Team Boards CC anyone?

TinyExplosions

Yup, I think I've finally cracked and gone mental, what with all the organising of jerseys and stuff (which should be winging it's way to us at the end of the week), and now my latest thought for a venture... Team Boards Cycling Club!

Te reason behind it is thus: A license to compete in races for a year is fairly expensive, but can be made a good bit cheaper by being a member of a club. The downside to this is that often club membership is more expensive than the difference in license price!*

So, what I'm proposing is a cheap, fun way to get started in Club Cycling -you get none of the elitism, and there's cool kit to be had

Who would be interested in joining then, once we've got an idea of numbers, we can take it from there... or have I finally gone a step too far!? :cool:

*i was thinking in the region of 10-20 euro to join the club, then whatever the license prices are on top of that if you so wish

Caroline_ie

:rolleyes: Brilliant idea

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

:rolleyes: Brilliant idea

You were the initial catalyst as you well know

Caroline_ie

TinyExplosions wrote: »

You were the initial catalyst as you well know

Am I your cycling muse? Hahaha!!

I'd switch next year just for the better looking Jersey :pac:

oobydooby

Looks like another good idea. Tell me though, what level do you anticipate? I'd like to make the step up from leisure cycling to slightly serious, so am planning on joining a club after the summer. Thing is I've done a few charity spins and the like and the gulf in talent/training/gear between a serious cyclist and a reasonably fit lad who likes (obsessively) cycling is enormous and scarey.

My 2cent, anyway you're a great man for the ideas:)

TinyExplosions

oobydooby wrote: »

Looks like another good idea. Tell me though, what level do you anticipate? I'd like to make the step up from leisure cycling to slightly serious, so am planning on joining a club after the summer. Thing is I've done a few charity spins and the like and the gulf in talent/training/gear between a serious cyclist and a reasonably fit lad who likes (obsessively) cycling is enormous and scarey.

My 2cent, anyway you're a great man for the ideas:)

I see all levels being catered for really, much the same as with our Saturday spins. Obviously, over time things could change, but really I see it as a way to get into racing if you feel like it, with none of the 'fear' a more established club could hold (for example, I don't fancy joining any club out there simply because I don't see myself as fit/capable enough). It's to make it easier to get into races and the like, as well as a way of saying you're in a cycling club

Next idea is a Boards BBQ, but you'll have to wait for more info on that one!

Chips Lovell

Interesting idea. I'd get on to Cycling Ireland and ask them what's required to register a club. As far as I can tell from the website, you simply need to pony up €100 and clear your club kit with them, but there may be more.

The racing issue could be tricky though. There aren't that many open races around and a lot of people seem to rely on their club leagues for their regular fixes. That means Team Boards would have to find some club league amenable to getting another club on board. I've honestly no idea if that's a possibility or not.

I'm signed up with Orwell for this year, but I'd be willing to help out.

kenmc

I think it's a good idea; however my only reservation is that by joining an established club you can tap into a good base of information, including probaby some coaching experience within that club, whereas by forming a new club that experience is not present.
I don't know if that is important or not though.

fish-head

That's a great idea! Something less formal, like.

Theres something like that in London, http://www.rollapaluza.cc

I'd join up for sure! The only reason I didn't get a Boards jersey is that I wasn't gonna be doing the W200 as I've got no gears..

trek climber

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Yup, I think I've finally cracked and gone mental, what with all the organising of jerseys and stuff (which should be winging it's way to us at the end of the week), and now my latest thought for a venture... Team Boards Cycling Club!

Te reason behind it is thus: A license to compete in races for a year is fairly expensive, but can be made a good bit cheaper by being a member of a club. The downside to this is that often club membership is more expensive than the difference in license price!*

So, what I'm proposing is a cheap, fun way to get started in Club Cycling -you get none of the elitism, and there's cool kit to be had

Who would be interested in joining then, once we've got an idea of numbers, we can take it from there... or have I finally gone a step too far!? :cool:

*i was thinking in the region of 10-20 euro to join the club, then whatever the license prices are on top of that if you so wish

Sounds like a good idea.
But am I correct in assuming that it would be Dublin based and following that are most of the regular contributors to this site Dublin based as well ?
Just a thought....

niceonetom

interesting idea tiny. i'd probably join, but not for racing.

tbh honest if intended to race i'd join a 'proper' club (no offence) to learn from the experience of older heads, with training etc. i'd be in this one purely for fun and company on the longer spins (and because wearing lycra in public is somehow legitimised by being in a group) and the club kit. it would be good way to get quorum of riders signed up to formalise the very informal 'saturday spin' -which would presumably be the seed of this prospective club, yes?

there may be legal issues too as regards official status to race, or even legal liability issues etc. best investigate viability before starting to canvas for members.

fair fúcks to ya with d'oul ideas though. keep em' coming.

Bicyclegadabout

Would I be correct in assuming that being part of a club would make it easier for us all to get bicycle insurance? Is that just race insurance or does it cover general 3rd party and theft type dealies?

