Twenty Questions, with Answers
1. How do I join the club?
Easily! First, sign up for our Newsgroup and the appropriate mailing lists
(instructions here). Then start coming to the rides announced to those lists.
Soon thereafter, or before if you prefer, come to one of our meetings announced on those same
lists. There you
will have an opportunity to pay dues and buy clothing. If you don't want to wait for a ride or
a meeting, email one of the officers. All Stanford
community members are eligible
to join the Stanford Cycling Club, but only full-time registered students can race in the
Western Collegiate Cycling Conference.
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2. What are club dues?
For students, $55 per quarter or $125 per year. For non-student members, including alumni, dues
are $100 per year. With racing, clothing purchases, and/or sponsor orders, you'll make back your dues quickly.
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3. Do you have to be a student to be in the club?
You do not need to be a student to be a member of the club, you just need
to be a member of the Stanford community: alumni, staff, and faculty are welcome. You do need
to be a full-time
registered student to race collegiate races. If you are not a student but
are interested in racing, you can still race for Stanford in non-collegiate
races, such as those sponsored by NORBA or UCSF.
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4. What do I need to do if I want to race?
Check the race schedule on the
WCCC site for changes/updates early in each race week. A club
officer will send out an email to the e-mail lists and post to the newsgroup asking for race
commitments and carpool information. Just send this person an e-mail
saying you are planning to race that weekend. Then attend whatever pre-race
meeting is called, usually late in the week, to nail down logistics. Be
sure to sign a club waiver, pay your dues and buy a jersey before your
first race with the team. If you are in doubt about whether you are ready,
confer with one of the coaches or an experienced club racer who has been on
a ride with you. Please note that only full-time registered students are allowed to race in
collegiate competition.
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5. What are my expenses during a race weekend, and what does the team cover?
The team will reimburse gas expenses, as long as you do not drive alone, and pay
for a hotel room when necessary. Collegiate
race entry fees are also covered by the team. You pay for little more than your own food.
Also, you may be eligible for reimbursement
of some fees and expenses for non-collegiate/summer racing, if you race in a Stanford jersey.
Download the reimbursement form here.
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6. Can you be in the club and not race?
Definitely. A lot of people join the club and pay dues to enjoy the
sponsorship benefits and discounts, meet new people, and join a group of
good riders. It's a good way to find new places to ride and make friends.
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7. Is there a minimum number of races we are required to participate in?
No. Although once you start, the question will be "how many races can I
participate in." Watch out-it's addictive.
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8. Can I get a jersey if I'm not in the club, and if I'm in the club,
can I buy a jersey for someone else?
You must be a member to purchase a jersey at the team price and you may buy
jerseys to give as gifts, depending on the supply. Sometimes we have excess
supply and those can be purchased by the general public at regular price.
Contact the Clothing officer about availability, pricing, and payment. In
general, jerseys may be purchased at our sponsor shop,
Menlo Velo Bicycles or online through
Domino.
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9. When does the team ride?
Can anyone come to a team ride?
Check the
newsgroup for the latest road riding opportunities. People post off-road rides to
the mountain bike webpage and email list
as well. The club has rides for
all levels of riders. Anyone with a health insurance policy of their own
can participate in a team ride once they sign
a waiver. You may want to email the ride leader or
captains to make sure the ride is compatible with your riding level.
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10. Where can I find people to go riding with, but just for fun?
Off-season club rides tend to be pretty accomodating for a variety of
fitness levels. There will be easy or recovery mtb and road rides all year
(typically Mon/Fri for the road) that anyone can come on without fear of
lactic acid. But, the really fun rides are the ones that are a bit more
challenging, so start riding now and come see the sights with us!
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11. I like mountain biking, but I don't train daily, could I still race?
The race categories represent a variety of skill levels and commitments to
training, so there is some flexibility here. And your body needs some rest
each week to recover (not to mention your studies and social life). That
said, training yields big dividends in terms of performance for and
enjoyment of racing.
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12. Are there required practices? When and how often?
For racers, the team tries to organize ride teams that ride twice a week or
more for a few hours. It's expected, but not really enforced, that people
earning the better sponsorship deals will make a significant commitment to
training, particularly during the race season. For non racers, there are
no riding requirements
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13. Do I have to shave my legs?
No. But some roadies claim it makes you super-sexy. And, should you fall and get any scrapes, clean
smooth skin is easier to clean out and less prone to infection (and less painful
peel bandages off).
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14. Is there a coach?
Yes, two! Scott and Mark Rodamaker take over as coaches for the 2006 road racing season, and
plan to help out the mountain bike and track teams next season as well.
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15. Coaches, captains ... who does what?
We are a student-run organization. The coaches serve as volunteers
to aid in training and race preparation. The two captains together lead the club
administratively but in terms of racing and riding, Evan leads the road team
and Todd leads the mtb team. The other officer positions should be self-explanatory.
Want to help us out? We can always use more!
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16. Can I get free stuff from the sponsors of Stanford Cycling?
You can get great discounts on many products from our sponsors.
To be eligible for these discounts, you must have paid dues, performed or committed to perform
three club jobs including two race-day jobs, and (for most sponsor deals) be an active racer. Racers
are provided with free Clif products at most events. All members, racers and non-racers
alike, are eligible for our discounts on team clothing, and on parts and service at Menlo Velo.
For full details, read our full sponsorship policy.
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17. How can I get a free/low-cost bike through the team?
You
can ask on the
newsgroup
to see if anyone has an old bike that they would either sell or loan. Craigslist has a
pretty active cycling classifieds for the SF Bay Area. Menlo Velo also has a
classifieds section. The racing teams get
good deals on Specialized bicycles through their sponsorship of our
team, but this is limited to riders who are doing collegiate racing. See our full
sponsorship policy
for more details.
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18. How can I store my good bike in my room?
The answer to this varies by living situation and size of room, but rest
assured, many of our members have confronted this issue with some very
creative solutions. Anyone who has lived in your dorm complex may be able
to fill you in , but three quick ideas are: 1. Loft furniture 2. Use
closet space creatively 3. If all else fails, buy sturdy hooks, find
studs in the wall, and buy some spackle for later!
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19. Is it worth
it for me to bring out my good bike?
Absolutely. The trails and road rides around here are amazing for new
people. New members who delayed in sending out their bikes have often
regretted missing out on some great rides!
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20. What if I still have more questions?
If you have any questions, please email one of the officers,
or browse our new riders' manual. Also be sure to check
the rest of this site!
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