Road Bike Racing - Loyalties to a team?

For those of you who have quite a team at some point and joined another or just raced unattached after quitting did you feel that you were backstabbing your team in a way? Is it weird to see your old teammates? I'm just asking because I've been giving some serious thought this year as to whether or not I should continue with my current team thanks to the overall attitude of the team, it no longer fits with how I would like to be portrayed to other racers. I do however have a closet full of team clothing and they've kind of showed me the ropes of racing so I'm hesitant about it. In 2007 we've changed sponsors and will therefore be changing uniforms and I'll be spending about $500+ on new uniforms so I'm thinking if I was going to leave this would be the time to do it however I can't really think of any teams in the area that I'd like to be with at the moment.

If your current team makes you feel like you are being negatively promoted to other racers then leave. I joined a team this year and so far the support from the team away from the races has been good with lots of enthusiasm and energy but unfortunately it hasn’t transferred to race attendance and I have yet to have any teammates at a race. It is early in the year so I will be patient for now but I am in a similar situation of wondering when the loyalties end.

well, glad to see I'm the only who's ever had this problem, looks like the cycling world is one big utopia. Thanks for the response jrennie

I'm on a new team this year. Around September last year it became official and everyone knew I was leaving. Part of me felt bad, because here was a team that gave me two bikes and gear and invested time into my training. But after talking to several board members and other team mates, there was at least no animosity to my face. People were sad to see me go and told me that if I ever wanted to come back I was totally welcome. I hope there's no behind my back animosity, but if there is I can't control it and don't really care that much.

There were 6 of us from our old team that transferred to a brand new team for 2007.

Hope it all works out for you.

^^^^this would be much harder to leave. Free gear :eek: and good teammates, the new team must have had realy good support.

I dont see why changing teams is a problem. It's amateur bike racing. If you dont have the comaraderie with your team that you'd like to have, switch. I stay on the same team year after year because I like the guys I ride and race with, and the clothing investment. Keep in mind that you cant (well technically) wear the team kit during races if you are not a member of that team.

I left my team from last year because it really wasn't much of a team.
It was so loosely organized and was more like a club.
Only a few guys would race and we never had organized team rides.
I joined a new team this year and it started off great....everyone was riding regularly and there was a lot of camraderie among us.
About a month ago, I quit riding with them because too many of them weren't keeping up with winter training and the rides and turned into just easy cruising excursions.
Meanwhile I've been riding with the faster cat 1's and 2's in town on their weekend training rides who've been challenging me and I've seen myself get much faster.
This weekend I showed up at the shop to do a team ride just to show a bit of team spirit and no one even showed because it looked like rain.
The folks at the store said it was getting pretty sparse lately as far as committed riders go.
So once again I'm contemplating leaving the team....what's the point if no one trains together to work out strategies and learn to help each other in races?
I would feel really bad about bailing on the shop at the start of the season and I'm sure I'd burn a bridge or two doing so......but it's frustrating that no one else is williing to commit to a serious training plan which is why I joined in the first place.
But I'll probably end up just sticking it out for the season and switch next year.

I joined a new team this year and it started off great....everyone was riding regularly and there was a lot of camraderie among us.
About a month ago, I quit riding with them because too many of them weren't keeping up with winter training and the rides and turned into just easy cruising excursions.
Meanwhile I've been riding with the faster cat 1's and 2's in town on their weekend training rides who've been challenging me and I've seen myself get much faster.
This weekend I showed up at the shop to do a team ride just to show a bit of team spirit and no one even showed because it looked like rain.


We've had similar issues with folks who've voiced the same complaints you're stating in your post. Honestly, it sounds like you're the one not with the program here. "Winter" riding is often easy paced and it's pretty rich to poo poo on folks for not showing up at a ride start because of rain when you've been riding with the "faster cat 1's and 2's in town".

We've had similar issues with folks who've voiced the same complaints you're stating in your post. Honestly, it sounds like you're the one not with the program here. "Winter" riding is often easy paced and it's pretty rich to poo poo on folks for not showing up at a ride start because of rain when you've been riding with the "faster cat 1's and 2's in town".


My point simply was that there is no program. Rides have devolved from having any kind of focus to "let's just go out easy today." Winter training is over. The season started last weekend and one of the more difficult series begins this weekend for the next three weeks. If one hasn't done any intensity riding yet, than they'll be really unprepared for the early season. Granted....everyone has different goals in mind. But if everyone always rides at a comfortable pace, then their speedwork will be lacking. I'm not saying I'm better than them because I ride with faster guys. But I am saying that their training goals don't seem to fit mine.

... here was a team that gave me two bikes and gear and invested time into my training.

Sounds like you had a nice deal. 2 new bikes as a Cat 3!

Haven't encountered this particular problem (at least in cycling) yet. I was on collegiate team, after graduation I didn't join any other team. I might look in to it this year, but at the moment I really don't see the point.
Anyway if you are no longer comfortable riding with them then it's time to switch. You didn't get any free stuff from them so there is no real obligation to stick around.

Sounds like you had a nice deal. 2 new bikes as a Cat 3!


One used bike as a cat 5 and one new bike as a cat 4. I gave the used one back when I got the new one and gave the new one back to the team after I decided to leave.

One used bike as a cat 5 and one new bike as a cat 4. I gave the used one back when I got the new one and gave the new one back to the team after I decided to leave.

That still sounds like a nice deal. And I am not trying to say you didn't deserve it or should have been more loyal to that team. I think there should be more help for beginner cat riders in general.

heck, if my team gave anything "free" to active members that would be a plus. Then again I'm still just a sucky cat 4

Out of curiosity, what in the world could you possibly spend $500+ on, for uniforms, for one team?

That's 4 kits...

Out of curiosity, what in the world could you possibly spend $500+ on, for uniforms, for one team?

That's 4 kits...

If your kit supplier was Assos, that's about one jersey and one pair of shorts ;)

That totally depends on the uniform manufacturer. Last year we had Castelli. Pretty expensive. This year, we are with Champion Systems. Their prices are much better.

My uniform order:
2 SS jerseys
2 SS jerseys (alternate color)
1 LS jersey
2 Bibs
1 Skinsuit
Leg warmers
Arm warmers
Shoe covers
Summer Gloves
Winter Gloves
Cap

It's with Verge:
2 SS jerseys
2 Bibs
1 thermal jacket
1 vest
1 SS skinsuit
1 LS skinsuit
My "team" decided not to get any socks, hats, arms warms, etc. (more like the 2 or 3 people who makes all the decision and kicks and screams if people don't like it)

I run a college team so people "leave" (graduate) all the time. It's a natural part of racing. If you put in work you feel proud of, were a good teammate and behaved well, you have nothing to feel badly about.

I tell everyone who leaves that they're always welcome to train with us, hang out with us, or come back (university willing). And it works! New team members like it when the alums come around to teach them old tricks and talk.