LanceFanBoy

So I got into racing 3 years ago, I sent emails to local club team directors and got 1 response. So I met with them and they said they'd love to have me on the team, which was great. Fast forward to now, I'm a better rider/racer and upgrading to a Cat 4 and now i'm somewhat of a "commodity" in an area that seems to struggle upgrading Cat 5s because of our lack of USCF races and abundance of "Training Series" club races.

So I was asked to be on a team for 2011, I've trained with them a bit the last month, I know all the guys. Come to find out they are splitting into two different teams now. The majority of the strong Cat 4s I've been training with are leaving the team for the new (recreation of an old team) separate team.

So now I'm being pulled in two directions. Sounds like a good situation, but I know I'm going to be made out to be the bad guy by one side or the other. Oh well, I want to ride with who I race well with so I guess I'll be leaning towards the "new" team.

Anyone else find themselves in fun situations like that?

ridethecliche

Commodity as a 4?

Join a team with mentors who can help you grow in the sport.

botto 

i know, right?

johnybutts

I'm not in your situation, I'm very happy with my team, but I think I can give you some advice.
Join the team with the people you get along with the best and will race with the most.
Don't worry about being the "bad" guy. If they are so low that they vilify you for belonging to another team, they are ******bags anyways. I'm friends with all my former teammates, there's no bad blood, in fact in many races we're riding for each other since for whatever reason we don't have other team agendas. That's kinda the beauty of cycling - alliances can be made from the most unwilling/unsuspecting partners (not saying my former-teammates were unwilling).

Right now we're trying to recruit some people and some considerations which are brought up, besides the normal, what discount, race reimbursement, etc... are
1) how often will the team be riding for YOU? If the answer is never, you probably have some egos there who will make life difficult.
2) what's the category breakdown of the team (i.e. will I have teammates racing my cat). Is there some talent/strength you can learn from and train with?
3) what's the team's history of moving people through the ranks? do most people linger as 5s forever? or are people upgrading reasonably consistently?
4) Does the team have some old-folks who can pass down the wisdom? - whether it be race-specific or general training patterns or life lessons.
5) Is there real team organization/funding which will provide a long-lasting organization? - Maybe the funding is there for one year, but next year you just be looking for yet another team.

This is what came to the top of my head, I'll post anything further I can think of.


My previous team had a big discrepancy between the 4/5 members and the 1/2/3 members such that I never met any of the 1/2/3 members, never talked to them at races, never trained with them, basically they did their own thing. This peeved me. I didn't proactively pursue it, but we were teammates afterall... There were no team meetings or functions to meet other members, you just paid dues and registered for whatever races you decided. This is the kinda thing you want to avoid IMO.

My current team is the polar opposite, the club (a larger organization than our team), has weekly rides we all attend, bbqs, fajita nights for our weekly crit series. We've had races where I worked my ass off to get a teammate a win, and races where that teammate did the same for me. We've moved a ton of 1st year members from 5 > 4 and had several 4's earn their upgrade to 3's. We have a bunch of master's 3s racers who are all open to talk to new members, but we really have only a couple cat 2's and no cat 1's (though the team has a solid history of helping racers go from 5>1, including a couple of young talents who are going pro next year).

That said, our team president is pretty noisy and really gets under the skin of some long-standing team members. Such that some of them are leaving next year for new endeavors. We're recruiting and restructuring a little to motivate people to racer more and be more active during the races.

So I'm bragging on my team a bit and shunning my past team, and it's all fun and games, the reason I bring it up is to give you some perspective on how other clubs work, which might help you make your decision.

Psimet2001 

Team politics suck.

Keep in mind it's all just about riding bicycles.

Go where you want to go. Don't hold animosity and make it a point to engage in conversation with both teams at events. Ride with the other team as though they are teammates still.

It's taken the better part of a year for me to dig out of the situation I was in last fall. It's always something. Even when you think things are fine on a team you get this feeling that so and so is not happy and will leave, etc. In the end ....who cares. It's a bike team. Keep the relationships if possible.


If not then at least use accelerant and a blow torch when burning bridges. Never do a job half-assed.

kensuf

Just needed to be said again.

WCroadie

If they are gonna be mad at you for leaving, they are tools. Don't take this the wrong way but you are about to be a 4, not going pro anytime soon, this is about having fun. They should not get mad if you leave unless you start bad mouthing and talking ***** about them.

I started racing 4 years ago, I changed teams after last season, I am a 36yo cat3, I'm not going pro either. I left because of differences of opinion on where the team was heading and one of my best friends rode for the team I went to. My old team is based out of the town where I live, I ride with my old teammates all the time, they were disappointed I left but certainly did not hold a grudge, there were no hard feelings all around. They invited me back recently, I declined. We're all still friends. This is how it should be.

Voodoo76

I once found out second hand that the small group I had trained and raced with for many years had gained new (very good) sponsorship and started their own team. All except myself that is. Nobody had even bothered to call during the off season.

That spring I fell in with a group of great guys, very good chemistry. Over the next couple of years I tore that old team to shreds on the road and on the track. Best motivation I've ever had on a bike.

Just ride, win and don't worry about that crap.

carpediemracing 

+2

LanceFanBoy

I wasn't really asking for advice, I'm joining the team with the guys i like riding for on it. They are the reason I wanted to be on the team, they will be the reason I decide to ride with them.

I'm also not talking myself up by saying I'm a cat 4. I just mean that in WNY we don't upgrade well with the way racing is run up here. So, in that sense, few people upgrade to Cat 4 each year and not many teams are based off strong Cat 5 squads :-p So when someone upgrades to a 4 all the local teams notice to fill gaps.

I just like stories.

MDcatV

yes.

and it isnt that big a deal.

people switch teams all the time for various reasons. after the initial "shoot, i liked him" or "good riddance, that guys annoying" everyone just moves on.

badhat

is it really "transferring" if theres no money/contract or relocation involved?

bayareawheeler

heh strong cat5 squads...i laughed

Good Luck!

JohnKScott

grrrrrrr

pjcampbell

what is anyone really getting out of being on a team anyway

this basically comes down to training partner and comradery for me.

if you dont like the people, move on.

UmneyDurak

I just wanted to quote this part.

Doggus

This is serious stuff.

substructure

I'm looking to organize a team of middle-aged dads who work 50+ hours a week and have to train when/if they can. All Cat3s like me.

Call us, "Pack Fadders"

You know? Fadders like fathers but with D's. Instead of fodder .... oh, nevermind. It's time for me to go home anyway.

johnybutts

I think you're thinking of Joes Pros Bikes. =P

hammy56

I wish i was a commodity.

JohnKScott

I'm a comedy. That's close.

Voodoo76

I wish they could make this a separate category. Just have to think of a way to police limits on training time so we can weed out the "time dopers".

pjcampbell

i am not middle aged but that fits me otherwise.

i think the 40 somethings and 50 somethings have more time to train than us poor overworked underslept young parents!

CrimsonKarter21

I seem to remember saying something like this a week or so ago.

Truth is, teams are jokes. What do you get from a team? Discounts and a cool kit.

Until you're good enough to get a team-issued bike or hoping to get invited to an invite-only race, that's when teams matter. These guys running a Cat 4/5 team try acting all important like ProTeam managers, trying to "sign" someone onto the "team" when in all actuality, you're just signing a stupid piece of paper and racing with some other guys wearing the same clothes.
I've been in the same pickle. I've been racing solo for the past few years in a team jersey, now that I actually have goals I'm joining a real team; bikes, invites, the whole deal.

hammy56

So awesome.