bigfred 

Yep.

But, compared with just a few years ago, Tour riders are miles ahead of where they were. Say all we want about the leadership at UCI on other issues, but, on the subject of pay for ProTour riders at least they've eliminated the Touring Poor. I don't think there's a one of them on less than 60-90k (not sure where the current line is). And a whole bunch of them on low to mid six figures. That's heaps better than it was.

My wife was entered to learn that the piece of crap stationwagon parked next to us at a registration belongs to a olympic track medalist without a pro road team to ride for.

The message for our young OP, racing your bicycle is not a career path worth sacrificing any other options for. If, in the course of completing school or other training you are "discovered" to be the next great cycling talent, GREAT! Go race for as many years as they'll contract with you for. But, don't anticipate any such luck.

Enjoy your bike(s), training and racing them hard. Cycling is a great sport that, unlike some, you can take with you all the way through life.

sstang13

Why don't they get paid at all any good living salary. That can put you on the streets if you race for a few years than get injured or whatever. At the end of the day, it's a sport just like any other out there (fans, tv coverage, advertisment about it, etc) but what is it about winning a Stanley Cup, or the world series that's different about winning the yelow jersey or the trophy of the Giro? Baseball fans like baseball and hockey fans like hockey no less, and no more than cyclists love the ProTours. There's no reason why a hockey player should get paid 5 million a year, and a cyclist at the same level, 30k. And I know that all those sports are in North America where everything is like that, but cycling is still well know all around the world enough to get paid over at least 100k.. Cycling is getting bigger though, so maybe we'll see a rise in everything from pay, to better ride/race oppourtunities in our own towns.

And to the quote: That's what I love about it, I once rode with a 75 year old ex-pro rider from Italy, who now lives near me, and he was pulling a group of about 7 of us up a small hill, going 40 km/h. It just shows that the fire in a cyclists belly never stops burning.

carleton

When was the last time that you saw tens of thousands of people on a Sunday afternoon pay $75/ticket, $10/beer, $6/soda, $4/water, $8/hamburger, $40/parking, $100 for replica jersey, $30 for replica cap, etc... to watch a cycling event?

Track cycling used to be like that. But not any more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison...den_%281879%29

That was the 1880s. To put that into perspective, $100,000 - $150,000/year in 1880 would be around $2,500,000 to $3,500,000 today.

Track cycling was more popular than baseball at that time. Only when Madison Square Garden was sold out did people go watch a Yankees game

But that's not the case anymore. Times have changed. Interests have changed. Love don't pay the bills.

carleton

Also bear in mind that Bicycles were probably the most popular form of transportation back then (aside from walking). So, a lot of people could relate to them.

What's the most popular form of transportation now?
What's the most popular spectator sport now?

- Cars
- NASCAR

Kayce

Are we changing this thread to a history analysis? Count me in.

The turn of the century was the height of industrialism in the US/ Europe. And the bicycle was one of the byproducts of this. Each year the newest, fastest, lightest bikes were coming out. They came in all sorts of styles with lots of different ways to reach their goals. This was also the dawning of the scientific age, so each racer had a coach that had plans on how to max them out. The public ate it all up. Everyone wanted to watch the men go as fast as they could at on the news technology. Speeds were pushed to their limits, records were broken monthly. And people paid to see it all. The best racers traveled the world to be shown off.

But soon came the car and the motorcycle. The lust for speed and the newest tech was still the same. But a motor is faster than the best set of legs. So fans were drawn to the motorized racing. Thus the decline of bike racing. NASCAR has the best attended sports events in the country, and second most viewers on TV. Formula 1 racing is just as popular world wide.

