my58vw

Here is why I ask... the expense...

A typical race costs 20 dollars for enternce fees and lets say 10 - 15 dollars for fuel (to get you there if it is a long way away). Some venues charge for parking 5.00 dollars so a typical race day can run 40.00 not including food, etc.

Citrus Valley Velo funds part of each race fee (about 75%) but not the other expenses such as gas etc. A typical race can then vary from 5.00 dollars vs 15.00 dollars or more. Now I looked at my schedule and I can find at least 1 race each month that are somewhat close to my location (ontario, redlands, diamond bar) and they will cost almost nothing (besides a few dollars in gas) to do with club sponsorship.

Some races, like the Domingias Hills and the Home depot criterium cost around 20.00 to do with gas. I looked at my schedule and noticed that if I want to do at least 2 crits per months I will have to do one or two with rather heafty price tags. As someone who is not independtly wealthy I have a hard time coming up with the cash sometimes to go racing.

Does your race schedule have to do with how much a race costs or how far you have to drive to get there (within reason)?

Just looking at my schedule and trying to figure which races to do and not.

jbhowat

I will be doing about 20+ races between now and September. Currently there are 12 on my calendar, but I may pick up some other local USCF crits for experience and training (which will be designated as C priority). I'm also (hopefully) doing Ride the Rockies as a good training experience (what a great way to work on climbing). Its a week long and several hundred miles. I may also do the Courage Classic but I might not and might just stick to some specific training for those few days....

my58vw

I am planning 12 criteriums right now also, the local ones between now and August,
some races are just out of hand with cost so I will cut them out...

mnutini

Chris Horner had a great story about this. Basically he needed to win to pay for the event he was in. Good incentive.
https://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=7383

What about carpooling to the event? Most people have two bike mounts on their racks. It would at least halve the gas.

BigFloppyLlama

I'm planning on about 15 races this year. 1 crit, but we'll see how I like that before I decide to or decide not to do any more crits. The club I'm in has a great policy, allowing reimbursements for placing or if you help a teammate reach 1st -3rd.

my58vw

That has been a thought... probably later in the season. It is hard for me because I usually can not stay the whole day

ZackJones

I realize a triathlon isn't the same type of racing that you're discussing here but to put things into perspective, I have 3 "A" triathlons this year. A Sprint in April ($55.00), a half IM in June ($100.00) and half IM in October ($140.00) + traveling expenses.

EventServices

You'd have to research it, but there's a way you can write off all your expenses on Schedule C when you do your taxes.

jfmckenna

This is a good question. You forgot about hotel expenses too. Unfortunatlly I live in a bike race unfriendly town/area so most of my races are hours away. I generally have a rule that if the race is 3 hours then I get a hotel. I never budget for racing so I don't know how much IO spend but I am always broke

I do about 25-30 a year including about 10 cyclocross races. So I am looking at an annual expense of about $2000 and that does not include bike maintence and god forbid medical bills

This year being on a team I hope to save a bit more on travel expenses at least.

my58vw

I could not afford to dish out 2000 per year I am a poor student!

That would be great to write off the money each year... hmmm!

pinky

About 25-35 and then cross(6-10). As another poor college student, carpooling is key, making friends in places 2 hours or more away is key, being as frugal as possible is key. My job at the magazine gets me into a few races for free, my other job satisfies all my equipment needs, and through my club, my college and the mag I can usually scrape out a place to stay, and if not sleeping in the car always works wonder. Gotta live it