Categories and Grading for XC and Enduro Racing
- Thread starter Knut
- Start date
splinter1959
Likes Dirt
SS category or not?
Having read a variety of opinions through this thread here is my 10 cents worth on this subject.
There should not be seperate categories for women or SS riders, but if there are enough entries then they should be acknowledged at presentations.
So four Grades A, B, C and D and people race in the grade based on their level of ability on which ever bike they choose to ride. Then at presentations if there were enough women riders, acknowledge them and drag out the front the best three finishers, and if there were enough SS riders, acknowledge them the same.
This could apply to any other group, juniors, over 50's, whatever, acknowledge the best finishers if the numbers are there.
Having read a variety of opinions through this thread here is my 10 cents worth on this subject.
There should not be seperate categories for women or SS riders, but if there are enough entries then they should be acknowledged at presentations.
So four Grades A, B, C and D and people race in the grade based on their level of ability on which ever bike they choose to ride. Then at presentations if there were enough women riders, acknowledge them and drag out the front the best three finishers, and if there were enough SS riders, acknowledge them the same.
This could apply to any other group, juniors, over 50's, whatever, acknowledge the best finishers if the numbers are there.
Personally, I don't think SS categories should be encouraged.
When I first started racing in 2003 single speeds where the latest and greatest fad. I got so sick of people (my good friends mostly) going on and on about how cool their SS bikes were, not that I didn't agree they had merit, but they didn't seem like such a big deal. Very similair to 29" bikes today.
So as a piss-take I thought I'd go one step further and race fixed with just a front brake. I crashed a lot but I got the hang of it and even won a couple of races in A-grade on it. It re-inforced the idea that the bike doesn't make nearly as much difference as people think. Over the years people I rode with got used to the idea of SS bikes and took very little notice of how many gears you had. This seemed like a major improvement in the scene to me. I still cringe when I'm in other groups or parts of the world where the SS clique is still going strong. The biggest secret of SS bikes is that they're not nearly as hard to ride as people think.
I've gone to numerous SS Nationals and SS Worlds events and they're a lot of fun but racing is often the furthest thing from peoples minds.
I'm not going to be upset or try to block an SS category, I just don't really think it has enough merit to warrant watering down the other categories. For events with over 1000 entries then maybe it adds an extra dimension.
Personally for a non-state/national XC race I prefer just A/B/C/D. If people sandbag they're just embarrassing themselves, there's only ever one category that you can't sandbag in.
When I first started racing in 2003 single speeds where the latest and greatest fad. I got so sick of people (my good friends mostly) going on and on about how cool their SS bikes were, not that I didn't agree they had merit, but they didn't seem like such a big deal. Very similair to 29" bikes today.
So as a piss-take I thought I'd go one step further and race fixed with just a front brake. I crashed a lot but I got the hang of it and even won a couple of races in A-grade on it. It re-inforced the idea that the bike doesn't make nearly as much difference as people think. Over the years people I rode with got used to the idea of SS bikes and took very little notice of how many gears you had. This seemed like a major improvement in the scene to me. I still cringe when I'm in other groups or parts of the world where the SS clique is still going strong. The biggest secret of SS bikes is that they're not nearly as hard to ride as people think.
I've gone to numerous SS Nationals and SS Worlds events and they're a lot of fun but racing is often the furthest thing from peoples minds.
I'm not going to be upset or try to block an SS category, I just don't really think it has enough merit to warrant watering down the other categories. For events with over 1000 entries then maybe it adds an extra dimension.
Personally for a non-state/national XC race I prefer just A/B/C/D. If people sandbag they're just embarrassing themselves, there's only ever one category that you can't sandbag in.
Knut
Troll hunter
This thread is for Enduro as well.Steveob, check the name of the threadit's regarding XC racing, not enduro
riderideride
Likes Dirt
Oh wow. A very broad topic then. Maybe people should specify in their posts which format they ate referring to so it's easier to follow.
Timmy!!!
Likes Dirt
Oh it's a broad topic indeed, and most important.
A lot of people I know are deeply concerned about it, and it's a major source of angst at some events. It's good to see that the time spent thinking about it is being put to good use by such a valuable thread. We should all be grateful that we now have a proper forum to consider the issue, and come up with a constructive and enduring solution.
