Cycling Australia Licence

[Bluejay87]

Just checking if I get a licence now, it will cover me for rest of this year and 2015? Their website isn't clear on this as far as I can see, although they are advertising 2015 memberships so I assume so.

I'm surprised by the cost of it. Anyone know where the money goes? How much to Bicycling Australia, insurance and the local club?

[Tornado]

I believe if you purchase now you will be good until the end of 2015. I'm not sure of the breakdown but some of it is the membership fee to your chosen club which I assume is set by them.

[dalai47]

Buy the licence now and it will last till the end of the next Calendar year i.e. 31 December 2015

CA gets most. Only perhaps $40-60 or so will go to the club depending on the clubs membership fee.

In regards to Insurance. Make sure you have your own and / or private health. The insurance only covers up to $5000 of non medicare rebatable costs; which I have discovered this year doesn't go very far even for something as basic as getting a collarbone plated! Also has income protection but I recommend reading the fine print to see if you want to take out additional cover

[Bluejay87]

Hmm I'm a member of bicycle NSW which also has insurance and likewise with the bicycle network.
What does bicycling Australia do? Do they help the clubs out? Can you have a club that races outside the auspices of bicycle Australia or is it some kind of legislated monopoly?

[KGB]

I think you mean cycling Australia, bicycling Australia is a magazine.

In any case, most people would agree they don't seem to do much. They are actually broke and an agreement was recently made for several state associations to pitch in and bail them out.
Yes, you do get insurance cover for racing and training but I don't know anyone who has needed to make a claim and found it to be a happy experience.

[Bluejay87]

Yes cycling Australia!
It is unfortunate. I think price is already quite a high barrier to cycling so another $280 a year plus $15 for every crit (at least at lacc) just makes it even harder!

[sogood]

You only need that $280 license if you want to race. For just being a member, there's that's 'Ride' level license for less than $100. Guess there are greater risks and other admin requirements with racing.

[dalai47]

Can you have a club that races outside the auspices of bicycle Australia or is it some kind of legislated monopoly?

If 35 and over, you can race VETS... - http://www.ausvetcycling.com/html/statevents/nsw.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Can you have a club that races outside the auspices of bicycle Australia or is it some kind of legislated monopoly?

If 35 and over, you can race VETS... - http://www.ausvetcycling.com/html/statevents/nsw.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The state cycling federations (Cycling NSW, Cycling Vic etc) and Cycling Australia, with their member clubs are all affiliated with the UCI (International Cycling Union) which is the global peak body for cycle racing and is recognised as such by the IOC, Comm Games, most national governments world wide and operates under WADA code. UCI and affiliated bodies own the world, national and state championships, as well as world/national records in various disciplines.

CA and its state affiliates are also recognised by the Australian and State governments as the peak bodies for cycle racing and receive support and funding for the sport's development and in particular for specialist facilities and high performance programs and activities. They operate within guidelines set down by the Australian Sports Commission and comply with all codes of conduct, training and quality requirements for coaches, officials and administration. e.g. all coaches are required to have a working with children check and first aid certification amongst other requirements.

Under UCI rules, members of UCI affiliated clubs are not permitted to race in cycling events not listed on official national and affiliated state cycling calendars. There is of course little in the way of enforcement of the rule, but it does exist and UCI sought to enforce it last year.

[jcjordan]

Can you have a club that races outside the auspices of bicycle Australia or is it some kind of legislated monopoly?

If 35 and over, you can race VETS... - http://www.ausvetcycling.com/html/statevents/nsw.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The state cycling federations (Cycling NSW, Cycling Vic etc) and Cycling Australia, with their member clubs are all affiliated with the UCI (International Cycling Union) which is the global peak body for cycle racing and is recognised as such by the IOC, Comm Games, most national governments world wide and operates under WADA code. UCI and affiliated bodies own the world, national and state championships, as well as world/national records in various disciplines.

