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Events => Old School Series Racing => Topic started by: RATTY on June 08, 2008, 11:29 PM
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
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If you factor in holidays and the fact that a lot of riders moved onto 40+ this year then we are looking at vastly reduced gates.
Will be worse next year if a few of us move up to cruisers as planned.
We really need to try and promote new riders into the series. We've seen a few new riders this year but I think more are needed.
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i would love to race but i just can't commit the time TBH...........maybe one or two races but that would be my lot
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Its a shame tone, as i know you put alot into it, if i lived closer i would be well in mate, :)
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I was up for racing this year but two injurys with one being quite nasty has put paid for a while. :'( :'( :'(
After meeting you guys at Andover i was well up for it, still am but my body doesn't want to play anymore.
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You don't need to be any good to come along and roll around at the back.
The competition at who comes last is quite keenly fought over at most races. I think Humps used to be the master but Sonic is begining to assert his authority on last place quite vigoursly lately.
The old school is for all ability levels and everyone in the class makes it what it is.
We've seen a few new faces this year step up and take part, unfortunately we've also seen some faces dissappear that seemed to really enjoy it last year.
I think where the racing wins over the freestyle side of things is that you can bring your family along to watch and you just chill out with a picnic enjoying the races. :daumenhoch:
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Credit crunch and oil prices. I can't justify spending £40 on petrol to ride my bike around a track for about 3 minutes even if it is great fun.
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Credit crunch and oil prices. I can't justify spending £40 on petrol to ride my bike around a track for about 3 minutes even if it is great fun.
with semis n final its five minutes, and fookin priceless :daumenhoch:
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what price can yer put on fun at our age ???????? there is not alot yer can do thats cheep now AND fun
i dont drink(much) n dont smoke have kids n a wife that could easy spend me into bakrupcy
fun is not somthing yer get much of !!!!!
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I was intending going yesterday, but I was at a cider festival all day Saturday. After several pints of Old Goat and Summer Festival Special I was completely fooked! That cider was strong! I spent most of the day lying on the sofa holding my head and feeling sick! I will be at the next round though.
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I was intending going yesterday, but I was at a cider festival all day Saturday. After several pints of Old Goat and Summer Festival Special I was completely fooked! That cider was strong! I spent most of the day lying on the sofa holding my head and feeling sick! I will be at the next round though.
well thats the best reson not to have come :LolLolLolLol:
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Credit crunch and oil prices. I can't justify spending £40 on petrol to ride my bike around a track for about 3 minutes even if it is great fun.
with semis n final its five minutes, and fookin priceless :daumenhoch:
or I could spend £20 on petrol and a whole afternoon riding skateparks.
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Well you could, but that would be missing the point wouldn't it.
Competition improves the breed. Riding up a ramp doesn't. :LolLolLolLol:
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i know i keep saying im coming but something does actually happen and i cant bloody make it
it has pi**ed me off but im still practising at least once a week (was over there 2nite for 2 hours) now im close to a track and im getting better and fitter
nothings gonna stop me from now on touch wood
driving miles to race doesnt bother me could that be the issue though?
the buzz you get from racing around a track is incredible i will hopefully be in this for the long run
and i appreciate the work a certain few people have done to organise all this and by me not turning up could ruin all there hard work and effort so watch out fellas a fitter faster stronger eloopnai will be at the next round :LolLolLolLol:
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i think there are 2 or 3 main reasons why i've never made it to any (even though i would love to!)
1. Diesel costing more than gold!
2. Grief off the Mrs for never being at home at the best of times! :yahoo_silent:
3. family commitments (see No2) ;D
but that probibly goes for most of us!
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i think there are 2 or 3 main reasons why i've never made it to any (even though i would love to!)
1. Diesel costing more than gold!
2. Grief off the Mrs for never being at home at the best of times! :yahoo_silent:
3. family commitments (see No2) ;D
but that probibly goes for most of us!