sstang13

Those are some very good points, but very dissapointing at the same time It seems as if there is no way of bringing it back too, cars are obviously always going to be faster, but even then, I don't watch for speed, it would actually suck to see a pro tour live unless on a mountain.. you wouldn't even be able to see them anyway, but I watch for the effort it takes to do what they do, especially after 3 weeks! But I guess that's only because I'm a cyclist. I can't wait for a houver car, that would be a fun race to watch

sstang13

Sorry to bring back an older post but I was just thinking about this a little. Dont read this part if you don't want but, here's a little backround: My dad wants me to go into medicine claiming that I will make $250 000+ for 'making medicine'. (he means the people who make it, but I'm 99.9% sure it's not one person). I can't say he's wrong though because he told me one day right after he saw a show on it apparently. I like this field and all, I would love to do all the lab stuff and cure stuff (I know, quite vauge), but I don't think my marks are strong enough for this, plus my volunteer work, well, there's not much of it to talk about. That would make it hard to get into university. But at the same time as all this, I've always wanted to have a job/career that involves 'doing stuff'. I don't want to sit in a lab or office for the next 30 years, it's just not me. There worse part about this is that for my whole life, I've never ever ever been able to make descions, I'll love one thing now, get it/do it/see it etc. and then the next minute go onto something way opposite of that. It's like my mind has ADD on the things I like and want to do.

Anyway, I was wondering, is it possible to get a job in cycling that doesn't have to do with physically cycling? The chances are VERY slim as we all know of becoming professional. And I know there are jobs like the coach, manager, masseur, bike maitnence guy etc. but do you know of any positions that one can actually do and get payed normally (like a normal person, not a cyclists 30k/year stuff)? Thanks.

bigfred 

You already mentioned most of the options: team mechanic, masseur, physio, coach, team management, etc. Most of them don't pay particularly well. And, as many times as not, the people filling those roles are in them because of their connections to one or more of the other individuals involved in the team or sport. Shop employment is an option. but, one which at least I ruled out after spending a couple days with a shop owner as a class work experience project in high school. One area that doesn't get mentioned that often, but, which can be lucrative is that of a traveling sales rep. These guys will usually work for more than one brand and travel extensively. (50k+ miles per year) But, depending on the lines the represent and their territory can do fairly well.

What you may not want to hear: Get a degree. I will not say, "it doesn't matter what in." Because, it does. But, it's fine if you're not entirely sure exactly what you want to do. Look for a well rounded degree. One that stresses the fundamentals of an area of academia that you enjoy. Learn critical thinking, logic and problem solving within that field, on top of the basic principles. These things will benefit you throughout life. Specialist degrees that focus on the currently hot area of employability lead to needing to re-educate at some point. I know the following may sound like a long way off, but, it isn't. 15 years from now, your prospective employer or financier aren't going to ask you about your gpa. They will want to know, "what you've done". So, get the degree. Then, do what a lot of young people do in countries other than the USA and go for a bit of an overseas experience (OE) or gap year, or whatever you want to call it. What you learn during that period may be just as important or more so than what you gain from uni. Then start looking for a "job". It doesn't need to be a "career". A career is what you end up with after quite a few years of employment in the same field.

By the way. I didn't finish uni. I regret that. But, I've earned a living flying hot air balloons, teaching paragliding, taking photographers of extreme sportspersons, driving a bus, installing brewery and bottling equipmetn, building urethane processing equipment, bottling Coca-Cola, beer and wine, and as a professional yacht crew. The best memories are the ones where I was earning less than you consider to be a "normal wage". The higher paying positions were a means to some other ends.

Now, when are you going back to the track for some more riding?

sstang13

That's what I thought, because you never hear of any way of applying for jobs on a team..

I know a lot of people go for business, I probably won't, but one day I'll want to go for a degree in medicine, the next I'll want to go for something way different, like when I looked at engineering but then realized that I hate physics class too much to be able to keep sane my whole life using that. Even the military looked like something that would be great to do, I've been interested in that type of stuff as long as I could remember, but I am simply just too weak and uncapable of doing what they do, they're just remarkable people. And also doesn't gpa matter now for me? Because if I don't have high 80's and 90's, and according to the internet, I have no chances of getting accepted unless I have a bunch of extra-curricular stuff, which I only play soccer for my school, that's simply not enough..

