This is me as well, but I haven't held an annual USAT license in years. There's no way I do enough sanctioned triathlons in a year for the annual to make sense when there's zero USAT benefit outside of race day. I already hopped over and did the 'dual' license since I hadn't done my annual USAC yet and will be signing up for two USAT races this year.

One thing not mentioned so far is that there are some impressive discounts available to USA Cycling members. 5% off of Gatorade for USAT members.....yawn. 25-40% off of 100+ brands for USA Cycling......wow. The 40% discount on a Yakima Dr. Tray and 3 pairs of running shoes last year would pay for 5-6 years of USA Cycling licenses.

As a bike racer who does a couple three sprint triathlons a year I see this as a good thing.

As the organizer of a local TT series I see this as a great thing! Yea!

So much better than the crap deal USAT sent me a week or two ago to try to get me back after my USAT membership expired. It was a regular USAT license (same price) with a one day USAC license for a Cat 5/beginner race only. Now that this is out, it seems like that was a borderline shady tactic on their part because they had to know this option was coming.

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"It's good enough for who it's for" - Grandpa Wayne

How's that deal shady? You were offered your regular membership + the cover of a 1 day event to "try" another sport. It really doesn't matter that they were doing a new deal a few weeks before this was offered, that's precisely how businesses work.

Does Best Buy have to tell every customer that they shouldn't buy the computer on Monday if the same computer will be on sale 2 monday's from now? At some point the "current deal" is what the current offer is.



One thing I did notice after looking into this deal (I'm a lifetime USAT member since it's cheaper for me to do it one bulk purchase a few years back), the USAT license is 1year. The cycling license is only valid in current year. So at some point they are going to basically have to match them up or it'll be an headache of having to keep buying different licenses at different times.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I said "borderline". Also, now that I think about it, I think it was days before or even overlapped this offer; however you are right, they can do what they want. Perhaps I just expect too much from a non-profit operating under their current structure and stated initiatives, but I don't think comparing their approach to for profit business (I assume that was your comparison) is necessarily apples to apples. I think there should be a higher standard - even if slight.

At the end of the day, I held out and now I have a membership that is more useful for my current penciled in plans for the year.

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"It's good enough for who it's for" - Grandpa Wayne

I def think non-profits can do better than profits. However your calling 1 promotion given and then maybe a better one shady or a bad deal isn’t close to borderline wrong for them. Your not getting hood winked by them, they aren’t pulling a “fast one” especially cus I bet you aren’t a USAC member.

They just added another promotion. This one isn’t better than the other one if your not a cyclist. If your not wanting to be a cyclists paying $50 + get 1 free day license waved is still cheaper for you as a triathlete (you were an previous USAT member) than paying $99 to race tri + cycling if your not going to cycle.

And as I said reading more into it, the license for USAT is 1 365 day calendar, while the cycling is only year of.

So this isn’t a better offer for you. It’s a better offer if you are a joint member. You don’t seem to be from what you describe.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

So based on that, I suppose it's USAC that is shady. You pay $50 to USAT that gets you every race that is USAT Sanctioned. Whereas USAC has memberships and licenses.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Yes and no. When you go to sign up it tells you the specifics of it. It details that USAT is 365 membership, usac ends on 12/31.


The press release doesn’t detail that detail specifically but the reg link to purchase it does.

But usac has never been “365” like triathlon is. It’s always ended st end of year.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

This seems like a way better deal for triathletes who want to race some TTs or get mass start experience for draft legal tris. Not sure there's the same appeal from the cycling crowd.


Generally I think this is a good thing.

Membership for both is down, so why not band together and see how we can work together and mutually work to get more people into one or both sports.

I agree with you that it's more likely to favor the triathlete who wants to check out some sanctioned ITT events or even road races, or possibly even CX - this will be a limited number of folks in triathlon, but there now is a formal option/offer for them. I see very little going the other way - cyclists wanting to check out triathlon.

I like it that both the new CEO's Rocky Harris for Triathlon and Rob De Martini for Cycling, are progressive types who are thinking outside the box. This is actually refreshing thinking and actions by national sports federations! Historically these organizations spend most of their time and energy telling you want you can't do!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

It's good. People like options.

I was thinking of joining one or the other this year. Was also thinking of just doing one day licenses for both. Noticed that USA Cycling doesn't let one day license winners count as State, regional champs, etc. Does USAT?

