just geting started
 

hello im 14 and im very interested in touring biking but due to my age i am very restricted to were i can go and what i can do.
so dose anyone have any thorts on what i can do??

Well, I suppose you could get practice by just riding your bike wherever you can. School, stores, etc.

You'll build endurance and get a better understanding of what type of bike works for you and you'll develop your own riding techniques.

Then when you become an adult you'll be off and running right off the mark.

This is a long shot, but who knows.

Maybe your parents, or someone else, would be willing to sag for you. That word describes a support team that would follow behind you or go ahead with camping gear. Find a campground fairly close to home and head on out for an overnighter. This would introduce you to the touring experience, and let a responsible adult participate in the fun.

As you grow older, acquire more gear and experience, and the confidence of your parents, you could venture out on longer and longer tours.

I think this is an issue between you and your parents. My advice would be to ride around home as much as possible and get experience in safe riding. Ride with some experienced people and ask them for tips. Bike riding can be a very dangerous activity. There are lots of skills and practices you can learn to minimize the risk, but it only takes one instance of spacing out to have a disaster.

Perhaps you can find an adult tourer who is willing to mentor you and take you on a short tour. That might be a good way to convince your parents it's (relatively) safe.

Good luck.

Is there any chance of getting one or both of your parents interested in bike touring? It would make a good family vacation. There are journals of father/son and family bike tours on crazyguyonabike.com.

Maybe you could pack your gear and bike over to a friend's house for starters. Then maybe a camping trip near home where an adult (and maybe some friends) meet you for an overnight stay. But getting a friend or family member to do it with you would be even better.

tyhank you for all the replys but i dont think i made my self clear my mum and dad have no problem with me going out touring on my bike but because of my age i cant stay and most campsights and also i am restricted to this country.

Some options:
- Long day-rides - either from home, or take a train out and bike back
- Family holidays - if you ever go on holidays together or weekends away, maybe you could ride there while the others drive
- Organised group rides - these are no problems for younger people, also school groups often go on them. I'm not sure what's available in the UK. These can be expensive, though.
- Wild camping - I think in Scotland you can camp out without a permit on crown land; not sure about the rest of the UK.

I know some Scout groups have touring badges. Because I'm way too old to remember anything about the Boy Scouts you'd have to check in your area. I was told that biking is part of the scouting program and they require you do a 10 mi. 25 mi, 50 mi, and a 100 mi. ride in order to get your badge. You might find a mentor of sorts involved with scouting and see if you could work out a chaparoned trip or two with someone near your age with adult supervision. But whatever you do keep at it because before you know it, you'll be plenty old enough and the only one that will stop you is you.

Couldn't your parents contact any campsites you're planning to stay at and arrange for them to let you stay. Or have your parents go ahead and book the campsite for you so that on paper it will show that an adult is staying there. After they sign in they can drive back home and you just show up on your bike later.