The Thread about Nothing....



SEGFTG said:
Yeah it's just like the Fed govt, state govt, local council mess we've got here. State level has no real clout cos they arent functioning on a nationwide level, and they dont really connect with the people as they arent present at the local level.
I'm sure (I hope!) CSV does contribute on some levels, but I have to wonder how it would go if the system was stripped back to just CA' and local clubs, with more money and more ability to deal directly with any other local club.

I accept that CSV are a necessary 'evil'...it can't be 'open slather' out there...& they do do some good work...but sheesh, some of the decisions they make & the explanations for 'em are just plain lacking in 'judgement'...

I understand about the 'racing outside your combine/club' rule, I understand their stated reasons for it...but it hasn't had the desired effect, in many cases exactly the opposite effect.

If they're not careful, only the clubs with the 'numbers' will survive, maybe that's what they want, but it won't do anything for racing. An example, CCCC have more members alone, than every club in the NC combined, yet the NC's racing is generally accepted to be 'better value' than EC's....If the NC fold, (& believe me it's been close a few times), then what?....CCCC make more money out of a months crits than the NC's entire annual budget ( & good on 'em)...yet CSV claim to want to support racing at all levels, yet do little to support it.

If we're not careful, we'll end up like NSW, where there is virtually no RR, other than the 'classics' at all
 
Hitchy said:
NC: “OK, help us find a sponsor to put up some cash”
CSV: “BWHAHAHAHA”

You're onto something... I'd like to see more 'business money' in cycling... "Aldi 80km Handicap".... or heaven forbid... "The BIKE STORE X trophy race"!... Are we so tied up to naming races after ex-champs that this isn't possible?

I still can't believe I can watch lawn bowls, nascar, and farking WNBA on Australian telly, but zero about local cycling. So we're in a minority sport, but damn, is the entire sport of cycling in Australia smaller than something that is shown every weekend like womens basketball? Local/club racing is fragmented, but the National Road Series gets no major coverage outside of SBS's 24mins, weeks after the event has taken place.

So speaking of... where do the WNBL pull their cash from? I know comparing NC to something like the WNBL is comparing chalk to carpet... but still... it can't be all ticket sales, or merchandise... corporate sponsors all the way?

So the NC has run the three day tour for 50 years? That's some fair history, documented anywhere? Establishing a web presence, as I've been told, may be more valuable to the NC than they think. Sell naming rights to races, photos of winners, even a 'for sale' section would be handy (think 9 clubs of cyclists, most meeting at races on Sat to swap/sell stuff).... There is without a doubt a large community of NC riders who stumble around looking for info across each club's web site... and with what Vadar has said, I bet there is even more non NC riders who would be keen to know/race more.

I have more questions than answers... or thoughts than solutions....
 
Hitchy said:
If we're not careful, we'll end up like NSW, where there is virtually no RR, other than the 'classics' at all

We'll start up an underground racing movement... I've been involved in a few private ITT "events". An absolute blast, and totally worth the entry fee! (and before mum gets on here and yells at me, we're not busting any road rules, only speed limits).
 
Hitchy said:
An example, CCCC have more members alone, than every club in the NC combined, yet the NC's racing is generally accepted to be 'better value' than EC's....
Fark me, I thought there must be big numbers in the NC when you look at the program.

Being in the EC but not CCCC often has me thinking I should transfer to support the club that really drives the combine, but I havent. Like you say we could end up with just a few clubs with all the numbers... thinking bout it now, that would be one way to kill of the CSV outside combine rule:confused:
 
gplama said:
We'll start up an underground racing movement... I've been involved in a few private ITT "events". An absolute blast, and totally worth the entry fee! (and before mum gets on here and yells at me, we're not busting any road rules, only speed limits).
ATTA??? What happened there? Lack of #'s or $$$. I wanted to check out one of their events and then they were gorn.
 
SEGFTG said:
ATTA??? What happened there? Lack of #'s or $$$. I wanted to check out one of their events and then they were gorn.

Word was: Insurance costs doubled, and one of the main organisers is now up in QLD. ATTA VIC was fantastic, I loved it, nothing better than a good time trial. No luck involved, all guts and good pacing.
 
Hitchy said:
of ‘Hitchy reminisces’ :D
:D
Pissa.

My two-bit theory #19: We hate the clubs which were a threat to our club when we were young and impressionable. :) This means for me, as a Richmond supporter, it's mostly Carlton, then Collingwood. I reckon I'm still a bit scarred from the 1972 GF; and the only GF I ever went to was 1982 -- :( each time it rained they caught up. At least I got to see that chick get her gear off. :) Winning in '73 and '74 was enough for me not to give a **** about North and Hawthorn through the rest of the '70s. Then girls took over after 1980, so I didn't give a **** no more :D
 
gplama said:
You're onto something... I'd like to see more 'business money' in cycling... "Aldi 80km Handicap".... or heaven forbid... "The BIKE STORE X trophy race"!... Are we so tied up to naming races after ex-champs that this isn't possible?

No, the combine would be all for this...the problem in the past is that it's a fragmented organisation with seemingly few skills at 'self promotion' & presenting an appealing 'argument' to potential sponsors

gplama said:
So the NC has run the three day tour for 50 years? ....

yep, last year was the 50th Anniverary event, which is one of the reasons we were very keen to make it 'special'...unfortunately it ran at a significant loss, pretty much using all the funds that had been squirrelled away for a rainy day

gplama said:
That's some fair history, documented anywhere? Establishing a web presence, as I've been told, may be more valuable to the NC than they think. Sell naming rights to races, photos of winners, even a 'for sale' section would be handy (think 9 clubs of cyclists, most meeting at races on Sat to swap/sell stuff).... There is without a doubt a large community of NC riders who stumble around looking for info across each club's web site... and with what Vadar has said, I bet there is even more non NC riders who would be keen to know/race more.

