[dhtahoe]

Just when we thought that racing could not get any worse it has. Pro's are still not getting paid, we only had one Olympic XC spot this year (that was decided in a Denver courtroom not on a race course), Mtn-X courses are being built by washed-up has beens who NEVER raced Mtn-X EVER, and to top it all off. How many times did they change the Mammoth selection guidelines. IMO if your from the U.S. you should be able to show up and race. NORBA needs to drop this elite attitude, and quit thinking it's 1997 when the sport was at it peak. SO THIS IS MY IDEA!!! We need to quit whining about it and do something radical. I propose that we have a huge protest at Mammoth to SHOW them how we feel. It's time that NORBA and USA Cycling started working for us... Not the other way around. I tired of whining about all the issues our sport has, and now I'm prepared to do something about it. I think a 60's style protest (bullhorn and all) would be a great way to show them how we feel. I don't think it's ever been done in our sport, and Mammoth would be the best place to bring it to their front door. Alot of press, all the NORBA powers that be will be there. Spread the word and lets do something!!!

No war is won with out a fight-Winston Churchill

So let's give them a fight!!!

 

[AZRacerX]

Not a bad idea. Another option is for someone to run for office at USA Cycling who knows what they are doing when it comes to mountain bike racing, and we can all help get that person elected by voting and campaigning.

 

[Lex]

You didn't qualify did you?






Sorry. I couldn't resist. :devil:

Just when we thought that racing could not get any worse it has. Pro's are still not getting paid, we only had one Olympic XC spot this year (that was decided in a Denver courtroom not on a race course), Mtn-X courses are being built by washed-up has beens who NEVER raced Mtn-X EVER, and to top it all off. How many times did they change the Mammoth selection guidelines. IMO if your from the U.S. you should be able to show up and race. NORBA needs to drop this elite attitude, and quit thinking it's 1997 when the sport was at it peak. SO THIS IS MY IDEA!!! We need to quit whining about it and do something radical. I propose that we have a huge protest at Mammoth to SHOW them how we feel. It's time that NORBA and USA Cycling started working for us... Not the other way around. I tired of whining about all the issues our sport has, and now I'm prepared to do something about it. I think a 60's style protest (bullhorn and all) would be a great way to show them how we feel. I don't think it's ever been done in our sport, and Mammoth would be the best place to bring it to their front door. Alot of press, all the NORBA powers that be will be there. Spread the word and lets do something!!!

No war is won with out a fight-Winston Churchill

So let's give them a fight!!!

 

[dhtahoe]

Not a bad idea. Another option is for someone to run for office at USA Cycling who knows what they are doing when it comes to mountain bike racing, and we can all help get that person elected by voting and campaigning.

They already have such a person. One voice is not enough.

 

[dhtahoe]

You didn't qualify did you?






Sorry. I couldn't resist. :devil:

I'm pro so yes I did we all did automatic

 

[Kornphlake]

Maybe I'm just oblivious because I don't have the finances to be able to afford to be a racer. What are the specific issues you have with NORBA races? Is it just the lack of prize money, exhorbant prices for lift passes on race days, dumpy courses? What are the real issues that racers and non racers should be concerned about?

 

[ÆX]

WOW! that would be crazy.
if every person was on this forum
we might have a chance. shutting
the weekend down. that would rule.
but far fetched. i am traveling from TX
and am spending to much money to do
such as this. we all want change but
for the money it would cost all of us who
boycotted we could promote our own series.

 

[dhtahoe]

WOW! that would be crazy.
if every person was on this forum
we might have a chance. shutting
the weekend down. that would rule.
but far fetched. i am traveling from TX
and am spending to much money to do
such as this. we all want change but
for the money it would cost all of us who
boycotted we could promote our own series.

I'm not saying boycott... just a protest. Hell I'm only driving two hours and I'm going to race. But when we are all done racing have an assembly right at the NORBA trailer. Come together for once and say what's on our minds. Come one Morgan you have been racing as long as I have, are you happy with the state of our sport and where it's going? So let's do something about it. RIGHT AFTER THE RACE IS OVER SUNDAY.

 

[ssaddict]

How about a sit down protest infront of the XC start, there is always alot of people around then?

Of course we'd probably get DQ'd for the next day.

 

[MikeD]

I agree wholeheartedly. Wanton disruption of cycling events by mammoths has plauged NORBA for far too long, and we should not stand for these ice-age shennanigans any longer.