CA and its state affiliates are also recognised by the Australian and State governments as the peak bodies for cycle racing and receive support and funding for the sport's development and in particular for specialist facilities and high performance programs and activities. They operate within guidelines set down by the Australian Sports Commission and comply with all codes of conduct, training and quality requirements for coaches, officials and administration. e.g. all coaches are required to have a working with children check and first aid certification amongst other requirements.

Under UCI rules, members of UCI affiliated clubs are not permitted to race in cycling events not listed on official national and affiliated state cycling calendars. There is of course little in the way of enforcement of the rule, but it does exist and UCI sought to enforce it last year.

That would be seriously difficult proposition to enforce in the ACT.

Considering how many CCC and Vikings are members of the ACTVETS. Primarily for crit season due to avoiding the crash festival that CCC runs on Wednesday nights.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

That would be seriously difficult proposition to enforce in the ACT.

Considering how many CCC and Vikings are members of the ACTVETS. Primarily for crit season due to avoiding the crash festival that CCC runs on Wednesday nights.

Enforcement would be relatively simple. Having the courage to do it much less so.

[jcjordan]

That would be seriously difficult proposition to enforce in the ACT.

Considering how many CCC and Vikings are members of the ACTVETS. Primarily for crit season due to avoiding the crash festival that CCC runs on Wednesday nights.

Enforcement would be relatively simple. Having the courage to do it much less so.

Guess the question then is why would you enforce it

[Ross]

2015 renewal fees - not sure if every CA club has the same fee structure of some are cheaper than others?

Masters - $230 (2014) to $255 (2015) - a $25 increase
Elite - $298 (2014) to $332 (2015) - a $34 increase

[happysumo]

Just found out Elite/U23 is now $350 for a year. Great.

I should just move to Belgium and race 3x a week for $20 pw

[KGB]

Definitely varies with club, although I don't think too much. The club portion is relatively small compared to the total.

Mine was $263 for masters under 55 our whatever it is. It drops significantly for the older masters age groups.

[2wheels_mond]

Just found out Elite/U23 is now $350 for a year. Great.

I should just move to Belgium and race 3x a week for $20 pw

Yeah, as a uni student, this has put me off buying a licence for next year. I understand there has to be some cost involved, but for someone who isn't racing every weekend, it's ridiculous.

[Ignoto]

Geeeez $367 for me this year (Elite) while the Masters are at $286. Gotta feel sorry for those guys who are recently out of school/at Uni because stumping up close to $370 in one hit isn't too much fun. When I was playing club rugby, the older guys subsidised the colts playing fees and they also had a payment plan so you could easily pay of the $400+ over the season.

[ldrcycles]

I couldn't afford to renew it at the start of 2014, and it was about $315 then IIRC. I know other sports can be expensive too (my wife looked at playing soccer and it was something like $4-500 for a single season) but the fact remains that $350+ is seriously expensive, especially when there are race entry fees on top of that. As it is, it's counter productive to have the cost so high when it turns away many.

[macca33]

They have to generate funds though and the cost - around $6 per week (Masters 3) isn't prohibitive IMO.

[Ross]

The major cost component of CA licence is (like car rego) is the insurance component. Clubs only get about $70, the rest goes to CA (for what?) and insurance.
Vets licence is $100 including insurance.
Local recreational cyclist club Pedal Power only costs $75 for a year's membership, including insurance (covered 24/7, anytime you are riding a bike, not just racing or scheduled training rides like CA).

[ldrcycles]

They have to generate funds though and the cost - around $6 per week (Masters 3) isn't prohibitive IMO.

If it was paid weekly, sure, but $370 in one hit is a pretty significant sum.

the rest goes to CA (for what?)

If they're anything like every other sporting body i've dealt with, they need lots and lots of money to send out an endless array of literature telling their members what wonderful things they do to justify charging like a wounded bull. Top of the list is always "insurance" and "liaising with government".

[warthog1]

The major cost component of CA licence is (like car rego) is the insurance component. Clubs only get about $70, the rest goes to CA (for what?) and insurance.
Vets licence is $100 including insurance. .

That was my solution also.
The local uci affiliated club seems fixated on the same boring crit format on the same boring circuit. Paying through the nose for the privilege wasn't that enticing.