1c3y

Sorry if this is been posted before. I'm trying to look for a club or team but I can't make up my mind. I'm going to be doing cat 5 races and I plan on racing frequently with hopes of upgrading in the future. I'm trying to look for a club that has members with similar goals and are enthusiastic about racing as I am. So heres a quick pro con list of the types of clubs that are available to me:

Nearby clubs:
Pros
1. most members are located in my area.
2. group rides throughout the week.
3. Better camaraderie?

Cons
1. Barely any members that race.

Further clubs:
Pros
1. Racing oriented
2. More members that race
3. Better sponsors

Cons
1. I would only see them on race day.
2. I would have to commute very far to go group rides, which is most likely not possible.

What should I do? Is it worth it joining a club that is based in area that far away but is more racing oriented and I will only see them on race days? Or should I join my local club and just race by myself with the few people in that club that race? Or any other suggestions? Please share your experiences. Thanks.

Yotsko

Why not do both? Ride and race with the racers when possible, otherwise ride with the local club. As long as you're not racing for two teams you're not required to be monogamous.

valygrl

Have you done some meet & great rides with both? I would start with that.

If the near team doesn't suit you socially, or the far team doesn't suit you race-wise (people racing in your category or cat 4 who have knowledge to share and want to share it) then your decision might be made.

carpediemracing 

It sounds like you want to get into racing. A club with racing members really helps - inevitably there'll be more experienced racers that can offer tips on the local racing scene and events, act as a sounding board, and give you some feedback on your actual riding.

Although it's nice to ride with a group, if the members don't race then they simply will not understand what racing requires. Racing can be really, really fast. I rode with a local group for a couple years (until life scheduling had me stop) where all but one or two were non-racers, and the ones that raced were a Cat 5 and I think a Cat 4. They treated the rides almost as races but that meant going 50-70% (of what I'd consider fast) all the time. They never went really fast and they never really eased.

I used the rides to get in a couple hours of riding. It certainly wasn't race training unless I consciously altered my riding to work on specific efforts. So, for example, I'd drift off the back (on purpose on flats, without choice on hills) and then chase back hard, doing a hard effort to get back on (30-35 mph). I'd let the group splinter a bit and then jump from one group to the next.

A side note - both racers didn't really race that much. In fact one would peel off the group because he was "racing" the next day and we were going too hard. The reality was that his race the next day wouldn't go much faster than the group ride. I'd be racing with Cat 1s and 2s on that same day and I was still trying to push to get some benefit from the ride. An inexperienced racer usually severely underestimates what they can do.

A 21 mph group ride that goes steady isn't ideal for racing. It's great for getting in shape. Racing is a different creature.

On a group ride with many racers it can get very, very hard. Due to geography and life I've only ever done one group ride with the club to which I belong. I got shelled over and over - I said to them that it was harder than any race in recent memory because in a race you only get shelled once (if you can catch back on you never should have been shelled in the first place, the pros in the Tours and Classics notwithstanding). In that one team ride we were going super hard, then easing or even waiting, then going super hard, again and again.

Although I did join a more distant team, I rode with that local club until I couldn't do it anymore. If you can make either a lot of races or a few of the team rides then riding with the local club, even in your team colors, is a good way to go. Any reasonable club should respect you for flying your colors on their ride. Just remember that if you do that you're a guest, not a ride leader, no matter how strong you are relative to the others. Always defer to a club member when it comes to decisions about the ride. This is why I always let myself drift off the back before making efforts - I didn't want to "attack" off the front. I let club members dictate the leading edge of the group ride and I'd play in the space behind it.

Although this sounds a bit blunt I'd skip worrying about sponsors. The best teams I see are basically not sponsored, with exceptions stated below. Sure there might be a group buy or something every now and then but unless you're a smokin' fast Cat 2 or Cat 1 sponsorship shouldn't be a main focus. If you are a smokin' fast Cat 1 or 2 or Pro then sponsorship is more important. Although we have some very good riders on the team (Canadian Masters National Champ in 'cross and a US 3rd place Masters National 'cross racer, both ex-pro mountain bikers), except for some group buys (2 parts/accessories orders a year, 1 bike order) we have no sponsorship. I pay club dues. I pay for my kit aka my team cycling gear.

