JOIN for fun, join for speed, join for self-improvement:
First and foremost, anyone can join the team at club level, and even if you are not a member of the team, you are welcome to ride with us anytime. But, in order to take advantage of all our sponsorship offers and get financial support from the school on race weekends, you'll need to be a student and become a member.
BECOMING A MEMBER OF YALE CYCLING:
There is no prerequisite for fitness, speed, or experience. We are about developing new cyclists. We have clinics and rides that are meant to give you the skills and confidence to ride. You will be among numerous new cyclists each year who come from different fitness backgrounds, skill levels, and age groups. We want to get you out riding and give you the opportunity to sample all that cycling offers.
To race in collegiate races, you MUST be a full-time Yale student. That includes undergraduates, professional schools (medical, management, divinity, etc.), and Ph. D students. Unfortunately no post-docs or alumni.
If you are not a Yale Student, you are still welcome to join us on rides, but we must ask you to please sign a liability waiver before doing so. You can download the waiver here, and then bring it to your first ride or (preferably) email it to YaleCyclingTeam@gmail.com.
Requirements for joining the racing team (limited membership, see below).
These do not pertain to club level membership.
BIKE: You must own a bike. We have some to loan out for you to try out but come race season you'll need your own machine. Different bikes are used for different disciplines. Make sure you own a road bike if you're road racing.
JERSEY: You need a Yale Cycling jersey in order to race. We get steep discounts on these from our kit manufacturer, Primal Wear. Be on the look out for emails about our bi-annual kit orders. (If you need to borrow a jersey for one-time use, ask around/email us.)
TEAM DUES: Depending on how much you're interested in racing, there are season dues you must pay (SEE BELOW).
LICENSE: USA Cycling issues every collegiate racer a license; these cost $60. If you already have a USAC license, the collegiate add-on is free. Look under the ECCC tab on the menu bar to learn more.
RACE: Finally, we require all first time racers who have not participated in a skills clinic, to begin in the intro category for their first race weekend.
So you pay some dues and are officially part of the team, what does that get you? Yale is very supportive of our team and our sponsors are fantastic. We have one of the best funded programs in the country. So, all travel expenses, lodging, and race entry fees are covered. If you've ever raced before you know how much that can add up.
Make sure you subscribe to the email list to stay up to date on team dealings. Also, get in contact with one of the team captains and start riding with Yale today. Once you become a member, you will be eligible to join the “racers-only” email list for team events, clinics, and race notifications.
Subscriptions to list-serves:
"General Cycling" - subscription is OPEN [Subscribe here]
offers info on kit orders, recruiting events, and Saturday rides)
“Alumni” - subscription is OPEN [Subscribe here]
low-volume mailing list intended for alumni and anyone interested in gear orders
yearly updates and gear order information
“Bulldog Ladies” – subscription is OPEN to women only [Subscribe here]
meant for women to organize women-only rides and events
“Racers-only” – subscription is LIMITED to dues-paying club member
offers announcements on team rides, skills clinics, social events, and racing opportunities
acts as a forum for posting rides
“YaleMTB” – subscription is LIMITED to dues-paying club member
like the "Racers-only" list for mountain bike rides
“Sponsorship” – subscription is LIMITED to limited/unlimited team members
offers sponsorship codes, training plans, & priority on equipment/ goods/ training trips
“Cycling Board” – subscription is LIMITED to team board members (those who run the club)
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Team Dues
We are excited to announce a newly expanded set of programming for the coming year including:
Team Training Plans by professional cycling coaches (CCNS)
Skills clinics and workshops!
Winter indoor spinning sessions (3x per week)
Team Training Trips in Mountain and Road (e.g. N. Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains)
Loaner Bike Fleet & more support for more racing seasons! A full mountain, track, cyclocross and road season for year round participation
Club level, Affiliate Membership: Yale staff are able to join and race for the Yale Team in non-collegiate USAC races!
NOTE: If you plan to participate in any mountain, cyclocross or track racing this August-September (early season), you should plan to pay dues at least two weeks in advance of your first race so we can minimize headache and make sure your expenses are reimbursable.
Club/ affiliate level membership: $45 per academic year
Anyone can join at this level! Students, alumni, locals, Yale staff
Team discount on kit order
Access to all team rides, coached skills sessions, bike repair workshops, and social programming (racers.only list-serve)
Access to loaner bikes of various sizes (track, mountain, cyclocross, road)
Spinning sessions, when space allows (limited and unlimited racing members prioritized)
Students Only: One collegiate race weekend (includes hotel/host housing, team travel) OR one local race weekend or team event with necessary registration (ie. CT state time trial) - Not sure if you want to race? Join at this level and give it a try. If you like it, as we think you will, then upgrade.
Does NOT include access to sponsorship deals except those at team events (ie. Peanut butter, etc.)
Season pass/ 7 race plan: $120 per academic year
Students Only (Graduate/Undergraduate/Professional)
7 collegiate race weekends of any discipline per year (includes hotel/host housing, team travel)
Team discount on kit order
Priority full access to team spinning sessions (2x weekly fall/spring, 3x weekly winter)
Full access to sponsorship packages (team discounts at bike shops, sponsor sites, and free food/gear - codes distributed via separate email list just for team racers)
Access to team training plans from professional coaches
Expected participation in team events, meetings, contributing to social media, and team rides (e.g. leading a fall Yale Saturday Ride)
Unlimited racing: $240 per academic year
Students Only (Graduate/Undergraduate/Professional)
Unlimited race weekends per year (includes hotel/host housing, team travel), in any discipline.
All athletes who wish to be considered for national event qualification must be participating at this membership level
Those who accept managerial leadership roles will receive automatic upgrades from limited to unlimited.
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HOW TO PAY DUES:
Paypal (forward the receipt to YaleCyclingTeam@gmail.com)
NOTE: Membership levels may be upgraded mid-season by paying the difference in dues. No refunds or downgrades will be given.
We encourage anyone who is an ongoing member and wishes to race more than a single weekend to join at the 7 race weekend or unlimited racing membership options. The club/affiliate level membership is mainly intended for Yale affiliates, tour cyclists, or those who are just dipping a toe into racing.
