Every year you need to renew your bike racing license if you want to continue to race. With the beginning of the new year you should start thinking about renewing your bike racing license. You need a bike racing license if you want to race in most official bike races.
If you are in the U.S. the place to get your bike racing license is USA Cycling. To get a new bike racing license or renew your old license all you have to do is go to USA Cycling, click on the "Membership" button, on the next page click on "Click here to Join Now!". There is a fee for a cycling license but it's not much.
If you are under 18 you will need to print out a form and have your guardian sign it and send it in. This is a waiver basically explaining that cycling can be a dangerous sport and asking you to give permission for your child to participate.
Bike racing starts you at a cat5. This is the beginner level. Once you get better and faster you move up to a cat4 and eventually to a cat1. If you are a beginner, have never raced in a official bike race before, then you are a cat5.
There are lot of benefits to getting a cycling license with USA Cycling, besides being able to race, including insurance and discounts on cycling merchandise. When you travel you can get discounts on car rental and hotels. You can even get a free profile page at SponsorHouse.com where you can post about your races and possible get sponsors.
USA Cycling will keep track many of your bike races for you and even give you points based on how you did in each race. Then you can look to see how you stack up against other bike racers in your same category or age group.
If you know of official bike racing licensing centers for your country, province or where you live please send me the links so I can add them here.