I consider that a normal wage because I been told things like 70k per year is normal my whole life, it seems to me now that with 30k, you'll be living in a hole. I blame the ones around me. But then again, after a few years you get increase in wage and benifits right? That seems like a great set of jobs you have gotten there! You must have soo much fun!

I was going to go to the track on Tuesday but my dad, just about to come on from work to take me, had a truck back right into his car shattering a window, and crushing a door, holding him up for an hour so I couldn't go but I will go as soon as I can, I can't wait!

Cog_wild

good on ya dude, congrats. there is one about 2 hrs away from me, definitely on my to-do list. thanks for the inspiration!

carleton

By the way, you should listen to your parents for advice first LOOOONG before you consider anything that people from the internet (us) say. Seriously.

I have a son and I would greatly appreciate if he took my advice before listening to what others on a message board advise. I'm not saying that we are wrong (or that we are right). It's just not our place to offer such advice.

More bike talk, less life advice to a minor.

sstang13

Thanks, I'm glad I could help. You'll have tons of fun once you hit the track!


No worries, I always listen to my parents' advice. I just like to hear both sides to every story. I was seeing what you guys had to say about some stuff, didn't mean that I was going to decide my future on the internet though you guys also helped me realize that track isnt professional and that it's strictly for fun pretty much. It brought my motivation up a little for road cycling! (no offense to the 100% track cyclists here) Thanks for that.

carleton

It's a lot more fun when you do it for fun

sstang13

I always tell myself to do that, but when I get on the road, that 'don't regret it later' mentality enters my mind.. I always think that I have to train hard to do good and when I do it for fun I won't ride as much as I do now. Plus when I try to do it for fun, I feel as if I'm giving up and that there's no long term goal to look forward too.

queerpunk

You know, any coach worth their salt will tell you that going easy is crucial to training. You get faster through hard training and then easy rest: training makes you tired, but it's resting afterward that makes you fast. So, it's important to consider easy days to be an investment in your speed, fitness, and power.

You can take the long view with that, too. You're young. You don't want to burn out when you're young. I've seen a lot of young kids get blazing fast, put their all in to it, and then when they get a bit older they get tired of putting 15hrs/week into bike racing, they back off, and maybe they drop it entirely.

Don't do that.

I'm 29 years old. I've gotten my ass kicked by guys in their 50s.

Every time I think about the urgency of bike racing - that "dont' regret it later" mentality, where I'm like "oh crap, I'd rather miss so-and-so's birthday party than miss that race" or something like that - I remember that I still have twentyfive years of bike racing left in me, and maybe another twenty years of riding (or more) after that.

There's plenty of time. Don't burn out early.

sstang13

He is giving me quite a bit of easy days right now in my training. I'm starting to notice more harder workouts like V02 max, FTP test, and interval training, but I still have easy, base training endurance rides on the weekends (which is brutal on the trainer, but has to be done).

I'm actually not worried about burning out as much as I am worried about not riding enough! I remember posting something back in August about a 155 km ride I did with my dad to our cottage. It was tons of fun, but I didn't ride the the whole week we were there because I was just way to tired to get up and go. Before that in the summer and in the 2011 summer when I first got my bike, I would go everyday if I was able to, and would have to make myself rest so I wouldn't burn out.. Ever since that long ride though, my motivation has dropped like an anchor for riding. I still love cycling (I'm on this site all day, constatly watch cycling videos, etc) I'm always doing something that involves cycling, but for some odd reason when I tell myself to go on a ride, simple or not, I always look for dumb excuses to get out of it. Here's more detail if you wish: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...o-me?highlight= I also believe it's somewhat because of riding on the trainer, it's so boring. Once the summer comes, I'll be racing an actual season, and be able to ride outside.. it's going to be so much better than winter! I wanted to go outside this morning but it was -4 C (25 F) with patches of ice, so my parents would let me go

bitingduck

the hockey owners in North America Seem to think the same thing, but want to pay all the players like cyclists...

sstang13

True, I say fire Betman, than maybe will they start moving forward. Don't plan on watching hockey for a few years the way it's going now..