youcoming

My eldest son has expressed a lot of interest in road biking, not sure if it's to just be like his Dad or just to spend more time with me. He's a pretty level headed kid and he would only be allowed to go out with me anyway. He has done up to 40km with me on his MTB and rides with clips already. The LBS has a 2008 six13 Cannondale brand new but at a very attractive price that actually fits him. It's equipped with a compact crank with full Tiagra including reach adjust levers, and Maddux Areo Rx 2.1 wheels. I think it would be a pretty good bike to start out on. How old would or have you started your children on to road biking. My only hold up is this kid has no fear and loves going fast on his MTB and I'm not sure how he will handle the extra speed from a roadbike. Any thoughts or advice?

FreddyV

If you have the money to spare and the guts to actually encourage him on this 'quest', it's worth buying.

Caad 8

Sure why not. Just make sure he doesn't get bored with it after a month. Once he starts to pay attention to girls if you know what I mean, he may change his mind completely and think road bikes are uncool or something.

pdedes

at 12, he could take out a racing license.

RacerOne

I went on 500 mile bike trips carrying all my belongings on my Huffy when I was eleven. If he wants to ride, let him ride.

Machka 

I started cycling longish distances with my parents at some point around the age of 10. Prior to that I mainly just bombed around the neighborhood on my bicycle just about every day. I can't remember when I got my first road bicycle ... probably 12-ish. Prior to that, I was riding single speeds.

MajorMantra

I wish I'd got into road riding at 12 instead of 19 - I was one lazy kid. If he's keen then why not?

Granted, that's a fairly expensive bike for someone who's still growing but on the other hand there aren't that many proper road bikes for sale second hand in kid's sizes so it probably won't depreciate quite as rapidly as an adult's bike.

Matthew

saintx

Agree my son will race as a 12 year old this year. Loves football and cycling he raced half the CX season this year and will RR atleast 3/4 of the Road season before football starts back up.

carpediemracing 

You sound reasonable as a Dad. Just don't pressure him. I've seen way too many kids start early, work super hard to stay with other kids, then burn out before they're a Senior.

Keep in mind that if your son wants to be competitive with the other Juniors, he'll be dealing with, basically, Cat 1/Pro level riders who have matured quickly. Imagine jumping into the sport and your main competition is George Hincapie? That describes my experience in Junior racing. George and two others (both recently came back to cycling, both initially quit before they were 21, Pat and Rob) would kick all our butts. It was grim riding, no fun. Pat raced on the same team as Bauer, Lemond, etc (GS Mengoni, a total powerhouse team at the time). Pat and Rob are both accomplished Masters riders now - Pat won a cross championships (two years ago?) and Rob is a regularly-winning M35 Cat 2.

I have to admit they're two of the reasons I prefer the much easier Cat 3 races to the M35, M40, etc races.

When I started racing Cat 4 men's races, it was more fun than racing Juniors, because I was racing against normal people - I won the first two races I did, the first as a Junior, the second as my first race as a Senior. I escaped the Junior ranks after two brothers, Frank and Mark McCormack, started dominating Junior races in the area.

Then, as a Cat 3, I watched another kid come up through the ranks. I first met him at 10 or something, at a local TT. He had no mass, no power. He eventually, at 16, became a very strong Junior (see story link below). He started outriding me in the real Cat 3s (i.e. the Seniors), and I couldn't believe it - I always thought myself as a better rider than him. He eventually raced in Europe in third tier teams for 7 or 8 years, then when that didn't work, Colavita among other teams in the US.

https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...le-jersey.html

I was brought up cycling-wise by guys that taught me that cycling was no fun, that I had to suffer like mad, that your first goal is simply to finish a race, etc etc. A really grim picture, and one that appealed to me immensely. It took me a long time before I regularly finished races, really the 4th year as an 18 year old Senior. Until then I rarely finished races. Grim.

Nowadays it seems like everyone knows someone that turned Pro from Cat 5 in a few weeks. That's not reality. As long as your son understands, I think it's great he wants to ride and race.

Depending on location, I'd wait to let him race race. You know Botto's step-program for racing? I'd get him enrolled in that. It's an ideal way of figuring out if your son can handle a race or not (meaning a Cat 4 or 5 race, not a Junior race). If he wants to be competitive in Junior racing, he needs to be able to ride with Cat 1s and 2s, at least for 30 minutes or so.

cdr

AtlBentRider

Take every opportunity you can to bond with your kid. It won't be long before he thinks you're lame.

garethzbarker

i might be way off but i think some highschools have cycling teams. i seem to remember a friend that was on some cycling team when we were like 13 but it may have been rec. around 12 I bought a road bike from an older guy short on cash. i didn't know much about bikes b/c all i'd ever ridden was a little huffy. it mas a nice bike though and someone stole it a week later. turned me off to bikes for 20 years. just picked it up again, wish i would have stuck with it. i say give him the bike if he has a safe place to ride

Eclectus

I started riding a road bike at 10. I don't think there is any minimum age limit. If you have a son or daughter who wants to ride with you...PRICELESS. You won't regret this!

Nachoman

He'll be kicking your butt by 14.

urbanknight

Correct. My dad got into road cycling to get back in shape and the whole family joined in... I was 11 and my brother was 9. The next year, dad and I were doing half centuries. Another year later, my brother and I were racing USCF, and shortly after I turned 14, I was beating dad on our usual loop.

I figure if USAC starts their official age category at 10 and I believe the tri association is 9, then those are safe ages to get into cycling.

Garfield Cat

He's one year from Bar Mitzvah.

youcoming

Not sure if he'll ever race but more than likely as he is pretty damn competitive. Thanks for the reply gonna take him to the shop today and see what we can work out.

McTufferton

I started riding on the road w/ my old man around 12.

Stopped through HS and college, got back into it again 1.5 yrs ago. Now that I'm an adult I appreciate the time we get to ride together.

scorpio516

Local tri's earlier too. My local stuff for kids starts at 6 years old.

youcoming

Talked with the shop will be taking my son back today for a fitting, got the bike for $840cdn out the door. Noe I just have to find something for my 6 year old...lol

urbanknight

Your kids are going to grow very quickly, so you might want to look for used bikes. My dad had to get me a larger frame almost every year.

youcoming

I tried all season to find a quality bike in his size but came up with nothing. Used bikes in a 45 are few and far between, I'll keep ahold of this one too for when my youngest gets a little older. I'll then be able to purchase used ones as he gets bigger.

Jynx

Am I the only one who laughed at the title?

Sorry I have no relevant experience but I would assume 12 should be old enough to handle riding a road bike with you.

JoelS

I did a 435 mile 4 day trip at 11 as well.

calRider

Congrats if you have a 12-year-old who would rather be outside in the elements rather than at home on the couch playing video games.

stapfam

Good way to show him how good you are- and that he has a long way to go- Let his tyres down to around 35psi and get the brakes binding. By about the third trip out- you will have to do this just to keep him in sight.

My daughter did her first and only MTB race at 12. The 8 year old that raced with her is now up to national level in the Elite class. 10 years later