41 replies to this topic

[captainquadriceps]

whats the procedure on upgrading in the bubbacross series?  is it strictly on the "honor" system?

one of the best things about the series, in my opinion, is the ability for the poor cat 1 road racers to be able to race the b race to gain some experience, before they have to get their butts kicked by people who actually know how to ride in the dirt.  however, i was just curious if there was like a mandatory "get your tail in the b race" or "upgrade to the big leagues (A race).  

Or is mockery and ridicule/sandbagger lynch mobs, the only way to get someone to move up?

[mikebobelak]

Upgrade till you suck: I'm sure I'd be competitive in the C race , but being fodder in the B is so much more " fun"

captainquadriceps, on 24 October 2011 - 04:55 PM, said:

whats the procedure on upgrading in the bubbacross series?  is it strictly on the "honor" system?

one of the best things about the series, in my opinion, is the ability for the poor cat 1 road racers to be able to race the b race to gain some experience, before they have to get their butts kicked by people who actually know how to ride in the dirt.  however, i was just curious if there was like a mandatory "get your tail in the b race" or "upgrade to the big leagues (A race).  

Or is mockery and ridicule/sandbagger lynch mobs, the only way to get someone to move up?

[DoubleJ]

IMO - Stop 'paying out' classes other than the A/Open race and the incentive goes down to snag cash in an 'easier' category.  I am more of a 'west coast'/kc racer and have talked to the Boss Cross gurus about this very issue and you'll see the payout for this weekend 3/4 race has dropped some (would like to see it totally go away) and the Open is going a little deeper.  There is no reason to payout the winner of a B race the same amount as the 2nd place guy of a Open/A... only inviting baggers.

IMO - I've looked at the bubba B results and you have got to be kidding with some of the names in there...

[Steel1]

DoubleJ, on 25 October 2011 - 01:14 PM, said:

IMO - Stop 'paying out' classes other than the A/Open race and the incentive goes down to snag cash in an 'easier' category.  I am more of a 'west coast'/kc racer and have talked to the Boss Cross gurus about this very issue and you'll see the payout for this weekend 3/4 race has dropped some (would like to see it totally go away) and the Open is going a little deeper.  There is no reason to payout the winner of a B race the same amount as the 2nd place guy of a Open/A... only inviting baggers.

IMO - I've looked at the bubba B results and you have got to be kidding with some of the names in there...

Concur. The Bubba B race is replete with sand.  Not that the absence of said "sand" would appreciably improve MY performance, but nonetheless--would be nice to see that super strong racing the super strong.  IMHO.

[shill]

the only payout here in OR is in the A's.

[x-dress]

While the Sunday ego boost and $30 payout must be sweet, it has to be uncomfortable watching your peers line up for the A race - which was half the size.  It's just sad because the guys that worked their way through the C ranks and trained all off season deserve a chance to compete for the season long points race.  I am also in favor of diverting all cash to the A race in hopes of eliminating the Pro-Am aspect from the B race.

[robertm]

Its not like half the A field dropped down to do the B race to compete for 35 dollars. It is probably not necessarily an ego boost, but to someone like me its a lot of money.  It puts a lot of food on my table.  To entirely eliminate payout that only goes 3 deep?  5 deep? Is not the answer.  The best one can hope for is to win all, if not part of their money back.  The B race is for CAT 3 and 4. For the guys in the B race who "trained all year" or spent all of their money on carbon wheels and 150 dollar tires to get smoked by a masters athlete with many years of experience, who rode his bicycle to the race with his spare wheels attached to it, perhaps thats more uncomfortable for some.  Who else is a sandbagger, the guy who takes his training seriously, the guy who got 10 hours of sleep?  The guy who quit drinking beer?  Its the whole top 5, top 10 really, there's like 6 guys who are always in the top 10... mandatory up grades!  Cool, 666 posts.

Edited by robertm, 26 October 2011 - 07:36 AM.

[Thomas13ss]

Bike riding is a hobby. Bike racing is a lifestyle. There is a real difference. I feel like most people here  dont understand that or dont want to accept it. As a B racer I dont care who is in the b race. The field is bigger stronger and faster than me but I keep fighting on. Fast guys make for fast races. That is the goal of a racer to get faster is  it not?

Thomas

[mikebobelak]

Thomas13ss, on 26 October 2011 - 08:30 AM, said:

Bike riding is a hobby. Bike racing is a lifestyle. There is a real difference. I feel like most people here  dont understand that or dont want to accept it. As a B racer I dont care who is in the b race. The field is bigger stronger and faster than me but I keep fighting on. Fast guys make for fast races. That is the goal of a racer to get faster is  it not?

Thomas

Nope, it so I can film the race; ;P

[Steel1]

Thomas13ss, on 26 October 2011 - 08:30 AM, said:

Bike riding is a hobby. Bike racing is a lifestyle. There is a real difference. I feel like most people here  dont understand that or dont want to accept it. As a B racer I dont care who is in the b race. The field is bigger stronger and faster than me but I keep fighting on. Fast guys make for fast races. That is the goal of a racer to get faster is  it not?

Thomas

Maybe the real point here has nothing to do with "complaining" about the much stronger guys in  a race that is probably beneath their skill level.  Maybe it's the concept that those same riders are perhaps "cheating" themselves by winning races againts inferior competition and missing out on the challenge of truly testing their skills against the best.  

Don't really know, and quite honestly, I don't truly have a dog in this fight.  I am just hangin on for dear life in the B race, hoping for an honorable finish.  I truly don't care who is in the lead, as I acknowledge my only chance of catching them is a catastrophic event that takes out about 85% of the field. Nuff said.

[saint_john]

Good stuff

[wesboyce]

I've thought many times about emulating the KCsandbagger blog here in St. Louis, but just haven't wanted to take the time and effort to do it.  In addition, now that I've said that I guess the cat is out of the bag and now I can't!  

[rich pierce]

saint_john, on 26 October 2011 - 09:15 AM, said:

Good stuff

Hilarious

[wesboyce]

One more thing to add... I don't really follow the B category so I know nothing about who might or might not be sandbagging, but if someone is really worried about someone else needing to upgrade then it might be worth checking to see their history with cyclocross racing.  If this is their first year or first full year of racing, then I'd say give them a break.  When they deserve a lot of trouble is next year if they continue to do the same category.  However, if they have been racing cross for years and just like to win, then that is a different story.  Just my $0.02 after considering my 2 years of experience.

[Thomas13ss]

mikebobelak, on 26 October 2011 - 08:47 AM, said:

Thomas13ss, on 26 October 2011 - 08:30 AM, said:

Bike riding is a hobby. Bike racing is a lifestyle. There is a real difference. I feel like most people here  dont understand that or dont want to accept it. As a B racer I dont care who is in the b race. The field is bigger stronger and faster than me but I keep fighting on. Fast guys make for fast races. That is the goal of a racer to get faster is  it not?

Thomas

Nope, it so I can film the race; ;P

Mike you just made my day. BTW the video from sunday was cool with front and rear in the same video.