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Will the grass roots thrive as bouquet races wither?

Published: Feb. 3, 2009
If the Tour de Georgia goes down, can the four-corner crit be far behind?
If the Tour de Georgia goes down, can the four-corner crit be far behind?

With the economy sucking wind like a sprinter on the Angrilu, participating in a pricey sport like bicycle racing must fall far short of the podium for most of us, well behind making the mortgage, the car payment and the utility bill.

But despite some very visible disappointments — the high-profile hiccups at the Tour de Georgia, the Oregon Pro Cycling Classic and the Tour de Leelanau come to mind — America’s various sanctioning bodies aren’t experiencing a corresponding dip in consumer confidence.

At the UCI-affiliated national governing body USA Cycling in Colorado Springs, Colorado, communications director Andy Lee said license sales are up 3.8 percent compared to this time last season, and up 6 percent over this point in 2007.

“Those are pretty standard numbers as it relates to the consistent growth in membership we've experienced over the last several years,” said Lee, who sees “no indication that membership will drop off at this point.”

Jon Tarkington, executive director of the Colorado-based American Cycling Association, said 2009 memberships are running slightly behind last year’s pace, but attributes that to a rush to beat a $15 price hike in January 2008.

What's your take?

How is the workaday world affecting your weekend warfare? Will you continue to race regardless of the economy, hard times be damned, or will you log more miles hunting work than wins? Will you race small, local events, skipping travel to your favorite marquee events, or carpool to the big races and split a motel room six ways?

What about the race your club puts on? Still a go, perhaps with a reduced prize list or none at all, or will it be business as usual? Is your club even a going concern, with sponsorships slipping to the back burner for many a marketing department?

Is that new racing bike no longer a must-have item? If so, will you be upgrading the old steed, or just giving it a wash and lube? And how about kit — will you be racing in last season’s duds, or have you already placed your order for some fashionable new jerseys?

We want to hear how the economy is affecting your life as a cyclist. Drop us a line at webletters@insideinc.com, and we’ll publish a selection of your responses in a follow-up story.

And don’t be shy about sharing some of your handy household tips for racing more on less money. We’re just a bunch of underpaid cycling journos and need all the bright ideas we can get.

“Lots of people snuck in before the first of ’08,” he said.

This season, Tarkington expects ACA’s numbers to be flat or down slightly and notes a graying of the membership, with younger riders drifting away but enough masters racers to justify two new BAR/BAT categories — Masters 35/Category 3 and 45/Cat. 4.

Kenji Sugahara, executive director of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, said he’s “busy as all heck,” with memberships running at a surprising pace — up more than 40 percent over 2008. “A lot more than expected,” he added.

There’s no question that times are hard, Sugahara conceded. But with license and entry fees relatively affordable, he expects — perhaps “hopes” is a better word — that Oregonians with bikes in the garage and kit in the closet will pin their numbers on and have a go, regardless.

“I think that most people will race their bikes instead of taking vacations or spending on extraneous stuff. Since our barrier to entries are so low — low entry fees, $20 for an annual license, etc. — it really makes it affordable,” he said.

Joe Lekovish, USA Cycling's local administrator for Michigan, concurs. While top-shelf events like the Tour de Leelanau are struggling, he said, the Michigan amateur road calendar “is shaping up to be the best in 20 years.”

“Isn't that strange?” he said. “The events that consume the largest amount of sponsor dollars are being canceled, while the events that are attended by the average day-in, day-out racer are growing."


Email Patrick O'Grady