2015 USAC rule changes
The 2015 rule book has been posted to usacycling.org. I have a webinar to complete which will go over every little detail from an officials point of view, which I will complete later this week. Here's a look at what changes I thought were notable at first glance:
Cat5's now have a points system for upgrades. Mentored races count as do clinics. There were significant changes to the collegiate rules. There is now a team time trial event at the National Championships. Men's categories are pro, 1, 35+ and 50+. Womens categories are pro and 35+. CX adds ProCX qualifying ranking to UCI points. Disc brakes will be allowed on road bikes for all races except UCI and UCI qualifying events, and exceptions may be allowed. |
Disc Brakes could get realllllly sketchy...
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Interesting.
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we need a 2015 USAC fee changes thread too
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Curious to see the specifics on the 5's.
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Originally Posted by Grumpy McTrumpy
(Post 17525769)
we need a 2015 USAC fee changes thread too
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Originally Posted by Grumpy McTrumpy
(Post 17525769)
we need a 2015 USAC fee changes thread too
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I only know about the insurance surcharge.
So far the permit fees, license fee, club fee seems to be the same. I wasn't surprised when I paid them. |
Originally Posted by TheKillerPenguin
(Post 17525583)
Disc Brakes could get realllllly sketchy...
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The cat 5 stuff is not a big deal, just codifying some stuff that was vague before afaict.
Originally Posted by https://s3.amazonaws.com/USACWeb/forms/rules/2015_USAC_Rulebook_Chapter_1.pdf
5-4: Acquire 10 points by a combination of the following*:
• 2 points – complete all three sections of aBeginner Racer Program (BRP) clinic. • 1 point – finish a massed start race • 1 point – complete a USA Cycling-approvededucation clinic • 1 point – participate in a mentored raceexperience where the mentor is at least a cat 3 8rider and has been approved by the LocalAssociation * Rider clinics and camps can be used to only a maximum of 5 points,except that a rider may obtain all 10 upgrade points from the USACycling BRP |
There was no Cat5 points system in 2014.
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Originally Posted by gsteinb
(Post 17525879)
what changes
The list probably goes on further. USAC seems to be spoken of with disdain by every promoter that I have heard speak about them recently. |
Originally Posted by shovelhd
(Post 17525553)
There is now a team time trial event at the National Championships. Men's categories are pro, 1, 35+ and 50+. Womens categories are pro and 35+.
is that pro and 1 or p/1? (i assume the latter.) are they doing this at elite nationals (tahoe) and masters nationals (ogden)? |
Originally Posted by shovelhd
(Post 17526206)
There was no Cat5 points system in 2014.
I just meant that it's not a qualitative change in what's required to upgrade. "Points system" made me wonder if you need results to upgrade to 4, but it's still just about experience (as it should be). |
Originally Posted by Grumpy McTrumpy
(Post 17526248)
Our club got a 33% insurance fee increase annually for 2015. The per-rider insurance fees went up by 20%. Our registered promoter knows more about the fee increases for events, but if you want to see a run-down, Dieter has put it all up on FB. The NCC now requires equal prize lists for both men and women, which is very egalitarian, but also means the promoter now has to come up with ten kilobucks more just to get NCC sanction.
The list probably goes on further. USAC seems to be spoken of with disdain by every promoter that I have heard speak about them recently. It reminds me of the huge "demand" to move Interbike out of Vegas. Then when they announced that's what they would do the folks that go to the show - vendors and store - all screamed bloody murder. Interbike actually committed to moving the show, giving up their space in the Sands, then had to back pedal to get back into the city. It caused a lot of stress for Interbike. I still see people complaining about Interbike in Vegas but the reality is that most of the people want it there, they just aren't as vocal about it. I have always been a sort of "change from within" person. I don't know Bob Stapleton but I think him being at the head is a good thing. I had harbored the thought of trying to work for HTC back then, and now I have this vague concept that it would be good to work for USAC. I hope that things progress in the next few years. |
I didn't know disc brakes weren't allowed before. There was at least one guy with disc brakes at Bethel.
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Originally Posted by tetonrider
(Post 17526577)
thanks!
is that pro and 1 or p/1? (i assume the latter.) are they doing this at elite nationals (tahoe) and masters nationals (ogden)? |
Originally Posted by globecanvas
(Post 17526612)
I just meant that it's not a qualitative change in what's required to upgrade. "Points system" made me wonder if you need results to upgrade to 4, but it's still just about experience (as it should be).