Share the costs and bring a mate who can race as well. :daumenhoch:
Bring the family and a BBQ and make a family day of it. :daumenhoch:
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Mate, i could bring me lad but the Mrs would rather stick forks in her eyes than stand/sit and watch grown men ride kids bikes (her words not mine) :LolLolLolLol:
the diesel cost isn't really a huge issue in comparison to the grief of being out all day and the Mrs not being able to go out as i have the car.............i think Daggers and braintree are about 45 minutes from my house so not a huge effort to get there i guess.
but i bet i'd be pushing for that coverted last place from race 1! :LolLolLolLol:
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
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Ratty paid to race as his name was on the race sheets but withdrew for health reasons just before the racing started. ;)
Ratty turned up with the intention of racing which is at least a lot more than a lot of guy's did, hence he qualifies for points.
:daumenhoch:
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
:wtf: si if yer bin it big n cant race yer should be out !!!!!!!!! errrr no not if yer payed i realy dont see that as fair !!!!! he was goin to race but we all told him no way were we goin to let him !!!! he might be tough but dont want to see serious injury on the track
and just to add he couldnt race as i had his inertube as mine had prob with valve , so he had no choice but to sit it out
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
As long as it's the same for everyone then I think it's fair.
IE if you turn up to race, then crash out you should be given points for last place on the day too.
British cycling is a bit funny with this. You actually have to start a race to get any points - but I've hurt myself a few times (Yeh - I know LOL!) but as long as I rolled off the start hill I got last place points in the race, so at least i can make up some points.
At the end of the day as long as this is being done consistently, and fairly then everyone gets a fair crack of the whip.
Only prob here is that if you can't race on a day where there's only a few of you racing you'll get more points for not riding at all than if you were to race through all your moto's/semis/finals etc on a day where there is a massive turn out.
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Not quite sure what the issue is here? I have finished in 7th place so I get 7th place points.
If you think it was wrong for me to get the points because I never actually raced, then say so.
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
WHOEVER THE HELL YOU ARE AT LEAST HAVE THE BOLLOX TO REVEAL YOUR REAL NAME TO US, COME ON, DONT BE SCARED I WONT HURT YA, NOT FOOKIN MUCH ANYWAYS.
IF YOU KNEW FOOK ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE PART THEN YOU'D KNOW EXACTLY WHY HE GOT THE POINTS, HE HAS BEEN REGISTERED TO RACE THIS EVENT FOR AGES, HE WANTED TO RACE, UNFORTUNATELY HE IS FACING LIFE THREATENING FOOKIN SURGERY ON MONDAY AND IT WAS DECIDED TOO DANGEROUS FOR HIM TO RACE.
IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE STILL, FEEL FREE TO PM ME, I KNOW THE SOUTH SERIES BOYS WILL BE PLEASED TO ASSIST ME IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, YOU NO FACED shuffle munsterer.
GET A LIFE AND COME BACK WHEN YOU'VE GROWN SOME BALLS OR LEARNT TO POST SOMETHING USEFUL OR INFORMATIVE ON THE SITE :tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff:
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
:wtf:
Hersden is a fun summer series, not the UCI world cup series. If the organisers and other competitors are happy for Ratty to do this, then I don't see why anyone else should have a problem with it.
As for the old school rider count being low, if there's a winter series I will take part again. But for the time being, getting a top 10 regional ranking and my first ever national ranking is top priority.
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OH, BTW WHY JUST TARGET RATTY?, THERE WERE RIDERS INJURED LAST YEAR THAT RECEIVED LAST PLACE POINTS, DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU START SOMETHING YOU DONT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO FOLLOW THROUGH INCOGNEATO :2gunsfiring_v1:
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
So, are you racing at all? ::)
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Guys we went to Hersden today and only 6 riders turned out. Whats going wrong? why are we not getting the 30 plus riders we did last year?? Is it something we can sort out?
If we dont get some more riders new and old the Old school will die, I for one would hate that to happen :-[
HOW CAN RATTY GET 32 points FOR 7th AND ONLY 6 RACED??????????
HOW DO THE RIDERS FELL ABOUT THAT?????????????????
I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY IF I WAS RACING IN THE SOUTH :rant: :rant:
I havnt got a problem with it and I race in the South Series, so why have you :idiot2:
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get a grip winkle, and stop shouting please
Dave
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Well i crashed out last time in practise and got 15 points for 15 place. Just my luck that so many old schoolers turned up :2funny:
But i will go with whatever everyone thinks is fair and just. If my points have to go then so be it. This is a grey area and think its good to sort this out for all of us that race old school.
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To get back to the original thread cause. I have to agree on a certain level with Longun, Most race tracks are at least a 100 mile round trip, so cost is a factor. Racing costs £10.
