FAQ PAGE

Find answers to common questions from both parents and riders to help you confidently navigate your first season of riding with the Wolves!

NEW RIDER FAQ'S

How much does it cost ?

There are no NWC Wolves team fees.

MCA Membership Fees
- $100 for 2025.
- All team members must become a registered member of the Minnesota Cycling Association (MCA) to practice with the team.

MCA Race Fees (prices subject to change)
- It is optional, but all team members are welcome to participate in the MCA’s Middle & High School racing series.
- There is an additional fee for racing dependent on how many races the rider wishes to register for as well as when person sign up.
  - Current race registration closes Aug 1 for the ‘Super Pass” (all 5 races for $170) or Aug 15th for all individual races ($60 each). There is no race day registration, and all registrations must be purchased in advance.

What is the required equipment?

A cross country/ trail mountain bike-
- No kick stand
- Shifter with at least 10 gears
- Good brakes
- Wheel reflectors removed
- We would caution to stay away from department store bikes (ie: Target/Walmart) as they are very heavy and tend to break down causing stress on the rider and coaches.

Biking helmet-
- Properly fitted and have MIPS or another concussion safety rating
- Non-Expired
- It is recommended helmets be replaced every 3 years

Shoes-
- Good athletic / tennis shoes with a good grip or
- Mountain bike shoes
- No open toe shoes or sandals
- No Barefoot biking allowed

Water Bottle-
- Properly fits in a cage on the bike- or
- Camelback/backpack with hydration bladder may also be used.

Team Jersey-
- Official Wolves Jersey available via our storefront.
- Required only for racing and not practices

Protective Biking /safety glasses
- Interchangeable lenses are ideal for racing however not a requirement.
- We do no recommend sunglasses as they can restrict vision in low light conditions.

Bike Gloves –
- Not required, but highly recommended
- Short or long fingers are your preference

Bike/Athletic Shorts –
- Any athletic shorts are acceptable- bike specific shorts are not required
- Padded shorts /linings are recommended
- Race shorts cannot have any large non-team logo(s) displayed.

Bike Repair Kit
- MCA recommends for all racers, but is required for high school racers.
- Emergency bike repair kit recommended items include: spare tube, small pump or CO2 cartridge, spare master links (for bike chain), tire levers and a multi-tool.

Cold Weather Gear –
- long underwear, skull cap, buff, light weight shed-able layers
- for races and practices in late September and October as they have the potential to get chilly in the evenings.

How are updates communicated to riders and families?

The team primarily uses TeamSnap for communication, updates and for the team's official calendar of events.
Riders and parents will be given access to create a TeamSnap account after registration.
Email updates will be provided by coaches for race and team activities.
Riders and parents will be added to the email distribution list after registration.
Registered emails will also receive MCA related emails.

To get TeamSnap for Android Users Click HERE To get Team Snap for Apple Users Click HERE

RACE DAY RIDER FAQ'S

Where can I find location and parking location? Where do we go once we arrive?

Coaches will send out info on TeamSnap before race day. It will include where the race venue is located, where to park, where the Wolves' team will be stationed at the venue.

What time will I race?

Race times will be shared with everyone before race day on TeamSnap. You will want to arrive at least 1 hour before your designated warm up time. Coaches will ride with student athletes during this "warmup" period occurring about 30 minutes before the race officially starts. Considering the warmup time, all racers should arrive to the race site at least 1.5 hours before their designated race times.

What is a racing plate-number?

A race plate is a numbered plate that is affixed to a student-athlete's or coach's bike and contains a chip for the timing system. It's used to identify the rider and record their times and positions during a race. The same plate is used throughout the season unless the rider changes racing categories. A rider is assigned a race plate once he/she registers for a race.

Where do I get my racing plate number for my bike?

The coaches will bring your racing plate; it will be in a box where the team is stationed on race day. You can choose to bring the plate yourself, but we highly encourage you to keep it with the team because if it is lost you must pay for a replacement. A race plate is required to be able to participate in race day.

What do I wear to my race?

