VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ

[big kev 40]

can it be done tho

[dialledbikes]

You could do it, but it would get very little support or credibility because UCI/UEC will only deal with one national federation.  Therefore, any new federation is likely to remain small and have limited growth.

Stuck with BC now until they grow bored of BMX or it gets kicked out of the Olympics.

[moomin]

Is it worth it......... from the South response there is no O/S to speak of but it never stood a chance at committee level at bcf anyway  4 to 3 was the best we could expect

[Zippy]

I don't know why we need to have UCI/UEC accreditation. We could set up our own rider run federation to take control of our own race series. No reason why that couldn't spread to other cycling diciplines if the need was there also.

[dialledbikes]

Having an idea is great, but actually implementing it is another matter.  I don't see anyone in the UK BMX with the balls, vision, time, money or motivation to form a new federation.

Moving away from BCF doesn't interest me as they are proven winners in track cycling.  Finding a way to make the Commission more democratic so that they actually listen to what riders want is a better option than a breakaway federation.

[RATTY]

I have to agree with you Mike, but perhaps BCF should look at a new transparent approach to running it.
Create a BMX division, to operate under the BC umberella but capable of making its own decisions.
Have an Annually elected  steering committee. To include a rider rep from each region
Have a web based election to be completed online (secure log in using your licence details)

After the Fiasco with the Olympic selection and more recently the dropping of the Old school class, despite both decisions being made and the members opposing the decisions a democratically elected committee and an online voting system should rule out any further embarrasing decisions.

I hope BC do listen to their members and do make changes to reflect their members views. If they dont then the questions about BC will continue, and the confidence the membership have will dwindle until someone does step up to the plate and form a rival commision.

[dialledbikes]

A voted in Commission is the way forward.  Can't see it happening in the near future though.  Commission seems a bit like a buddy club.  Lots of good people have been on the Commission (Lin Gunner, Marco Dell'isola, Ian Gunner, Scott Dick, etc) and not been able to break the closed shop.  Tony Luckhurst seems like the only guy on there that has some rapport with the riders.  The rest are just G-Men.

[TonyDaButcher]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mike, there are times when I feel like public enemy No.1.
I'm just coming to the end of my first year on the commission and it's been a huge learning curve, there are still things that confuse and surprise me.
I'm not in favour of some of the structures either but I can't see too much change in the near future.
A few comments...
There is room for two rider reps on the commission, I'm not sure who they are at present, but they've never been to any of the meetings that I've attended.
Each commissioner is selected for their own area of expertise, I am on the commission as International Team Manager and that is my focus.
I am very impressed with the knowledge and commitment of ALL of the commissioners who work very hard in a largely understated manner. The workload can be immense and they are rarely acknowleged for what they do, they just get on with it... quietly.
Decisions are made democratically after discussion, so sometimes I get my wishes, sometimes I don't. Thats how it should be.
The commission are invited by the BC Board for one year. I hope to be invited back next year.
The commission doesn't have any secret agendas and is (and should rightly be) transparent.
The BC BMX Commission (correct term) are not paid but can claim travel expenses.
All the volunteers on the commission are BMX Mums and Dads

I could go on...  I'll try to answer any questions on here, but better to catch me at the races.
Likewise, please don't be afraid to ask any commissioner questions whether by email or in person, I'm sure you'll get a straight answer.