On another level for me, I got back onto a BMX because of my son(s), Discovered the local track(Dagenham), got involved with the club dragged my family along for the ride(pardon the pun). We still are, my eldest raced for a approx 1 season before deciding he didn't want to race anymore (not going to force him), but he still loves BMX and likes the Freestyle side of it, which all those decades ago was what I was doing. So I get to spend time with him doing what we both really enjoy. rOm is 15mins away so I can get up do some DIY and still go riding for 4 hours costs £12 for both of us. Both scenes are friendly and chilled. I do still enjoy racing and all the people that I have met over the last couple of years, so am not about to quit racing, plan on making it to the Brits. My youngest has now started to race at club level, so will see how that progresses, as he changes his mind every 5 mins. Plus the wife is moaning about the lack of DIY I do due to the amount of time spent at weekends riding. I think the OSS is a victim of its own sucses, like someone else said it has been a gateway for people to start riding again and they have progressed to racing Cruiser and Master's. Fook me that's the longest reply I have ever typed, my finger hurts now :LolLolLolLol:
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Plus the wife is moaning about the lack of DIY I do due to the amount of time spent at weekends riding.
Fook me that's the longest reply I have ever typed, my finger hurts now
You could have fixed the kitchen ceiling in the time you must have taken to post that lot up Gary!! I think the "victim of own success" comment is very true as the OSSS has spawned an influx of old boys who have progressed into 40+ cruisers and are bolstering up that class, especially in the South Region. Maybe there are too many races in these difficult financial times and there needs to be a bit of pruning. Or maybe riders want more than Hersden has to offer - it's fun but its size and lack of change since built has made it a bit stale. I know I'd have loved to have been there rather than suffer the worst weekend of my life but that's life. I could have done with all of those lovely points up for grabs!! Humps
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I now have ceilings throughout my house, only took 3 years for the living room :-[
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:LolLolLolLol:
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Missed my first one of the season this year (my first season) on sunday as I was MTBing in Italy. I must admit the cost of it all has got to me like everyone - but a few emails offering lifts and thats normally sorted. The GF loves coming along and has started getting involved with the marshalling etc but it wont be long before she is itching to have a go - so i think Hersden will have another entrant in the womens class that i believe was held at the weekend.
i'll be moving up to Cruiser next year - but love the OSS and wont be giving it up!
So with this in mind - anyone want a lift for Hayes - can take upto 4 and bikes including me! - East London/Essex Area only.
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Missed my first one of the season this year (my first season) on sunday as I was MTBing in Italy. I must admit the cost of it all has got to me like everyone - but a few emails offering lifts and thats normally sorted. The GF loves coming along and has started getting involved with the marshalling etc but it wont be long before she is itching to have a go - so i think Hersden will have another entrant in the womens class that i believe was held at the weekend.
i'll be moving up to Cruiser next year - but love the OSS and wont be giving it up!
So with this in mind - anyone want a lift for Hayes - can take upto 4 and bikes including me! - East London/Essex Area only.
Yes please Simon :daumenhoch:
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She should try racing OS with the blokes.
We had Smithy's GF racing at Bradford with Handlebars so far forward that you'd be able to see down her top.
Not that we did though. It was artic conditions and she was all buttoned/zipped up.
But she might be racing at hartlepool so I hope she's wearing something low-cut!!!! :daumenhoch:
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Missed my first one of the season this year (my first season) on sunday as I was MTBing in Italy. I must admit the cost of it all has got to me like everyone - but a few emails offering lifts and thats normally sorted. The GF loves coming along and has started getting involved with the marshalling etc but it wont be long before she is itching to have a go - so i think Hersden will have another entrant in the womens class that i believe was held at the weekend.
i'll be moving up to Cruiser next year - but love the OSS and wont be giving it up!
So with this in mind - anyone want a lift for Hayes - can take upto 4 and bikes including me! - East London/Essex Area only.
Yes please Simon :daumenhoch:
i was sort of taking you as a given Lee - sounds like you need a detoxing weekend of 20" madness!
2 more available....
