Q&A: How do I get a British Cycling racing licence?
 
 

You’ll need to go to the British Cycling website and decide on two things:
 

1) what level of membership you want….. you can buy different levels of cover at different prices
 

2) what licence you are applying for….. this depends on your age.
 

OK, tell me how to find the British Cycling website?
 

You’ll find it at
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/
 

Yes I’ve found that and I’ve clicked on ‘membership’
 

So on the page you’re looking at there is a list on the left-hand side of the page… if you select ‘compare memberships’ you find yourself looking at this:
 

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/article/compare-membership-p...
 

Near the top is a line saying ‘Want to see the full price list? Go to prices’ and if you click on the last three words in red saying ‘Go to  prices’ you get to;
 

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/article/prices
 

 Yes I’m there… looking at three options for anyone wanting to race… they are called Bronze, Silver and Gold… though only the latter two are available for younger riders. So what’s that all about?
 

Yes, the choices are:
 

Junior (age 16-18 years)
 

Bronze -         £13.50
Silver -           £36
Gold -             £64
 

Youth (age 12-15 years)
 

Bronze –         not available
Silver -           £13.50
Gold -             £34
 

Under 12
 

Bronze –        not available
Silver -          £8.00
Gold -            £28
 

The Silver and Gold membership options give you various rewards but perhaps the most important, and fundamental, is that both offer up to £10m liability insurance in two situations; 1) competitive cycling and 2) non-competitive cycling.
 

But that’s only the membership stuff sorted, I still haven’t got a licence have I?
 

That’s quite true. The British cycling website has a list on the left-hand side of the page which includes the question ‘Need a licence?’
 

If you click on that you will get to:
 

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/article/mem-st-Racing-Licenc...
 

The prices of racing licences range from £32 for adults to free for youngsters. The details of the four age bands are:
 

Senior                                 £32
Junior (age 16-18 years)     £13
Youth (age 12-15 years)     free
Under 12                            free
 

Phew… I thought it was going to cost more again so I’d end up shelling out an arm and a leg all told. That should get me through the application form web page as far as the question of what club am I…. should I say Redhill Raiders?
 

No because we are part of Redhill Cycling Club and as they have coughed up a wadge of dosh to be a member of British Cycling, we at Redhill Raiders qualify without paying another bean…. so as far as headquarters staff in Manchester are concerned we are all (both young and old) known to them as Redhill CC…. so put that on the form.
 

And then I’m done?
 

Yes.
 

So I just wait for the postman for my licence?
 

Yes… only they don’t send it directly to you, it first goes to the Redhill CC racing secretary and he will re-post it to your address.
 

OK… does that mean I owe him a stamp?
 

No… it means someone likes keeping the postman busy. Anyway good luck with your racing… and tell us how it goes.