Also, would it mean that we could get kit, bikes etc etc etc etc etc VAT free?

Also also, would it allow us to open a club house which sells cheap pints?

blorg

Some more info on Cycling Ireland insurance here. It does NOT cover an unattended bike, even if locked. It is designed for competition and covers stuff like crashes in a race that will not be covered by home insurance. Home insurance will generally cover a suitably locked bike stolen from outside the home however. So depends on your needs/bike use really.

I probably wouldn't be madly interested myself, but if you're looking to set up a club you could do worse than to ask one of the admins for a forum, similar to the Boardeaux Football Team (see sports -> soccer -> Boards Team).

cunnins4

I'd certainly be interested in this. I've been meaning to get out on a saturday spin over the last while, but tonsillitis, exams and projects've kept me busy. The non elitism part interests me the most!

blorg

I'm not sure that many of the traditional clubs are elitist BTW, anything I have seen of them would suggest quite the contrary.

neilled

I'd be interesting in joining a club that I could learn a bit more a bit about bikes, training and maintenance, I used to do triathlons when i was about 12 or 13 etc. only to become a lard ass in my teenage years. Getting back into racing along on a bike in a non competitive way sounds fun.

But at the same time when people are going on about their ultra carbon frames, ShimagnoloRAM Record-Force-Ace groupsets etc and above all LYCRA :eek: it could be just a little bit daunting for those of us not in the roadie "hard corps" to sign up. Somehow don't think I'd be able keep up on the saturday spin on my hybrid.

Oh and any prospective of a boards cycling club would raise slightly scary mental images of "Kona the Barbarian", the token off roader leaping off the tops of buildings/embankments on a kona wielding a carbon fibre mace complete with titanium head for whacking bike thieves with

Ghost Rider

Reckon I'd be up for this!

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Yup, I think I've finally cracked and gone mental, what with all the organising of jerseys and stuff (which should be winging it's way to us at the end of the week), and now my latest thought for a venture... Team Boards Cycling Club!

Te reason behind it is thus: A license to compete in races for a year is fairly expensive, but can be made a good bit cheaper by being a member of a club. The downside to this is that often club membership is more expensive than the difference in license price!*

So, what I'm proposing is a cheap, fun way to get started in Club Cycling -you get none of the elitism, and there's cool kit to be had

Who would be interested in joining then, once we've got an idea of numbers, we can take it from there... or have I finally gone a step too far!? :cool:

*i was thinking in the region of 10-20 euro to join the club, then whatever the license prices are on top of that if you so wish

blorg

neilled wrote:

Oh and any prospective of a boards cycling club would raise slightly scary mental images of "Kona the Barbarian", the token off roader leaping off the tops of buildings/embankments on a kona wielding a carbon fibre mace complete with titanium head for whacking bike thieves with

Yeah, I reckon Kona would be doing something like this*:



*not a photoshop, this is Dave Watson jumping over the TdF peloton on Col de Galibier. On a Kona. Naturally.

Raam

An interesting idea. For racing, which I hope to do soon, I think I'll join an established club. However, for the likes of a randonee or audax, this could be a good idea.

dub_skav

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

Would I be correct in assuming that being part of a club would make it easier for us all to get bicycle insurance? Is that just race insurance or does it cover general 3rd party and theft type dealies?

Also, would it mean that we could get kit, bikes etc etc etc etc etc VAT free?

Also also, would it allow us to open a club house which sells cheap pints?

Might be intersting alright.

Can I nominate Bicyclegadabout for president or at least Chief Financial Officer. His ideas are intriguing to me.

TinyExplosions

Cool, there's some good ideas in this thread.

Will do some more poking around and talking with the Cycling Ireland guys and form something more definate -keep the ideas and opinions coming though!

-I too think Bicyclegadabout should be CFO

Planet X

You can join more than one club by the way.

RtD

Cool, I don't currently have the bike or the ability for an overly serious cycling club, this could be what I'm after.

And if we set up the club shebeen at the top of the Sally Gap I'm sure we'll get plenty out on the Saturday spins "Where you going darling?" "Oh, just out for a lap of the hills with the club";)

Bicyclegadabout

oh god what have I done......

E@gle.

So when do we get our sponsored bikes and our team car ?? :pac:

huber

Hi can anyone tell me where do I look to see/buy Boards cycling gear?

penexpers

huber wrote: »

Hi can anyone tell me where do I look to see/buy Boards cycling gear?

You can see how to order it here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055369639

huber

Cheers, thanks for that

Funkyzeit

trek climber wrote: »

Sounds like a good idea.
But am I correct in assuming that it would be Dublin based and following that are most of the regular contributors to this site Dublin based as well ?
Just a thought....

I'd defo join (great idea Tiny) but being a Dublin exile in Cork I doubt there'd be much action down here !

DirkVoodoo

Yep, great idea. Suppose it was bound to happen. What's the next idea, are we all moving in to a community in Guyana together. We could call it "Tiny town".