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Cheers mate. I will have a word with Jim and see if I can lure him out of retirement
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I love these debates. ;)
Four points:
- Yes it costs and fuel has got stupid. Happy for anyone to grab a lift with me from norf London to any south races if I have room. PM me if you're stuck and want a lift/to share the £, just nor for three weeks as I'll be sat on my arse on holiday
- Points/turning up. There are rules, everyone plays by the same ones. Not that it matters, but I felt quietly satisfied when I once did one moto, puked the remains of eight Stellas, sloped off home and got a few points for my trouble. Very British
- Travel costs so racing costs. Personally I am more scared by the thought of what my fat arse might do to an expensive little child's bike coz the insurance man is just going to laugh at me
- If you want me to stop racing old school then you'll have to chop my legs off
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Hopefully more new blood will discover OS racing to bolster the numbers as the more established old schoolers take up the challenge of racing new school.
I love watching the old school races (and even taking part in them when I get chance), but for me, new school is where it's at and if people want to progress their riding, Masters and 30/39 and 40+ are the places to improve as the equipment is much better and the comp is tougher. There must still be hundreds of OS riders out there who haven't gotten back onto the track yet. Best thing is try to tap into that pool of riders to keep the OS alive.
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Looks like we'll be bashing bars in 30-39 next year then Simon. :LolLolLolLol:
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Looks like we'll be bashing bars in 30-39 next year then Simon. :LolLolLolLol:
I thought you was retiring at the end of this year?
I am going to do cruisers as well next year, so there might be a few of us bashing bars in the 30-39
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You 2 had better start training then, cos it`s bloody hard enough in 40+ let alone 30-39 :shocked:
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Right then, it took me bloody ages to read that lot so here goes and at the risk of upsetting one of my very best and certainly oldest friend (nearly 30 years now), i,ll continue.
In my view (and im not alone) we have over killed OS, thats why were not getting the numbers, we should bin the winter series alltogether and cut the summer series down to 8-10 races (all races count) now I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for cocking up the OSS08 especially the fact that you could drop so many races as I thought this would give everyone the chance to miss some races with family things and not suffer in the rankings but I was wrong.
What we have done instead is put so many races on the calender that the OS is no longer special.................its just another class, the only thing that sets it aside from the other classes is that we will never get a "British Ranking" from it. :Great_Britain:
Im sorry. :10_2_12:
Now am I wrong? ???
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i would love to race but there is no where near me :2gunsfiring_v1: :-[
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Right then, it took me bloody ages to read that lot so here goes and at the risk of upsetting one of my very best and certainly oldest friend (nearly 30 years now), i,ll continue.
In my view (and im not alone) we have over killed OS, thats why were not getting the numbers, we should bin the winter series alltogether and cut the summer series down to 8-10 races (all races count) now I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for cock-a-doodle-doing up the OSS08 especially the fact that you could drop so many races as I thought this would give everyone the chance to miss some races with family things and not suffer in the rankings but I was wrong.
What we have done instead is put so many races on the calender that the OS is no longer special.................its just another class, the only thing that sets it aside from the other classes is that we will never get a "British Ranking" from it. :Great_Britain:
Im sorry. :10_2_12:
Now am I wrong? ???
Very well put :daumenhoch:
I would feel better if we (North) only had 5 or 6 races over a year, it's too intense and too costly at the moment... and it's not really that special :-\
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You 2 had better start training then, cos it`s bloody hard enough in 40+ let alone 30-39 :shocked:
30-39 at nationals is brutal. They don't call it "Elite Cruiser" for nothing. But at regional level, it's a good time to get involved as rider count is low and you guys in the 30-39 age group can put your own stamp on it like we have in 40+ this year. Last couple of seasons there's only been about 4 or 5 40+ regulars. This year we're officially the biggest class in the South Region.
I've seen lots of you guys race in old school and you're quick and competitive. You'll be even faster and more competitive on new school bikes. Look at Spillers and Roonga - they're flying now!
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Thats whats good about the OSS, we can debate it, we can change the rules, and we can fine tune it until it runs as sweet as it can.
Sam, you would never upset me. you t0sser >:D :2funny:
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Shouldn`t you be at the hospital Tony :knuppel2:
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Shouldn`t you be at the hospital Tony :knuppel2:
Got the boot, just curled up now waiting for Nik to call :-[
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GOOD LUCK with everything you 2!!!!!!!!!! :daumenhoch: :Great_Britain:
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Good luck - its all very exciting!!!!!!!!!