Along with your normal riding gear, you will need to wear an official Wolves jersey. The jersey must have no advertising or branding from other companies or organizations. There will be opportunities to purchase jerseys from our storefront. If you are unable to purchase a jersey, please reach out to the coaches as there may be some available. Weather should also be taken into consideration when determining what to wear for race day to accommodate for rainy or snowy conditions.

What are race pre-rides?

Pre-rides are opportunities before the race to ride the course. These times will be announced and discussed before the race day weekend. Riders MUST be accompanied by the required number of coaches during pre-ride, no exceptions. If you are racing it is highly suggested to take advantage of pre-ride opportunities. Pre-rides are usually held as early as Friday but can also happen on Saturday or Sunday before the races start that day.

What should do to make sure my bike is race ready?

Check your bike over and make sure everything looks ok.
Make sure you test your brakes, shifting, and tire air pressure before the race day.
Have your bike checked out by a team's mechanic or coaches to make sure everything is in good working order.
Bring spare tire tubes, tire levers, a bike multi-tool and anything else needed to repair your bike if needed.

What should I do for nutrition and hydration on race day?

If it extremely important to stay properly fueled hydrated for race day.
Start with a race day morning meal about 3-4 hours before your race consisting of a high carb, low fat and moderate protein balanced meal
Avoid heavy, greasy or high fiber foods.
Avoid caffeine and drink water, sports drinks or other hydration productions with electrolytes.
When your race is over, ensure to rehydrate as part of your post recovery process
When in doubt, coaches are a great guide during race days for proper nutrition and hydration.

RACE DAY PARENT FAQ'S

What does race day look like for a parent?

Parents should monitor their email and Team Snap the week prior to race day for opportunities to sign up for fruit, healthy snacks and hydration items. Additionally, the team will be looking for volunteers to help set up and tear down our team's camp site for each race event.
Race information will be found on this site, the MCA site and Team Snap. Pay close attention to start times, team tent location and parking details as it will vary by each race location.
Once you and your rider arrive at the race site, post parking; proceed with your racer to the Wolves Tent. Parents, coaches and other riders will be there and help to answer questions.
MCA will be looking for volunteers at different stations to help run and support the races. We encourage parents to take volunteer opportunities, however, please aware of your racer's race times. First and foremost, we want to ensure you are available to encourage and show support for your son and daughter when they race and not have a volunteer opportunity unintentionally conflict with that.

What should we bring to race day?

Lawn chairs, things that can provide shade, sunscreen, and bug spray.
A wagon can be helpful to bring items from your vehicle as parking can be far away from the race area.
Healthy snacks, fruit and a small cooler.
Water, water bottle and/or other hydration items. (Avoid any and all caffeine items for racers. Caffeine items are considered a banned substance for racers.

What food options are there for us?

There are usually some healthy snack, fruit and hydration options for riders that parents bring as part of the sign up sheet.
It is common for food truck vendors to be onsite and offer food options to buy.

Often races are near towns with a variety food options, however leaving during race time will likely have you lose your parking spot.
At times a lunch or potluck will be coordinated and cooked on site by parents. In those instances, updates or a signup sheet will be shared via Team Snap.

What if my child has a nut or other food allergy?

Please report any food allergies to the coaches. We take the riders' safety and well-being as our number priority and will take precautions to avoid potential nut cross contamination and ensure food is properly labeled when food / beverages are present at a team event.
Water stations will be available at each race site for racers to refill water bottles.

Are water and bathrooms at each race site?

Yes, portable toilets will be available for use at each race site.
Water stations will be available at each race site for racers to

What options are there to stay overnight?

We encourage you to look and book early if you and your family plan to stay overnight as many places do book early.
Options include- AirBnb, camping/cabins, motels and hotels.
If you are absolutely unable to find something please post on TeamSnap in the event another family has a cancelation or extra space to offer.

Do you have a buddy system to partner a new parent with more seasoned parent?

Traditionally it has been a more informal process, but based on recent feedback, we are offering the ability for newer parents with a registered rider to talk to more seasoned parents and connect with them at practices and race days. We are hoping by connecting it allows newer parents to learn the ropes quicker and have a smoother transition on what to expect for both racer and parent. To request to connect with a more seasoned parent, please fill out the form below.