Could see triathletes wanting to do USAT time trials, maybe road race, probably not crits unless they are already doing them.

Possibly could see cyclists doing swim/bike or bike/run and avoiding the sport that they really suck at. Perhaps their thinking is that they could kill it on the bike.

Remember John Howard? Top US cyclist of my era who won an Ironman by drafting behind the TV van filming him in the lead, so they say.

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Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.

well. my ftp is 350 putting me at Cat 3 level. I did a 30 minute cat 5 crit race today and got lapped and DQ'ed after 15 minutes. maybe this is a plan to get more cyclists into tri, cause triathletes stink. unlike us tri folk, bike folk think: "dont buy up grades, ride up grades" - eddie merckx

not sure if riding a 90s style bike was the fault while some cat 5 guys run the deep dish wheels and all the gear . then again also i got smoked by some severe cellulite carrying riders. more likely lack of skill

Crits are the worst - for newbies or triathletes. Too many corners, slow and then go or go go go.

Do a road race with no shorter than a 6 mile lap - preferably 20 mile lap. There are some State Road races coming up. I might ride GA or SC/NC. At 40-60 miles these are more like fast group rides.

Also do road TTs with USA cycling as you might really shine compared to people who are used to sitting on wheels.

You're right about US roadies being able to carry their weight on the bikes. You probably look much better physically because you swim and run which helps keep your weight off. Like we say about our bikes - weight is much less important than aero or engine.

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Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.

It was a .8 mi loop course. with a hill. Lots of sprinting. Because its that short, judge can kick you off when ever. Not so newbie friendly

Your in so cal right? I’m guessing a strong hotbed of races in your region. Not every crit is going to be “newbie” friendly nor needs to be.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

actually this is the only crit in SD county. Need to go 100 miles up for the this hotbed

You should check out some of those crits that are 100 miles away, as some have some sweet courses. One of them riding on the porsche course. You guys in So Cal have good options in general. I just looked up 4 crits in the greater LA area in the next few months.


100 miles to drive for a race isn't really unusual.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I won tortillas!!!! (different field)

Edit: If you really have a 350W you either weigh >200lbs or you suck at bike handling. Or both. Because I have an FTP less than that and I've just fine sitting in the P12 race or soloing away in a masters field at Barrio.

How was Barrio Logan? I was on the fence to do that or the Big Rock tri and opted for big rock. I don't regret it but was sad I couldn't do both

I really like it. The course is super breakaway friendly with some technical turns and a little climb. A really nice change from the typical SoCal 4-corner office park deal. I had two teammates in the winning break in my geezer field, but after making sure they were safely away, I was able to break away from the field with 4 laps to go for a remaining podium spot (hence the tortillas).

The men's P12 race (which I skipped this year) was fun to watch. 3 guys from the same team put together a TTT clinic to win the top three podium spots. Which they *should* be able to do as a Pro Continental team amongst recreational Cat 1-2s.

155-159lb. Yes skills suck as it's an interval sprint course not steady state

Yes and no. It's a stop-and-go course when you're in a Cat 4 or 5 field. But the course is fantastic for time triallers once you can corner well. It's a huge advantage to be off the front in a small group, or even solo. The field is braking into turns (except in P12) and sprinting up the hill and someone off the front can just put their head down and go. Later I'll post my power data from when I did 3 laps solo. Except for the few pedal strokes off to avoid pedal striking in turns, I think it'll look like a TT effort. No brakes at all. You can just rail the turns once you learn to trust your tire adhesion. And you don't have tools in front of you getting on their brakes.

With a ~350W FTP you could ride away from any Cat 5 field except the occasional Cat 1 MTB or CX guy who shows up, etc.

Shoot, I will be happy if I can get USAT to get me the USA Cycling 1 day race pass that they offered. I just saw the full dual option via this thread. Would like to do some CX and that would push me over the edge. Offer came through right after I renewed. Emailed USAT for assistance. Will see what they say.

O yea, btw. USAC 1 day = $10 vs USAT $15

Unless you upgrade to Cat 4 (you're supposed to after 10 races), then USAC 1 day is $25.

Don't forget Duathlon (Run-Bike-Run) and Aquabike (Swim-Bike-DONE). Both are terrific sports that fall under USAT purview and both offer National and World Championships.

BH