Tony Luckhurst

[TonyDaButcher]

Here's a useful page...

http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/bmx/article/bmxst_bmx_commission

[billstup]

Thanks for that information Tony 

[moley]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mike, there are times when I feel like public enemy No.1.
I'm just coming to the end of my first year on the commission and it's been a huge learning curve, there are still things that confuse and surprise me.
I'm not in favour of some of the structures either but I can't see too much change in the near future.
A few comments...
There is room for two rider reps on the commission, I'm not sure who they are at present, but they've never been to any of the meetings that I've attended.
Each commissioner is selected for their own area of expertise, I am on the commission as International Team Manager and that is my focus.
I am very impressed with the knowledge and commitment of ALL of the commissioners who work very hard in a largely understated manner. The workload can be immense and they are rarely acknowleged for what they do, they just get on with it... quietly.
Decisions are made democratically after discussion, so sometimes I get my wishes, sometimes I don't. Thats how it should be.
The commission are invited by the BC Board for one year. I hope to be invited back next year.
The commission doesn't have any secret agendas and is (and should rightly be) transparent.
The BC BMX Commission (correct term) are not paid but can claim travel expenses.
All the volunteers on the commission are BMX Mums and Dads

I could go on...  I'll try to answer any questions on here, but better to catch me at the races.
Likewise, please don't be afraid to ask any commissioner questions whether by email or in person, I'm sure you'll get a straight answer.

Tony Luckhurst

Tony, we understand where you coming from and there is no hard feelings.................

We are all just upset that the OS is dropped after the first attempt!!

At the end of the day that is what really annoys me!! 

All of the OS riders at the Brits made the effort and shown dedication to race 5 summer meetings to meet the BC requirement to race at the Brits.   Forget about the Southern Regions for a moment.  We all know the reasons why!!  But the Scots and the Northern Region and everyone else who managed to make it, made a huge sacrifice to be at the Brits and to race OS.   Most OS riders only raced the Brits because they qualified to race at the Brits through the OS class.

Others like Mike (and a few others) qualifed through other classes.

The point is (and I'm pissed while I'm typing this) IS that we didn't get a fair chance.   Because the South region was underperforming, I think the rest got screwed.

Thats what I believe.

If the OS had 20 riders in 2008 and 18 in 2009......................but the OS class in 2008 is 'OPEN' and the class in 2009 ISN'T, riders had to qualify by completing 5 rounds etc, etc...............................how the hell is that NOT a success!!!

I just don't understand it.....................AT ALL!!  Where is the logic in that!!   Anyone can race VS Rider who qualifies to race!!!   And we were 2 riders down on 2008.

If I knew it was THAT important, I would've raced and I would've grabbed a few Scots too, who would be eligible but Injured but they still cudda raced and rolled around!!

I have nothing against the commission.   If I was on it 'd probably make the same decision (if I hated OS)......................But being on the other side of it, it just gnaws away at my giblets. It really does.  No Joking. No bullshit.  Why give us the chance to race at the Brits as a recognised class in the first place if your just going to take it away far too fookin easily.   

Did you really give us a fair chance?

Be Honest!!

If we turned up with 20 riders would you still have canned us!!

What about 21..................

22............................

23............................

My feeling is that it didn't matter what the rest of the OS in the UK did............................because the Southern Regions has a bad OS year, everyone got screwed.

Everyone knows why the South had a bad year and that just aint fookin' fair!!!

You should give us the chance to put things right......................then  and only then should you drop us, and if we can't produce the results (which we dont even know!!) the drop us.

To drop OS at the first attempt shows imcompetence in the first place to allow us to race or a lack of nerve for dropping us so soon after we raced!!!

Probably neither,  or maybe both!!

I can't speak for the rest of the regions................but us Ooop North have put a lot of time and effort into our Series and to be brushed away so easily by the powers that be is like being smacked in the knackers by the trunk of a Giant Redwood Tree!!

Walk..............Walk...................I can barely fookin' stand lad!!

Gutted!! 

[TonyDaButcher]

Moley,

Just ask me a straight question and I'll do my best to give you a straight answer.
If you want my opinion on something, ask my opinion.
I don't know what it is you are looking for me to say, and I'm at work all day today, sorry.

[moley]

According to the Commission minutes.........

Old Skool will be dropped as a competitive class due to a mixed response from regions. The format was more successful in previous years when it was run as a charity event.

