Originally Posted by
rizz
It's flawed and nobody can think of a better system, I'd suspect. It also goes both ways: Just look at how many folks should be in the faster cats but continue to slum it up with the slower folks so they can shine.
Get out and ride, that's my philosophy.
What is flawed with the "system"? I think it's really well organized and thought out. There is an entry level category (5) for never evers and new racers; an experiential upgrade to get into the novice category (4); a results based pathway as well as an experiential pathway for upgrading to Senior category (3); and additional results based pathway for upgrading to elite categories (1/2).
I think it's really a feather in the cap of USA cycling to have such an organized and accessible structure, and non-racers are almost always amazed at how well organized and structured the category system is.
While I hear about sandbaggers or folks "slumming it up" with slower folks so they can shine, I just dont witness it often enough to worry about it. Also, if there are "sandbaggers" out there, they are forcing you and your team to become better, so really, what's the big issue?