Your local club - why join? Why not join?

[Dozer]

Howdy Burners,
I'm very interested to hear what you think are the best reasons to join a cycling club. I also want to know what things your club does and what events, whether it is racing or social rides, make you interested.
On the flipside, what stops you from joining a club? What sort of things do you think a club could do to make you want to join?
Throw any ideas you have my way, it covers mountain biking as a whole, not just XC or downhill.

 

[scblack]

I used to be a member of WSMTB to race DH. Now with kids I don't have time so I'm not a member.

But one thing that might tempt me is more non-competitive days. Ride days and shuttles provided but without the "pressure" of a race situation. Many people I speak to think they need to be a gun rider to race, so if they can ride socially more that would mean many get closer to joining.

Also give help to members on maintaining their bike. I mean advice and how to fix stuff, that would help some people.

 

[UKDavo]

I used to be a member of WSMTB to race DH. Now with kids I don't have time so I'm not a member.

But one thing that might tempt me is more non-competitive days. Ride days and shuttles provided but without the "pressure" of a race situation. Many people I speak to think they need to be a gun rider to race, so if they can ride socially more that would mean many get closer to joining.

Also give help to members on maintaining their bike. I mean advice and how to fix stuff, that would help some people.

Nailed it! This is exactly the reason I don't join and the exact reasons I would join.

 

[Pastavore]

I'm a member of a club pretty much for a racing licence. I also like to think it contributes toward trail maintenance and advocacy, but that probably varies between clubs.

 

[moorey]

I used to be in ClubMUD when I raced DH.
These days, I'm in the Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club. Covers pretty much every cycling discipline (road/track, BMX, MTB) aside from DH (demarcation with the muddies). I can only speak of the MTB side, but we are very active in building and sourcing grants for track improvements, but the best bit is what we do for the youngn's. I wrangle the kids for the weekly dirt crits through DL savings, and we run skills sessions (must get on to that, btw:whistle, and a few social days and club races that the kids can join in. There's also the annual Mt Buller club trip coming up soon :woot:

 

[takai]

I used to be a member of some clubs in Canberra and Adelaide, but where i am here the local clubs are basically just full of Wayne Kerrs.

Im currently a member of a club but only for the Cycling Australia insurance cover.

 

[The_Taurean]

I joined my local club a few months after getting into mtbing. The main reason was that I enjoyed the local trails which were entirely built and maintained by the club. I wanted to get involved and have some say in trail development. A few months later I ended up trying racing and got addicted

 

[GazzaPops]

I joined our local club to meet some new people because I don't get out much. But I also joined for the racing.

I was always a fair weather rider. When I had goals to aim for I was more consistent. I joined the club so I'd have regular races to ensure I stayed on the bike all year. The philosophy for me is if I pay for a membership I want to get full use of it.

So far it has been very effective as I've kept riding through winter, albeit on the trainer indoors for all my mid week rides, and now I can't wait for the longer days and harder racing.

 

[explodinglamas]

I joined my local club for the racing liscence, so i could travel and ride trails i wouldn't otherwise experience. I also really like helping out with the local trails and am heavily involved in the new trail development.

However I don't care at all for the politics that goes on within the club. The local club is all disciplines (mtb, road, and so on), but the majority of members are the roadies, and they are the most vocal, most self centred bunch. The club recently received a grant to build facilities and trails from the local council. 100% of the grant money went to the construction of a velodrome, which has been finished for almost a year now, and is still not open due to, last time I heard, there not being any toilets there. Meanwhile the MTB part of the club has created 7km of quality trails, and is continuing to make more, all through volunteers and donations.

Luckily I don't have to deal with the back and forth that goes on, I just build the trails and ride them.

 

[sundy]

I was about to sign up to a club, basically just to get a race licence.
But at $115 for MTBA plus $50 for the club, it will be cheaper to just buy a Day Licence for each of the 8 races in the series.

 

[Ride_Guy]

I was about to sign up to a club, basically just to get a race licence.
But at $115 for MTBA plus $50 for the club, it will be cheaper to just buy a Day Licence for each of the 8 races in the series.