Which suggests it was dropped because OS at the Brits was less successful this year.   It wasn't.   It had 2 riders less than the previous year but it had 18 riders who all paid their race fees, Qualfied, BC membership etc, etc.    For its first (and only) run as a competitive class, I think it was a success...................even though as an OS rider, I thought and many OS'ers thought we would get more than 18 riders to compete at the Brits.

The Brits was a let down in rider numbers but it was still a success and could have been built on this year!!

OS as a class at Regional level has underperformed.   Only the North and Scotland have done well.

Anyway its now scrapped as a competitive class at the Brits.  Whether there is an OS race at the Brits next year, I dont know.  I hope so.  I think it would churlish not to and it could be 'more successful' due to being an open class that anyone can race with a OS legal bmx.

If all of the OS class throughout all regions is reclassified as an Open race and OS'ers dont need BC memberships to race then that should increase rider numbers too.   Regions still get their race fees, we get to race.  All is good!!

In the long term you probably did us a favour.    I'm still annoyed (and extremely hungover as I type this) but we'll get over it.  T'is only old kids bikes anyway!!

Also Kicking us out of the Brits has saved us a lot of money in BC fees.

So Thanks for that!!

I'll keep whinging on about it as I still think it unfair but I'm happy about it.   OS will live on and get stronger!!

So no questions Tony, unless you care to elaborate on the statement in the commission minutes and air your views and how the commission came to your conclusion.   Anyway thats up to you.

We'll share a pint the next time we meet and have good old laff about it!!!

T'is all good!! 

[darren]

being an oldschooler myself who came back into this sport in 2004 i cant see why all the fuss,

i came back at the age of 34 having not ridden a bmx since i was 18,(i was a crap rider back then and not much better now)
, i turned up at a race at hayes bought a cruiser there and raced it that day, i had a choice of masters or 30-39 and having been told cruisers were more forgiving to ride went for the cruiser.
after a while i bought a ghp old school bike and raced that in a few of the oldschool races that were run alongside the proper racing, oldschool class was just a bit of fun which it should be for us old guys with rose tinted glasses remanissing about the good old days.
i then decided to step it up and ride my os bike in masters as i wanted to improve as a rider ,ok i got killed 1st few times but gradually got closer and even beat a few. but after a few goes on new school bikes i found that if i wanted to be competitive thats the way i needed to go so sold the os bike.
we had a big os meet at bournemouth 2004 and again 05 and they were real good fun with decent displays of os bikes and plenty of banter. the rad mk weekenders are the perfect place for os racing along with hersden series.
there are now 4 classes available for us oldies to race in so if you want to get into racing you do have a choice .

as for the numbers being down in the south why ??  if they wanted to race surely they would turn up and race and support the class without someone having too motivate them to be bothered !!
so now what the south region has done is return it to what it was a few years ago, you still have the chance to race the os bikes and have a laugh but if you want to race seriously then get into either masters or cruisers or 40+ 20, masters aint that scary claire rode it all season in the south !!
i also feel that if you can ride an os bike well you should do good on a ns bike as they are so much easier to ride on todays tracks, if you want to ride at the brits on os bikes then do it for charity or ride them in the 20" classes at least then you get to ride the os bike.
                              see you all on the gate in 40 +                              

[spillers#1]

see you sunday old man  and try to make the A final this time as you don't want to be beaten by the really old men again 

[billstup]

see you sunday old man  and try to make the A final this time as you don't want to be beaten by the really old men again 

I`m sorry to say that Sunday looks like it`s going to be a washout judging by the weather forecast so I`m planning to go down to Gosport tomorrow for some practice if you fancy joining us 

[dialledbikes]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mike, there are times when I feel like public enemy No.1.

No probs, Tony.  As I've said in another post, I don't think the other people on the Commission are bad people.  I know they all do a lot behind the scenes for BMX so I don't knock them for what they do, it's more a case of how things seem to get done sometimes.  Also, from what little contact I have had with people on the Commission (at races) they don't seem to possess your social skills or civility (I guess running your own business has taught you how a bit about customer service and how to speak to people), which just reinforces my dislike of anyone in authority.

