UMBRC FAQ

A list of questions we frequently receive about the club and the answers to them. If your question is not answered here then go to our contact page and send an officer an email.

1. Is the UMBRC an official campus club?
2. Does the club provide race or recreational bicycles to its members?
3. Do club members ride at regular times?
4. Are potential and non-members invited on the group rides?
5. What can I expect when I show up for a group ride my first time?
6. What types of riding do UMBRC members do?
7. Do I have to wear a helmet when riding for the club?
8. Who is eligible to race as a member of the UMass team?
9. Are there separate racing fields for men and women?
10. What does it cost to join the club?
11. When are UMBRC meetings?
12. I have never raced before, do I need to be a pro to race for UMass?
13. Do I need a USA Cycling license to race for UMass?
14. How do I get a Collegiate, USCF, or NORBA license?
15. Can I race for UMass at USCF and NORBA races?
16. Do I have to wear the current club kit to compete in collegiate races?
17. Does the club have a coach?
18. How much does the clothing cost?
19. Do I need to have a car so I can get to races?
20. How does the club travel to races and make overnight accommodations?
21. How much will a weekend of racing cost me?

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1. Is the UMBRC an official campus club?

2. Does the club provide race or recreational bicycles to its members?

3. Do club members ride at regular times?

Once a regular ride is scheduled it is posted on our schedule page.  Other rides are arranged on an ad-hoc basis over the club list-serve (Yahoo! group UMBRC) - learn more on the join page.

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4. Are potential and non-members invited on the group rides?

Yes!  All riders are welcome at these rides, please come out and join us.

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5. What can I expect when I show up for a group ride my first time?

A welcome and an nice ride.  Pace depends on who is present and smaller groups might form to go at different speeds but no one will be left behind on these rides.  Everyone will have a helmet on.

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6. What types of riding do UMBRC members do?

All types - some we might not even know about yet.  There are road, mountain, gravity and bmx disciplines currently represented within our ranks.

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7. Do I have to wear a helmet when riding for the club?

Absolutely and without exception.  Its smart, its required at NCCA/ECCC events whenever you're on your bike (even if your just heading to the bathroom), and most of the new models look better than your bare dome anyway.  One more thing - make sure it fits right.  We strongly recommend you wear a helmet when not riding for the club as well

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8. Who is eligible to race as a member of the UMass team?

To compete in the ECCC (Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference) and NCCA (National Collegiate Cycling Association) you must be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student.  For non-racing members you need only be a currently enrolled (part-time of full-time) student of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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9. Are there separate racing fields for men and women?

Yes, collegiate races have specific men's and women's fields at every race and event.

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10. What does it cost to join the club?

The only required fee is annual membership dues.  The dues are split into two payments of $30. One payment due at the beginning of each Spring and Fall school semester. (please note that this fee is subject to change)

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11. When are UMBRC meetings?

Thursday evenings at 7:30 in the Campus Center - head to the schedule page for more info.

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12. I have never raced before, do I need to be a pro to race for UMass?

Absolutely not.  The best part about collegiate cycling is that there is a category to suit everyone.  And by joining the club you will only get better riding with other, experienced members.

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13. Do I need a USA Cycling license to race for UMass?

Yes.  For collegiate races you will need a need a specific collegiate license (available as an add-on to your USCF or NORBA licenses or as a stand alone license).  The other option is to purchase a "day-of" license (usually $5) for each day of collegiate racing you participate in.

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14. How do I get a Collegiate, USCF, or NORBA license?

Collegiate licenses are required for collegiate events, USCF licenses are for road races, and NORBA licenses are for mountain biking and gravity races.  You get them all from USAcycling.org - follow this link [click here] to create an account, learn more about the licenses, and purchase what you need.  

*if you have more questions about what license you will need, contact a club officer to ask.

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15. Can I race for UMass at USCF and NORBA races?

Yes! Since the club is registered with USA Cycling, members can compete as a UMBRC team member at non-collegiate road and mountain races so long as you are a member in good-standing with the club.

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16. Do I have to wear the current club kit to compete in collegiate races?

Yes.  It is a requirement of the ECCC and NCCA that race team members all wear the same jersey during races.  Club shorts are not required, but the only acceptable alternative is plain black shorts (no other team logos or sponsor graphics are allowed on your shorts - only black shorts with the logo/brand of the clothing company)

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17. How much does the clothing cost?

The prices for various pieces of riding clothes (jerseys, shorts, warmers, jackets, etc.) change yearly based on the cost to the club for purchasing.  Check [here] for the inventory of riding clothing.

There are also t-shirts and sweatshirts available at discount prices to members and alumni.  Check [here] for casual clothing inventory.

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18. Do I need to have a car so I can get to races?

UMBRC takes UMass Athletic vans to as many races as possible.  When vans are not available, members carpool. If you have a car and are willing to drive members of the team to a race and back, the club will reimburse you for driving. 

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19. How does the club travel to races and make overnight accommodations?

Depending on the distance to the race we will leave either the night before the race or the morning of a race.  If we are away from campus overnight we will stay with friends or relatives in the area or get rooms in a hotel.

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20. How much will a weekend of racing cost me?

Somewhere between $30 and $65 depending on the number events you register for and the amount of food your bring vs food you buy.  Collegiate races are $13 per event for pre-registration (add $5 for day-of reg) and there are typically two or three events during a weekend.  

We encourage members to bring as much food as possible (hint: ask a club member how to accomplish this) but you should anticipate needing to buy some snacks.  If we will be going to meals (breakfast, dinner) plan on $20-30 per day for eating out.  Total food costs will vary depending on the specifics of the weekend, so feel free to ask an experienced member when the time comes.

The club and the University split the cost for gas to travel to races. The club will also pay for all accommodations if a hotel is required.

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