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wish they had let him stay, missing my sweetie :'( :'( :'( :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
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Are you online in hospital? ;D
Its mean the way they turf the men out asap :(
How are you doing?
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you know me, never miss a day on rad :LolLolLolLol:
all is ok here cept no baby yet and they turfed my sweetie out, its well harsh, never mind, i can nag him by pm all night :LolLolLolLol: :LolLolLolLol:
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Se mark bought a cruiser and has raced at 2 regionals and did really well :daumenhoch: nic968 built a cruiser and raced 40+ at brixton regional and loved it :daumenhoch:
30-39 and 40+ cruiser men and old skoolers on new bikes,just look at 40+ line up you have keith wilson :daumenhoch:
billy stupple :daumenhoch:
tony slater :daumenhoch:
Eroll mc clean :daumenhoch:
jeremy hayes :daumenhoch:
john stockwell :daumenhoch:
i could name loads of top old skoolers in 40+ this year and all of them damn fast ;D
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surly this in cog neato is just on a wind up, i mean were is he now ;) looks like another rad wind up, :-\ tones done so much for the OS racing in the uk , just ingore him, im sure he wont be heard of again, well unless he's on another wind up :LolLolLolLol:
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The trouble is Zed, Tony isn't well enough for this sort of wind up at the minute and anyone that knows Tony knows just how much his got on his plate right now. This is definately not the first time people have been allocated points in this way so why raise the issue now?
I think Tony has done the right thing by organising the vote so it can be decided once and for all and nobody will have cause to winge in the future regarding this.
Sharon xx
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Right then, it took me bloody ages to read that lot so here goes and at the risk of upsetting one of my very best and certainly oldest friend (nearly 30 years now), i,ll continue.
In my view (and im not alone) we have over killed OS, thats why were not getting the numbers, we should bin the winter series alltogether and cut the summer series down to 8-10 races (all races count) now I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for cock-a-doodle-doing up the OSS08 especially the fact that you could drop so many races as I thought this would give everyone the chance to miss some races with family things and not suffer in the rankings but I was wrong.
What we have done instead is put so many races on the calender that the OS is no longer special.................its just another class, the only thing that sets it aside from the other classes is that we will never get a "British Ranking" from it. :Great_Britain:
Im sorry. :10_2_12:
Now am I wrong? ???
nope not at all - i think you are right about the amount races being overkill - if you treat the OSS the same as the regionals then it keeps it bit special... Till next year then....
And yes Zips and Lee - we will be..... and Bill we'll just use the 30-39 as training for when we come up to the 40+ if you can wait 3 years that is...
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Looks like we'll be bashing bars in 30-39 next year then Simon. :LolLolLolLol:
I thought you was retiring at the end of this year?
I am going to do cruisers as well next year, so there might be a few of us bashing bars in the 30-39
I was going to hang up my vans at the end of the year but that was mainly down to me not enjoying the racing that much. It's also a huge calender this year and the thought of all these races got me down a bit.
To be honest i thought I'd walk the old school this year but Quad has run me very close and there really isn't anything between us at the moment. That's what's put the fun back into things for me.
Cruiser all the way for me next year though as I reckon the class will see a resurgence next year with another bunch of old schoolers joining them to bash bars. Besides I've seen the fun the 40+ are having and I want some of that. :LolLolLolLol:
I think 13 races are a bit much to be honest but this is only the second year and it'll be a few years before things normalize and find their place.
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Looks like we'll be bashing bars in 30-39 next year then Simon. :LolLolLolLol:
I thought you was retiring at the end of this year?
I am going to do cruisers as well next year, so there might be a few of us bashing bars in the 30-39
I was going to hang up my vans at the end of the year but that was mainly down to me not enjoying the racing that much. It's also a huge calender this year and the thought of all these races got me down a bit.
To be honest i thought I'd walk the old school this year but Quad has run me very close and there really isn't anything between us at the moment. That's what's put the fun back into things for me.
Cruiser all the way for me next year though as I reckon the class will see a resurgence next year with another bunch of old schoolers joining them to bash bars. Besides I've seen the fun the 40+ are having and I want some of that. :LolLolLolLol:
I think 13 races are a bit much to be honest but this is only the second year and it'll be a few years before things normalize and find their place.
you are going to do both though arent you? you cant give up the OSS just yet, i havent beaten you yet.... ;D
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I'm going to enter the odd event but probably only one or two a year and maybe the Brits if that goes ahead on a yearly basis. :daumenhoch:
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Right then, it took me bloody ages to read that lot so here goes and at the risk of upsetting one of my very best and certainly oldest friend (nearly 30 years now), i,ll continue.