 

[Jeremy R]

WOW! that would be crazy.
if every person was on this forum
we might have a chance. shutting
the weekend down. that would rule.
but far fetched. i am traveling from TX
and am spending to much money to do
such as this. we all want change but
for the money it would cost all of us who
boycotted we could promote our own series.

No doubt.
And what good will come out of a protest?
Usa Cycling will not care,
and it might just run off the last few sponsors that Norba still has left.
It will give them an excuse to not have a National series all together.
I might bitch and moan about them, but I love going to Nationals,
we as racers need to do more to help than to harm.

 

[dhtahoe]

No doubt.
And what good will come out of a protest?
Usa Cycling will not care,
and it might just run off the last few sponsors that Norba still has left.
It will give them an excuse to not have a National series all together.
I might bitch and moan about them, but I love going to Nationals,
we as racers need to do more to help than to harm.

Good point... But they will care because without our money or a National series they will not have any income. NORBA members STILL account for most of USA Cyclings income. NORBA is already running off sponsors because of the gross mishandling of sponsor money. Why do you think SO-BE, Chevy trucks, and OLN pulled out. NORBA got caught with their hand in the cookie jar when SO-BE did an accounting of where there money was going. It was going into the pockets of many of the NORBA's management. That's why three of them "resigned". Another NORBA scam that got swept under the rug. Let them pull out... then the other organizations that NORBA has threatened to sue if they tried to have a Natoinal Series can step in. ABA tried once and it almost ran them out of business. I heard Eric Moore once say "nobody would dare try and push us out NORBA owns Mountain Biking". I think a protest will do some good. NORBA is used to us being a calm as a hindu cow, and that is why they continue to do what they don't do. This if NORBA didn't exsist mountain biking would die is crap. That's what they want you to think so you keep your mouth shut. It can't get any worse... can it?

 

[Motionboy2]

Good point... But they will care because without our money or a National series they will not have any income.

Yeah, but you are going to do this protest after you gave them your money They know you are coming to the races, you love bikes. That is why all of us go to races. I think the point would not be driven home. I don't think you are on the wrong track though...

What Norba needs is some competition... They don't have anything or any reason to step it up because, Who else is gonna do it?

 

[dhtahoe]

Yeah, but you are going to do this protest after you gave them your money They know you are coming to the races, you love bikes. That is why all of us go to races. I think the point would not be driven home. I don't think you are on the wrong track though...

What Norba needs is some competition... They don't have anything or any reason to step it up because, Who else is gonna do it?

The reason I think this COULD work is because of the media. NORBA does not need any more bad press. This is the first time they have had a race like this so I think there will be alot of media attention. I don't claim to have all the answers, but if we WORK TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERANCE. Two words Velo News. The way they wrote about the NORBA's 20th birthday was less than a celebration of how awesome they have been. I think it what started the ball rolling on getting rid of some of the dead weight a USA Cycling. We need to use the media to OUR advantage.

 

[ÆX]

Yeah, but you are going to do this protest after you gave them your money They know you are coming to the races, you love bikes. That is why all of us go to races. I think the point would not be driven home. I don't think you are on the wrong track though...

What Norba needs is some competition... They don't have anything or any reason to step it up because, Who else is gonna do it?

yeah, i boycot would have more efectiveness. hit it where it hurts! the $$$.

i think there is going to be a poor showing anyway.

one fo our dh in NM is ACA. it costs 1/4 of norba's fees.

US OPEN. it is not norba is it?

it can be done. it just takes leader, an honest leader

 

[ÆX]

The reason I think this COULD work is because of the media. NORBA does not need any more bad press. This is the first time they have had a race like this so I think there will be alot of media attention. I don't claim to have all the answers, but if we WORK TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERANCE. Two words Velo News. The way they wrote about the NORBA's 20th birthday was less than a celebration of how awesome they have been. I think it what started the ball rolling on getting rid of some of the dead weight a USA Cycling. We need to use the media to OUR advantage.

i could talk to scott hart at H3 Publications. when we would race together
he would constantlly hate norba.

 

[neversummersnow]

MB2 just hit the nail on the head.

I've gone through a whole huge bag full of emotions during this race season and in the end it becomes increasingly hard to put EVERYTHING you have into a sport that appears to be driving itself head first into the ground.

If you know me, you know I activly participate in ALL aspects of racing bikes. From track to road to epic XC to semi pro DH I've raced more events at the age of 19 than most people do in a lifetime.