Its not very good setup really is it, where you have to do that many races for it to be "worthwhile" to join a club. Should put up day reg prices I reckon.

 

[BLKFOZ]

I've been a member of WSMTB for 3 or 4 years but only really started racing the club stuff this year.
I originally joined because I figured I would race about 5 or 6 races a year between team endurance events and the odd marathon and buying day licences would add up.
I did the odd club race and raced the 4hr series initially, then thought I'd try and get to a whole series this year. I only missed one round this year and will finish pretty well in the series.
Members pay $15 per round, non-members pay for a day licence + either $15 or $20 so it quickly works out cheaper to be a member. I figure a small amount of the $120odd mtba licence fee goes to the club. I also have turned up to most of the build days this year to try and put a bit back in where I can.

 

[Coaster]

Its not very good setup really is it, where you have to do that many races for it to be "worthwhile" to join a club. Should put up day reg prices I reckon.

I see your point, but for me that DL is perfect as is. I know it has less cover, but as a rider who rides the odd race but is planning to get into it more seriously after trying a few more, the day license is perfect, any more than 20 and it's going to influence the more social rider. I think the DL is a great avenue for non racers to get into the scene.

 

[Koper25]

Fat Tyre Flyers http://ftfdh.com/ Thursday night DH rides at Long Gully in Summer. Tracks are awesome, people are great.

 

[The Duckmeister]

I'm a member of Red Hill Riders. I joined primarily for the racing licence, as I do compete enough to come out ahead of getting a day licence for each event. We can't run our own events yet, 'cos we still don't have any official trails, but my membership adds to the collective clout the club has to change that.... :wink:

 

[indica]

I'll join mine when they have an option without MTBA membership. I have no need for that. Not interested in racing merely want to help out with trail work.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I'm very interested to hear what you think are the best reasons to join a cycling club. I also want to know what things your club does and what events, whether it is racing or social rides, make you interested.

For a country club like ours it's a social experience. See we all know each other, racing simply an opportunity to have a really entertaining chinwag afterwards over a BBQ. We all race the events together - men, women, juniors, social riders...the more the merrier. So each race is a social event...let's face it we aren't gunning for sheep stations.

We have one feature race each year (our annual 3 hr enduro) plus a couple of social 'races' (Poker Race and a Handicap Scratch Sprint) to augment the usual 10 race 'season' plus a 3 race summer series. We try to work in with the mob up in Broken Hill and usually we go up there a couple of times a year to do some of their stuff on their very different tracks.

Most of typical social events are really track days where we might tool up for a bit to make/repair stuff and then give up and go for a ride.

We are probably better placed than most clubs in that we are an intra-club of a much larger community Club so we have considerable community and financial support to draw upon if we need it. Plus our trail centre is on land leased and managed by the Club. So if you want to be a member of our club (and race) you have to join the main Club ($11) plus the intra-club ($8) (Juniors are $3 all up) and then pay the race day fee ($5) and MTBA day fee ($15)...or pay $50 each year for race fees plus your own MTBA licence. If you just want to race then it's just the day fees but any points you earn won't accumulate on the club standings.

We want any and everyone to come and have a play and if they want to stay then all good but if not...we don't hold it against them. Since we have over a hundred members (and forty plus riders each event) we can't be doing too bad.

www.moutainlessbikeclub.net.au

 

[Dozer]

Thanks guys, keep it coming. I need as much info as I can so the more input the better. Cheers!

 

[thecat]

I'll join mine when they have an option without MTBA membership. I have no need for that. Not interested in racing merely want to help out with trail work.

There is are cheaper volunteer/non racing options. Still through MTBa to make sure insurances on build days are cover.. Can't remember how much.

 

[Busby]

I joined Club MUD in Ballarat earlier this year as they where offering a social membership for the shuttle days they run. I don't race so I wasn't really interested in a full race membership, but I always attend the shuttle days if I can.

Other than that my main motivation is supporting the trail building efforts and hopefully having more members will help when dealing with the council