Time to join?

As seems to happen every few years, I have recently fell upon the idea of possibly giving some consideration to finding a new team to ride / race with next year. I know it is a bit late in the year for this; most of the big name, (and smaller name) pros got stuff like that sorted out long ago. Of course I have neither a big name, nor do I ride for a living, so if I happen to take a little longer to decide it is  no big deal. The idea however, started me thinking about the whole process beginning with: Why (join a team), who (or which team / club to choose), what (criteria does one use to choose), where (this is actually one of the criteria used to help reach a decision).


All the teams I have ridden with have had various strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages. Some I recognized prior to joining, others I did not discover until later. I will list these teams now to get it out of the way - in chronological order: Chevrolet/L.A. Sheriff Cycling Club, Team Xtreme, Squadra Folgore, Carerra Promotion International (CPI), Pasadena Athletic Association (PAA) and most recently the Coates Cyclery shop team. I was with these teams for varying lengths of time, five years at the longest, one year at the shortest, beginning in 1990. There were also a couple unattached years prior to 1990 as well as numerous in the early 2000's when an emerging family life took precedence.


There are some preliminary considerations to give thought to that will help you narrow things down, and foremost among these is the type of riding you expect to do in the coming year (any team I have been a member of renew memberships on an annual basis). For instance, if you ride road bikes exclusively it may not be in your interest to join a mountain bike club, and vice-versa. Along these same lines consider whether you are a recreational rider, or a racer - there are exclusively racing teams, there are exclusively recreational clubs (though these may also include racers among their members), and there are clubs that welcome both types of riders. I know, teams/clubs that are exclusive to certain types of riders seems counterproductive when you are trying to grow the sport/activity, but they do exist and you should be aware of this. If you are new to racing, or thinking of giving it a try, consider a USAC (the governing body of the sport in the United States) member team where you can tap into the experience of the teams more experienced riders. But what is the difference between a racing team, and a recreational club? A racing team will be a member of the USAC, as noted above, and as such will be responsible for holding events during the year; if you are a member of one of these recognized teams it will say so on your racing license. Recreational clubs, on the other hand, are generally not members of the USAC, and thus not bound by the requirements of that organization.

Camaraderie at its finest - Chevrolet/LA Sheriffs

Alright, but maybe I am getting ahead of things here; perhaps the first question should be why join a club or team to begin with? For myself the overriding answer to this question has always been camaraderie. Most of my training road miles have always been solo, and almost all of my mtb miles have been that way. Being on a team or club then provides me with a sense of being a part of something greater, where interest, and indeed passion, in a common activity are held by all the other members. Most teams and clubs will hold regular or periodic team rides. Spinning down the road in a double paceline with 20, 30 or more other riders all wearing the same uniforms is something to experience, and the closest most of us will get to this iconic professional routine. Quality teams/clubs will hold monthly meetings where member can gather in a relaxed atmosphere, often at a sponsoring restaurant where the bond between members can be strengthened. There may also be barbeques, picnics or other non-cycling gatherings as well. On a personal level, I joined or switched to Team Xtreme, Squadra Folgore, CPI and PAA primarily for reasons of camaraderie.

Camaraderie between races

That said, there are other reasons for joining. Benefits, for instance. Most teams and clubs have sponsors and suppliers, such as bike shops, manufacturers, restaurants, etc, which often give discounts or even free product to team members. In a high-expense sport such as bicycle racing, this can not be overlooked. I was never one to select a team based on what I could get from a sponsor, but was just happy to accept whatever was handed out (maybe grumble a bit if it wasn't much) - after all why provide advertising space front and back if there is no return? Many teams will reimburse members their race entry fees for winning or placing, a not insignificant amount these days.


Another point you should give some thought to is location. Most teams have a home base. The first team I joined, the Sheriffs, were centered in Chino; I lived in Burbank, then Pasadena. That is a fair distance and limited the number of meetings and teams rides that I participated in. This past weekend, while watching some cyclocross at Bonelli Park, I noticed how one team in particular, Mitte van Vlaanderen, were just out to have a most excellent time, an example of great camaraderie, and definitely a team high on my "to join"list. But, I believe they are located in the Santa Monica area; a good long schlep from Claremont.


In review then, I believe it is important to choose a team/club based on what is important to you and what you want to get out of the relationship. Some teams have a great cohesion among its members, others provide outstanding benefits, some are very active, holding many group events during the year, others less so. Some are excellent at communicating with members - Team Xtreme for instance printed a great little 8 to 10 page newsletter - while other clubs are truly lousy at communication and you may not hear word one from them all year. Do a little research, ask around, observe at various events and you will eventually find the team or club that is right for you. 

I made a cover (of the Team Xtreme June/July 1995 newsletter)

Over the next couple days I will provide a list of resources to recreational clubs and racing teams as an addendum to this post.


USA Cycling (racing clubs/teams)
SoCalCycling.com (racing clubs/teams)
PeteandEd (may be a bit dated, some of the links did not work)
BikeLink (recreational)