you need to just manage the speed to maintain a line. These will soon get destroyed anyway and a plethora of braking bumps will appear because they have obstacles...not features...on the trail. They just seem misguided imo.

Haha! Is that what they're calling the new jump line? I think that Mike can be a bit self-absorbed, kids don't stay small kids for ever, what's the point of getting the harder features removed, but now I know why they silently dumbed down all those other trails and why he grovels to the council so much.

I was one of the original riders from 2010, and I barely recognise the place when I go back, any lump of dirt that was remotely fun has been steam rolled. The log rollovers they removed, in place of the armoured roll downs are more dangerous than ever. If you're not careful you can ride them out on your front wheel. I pretty much stopped being involved when borra started in there, they've unintentionally made things worse over there.

 

[teK--]

No one ever learned how to be get better at anything without a few crashes, grazes and a sprain or two! So backwards...

 

[Flow-Rider]

No one ever learned how to be get better at anything without a few crashes, grazes and a sprain or two! So backwards...

What's wrong with walking a trail feature until you can learn to ride it? Most of the kids can easily ride this trail, it's just the politics of a trail grading for an AC graded instructor. The council had to actually engage a trail builder for directions on how to remove a log roll over and widen a small part of the trail, so it can be downgraded.

 

[ozzybmx]

Well, looks like I'm out again.

22-23 was $475

To renew for 23-24 is $244 + $175 + $175 = $594 PLUS the levy applied at renewal time of $35 x 3, so $699 for 3 riders... fuck off AusCycling.

I'm taking they said Adult and Child on purpose as U13 is likely the child or they would have specified Concession, which is U17.

Email just sent, cancel all 3 memberships on August expiry.

Shortened version...

------------------------------
Dear AusCycling member,

You may be aware of the March increase in AusCycling's Public Liability insurance, which saw the premium increase by $1.6 million across the next 12 months.
While part of this increase is due to general rises in the cost of insurance, it is largely due to historical understatement of claims by third parties which has dramatically altered the premium structure.
The 2023 AusCycling budget assumed a small increase in the public liability insurance premium; it did not anticipate a $1.6 million increase. As a result, management has been working with the Board and Finance, Audit and Risk committee to establish a path to a breakeven budget, whilst minimizing the impact on membership fees.
While an increase to AusCycling's membership fees is unfortunately unavoidable, we have also adjusted the 2023 operating budget to offset more than 50% of the premium increase.
A 10% increase in membership fees will be implemented from 1 July 2023.
This increase alone does not address the budget shortfall, so in addition to the membership fee increase, we will also implement an insurance levy of $35 per adult and $15 per child which is directly related to the public liability cover across 2023/2024. As we review and address the future of the insurance program it is our aim to reduce the need for an insurance levy.
The levy will be applied across the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 and will be added to your payment at the time of membership renewal. For a full list of membership fee changes, please see below.
This has been an extremely difficult issue to tackle, and we’ve done our best to mitigate the impact on members. If you do wish to provide feedback, please contact us membership@auscycling.org.au.
We’re here to listen.
Regards,
Marne Fechner
Chief Executive
--------------------------------

 

[fjohn860]

Well, looks like I'm out again.

22-23 was $475

To renew for 23-24 is $244 + $175 + $175 = $594 PLUS the levy applied at renewal time of $35 x 3, so $699 for 3 riders... fuck off AusCycling.

I'm taking they said Adult and Child on purpose as U13 is likely the child or they would have specified Concession, which is U17.

Email just sent, cancel all 3 memberships on August expiry.

Shortened version...

------------------------------
Dear AusCycling member,

You may be aware of the March increase in AusCycling's Public Liability insurance, which saw the premium increase by $1.6 million across the next 12 months.
While part of this increase is due to general rises in the cost of insurance, it is largely due to historical understatement of claims by third parties which has dramatically altered the premium structure.
The 2023 AusCycling budget assumed a small increase in the public liability insurance premium; it did not anticipate a $1.6 million increase. As a result, management has been working with the Board and Finance, Audit and Risk committee to establish a path to a breakeven budget, whilst minimizing the impact on membership fees.
While an increase to AusCycling's membership fees is unfortunately unavoidable, we have also adjusted the 2023 operating budget to offset more than 50% of the premium increase.
A 10% increase in membership fees will be implemented from 1 July 2023.
This increase alone does not address the budget shortfall, so in addition to the membership fee increase, we will also implement an insurance levy of $35 per adult and $15 per child which is directly related to the public liability cover across 2023/2024. As we review and address the future of the insurance program it is our aim to reduce the need for an insurance levy.
The levy will be applied across the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 and will be added to your payment at the time of membership renewal. For a full list of membership fee changes, please see below.
This has been an extremely difficult issue to tackle, and we’ve done our best to mitigate the impact on members. If you do wish to provide feedback, please contact us membership@auscycling.org.au.
We’re here to listen.
Regards,
Marne Fechner
Chief Executive
--------------------------------

View attachment 400561

I read that and thought "Marne Fechner" was you telling them where to go in some sort of SA/Irish urban slang "man fuck nah"

 

[ozzybmx]

I read that and thought "Marne Fechner" was you telling them where to go in some sort of SA/Irish urban slang "man fuck nah"

Might as well mean "you can marne fechner you c**t"

Can expect race participation to be at an all time low, the screw is tightening in all aspects of life at the moment, paying race membership is now a luxury.