A lot of people I know are deeply concerned about it, and it's a major source of angst at some events. It's good to see that the time spent thinking about it is being put to good use by such a valuable thread. We should all be grateful that we now have a proper forum to consider the issue, and come up with a constructive and enduring solution.
Marx
Likes Dirt
No prizemoney, just trophies. (Cash gets burned up in beer & condoms, but a trophy is forevah).
Grades should be A B C & mukkas. If post-race times are within 5% of next grade up winnahs, then you’re bumped up.
There should be a registry or records saying who’s what, where, so the Players are sent off together & have to work properly for a place.
Categories outside of ABC (like in some endurance events), should strictly be based on age and/or skill only, with the inclusion of groups – pairs, trip, fours & lap-a-day sixes. The ‘tool’ you select to take on a course is your own business.
**I don’t know what to offer for women categories, as I always seem to get it wrong with it comes to the ladies.
Grades should be A B C & mukkas. If post-race times are within 5% of next grade up winnahs, then you’re bumped up.
There should be a registry or records saying who’s what, where, so the Players are sent off together & have to work properly for a place.
Categories outside of ABC (like in some endurance events), should strictly be based on age and/or skill only, with the inclusion of groups – pairs, trip, fours & lap-a-day sixes. The ‘tool’ you select to take on a course is your own business.
**I don’t know what to offer for women categories, as I always seem to get it wrong with it comes to the ladies.
I think you mean not as flexible.:deadhorse:
Stevob
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I think from a perspective of fun, which is why a lot of riders first get into racing, having something more achievable to them will only draw more of them in. I say give them their categories, just don't give the same prizes as the main cats.
Everyone seems to ignore the fact that I'm supporting minimum cat numbers before their introduction. Most contributors here seem to have taken it as a category for every single type of difference.
Some seem to be hurting from having their arse kicked by a single speeder at some time or other.:fish2:...Tim?
Everyone seems to ignore the fact that I'm supporting minimum cat numbers before their introduction. Most contributors here seem to have taken it as a category for every single type of difference.
Some seem to be hurting from having their arse kicked by a single speeder at some time or other.:fish2:...Tim?
riderideride
Likes Dirt
The best prize of all: free entry to the next race in the series. Love it. Personally I hate trophies...they take up too much space!
Maybe we need a poll on the categories? To get an idea of how many support each idea.
Maybe we need a poll on the categories? To get an idea of how many support each idea.
moorey
call me Mia
No pride in beating someone who spends much of the race lying on the ground, clipped in, floundering like a turtle on its back....
op2:
akashra
Eats Squid
Not sure why he feels the need to have a dig at me *shrug*. I've also spent 6 months or so riding a single-speed and saw no discernible difference to my race results between a single and geared bike. Nor do I really pay any attention or care what others ahead or behind are riding.
Stevob
Likes Bikes and Dirt
You really need to ask that question?:friendly_wink:
Marx
Likes Dirt
Isn’t there a legalistic thing about a ‘free entry’ as a prize?
Something long the lines of – the entrant has not made a tangible effort to enter an event & therefore cannot be compelled to the obligations, rules and responsibilities of those who have officially ‘Entered’.
Stevob
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well since you asked...I won a free entry to the Otway Odyssey 3 years ago, after finishing second in the Forrest 6hr 40+ solo. I redeemed the entry, but I was told it did not cover the optional event insurance. I'd imagine that any other free entries would do just that, the lucky recipient would still have to pay for the day licence (insurance cover) if they don't already have one.
akashra
Eats Squid
From the InterWinter thread:
If you're well enough to race, then you can race where you usually do and should.
For the record, had I known this I most certainly would not have let you enter B grade. "I haven't been training" is not an excuse to drop down a grade - you need to get significantly beaten and first show (not guess) that you're no longer competitive before you go re-grading.
Oh, the "I'm sick" one is even worse. It basically comes down to "if you're so sick that it's going to affect your racing, then you shouldn't be racing".
If you're well enough to race, then you can race where you usually do and should.
As I said, I've never raced in an interwinter before. Nor have I raced in any events which have A, B, C etc grading. So I didn't "re-grade" myself. It was my first attempt at a an interwinter and so we now know that I should be in A grade. I don't see anything wrong with that.