BC have the names and addresses of every licence holder.  It would be a step forward if, before make unpopular decisions, they sanity checked what they were about to do by seeking feedback on potentially big issues from the people who actually race and maybe made decisions based on that feedback.  It might actually make their jobs a bit easier as people are more likely to accept something if their counsel has been sought and they feel part of the decision making process.

I don't want to cause trouble for BC.  Nothing would please me more if BMX became massive and they got lots of credit for it.  But at the moment I, and many others, feel that BC is somewhat elitist, and it creates an "us" and "them" mentality between BC and us common or garden riders.

[wolfybmx]

I don't know why we need to have UCI/UEC accreditation. We could set up our own rider run federation to take control of our own race series. No reason why that couldn't spread to other cycling diciplines if the need was there also.

ONLY 3 RIDERS AT GOSPORT ON SUNDAY

[RATTY]

I don't know why we need to have UCI/UEC accreditation. We could set up our own rider run federation to take control of our own race series. No reason why that couldn't spread to other cycling diciplines if the need was there also.

ONLY 3 RIDERS AT GOSPORT ON SUNDAY

So masters and 40+ 20" was also merged. It was a poor show, but most classes have been merged at one point or another.
Not really sure what your point is Phil??

[wolfybmx]

i thought that after so many made a point of saying how valuable old school was to the south region not more riders turned up.

just a shame more people did not make the effort to ride as i and others enjoy watching the old school class 

[moomin]

Phil,

More old schoolers did turn up, we had 2 pull out, Billy due to injury and Kev because he was still far too ill to do 1 let alone 3 classes.  We had planned to bring Emmanuel and Josh o/s bikes down to show support but decided against it to support a relative newbie (medved) and what could be a potential 3 more riders for the region albeit in nu school classes .  And before you even go on, i did not leave my house at 6.30 am 5 months pregnant and get home so exhausted i couldnt get the kids to school and drive a car full of people for that kind of attendance, people are too quick to say, i will and back out, where exactly is the comitment to what gave you BMX back guys 

People brought back into the sport by Old School racing ALL have the chance to show their support to the class, unfortunately too few  do it ...............................

It will be the demise when people forget their grass roots and bmx as a whole will lose out, we're completely fooked off with it, the kids aren't bothered and at times/posts like this you really question why you bother........

Sorry I forgot, Nu School is the only way when you support kids that cry cos they dont win, kids that are brats and fookin rude, i have a lot of respect for what you have done but you really need to look back to what gave you what you have in life, BMX, a beautiful Mrs and 2 cracking kids and be grateful and perhaps try and support it again yourself..............you can only get fitter by racing 2 classes

[big kev 40]

everyone got views nikki  we like some we dont likes some  but life goes on   and so will old skool to a degree it can only survive so long

[spillers#1]

Don't know why old skool didn't ask to merge with masters/40+ 20" its what kev was thinking of doing.

I don't feel as though i should ride old skool as i rode nothing but old skool for over a year when i started racing bmx again i think its up to the other 6500 old skool members on here to get there sh!t together and come and have some fun in the south region like the northern boys are doing  

I race bmx for what it is now not for what it was if that makes sense  

I rode a 20" nu skool dialled in the 40+ 20" class mixed in with the masters to show support for that class as well(4 in 40+20")

I will most probly race my 1991 robinson at the next round in 40+20" if my injuries from sunday get better  

[wolfybmx]

easy niki.................

i think you have mis understood my post, may be reading part of spiilers reply to my post may make my comment a little clearer..........

'i think its up to the other 6500 old skool members on here to get there sh!t together and come and have some fun in the south region like the northern boys are doing'

without prejudice

phil

[se]

My Talk log-on is messed up but in spirit I vote let the old farts ride what they want when they want.