Agree 100%. After a few years of to-ing & fro-ing, looks like the website will get up & running this year....some good ideas have been put up, just need a 'puter geek' to design & run it. I believe they've approved funding. Agian with CSV, I think they asked them for a 'grant' of a few thou to get it up & running...I think everyone would agree it would be a benefit to racing in the state...CSV's response: BWHAHAHAHA
 
SEGFTG said:
Fark me, I thought there must be big numbers in the NC when you look at the program.

By all reports: CCCC 600 members. NC: Stk, maybe 300, total of the other 9 wouldn't be 300
 
Hitchy said:
By all reports: CCCC 600 members. NC: Stk, maybe 300, total of the other 9 wouldn't be 300
Crikey! How many at Hawthorn? I thought they had quite a few.
 
531Aussie said:
Crikey! How many at Hawthorn? I thought they had quite a few.

Lama?....

One of the issues with the NC is that the majority of the members are 'traditional' clubs...back from the days when cycling was a 'working mans' sport. So a large % of these traditional clubs members are really only interested in track. We wouldn't see more than 4 or 5 different riders from Northcote at road events, Melton have 3 members, Italo wouldn't have 10 'active' members, Macedon ranges wouldn't have 30 members & most of them are juniors, Preston, you'd be lucky to see more than 10 different guys at road events throughout the year....so that pretty much leaves, Sunbury, 30 members (all active), Brunswick, Coburg, hawthorn. Stk have far & away the most members from the NC, but they are mostly social, or just wanna ride crits or 'race' Colnago's up & down beach rd :D

Average NC turn up each week would be 70-120 across 5 grades, heavily stacked toward C & D usually. The good thing is it's pretty challenging racing on a variety of circuits & a good variety of different events
 
I'm still not sure about this "drive ya car a fair way in the middle of winter just for a run-of-the-mill club race" thing. Maybe for 'big' races, but I dunno if I'm desperate enough to drive 50mins+++ just for a crack at 40 bucks and some bragging rights. :p

Last year it took me about 2 months to get my **** together to be ready early enough on a Saturday for a CCCC Modella race. Then, thinking it was only just passed Packenham, I seen on the Melwayses that it's a about 90km from my joint! Fark that, I thought to meself. :p That's at least 2 hours driving on a Sat arvo that I could be riding, so i didn't go. It don't make sense. The whole driving with the bike in the car thing is kind of a contradiciton, like the people who driving 20mins just to jog around the Tan track in the city for half an hour, when they coulda jogged around the block at home for 40mins, and still had 30mins up their sleeve. I think I'd rather get my racing 'thrills' in winter doing the Tues night Beach Rd ride.

Then there's Casey Fields: what the fark's up with that joint?! Was that built as a traffic school or a go-cart track? I finally got my act together a few weeks ago to drive the 45mins out there for an Eastern Vets race, to find that I had to ride and walk 50m over rocks and dirt in my new Sidis and on my new EVOs! :D Then, naturally, I'm the latest and last one to sign in, and the guy goes: "number 11 for you, mate." I think to meself: 'what the fark? 'I've drivved all this way on a sunny Saturday arvo in my crappy car with no aircon, sweating me **** off in me tight riding gersey, to race on a traffic school course with only 10 other grandpas like me?' :) Where are all the cool kids from Sandown? Where's that big Crowe dude that everyone marks? Where's that Omara guy who grinds and grinds and grinds and grinds and never slows down, even when after the race when he's riding home? Where are all them Doherty guys who unfairly team up on the rest of us hackers?' :D

I woulda preferred mowing down 50 F-graders on Beach Road.
 
531Aussie said:
That's at least 2 hours driving on a Sat arvo that I could be riding, so i didn't go. It don't make sense. The whole driving with the bike in the car thing is kind of a contradiciton,
Harden up and ride there:p
Seriously, i kinda feel the same - raced pretty much all the Modella RR's last year and although they are well run and on a good circuit it was a big slice out of my day. Only 45-50 mins each way for me, so not as bad as you but add on the rooting round at each end beforehand and after and the race still becomes the shortest part of a long day!
Thats what makes the good looking NC program all the more of a tease - there is no way I am gonna drive from the outer eastern burbs to race a circuit thats halfway to bendigo.

Following on from Lama's comments, the BBN ITT at kew over winter is a bit of fun without taking too much out of your day. Just a shame it's only 20 k's
 
gplama said:
Where is the Steffmiester lately? Back in the US? Top bloke.

Read his stalkbook update... he's doing frame design for Cinelli - not sure if in the USA or in Italy.
 
parawolf said:
Read his stalkbook update... he's doing frame design for Cinelli - not sure if in the USA or in Italy.

Crikey... nice. As long as he doesn't produce anything like those epileptic designed Pinarello frames, he'll do well.
 
531Aussie said:
I'm still not sure about this "drive ya car a fair way in the middle of winter just for a run-of-the-mill club race" thing. ......

That's at least 2 hours driving on a Sat arvo that I could be riding.....
The trouble is Ozman, where, close to the city, are you going to find a road racing circuit that can be raced without full road closure and has no traffic lights, minimal traffic, limited intersections requiring marshalls etc?

As much of a pain in the **** as the travel is, I can't see any other options to run a proper road race but to go bush.

Or you could always head down to LittleRiver and race with the in-breeders at Footscray CC :D. Never been called a cnut more times than when I raced there. **** funny day that one.:)