In my view (and im not alone) we have over killed OS, thats why were not getting the numbers, we should bin the winter series alltogether and cut the summer series down to 8-10 races (all races count) now I have to shoulder some of the responsibility for cock-a-doodle-do-a-doodle-doing up the OSS08 especially the fact that you could drop so many races as I thought this would give everyone the chance to miss some races with family things and not suffer in the rankings but I was wrong.
What we have done instead is put so many races on the calender that the OS is no longer special.................its just another class, the only thing that sets it aside from the other classes is that we will never get a "British Ranking" from it. :Great_Britain:
Im sorry. :10_2_12:
Now am I wrong? ???
Very well put :daumenhoch:
I would feel better if we (North) only had 5 or 6 races over a year, it's too intense and too costly at the moment... and it's not really that special :-\
i agree, maybe doing half the regional calander so that every track is raced once through the summer and winter series, this would lighten the load without any venues being missed out and keep the old school on its toes as only racing each track once a year :daumenhoch:
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Please keep the OS winter series (but fewer dates than last year) as I'd definitely like to do some OS racing over winter when there are fewer NS races to go to.
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Very good debate this, and nice to see for a change that it hasn't descended into a keyboard slugfest :daumenhoch:
I agree with Sam & some of the other very valid points that have been made as well about costs etc, family life etc and it does become a juggling act. Think we do need to keep it that a few rounds can be dropped though as even if we shorten the calander to 6-8 races there still no way everyone will be able to make every round (e.g 5 of 6 or 6 of 8 to count to points).
But in terms of fun it has been a great series again just with slightly less riders. I'm also planning on stepping up to NS over the winter but not decided yet whether to go 30+ or 30-39 cruiser (both look whey too fast at the mo ::) ) I will continue to support the OSS as well though.
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Final bit from me on this, meant to say - yes 5-8 races for the series would be better than 13. I'm dropping a bit of podge at least though.
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OK from the vibe we're getting, I think MOST of us are agreed that the present format is too long, pauls suggestion of 5 from 6 or 6 from 8 looks like a good idea to me. I first suggested that we should drop the winter series and shorten the summer but 796 and myself had another idea of maybe a yearly season 0f 12 races (1 per month) dropping 2 races.(10 from 12)
WHAT DO YOU LOT THINK???
Ratty's got a bit on his plate at the moment as im sure you lot know but as soon as he's back to his best, we'll all sit down and have a proper chat about it. (probably in the pub) :LolLolLolLol:
Nishiki14.
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i dont have a prob with the way it is at the mo , at some point i wont be able to make a race (22june ) but thats why its the way it is
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I think you should keep the summer series and winter series separate.
Having OS at regionals seems to have worked well, so maybe stick with the South Region dates and Hersden for the summer series venues (best 50% of total races to count towards final ranking). Then run a winter series separately from the region at whichever clubs you like - maybe the winter series could include races at tracks in other regions to drum up support for the next summer series.
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Not sure what's going wrong with the numbers attending racing at the moment as we only had 8 turn up at Hayes this weekend.
We were getting high end 20's last year and at Hersden we had 33 riders turn up.
We desperately need some new blood turning up pretty soon as we're going to loose another 2 to cruisers next year.
To be honest the racing is only a small part of what a race meet is about for the old school, you get to make new friends and some more than likely needed excercise as well.
A few people have said they'd come along to watch. Bugger that bring your bike and join in, I guarentee that't you'll lov it. You'll be knackered hot sweaty and have a smile all over your face.
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cant we race every weekend sam :daumenhoch:
im gonna get a new skool bike soon so i can race between our series
ive got the bmx bug and so has me boy
so were gonna start doing wednesday nights as well here in braintree £2.50 you cant go wrong
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I cant wait to get back on the track :angel:
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I cant wait to get back on the track :angel:
And we cant wait to get you back up and running Ratty!
