dnuzzomueller

Background would be a little helpful I guess: I am basically the manager, captain and treasurer of my team right now. I really like the riding partners and sort of feel like the team is "my baby" since I was the one who really got it off the ground, got sponsors, sunk my own time and money into it, recruited riders, etc. but my problem is that now as a Cat 3 I am alone. None of my teammates have made the move from 4 to 3, many of them are scared, some are not confident in their own abilities, etc. But for me it has been hard racing alone in the 3s feeling like the sole racer out there and I really WANT to ride with a team, I don't like feeling the onus is always on me to win it.

After the stage yesterday there was talk and rumors that got passed down to me from one of the other local teams that they were thinking about trying to recruit me. Honestly this isn't that new as I have had a few other friends/teams (basically one in the same here) give me hints that they would allow me to join their team should I desire.

What kills me is that I really have trouble with the idea of just pulling a cut and run on my current team. Honestly I would almost love to do both, race with another team but still be able to manage my team. While I realize that that is entirely possible (Although it may become a logistics nightmare) I would also like the ability to still race with my former teammates every now and then. Obviously if both teams were in a race I would be forced to choose in which case I would have to put the new team first which I am fine with. Is that "bad form" to do that? Race with two teams?

My question (TL;DR): Has anyone had experience with trying to be on two teams at once? How did you manage it?

topflightpro

IIRC, USAC has rules regarding racing for multiple teams. I believe you can do different teams for different disciplines, ie team a for road, team b for cross and team c for mtb.

This came up as an issue for me when I joined a new team a couple years ago but tried to maintain my mbership with my old team. Suddenly, people on the old team were concerned about their sponsors, discounts and who should get them. It became a real cluster and I ended up just leaving.

carpediemracing 

I think it's possible.

Technically you're supposed to race for one team, just to be precise.

I think it's sort of "done", especially if a rider has graduated to a higher category. I think, for example, that you'll be a 2 this year, and that's a totally different situation than being a 3 and totally different from being a 4. There's a local guy who races for Jelly Belly now. When he comes back home he's still friendly with his old team. I don't know if he actively helps them but it's one of those things where he can race with friends if he wants, meaning in a team work kind of way.

I have Carpe Diem Racing (it's technically a USAC club) and race with another team (Expo Wheelmen). I basically never have a chance to wear a CDR type kit (there isn't even a current iteration, post-2007 anyway). CDR is the logistical/legal vehicle for promoting Bethel. I've kept it alive because I have an attachment to the name (since I suggested it back in 1988 when it wasn't my club). I raced "on my own" for many years before joining a different local team, primarily for the race day camaraderie and some teamwork. All my CDR teammates had quit racing for various reasons, and for maybe 5-6 years they only showed up at Bethel anyway.

However I've kept CDR and left membership open to friends and such. 10 years ago there were still unattached fees and a rider might have to pay $10 or more to enter a race. Riders and former employees (of my shop) would list CDR as their team and they'd wear the kits from back in the day (1995-2007). Logistically there's not much to do - renew the club membership. I have no kits but that, along with sponsorship stuff, are things you could pass on to other members.

With your club I don't know how much is involved in doing the sponsorship and stuff. Kits, unless they change, are simple re-orders.

If you join another team I'd do it as "just a member" so that you don't have a bunch of conflicts of interest. At Expo I am intentionally just a member, as I was with all the teams since I joined a non-CDR team. With CDR I was super involved in the club, dealing with kits, membership, group rides, etc.

Finally there's the option of recruiting riders to ride with you. As a 2 though I think joining an established team might be better.

grolby

Wearing a different jersey can't stop you from riding with former teammates if you want. And if you think you can balance managing your current team with everything else (for example, I know you do a lot of training hours for a Cat 3), then go for it. The worst that can happen is you're not up to it. Racing effectively solo isn't really tenable long term for you, you are going to be a 2 sooner rather than later and having experienced teammates to race with will be that much more valuable once you're there.

Racer Ex 

USAC has a guest riding provision, you will find that it can be a PIA when using an online service to get your guest team listed. Getting results correctly credited is also a PIA.

If the teams are geographically seperate racing for two teams is a bit cleaner, trying to race with two teams in the same area is going to create a lot of issues. Teammates are going to question effort, loyalty and why you get two schwag list, sponsors are going to be unhappy if you are using other stuff, and competitors arent going to cool with having to go into each race trying to figure out who you are worling with.

Ive been on two teams the last couple years, 400 miles apart.

mattm

pick one that has teammates in your cat (and above), stay friends with the old team but cut official ties.

that's my vote.

gsteinb

It's not entirely uncommon in NY with guys racing on a 'city' team for park races and then another team for travel races. A few of my guys race on the city club (CRCA) and then have a waiver to ride for our team. As pointed out its generally a PIA and things get attributed wrong.

Ygduf

yep.

rkwaki

I'm on Gary's Buffet Team