Starting a kid on cycling
 

I have a 9 year old boy who loves to ride and race other neighborhood kids. And he'd pretty fast with his BMX bike.

I was thinking that it'll be good for him to go up to the next level in cycling since he's not interested in any other sport(he tried soccer, baseball, swimming, martial arts, golf,etc., without any interest).

How do we go about doing this? Is there any kid's cycling leaugue or something?

And what companies make "serious" kid's road bike or MTB?

based on what ive seen with some of the kids (well they are like 13-16yo) in the clubs aroud here they all started with mtbs or they had small road frames with 650c wheels...i know that pinarello makes kids road bikes but it seems like a very costly especially for a kid who will outgrow it quickly...but here a link to them anyways http://www.pinarello.com/main.php?su...%2Fkids&lang=e
one thing to make sure it to not over train because it can have lasting affects on a childs growth...

Roadies for kids is a tough order these days - I have 9 year old also who wants to give it a go. I did a search several months ago and found a couple in Europe but came to the conclusion that the price, combined with the growth rate of a 9 year old boy, didn't make it worth it to me to buy something new. So, I'm looking into building something.

Here's one I recall:

http://www.veloargon18.com/eng/bike_9.htm

55/Rad

Here's some good info...

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t12962.html

55/Rad

thanks for the nice links, guys.

How about some kind of organized race for kids?

is there some kind of organization for kids cycling? I'm talking about YMCA kind of organization.

you might want to check with your LBS, if any one would know ,of organazations in the area, they would

Check out the Sprockids and Trips for Kids websites - clubs/rides have started out from those two organisations, altho' Sprockids seems more suited to your needs, even tho' it's based round mtb'ing.

Don't worry too much about road/circuit racing - just get him into racing of any kind: bmx, cyclo-cross, mtb, etc.

Start your own club if necessary - kids clubs can get by on a patch of grass about the size of a soccer field.

Concentrate on skills using free/cheap equipment - small, sand-filled drinks bottles, planks, pallets, make seesaws (teeter totters?). Create skills certificates from simple stuff like:
Riding one-handed
Slow-riding (15m/yds in at least 60 secs
Riding in circles
Slaloms (through aforementioned drinks bottles in straight or zigzag lines with bottle lines of decreasing distances apart (e.g. 2.0m, 1.70m, 1.50m, etc); get them to ride one-handed (each hand) through the slalom course
Track stand competitions (10m.30 secs for one of our 10-year old girls - irritating child!)
And so on.
Put on local off-road family rides if possible as way of recruiting like-minded people
Get local club to organise a circuit race (local park?) for kids on mtbs (or diy)
The sky or your imagination is the limit

and it's great fun.

Man,

These are some serious advises!

Thanks a lot guys. I'll check my LBS for such an oranization. If not, may be I'll start a race!

Don't forget your area cycling clubs. That should be a prime focus of any cycling club, developing new talent.

Get your little man a little fixie. Builds character.

Sad thing is, I'm serious. :)