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For me personally as a newbie to the OS scene, one of the biggest problems with getting to race the OSS is that it's been difficult to sort an OS "legal" bike - I'm close enough to Hayes, Andover and Bournemouth to feel happy about the cost of travel, plus I want to get my kids into it too while I become BMX race fit along with them.
New to this OS thing meant that I bought 2 bikes that didn't qualify as "legal" to race and I tied up my budget a bit learning the ropes by buying the wrong stuff as a newbie oldie. Both were running "non-caliper" brakes but had 1" threaded headsets so I lucked out when they turned out to be mid-school and only worth looking at. I've found these purchases impossible to move on because of that and recover the costs to put into "real" OS stuff. Because of that a NS Cruiser looks inviting - they're cheaper (even to customise), easier to get hold of, and more like my MTB with a sensible TT length!
Like many I have a limited budget and can't just spend willy-nilly while wife and three kids look on scratching their heads at my slowly growing obsession... and unraceable mid-school bikes. I'm not saying incorporate all MS bikes into the "legal" category but perhaps looking at incorporating some other earler 90's models would make it easier to get "race legal" but maintain the spirit of being "old school". Maybe specify non-vee brakes (ie canti) for frames with 990 mounts and 1" threaded forks.
This is going to become an increasing problem as pukka OS parts become increasingly rare and expensive (£80-£100 for an OS saddle!). One of the biggest threats to OS racing is the cost of entering the sport and availability of parts for the casual "let's give it a go again" racer who doesn't want to spend £££'s on a whim (esp when that whim is a shedload smaller AND older than the mountain bike he's been riding since bmx in the 80's). IMHO this is one of the things that contributed to the downfall of racing in the first place in the 80's - cost. Remember the "how much is your bike worth" questions that main stream media got hooked onto? It gave the impression that BMX racing was for the wealthy and elite when it all started with some kids in a field on make-shift bikes. Cost is always going to be a factor but with OS parts availability more so.
As for the number of OS races - I had hoped to ride one a month myself and get my boys into it as well (which means another 2 BMX bikes). Buying NS bikes to re-introduce yourself or your kids to BMX is easy compared to building a race legal OS ride - so 30-39 looks a possibility. I just hope they have a novice class...
my 2p
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Tend to agree/see the point with 20 to 26, being that i've just got back into it, found it difficult to get everything, but was extremely lucky to build an old skool for appx 250, but only cos i was lucky enough to pick up a frame for pennies, had that not have been the case i would still be on my Halfords stallion, then the cost of lid and gloves ... etc, got through well over 350.00 in the last month and a half, considering didn't have any spare cash put aside for it.... so then have to justofy the spend to wife? then my lad's bike and lid, now daughter wants to give it a try ... so it is hard for newbies to get back into it, without feeling like an outsider or don't fit in, because of the rules with old skool.
Not that I am trying undermine the rules, but know from recent experience how difficult and potentially costly getting back into it is.
Don't help that i now fancy a cruiser, to see if i get on with them now.....but think that'll be an un-realised dream.....or following divorce.
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>:(
Tend to agree/see the point with 20 to 26, being that i've just got back into it, found it difficult to get everything, but was extremely lucky to build an old skool for appx 250, but only cos i was lucky enough to pick up a frame for pennies, had that not have been the case i would still be on my Halfords stallion, then the cost of lid and gloves ... etc, got through well over 350.00 in the last month and a half, considering didn't have any spare cash put aside for it.... so then have to justofy the spend to wife? then my lad's bike and lid, now daughter wants to give it a try ... so it is hard for newbies to get back into it, without feeling like an outsider or don't fit in, because of the rules with old skool.
Not that I am trying undermine the rules, but know from recent experience how difficult and potentially costly getting back into it is.
Don't help that i now fancy a cruiser, to see if i get on with them now.....but think that'll be an un-realised dream.....or following divorce.
stay on the o/s bike neil.dont want you kicking my arse just yet.
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:LolLolLolLol: started planting the seeds of letting the missus know im interested in cruiser, but deffo 20" for me
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Neil, grab yourself a cruiser and join us in 30+ next year. :daumenhoch:
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am seriously thinking about it, but never got on with them bitd, but got to leave something for the wife to get me for xmas :LolLolLolLol:
but currently having handling issues with my redline, so who knows what class i'll be doin next year.
really fancied cruiser as an add on to get more track time more than seriousness......
watch this space??