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Originally Posted by carpediemracing
(Post 17526717)
I didn't know disc brakes weren't allowed before. There was at least one guy with disc brakes at Bethel.
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Originally Posted by Grumpy McTrumpy
(Post 17526248)
Our club got a 33% insurance fee increase annually for 2015. The per-rider insurance fees went up by 20%.
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Originally Posted by shovelhd
(Post 17526764)
Right, but they are small numbers as I understand it. $25 more for each club, and a buck more for each rider.
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Not related to the stuff about the fees, my feeling is to work from within. I'm not going to hold rogue races, I don't like it when I show up and it's a rogue race. I've made rule change suggestions to the LA (for USAC meetings), I fought against rules I didn't think were good/productive. Etc.
For me, as a promoter, part of the appeal of USAC is the ease with which I can get an event going. In 2014 I got a call over July 4th weekend about holding a corporate fun ride in 2 weeks. Because I was familiar with USAC's process I had the ride set up within a few days - basically I had to wait on the corporation to finalize their decision and it took me an hour? to get the thing set up. I've used USAC for charity rides, a memorial ride, sometimes getting the permit for the ride within days of the event (regardless of what they say about two weeks etc). |
$25 for each club may be for the club license. I forgot if that increase was this year or last year.
The club insurance went up by $50. So that's $75 annual increase and no value added. Additionally, you now have to pay for a $4M liability policy for events (this may apply to events that cross county lines, I am not sure on the details) and the insurance costs per vehicle have gone up. Yes I understand that these dollar amounts, when looked at as if they were alone, seem small, but when promoters are adding up all of the fees they have to figure out just how much it will take for a race event to break even. These grassroots events weren't exactly making bank when the fees were lower either. Now take a look at the races that haven't come back this season. the NYSBRA site has an archive of previous years calendars along with the drafts of the 2015 calendar. |
Originally Posted by carpediemracing
(Post 17527113)
Not related to the stuff about the fees, my feeling is to work from within. I'm not going to hold rogue races, I don't like it when I show up and it's a rogue race. I've made rule change suggestions to the LA (for USAC meetings), I fought against rules I didn't think were good/productive. Etc.
For me, as a promoter, part of the appeal of USAC is the ease with which I can get an event going. In 2014 I got a call over July 4th weekend about holding a corporate fun ride in 2 weeks. Because I was familiar with USAC's process I had the ride set up within a few days - basically I had to wait on the corporation to finalize their decision and it took me an hour? to get the thing set up. I've used USAC for charity rides, a memorial ride, sometimes getting the permit for the ride within days of the event (regardless of what they say about two weeks etc). When it came time for me to renew the club insurance in December, I found there was no updated application form for 2015. This was not unusual, since in prior years we've just re-used the previous year and all went fine. Not this time. Our check was returned by mail along with a request that we use the "current" application. An application which wasn't posted until nearly the end of the year. And oh gee, look at that! a rate increase! So while USAC were all out enjoying their Christmas junkets and abandoning their post in Colorado, our club was uninsured during the time it took for things to get snailmailed back and forth. Needless to say, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I called up my buddy and related the story to him, suggesting that he ask the USAC (next time he meets with them) to please post the new forms before the end of the year! And, maybe not surprisingly, he told me the same thing happened to him when he sent in his event forms for the races in 2015. A check mailed back with a request for the new form (which didn't exist yet, yada yada). Then he gave me a run-down of all the increases that got ramrodded to the promoters for 2015. I should have taken notes. So, reg. fees will go up (see Bkill) and some races will disappear. Hornby is gone. Bennington is gone. Binghamton Circuit Race may be gone (we are still working on that one) Do I blame USAC? I'm trying to be understanding. I guess they are doing what they feel is best from their perspective. Maybe they have to deal with strongarming by the insurance companies. I don't know. What I do know is they seem out of touch with the core of amateur racers in this particular area. |
Originally Posted by globecanvas
(Post 17526091)
• 1 point – participate in a mentored raceexperience where the mentor is at least a cat 3 8rider and has been approved by the LocalAssociation
Seems vague like you said. |
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