Thanks Wil :) I wasnt sure what the whole north/south combine meant.

So if i join SKCC I will be excluded from racing southern combine events??

Also is it compulsory to wear your club kit for combine races etc? I am under the impression it is?

Not necessarily, but if there is a northern crit on the same day as a southern combine your club would be unlikely to give you permission to ride the conflicting event.

As for training camps/coaching, social scene etc you'd either have to talk to someone whos a member or discuss with the club secretary. Most have their numbers listed on the cycling victoria website. Out of interest, what 'burb/location are you? Just because a club is called 'Carnegie' for example doesn't mean they do all their racing there. Most of the winter road season Carnegie race way out the back of Pakenham. You'll need to check where your preferred club races.

Ah ok. Thats not a bad idea. I might make a few phone calls. Im sure each one will give me the sales pitch though. But thats ok. Im up around harkaway so if CCCC race up here that would be good.

What about the club kit. Ive seen most of them and they are....shocking :eek: ...do you have to wear it?:p

When I last raced 6yrs ago you could race in a plain jersey and shorts with no advertising in Opens if you didn't have club kit. Another alternative is to get a sponsor and get your individual one off colours registered!

Club level differs. Some clubs (normally sponsered ones) are stringent while others (like my old club) don't give two shts and let you wear anything except a rainbow jersey :p

Thanks grunta :p

I think I will just join the one that gives me the best vibe and if it doesnt work out I think transfer fee is only $20 or something like that.

(heres to hoping I dont change clubs as often as username...:eek: :p )

I'm not sure you'd get that sort of support from a club -- probably best to get a coach -- although, racing the hardest races at the hardest club will obviously help you improve A LOT. I've already bored plenty of people with my theories on training or racing with adrenalin: there's basically nothing quite like it, and I reckon it gets more out of the legs than training alone will ever do.

so.........which club is that? :p

oh yeah, the St Kilda kit looks pretty ok, but more and more hacks are starting to get around in it, and if I see another guy in red white & black gear I'll go k-nuts!! :p With CSC, Hampton Cycles, Richmond Cyclery, Kennedy's gear, St Kilda CC, and Caisse D'Epargne, it's too farkin much!! :D

I was ready to pony up with my money for hawthorn...until I saw the kit and I....just...cant...wear...that:eek: :p

Which else? Carnegie, of course :p -- even though all the pricks snobbed me off when i first went there in 1987. W@nkers! :( I rocked up to the local (Carnegie) velodrome to race, and it was 2 months before anyone told me that they also held criteriums twice a week!! I didn't even know what a criterium was. Talk about cliques! I went from playing footy and cricket, with the typical 'matey' environment to an isolated snob-fest!!

I am keen to avoid CCCC for some reason. Id rather get handy on the bike and then show up to their crits and give them some curry....much more my style Nev :p

+1 that's what I always hear too

Only way to do that is from within - how can you suss out your opponents weaknesses otherwise?

Ego is a healthy thing, just don't let it become maladaptive.

Nothing to do with ego just Ive never been one to gravitate to the most common or most popular element in any aspect of my life. Thats all.

I do think a friendly helpful environment might be a better choice in my first year or so instead of a huge club like CCCC. I will figure something out :)

I've got an idea Dannyboy. Move to Bendigo. The racing is top quality and they treat the riders up there like Gods. Win a race in Melbourne and the results are buried in the back of the sports section with the lawn bowl results. If you win a club race up there you get on the back page of the Advertiser. A mate of mine from Bendigo knows fark all about cycling but knows who all the local riders are. They are friggin heroes up there. They even get the odd groupie.

It will do wonders for your ego.:D

I know why dont you just coach me to the aus RR title in 2008 :p

edit: Better add a few of these...

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

edit2: Hilarity stems from my inability not your lack of knowledge!!

As i've said, that pretty much never happens at an A-grade criterium, especially Carnegie. You'd have more chance smashing everyone in the road season, where some of the courses have enough hills to get rid of the fat wheel-suckers. Criteriums are just too flat and short, with too many corners for even the strongest guys to stay away. Unless you're a good (and crazy) sprinter.......well, it's just too tough to smash everyone. There are plenty pf stories of pros doing Carnegie cirteriums and not smashing everyone.

Even that Julian Dutton dude (one of the strongest guys I've 'encountered' on Beach Rd), who, despite being good enough to get 7th in the Aus time-trial (after only a couple season racing), didn't exactly smash everyone at the Carnegie criteriums.

Another option is to time-trial -- no-one can sit on your wheel there. You can rock up out of the blue and smash everyone in the Carnegie time-trial, then go to the nationals! http://sputnikmusic.com/forums/images/smilies/thumb.gif

I agree that Hawthorn's kit sux. When I joined BBN their kit was pretty average then they got a few sponsors on board & the kit improved (IMO anyway) so I got some then.

I want my bro to get me some of his Italo-Australian CC kit coz their shorts have Wilier down the side so it'll look like I've got a sponsored bike :D :D

If anyone wants to ride TT's in Vic the ATTA (Aust TT Assoc) is starting a series down here with the first one this coming weekend at Diggers Rest. http://www.atta.asn.au/ Go to Calendar page & scroll down to Victoria

TT's are stupid IMO. TT's on dead roads at windy old Diggers Rest where its either stinking hot or freezing cold are even stupider. (Diggers Rest used to have a good tug of war team on World of Sport though). Plus you look stupid wearing an ice cream bucket on your head while steering with your elbows. You only ride TT's if you have to as part of a stage race. Otherwise they are to be avoided at all costs. Only poms, nuff nuffs and masochists like riding TT's.

Did I ever happen to mention I never liked riding time trials?:p

curry=****s=many shapes and sizes not really 'smashing' :) i.e world champ jersey lol

I believed you the first time nev when you told me not to expect to smash anyone :D Im not even sure I will see the start line of an A grade race!!!

How often do you race with BBN wil?

Sounds like your bro is a handy rider.

Isnt that an ice cream bucket in your avatar :p

hmm.... I'm still tossing up whether to keep going with Vets or join BBN and race Masters. Gotta do something soon.

Harkaway?!? Jaysus, we're almost neighbours! :eek:

secondsaway, do some photoshopping and show us yerself in the various kits.

We'll tell you which one is acceptable :) .

East Hill