[BmxConvert]

Last year I rode the Ski Bowl/Fluidride events in the sport class without a USA Cycling license and it didn't seem to be too problematic although I remember Mike Estes giving people a bit of a hard time at the end of the year for not getting a license.
For someone at the Sport level is it something I should be worried about picking up?

-Kevin

 

[MinorThreat]

If you are going to be buying a lot of one-days, might as well save yourself the hassle. Also, don't know what those venues did, but if they had any official practice days the day before the race, they were supposed to be charging one-days for that too. One-day license is for that day only, not the whole event.

Also, if you you want to be taken seriously for consideration for sponsorships in the future, get the season license (yes, national companies do sponsor Sport racers).

 

[BmxConvert]

I knew there was a reason I should have had one.
I got charged one days on at all the events. I never got to run practice any days other than race day so, it really was a one-day fee.
This year I'll be running practice and hitting more races so the license makes sense now that you bring up the practice day piece.

 

[buildyourown]

With the reorganization of catagories this year, I'm not sure who will be eligible to purchase one days. CAT2 riders MAY have to purchase an annual. Just something to look into. Also, since points are required to CAT up, an annual insures that all you results are tallied correctly.

 

[DBR X6 RIDER]

BTW, since USAC changed the classes into categories, does this mean they are taking mountain-biking as a whole somewhat seriously now? That would be a nice change of pace.

 

[MinorThreat]

BTW, since USAC changed the classes into categories, does this mean they are taking mountain-biking as a whole somewhat seriously now? That would be a nice change of pace.

I wouldn't jump up and down for joy yet. They killed the NMBS, so there are really no actual NORBA Nats any more. There's a national calendar but it's just an amalgamation of local/regional events. They seem to have let Frosty and Blue Wolf run it into the ground and had nobody lined up to replace them.

To answer the point you raise BYO, Cat 1 (AN EDIT CORRECTION TO MY PREVIOUS MISSTATEMENT) is really Expert - - and you never could really be an Expert without an annual license, anyway; so that stays the same.

 

[Uruk-hai]

So does this mean that the Sport class (Cat 2) will be filled with a broader range of talent and speed than it was before due to the re-classification? If Cat 2 is really expert, then how are the other categories affected?

 

[MinorThreat]

I'm sorry, I meant to say that Expert is now Cat 1. I did an edit correction up above too.

The only major change, really, was the elimination of Semi-Pro. Semi-Pro was supposed to be a junior development class for people coming out of Jr. Ex. or Expert and not quite ready to go full pro. Instead, it became a limbo dumping-ground for talented riders who were too good for expert but could not or did not want to compete in Pro. So USAC got rid of it. So now, SPs have to fish or cut bait: this year only they have the choice to bump down to Cat 1 (Expert); or they can move into Pro.

So what's going to happen is that Expert is probably going to get quite stacked. Cat 2 (Sport) should remain unchanged.

 

[Uruk-hai]

Ok, thanks. That makes sense now.