If you can keep in touch with your teammates virtually (usually email, maybe a blog, message board, or through forums) then a more race oriented team is the way to go. Ultimately it's personality - if you get along with another racer then you'll be friends. If not you probably won't, even if you join a team with a lot of racers that don't quite match you. I am good friends with someone that was on a different team when we met. We saw each other pretty much just at races as he lives a good 90 minutes away. My wife and his wife got along too so we'd go get food after the races. After a few years things worked out and now we both race for the same team. I rarely see them outside of racing, maybe 6? times a year. Still, though, we're good friends.

Homebrew01

You can ride unattached for a while. No need to rush the decision. After you do some races, you might meet different people and find there are other options you weren't aware of. Promotors have the right to charge a fee for unattached riders, but they often don't.

botto 

sponsorship should be the last of your reasons for joining a club.

Silvercivic27

If I were you, I'd join the local club, ride a lot with those guys, then do some races this year. You may find that you don't even like it. It's not for everyone. Then, if you find out it is for you, join the more race oriented team next year. That way, you'll be able to take advantage of the advice from the more experienced people while racing, and still be able to join the local guys the rest of the time without feeling like an outsider. Don't worry about not having a lot of teammates right now. There's not a lot of organization OR teamwork in cat 5 racing.

mattm

I would go with the team that actually races - it's annoying to be on a "team" that doesn't actually race. That said, no rush to get on a team - like others said you should just race first and see who is showing up/etc.

shovelhd

It depends on what you want out of the club, group rides, and racing.

Clubs without a lot of racers, or predominantly lower category racers, their group rides are their "races". There is a boatload of stupidity going on. If you are serious about racing, group rides with club riders are the last kind of training you should be focusing on. They are too unpredictable, too hard to fit into your plan. There can be a time and place for them to fit into your plan, but not often. If racing is just something you are thinking about trying, and what you really want is to join a fast group on a regular basis, then this may be a good fit for you.

Racing with a team that is out of your area is fine, but as a Cat5, teamwork should be the farthest thing from your mind. You have way too much to learn before you should even be thinking about it.

caloso

If you intend to race, ride with racers.

topflightpro

I will share my experience, as it may prove helpful.

When I first moved here, I was a cat 5 with a few races under my belt. I joined a local team that kind of promoted itself as a developmental club. A good portion of the team was comprised of older triathletes who were strong riders, but not very interested in bicycle racing. These were the riders who regularly showed up to all the weekend rides. Prior to me joining, there were several guys on the team who had raced a lot. But about the time I joined, life issues changed that - a lot of the guys on the team all had kids at about the same time and pretty much stopped racing and going to group rides. As a result, I was frequently the only guy on my team at races and the only guy on the group rides who raced.

Still, the group rides were all structured and the pace was good enough that they were useful to me as a new racer. I improved my bike handling and pack skills and became a decent cat 4. But that was about as far as that team could take me. This sounds a lot like your local group.

I changed teams a few years ago, to one with a lot more racers, which prompted a change in my rides - I started doing the local Saturday Hammer Fest, as well as a few other weekday rides. It really changed my perspective on what type of riding and training was out there. And it helped me become a much stronger Cat 4 and now a Cat 3.

If I had to do it over again, I'd probably do it the exact same way. The team I started with was the right team for me at that time, given my race and riding experience.

And I will add that in my experience, the primary benefit to having a teammate in the same race in 5 and 4 races is someone to carpool with.

flashpoint145

Do you want to win races or do you want to be a socialite? There's your answer.

Preferably, let a club choose you.

save10

too close to home

pecos

dude, I'd hate to be your GF or significant other

ericm979

It's a bike club, not a relationship.

All of the racers I know ride with people from other clubs at times. Many of my friends from my club have left for other clubs. The idea that I should not ride with them is stupid.

Enthalpic

Whichever one has the best looking kit. Duh.

I would join the local group, make some riding buddies then start pressuring them to race.

Yotsko

Noted. Looks like I'll be cancelling my trip to TN.