2021 Season

Hello Lionhearts families,

     

We are pleased to announce the start date of our 2021 cyclocross season!

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This year's membership cost does include a new Lionhearts jersey for each member.

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We are, at this time, planning to start Tuesday night practices on August 3. We are hopeful that we will have more opportunities for racing this season. We will be continuing with safety protocols including small groups, distancing, and many other steps recommended by health officials. 

 

Be assured that the safety of our riders and coaches is of the utmost importance. Your Lionhearts Advisory Board has been closely monitoring government regulations and we have adapted our programs accordingly. While we can not remove the risk, we can do our best to reduce it and follow best practices. Please understand that we will likely have to make changes as we get closer to the start of our season but we plan to continue forward with our junior cycling program.

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Thank you,

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The Lionhearts Advisory Board

Membership Registration

Registration Information

AGE REQUIREMENTS

Registration is based upon “Cyclocross Racing Age” (CX Age). Cyclocross racing age is defined in the rule book as one’s age on December 31st of NEXT year (2022). Lionhearts is open to those with CX racing age of from 9 to 18. Those who have not yet graduated from high school but might be racing age 19 are also eligible. Lionhearts will operate as having 2 “teams”, a U11 team (Cx age 9 and 10), a and a U19 team (CX age 11 and up).



COST

U11 team - $125 U19 team - $150 When registering multiple kids from the same household, use coupon code MOREKIDS to receive a 20% discount on registration. Team clothing is ordered separately, and a link to the on-line purchase is provided after registration. Jerseys are about $55 and up, shorts are about $60 and up, skin suits about $110 and up. All registered riders will have access to one full kit, if available, from the team supply of recycled clothing. All team members must purchase a racing license from USA Cycling. A junior license is $40. https://membership.usacycling.org/.



DEADLINES

There is no deadline to register for the team. Although the earlier you register the more likely you are to received purchased team clothing prior to races.



SEASON SCHEDULE

A complete and up-to-date public calendar is available HERE. This calendar can be displayed on personal devices as well. Regular weekly training takes place Tuesday evenings in Kingswood Park, Mason. First date is August 3, 2021. As long as daylight permits, the U19 team trains for 2 hours while the U11 team sessions are 1 hour. Tuesday training ends at the time change and we will then switch to indoor training “pods”, which are local team homes / businesses that host kids to do trainer rides. There will be some random / impromptu opportunities for more weekly training. Everyone should plan on riding more and connecting with team racers / families near them to get the proper volume of training. The great thing about cyclocross is that you can do it almost anywhere, and a normal suburban yard can provide enough space for skills work.



SKILL LEVEL NEEDED

To be ready to join the team, new riders should have at minimum an average level of competence on the bike. They should be able to pedal strongly across grass, stand on the pedals to ride up / down hills, and be able to stop confidently using hand brakes.



EQUIPMENT

Riders need a bike that fits and is in good repair. Cyclocross bikes are best: For those with small hands, flat bars are much better than road/drop bars. Hybrid bikes which do not have a suspension fork can be excellent as long as tire tread is appropriate. Mountain bikes are acceptable for starting out, but bar ends are not permitted. No kickstands or racks. Single speed bikes can be acceptable for starting out if the saddle height can be adjusted for pedaling efficiency and if the gearing is good for riding on grass. Coaster brake only bikes may not be used. Bikes that are too big are difficult to develop skill on and are not safe. It is a reality that as kids grow they will need to adjust / switch bikes frequently, possibly even mid-season. There is a healthy bike exchange that happens within families on the team that can make this easier. Helmets are mandatory. They should fit, be properly adjusted, and always buckled. Riders must be able to put on and remove the helmet themselves. Clipless pedals are a great asset and usually within the first year new riders are able to begin using them.