I paid it as a habit for years as well as supporting the club when 1 day insurance would have been cheaper for the 1-3 races I did each year.

I had a break after AusCycling ran our 3 memberships to expiry during corona but went back last year.

 

[dirtdad]

I had a break after AusCycling ran our 3 memberships to expiry during corona but went back last year.

I did the same during Covid. But didn’t renew the kids this time (only myself), because they had stopped doing club events.

 

[ozzybmx]

I did the same during Covid. But didn’t renew the kids this time (only myself), because they had stopped doing club events.

We renewed 3 race memberships around Feb 2020, corona kicked in March 12th 2020, gyms put freezes on everyones memberships. I contacted MTBA/AusCycling around June to ask about the memberships, just to be told we are still insured for training and the memberships would continue to run.

They then ran the 3 memberships to expiry with no racing

 

[slowmick]

Well that just doubled the cost of a shuttle day. Woo Hoo

 

[teK--]

They should cut back spending on road and track events to keep expenses under control. Its not as if mtb and bmx has previously subsidised the the other disciplines anwyay...

 

[Plankosaurus]

I might be asking a dumb question here, but are there alternatives?

The mtba->Aus cycling transition was a cluster fuck that took well over a year to even partially resolve
&
Their prices keep going up, and events keep going down

I havn't renewed and I don't think I will. When the warmer weather starts to hit I'll look for something that covers me for injuries in a similar way to Aus cycling, no sense at the moment while my enthusiasm is at an all time low and the weather is shyte to boot.

I know there is options for injury cover (medical and wages)
But is there something that will allow participation in events, or does Aus cycling have a monopoly on that?

Anyone have any preferred providers, I've never liked doing my own research. Prefer to use my pooping time for evil

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[DougalStrachan]

Yeah going to be very hard to stomach for the 5 of us. Be interesting to see if clubs consider alternative as well (not sure what that'd be tho).

 

[ozzybmx]

I might be asking a dumb question here, but are there alternatives?

But is there something that will allow participation in events, or does Aus cycling have a monopoly on that?

Maybe some of the guys here who organise events can explain better.

I believe a club affiliates themself with AusCyc, organises events under the AC umbrella and must have everyone that's racing or taking part in the event, covered by AC insurance.

As far as I'm aware, you either have AC insurance or you can't take part.

 

[Stredda]

Maybe some of the guys here who organise events can explain better.

I believe a club affiliates themself with AusCyc, organises events under the AC umbrella and must have everyone that's racing or taking part in the event, covered by AC insurance.

As far as I'm aware, you either have AC insurance or you can't take part.

There are racing events that are no AC affiliated events, usually were the entry fee covers your insurance.

From my involvement with a club, all we use AusCycling (and MTBA before that) is for insurance. Unfortunately, things like state champs and the like are often AC events so you are stuck with AC membership.
If it continues, there might be another revolt like there was in the road cycling scene years ago and it all may separate again.

 

[ozzybmx]

If it continues, there might be another revolt like there was in the road cycling scene years ago and it all may separate again.

A revolt will be too late. When racing cools off and attendance drops making the volunteer pool smaller, clubs give up.
Hard for vollies (if you get vollies) to set up and run an event for a handful of people.

It's too hard and expensive for most to set up insurance for an event, just easier to engage AC and be done with it.

 

[Stredda]

A revolt will be too late. When racing cools off and attendance drops making the volunteer pool smaller, clubs give up.
Hard for vollies (if you get vollies) to set up and run an event for a handful of people.

It's too hard and expensive for most to set up insurance for an event, just easier to engage AC and be done with it.

Unfortunately you are correct. Small clubs don't want the hassle of chasing insurance and I'm sure AC take advantage of this.

 

[moorey]

Maybe some of the guys here who organise events can explain better.

I believe a club affiliates themself with AusCyc, organises events under the AC umbrella and must have everyone that's racing or taking part in the event, covered by AC insurance.

As far as I'm aware, you either have AC insurance or you can't take part.

We run 2 different types.
One is a ‘term based’ kids program where all the kids must have auscycling licence.
The other is our downhill series. If riders don’t have auscycling, they have to pay $60 insurance to auscycling for the weekend.

We don’t and won’t touch the insurance ourselves. Enough other headaches to worry about.

 

[ozzybmx]

Wanna be our race Commissaire ?
Yeah ok.
Ok I'll send you the details.

Ended up...

Join AusCycling as a non race member for volunteering.
Working with children check for volunteers.
2 hours of SportAus Community Officials Principles course.
3-4 hours of AusCycling Commissaire modules.

Just a heads up in case anyone here is asked in the future.

Cost was $15 total for the club affiliation through AusCycling.