Here in Colorado all the road racers got sick of USCF and started their own sanctioning body, the ACA. I don't think the ACA turned out exactly like the riders were hoping but it is a big improvement over the way things were.

I know in other sports, the body and soul had to get involved on all ends to get it back on its feet. I know this sport has potential, I know it's marketable and I know it has a future IF we want it. It's going to be a lot of crap work for no return besides trying to build the sport we LOVE to a level we all know it's capable of reaching.

 

[bpatterson6]

I never knew that ABA tried to have a national series. Wow, that would have been cool. What happened? I have a friend who is the Vice President of ABA, and I have never heard of this.

 

[dhtahoe]

I never knew that ABA tried to have a national series. Wow, that would have been cool. What happened? I have a friend who is the Vice President of ABA, and I have never heard of this.

Ask him about it... your our boy. Tell him what's up. It's time they tried again. Ask him about Tom Luack. He was the guy trying to get it going.

 

[Transcend]

NORBA got caught with their hand in the cookie jar when SO-BE did an accounting of where there money was going. It was going into the pockets of many of the NORBA's management. That's why three of them "resigned". Another NORBA scam that got swept under the rug. ........I heard Eric Moore once

Eric Moore with his hand stuck in a cookie jar. How ironic. You just made my day with that mental image.

Fat a$$hole with a cowboy hat and his hand stuck in a cookie jar while he shouts COOOOKIIEEEEEES

 

[Motionboy2]

I don't know anything about promotions, but I know that our regional series is one of the largest and it is handled very well by www.cyclecyndicate.com.
I am curious what would be needed to make an organization that could compete with norba? I know it isn't something that 1 promotor could do, but maybe a board of promotors?

 

[dhtahoe]

Eric Moore with his hand stuck in a cookie jar. How ironic. You just made my day with that mental image.

Fat a$$hole with a cowboy hat and his hand stuck in a cookie jar while he shouts COOOOKIIEEEEEES

Man I just laughed so hard I think I spotted.

 

[bpatterson6]

I just sent an email to my friend at the ABA regarding the subject and will post in this forum as response when I get one.

 

[scurban]

I want to start my own race league, I'm sick of NORBA, I want each race to be a festival weekend with great tracks, good racing, and slopstyle events. The 4X should be more of a MTB race rather then a glorified BMX race, with tight rythem sections, some big air jumps. Why not even add some ladder sections into the course? DH should be super tech. and XC should have to be run on 5" travel bikes. In addition I want there to be some fan pleasing activities like concerts, and video premeres. These things need to be destination weekends for fans. Especially if they are going to be held at Ski Resorts! They need to be much more exciting so they catch the eye of networks like ESPN. Anyone want to help me start this? I really think it can be done!

 

[Pegboy]

If you are going to protest you better have a written plan of action and a whole lot of signatures, otherwise you are just b1tching in public.

 

[bpatterson6]

Scurban I couldnt agree more.

 

[dhtahoe]

Great concept... a whole season of Sea Otters! Only with a little better venue for the DH.

 

[Transcend]

Great concept... a whole season of Sea Otters! Only with a little better venue for the DH.

Maybe..except for the ladders on the courses (lame idea) and the 5" XC regulation. Since when is a hardtail XC bike not a mountain bike? Gimme a break. Riding Xc on hardtails is MUCH more fun then riding them on glorified short travel DH rigs, it makes XC what it is,. You try riding a tech section at speed, with your lungs exploding, on a 19lbs hardtail XC bike. So much fun.

 

[dhtahoe]

If you are going to protest you better have a written plan of action and a whole lot of signatures, otherwise you are just b1tching in public.

That's the point!!! Way more affective than all the internet bitching. Funny all this talk over the years and when someone get's the balls to do something about it alot of you want to tuck you tails between your legs and hide. The same people will sit here at the end of next race season and bitch about how NORBA sucks. Give NORBA a piece of paper with a bunch of names on it and they will do nothing but wipe there asses with it. Like I said this is about getting a media frenzy going. If the president of USA Cycling gets his Oct 1 Velo News or MBA and a huge headline reads " 100's/1000's show up to protest NORBA Series"... I THINK he might have to say to himself "what the f*ck is going on down there".

 

[heikkihall]

Get ahold of Gerard Bisceglia at USA Cycling with a well thought out well written letter with alot of signatures. They guy has been there for less than a year and there have allready been some great things that have come out of it since Moore left. Give this guy some input on what you think will make Bike racing in America even better and then give him some time. From what ive heard he is a great guy with great ideas and really wants to listen and to help out. I think since hes gotten to USA Cycling hes been trying to fix all the f@ck ups that have been made in the past 5-6 years. I think things are turning around and he is at the head of it. Lets try to help this guy out and maybe something actually will change.

 

[Transcend]

Get ahold of Gerard Bisceglia at USA Cycling with a well thought out well written letter with alot of signatures. They guy has been there for less than a year and there have allready been some great things that have come out of it since Moore left. Give this guy some input on what you think will make Bike racing in America even better and then give him some time. From what ive heard he is a great guy with great ideas and really wants to listen and to help out. I think since hes gotten to USA Cycling hes been trying to fix all the f@ck ups that have been made in the past 5-6 years. I think things are turning around and he is at the head of it. Lets try to help this guy out and maybe something actually will change.

He fired a ton of people the first week eh was there. Multiple vice presidents of whatever. awesome.

 

[Damn True]

I think a visible protest is taking things a bit far. IMO a well written petition, letter or shopping bag full of them delivered to NORBA/USA Cycling AND every cycling publication you can think of would be the appropriate action at this point. If that approach does not result in a response THEN I think escalation is warranted.....at Sea Otter perhaps.
It's the end of the season. Let's make our wishes known, and make the media hold NORBA accountable for responding to them. Then give NORBA the winter to make some changes.

 

[Kornphlake]

Um I'm still wondering what the issues are that everybody seems to have. I'm pretty content as a weekend warrior, non racer type, I don't pay NORBA fees but if there were some benefit to riders like myself I may be motivated to do so. Are there issues that I should be aware of as a mountain biker in general? It seems like plenty of people are upset with NORBA but nobody has any real communicated reasons for their dissapointment.

 

[Motionboy2]

If you want a venue with fan pleasing activities, slopestyle and an awesome course you should go and support a promotor that offers that:
Final Descent

I think that if every national had these types of events as well as awesome courses, there would be a lot more interest.

 

[Threepointtwo]

Oh, I thought this thread was going to be about the Expert MTX scheduling that prevents you from riding both DH and MTX at Mammoth. Did anybody else notice this? I sent a letter to NORBA about this when the schedule was announced and they essentially said "so?". That's cool though because all those MTX guys ride XC not DH.

 

[dhtahoe]

Um I'm still wondering what the issues are that everybody seems to have. I'm pretty content as a weekend warrior, non racer type, I don't pay NORBA fees but if there were some benefit to riders like myself I may be motivated to do so. Are there issues that I should be aware of as a mountain biker in general? It seems like plenty of people are upset with NORBA but nobody has any real communicated reasons for their dissapointment.

First off have you read the thread. Pro purse, poor course design, lack of organization, and one I didn't touch on pit space prices. This is mostly about Nationals. Local races seem to be doing ok these days because most local promotors don't use NORBA anymore.

 

[dhtahoe]

Oh, I thought this thread was going to be about the Expert MTX scheduling that prevents you from riding both DH and MTX at Mammoth. Did anybody else notice this? I sent a letter to NORBA about this when the schedule was announced and they essentially said "so?". That's cool though because all those MTX guys ride XC not DH.

A perfect example of this great organization!!!

 

[Transcend]

norba has announced internally that will will have prize money in pro class in 2005!



FOR XC ONLY. What a bunch of self centered morons...olympics are over...no one cares about Xc again.

 

[Motionboy2]

norba has announced internally that will will have prize money in pro class in 2005!



FOX XC ONLY. What a bunch of self centered morons...olympics are over...no one cares about Xc again.

Do you mean FOR XC ONLY? That is stupid, If you are going to have a payout you cant discriminate on which sport you are going to have it for. Payout for all or payout for none. Norba needs to get their head out of their ass because they are the reason MTB racing is getting run into the ground.

 

[Transcend]

Do you mean FOR XC ONLY? That is stupid, If you are going to have a payout you cant discriminate on which sport you are going to have it for. Payout for all or payout for none. Norba needs to get their head out of their ass because they are the reason MTB racing is getting run into the ground.

Dammit you caught my ninja edit.

Ya i mean for xc only, how lame is that? Dh is the showpiece event for spectators onsite. I watched the olympic MTB coverage, i fell asleep. Literally. And it wasn't because it was 4am either.

If done right MTNX and Dh could be extremely exciting on TV, much the same way ski racing used to be for me. I used to watch the Innsbruck, val d'isere etc DH races all damn day when i was a kid.