Top Cycling Tips For Young Riders
After the Cyclo-cross National Championships over the weekend, many youth riders participated in a host of underage fun races on Saturday in a day for all the family.
And while the thrilling, mud-filled world of Cyclo-cross lends itself to being an excellent way to get into cycling, we’ve put together a list of top tips for young riders getting involved in cycling and training this year.
Here’s our top tips:
Try a bit of everything
Cycling can come in so many different forms. Some people like to stick to the road while others prefer the thrill of mountain biking. Some love the skill and technique that comes with BMX while others you’ll find down your local track.
There are so many different disciplines of cycling, and if you have the chance to try something different, why not give it a go?
Join your local club
Joining a cycling club is a great step for young riders looking to get more involved in the sport. In every club you’ll find cyclists, young and old, with a wealth of experience and knowledge.
There are dozens of clubs in all corners of the country across multiple disciplines, you can find your local club here.
Learn the basics
As you get more and more involved in cycling, it’s important to expand your knowledge of the basics such as bike mechanics, kit, nutrition and the dos and don’ts.
You can find some resources on bike basics here for several disciplines Cycling Ireland run several programmes, some in partnership with local sports partnerships, for more information click here.
You can learn much of this from members of your local club but there is a wealth of information available online on skills such as repairing a puncture, suitable kit for each discipline of cycling, how to ensure you fuel correctly for cycling and much more.
Check out upcoming events
After the Cyclo-cross season draws to a close, the attention switches to other disciplines in the coming months. Cross-country mountain biking is similar to Cyclo-cross and the upcoming National Series is an excellent way to get involved.
The first round of the Biking Blitz takes place on February 12th while young riders can give track cycling a go with the Youth Track League beginning on April 15th.
You can find more events on our events calendar here.
Always have fun
The most important thing when you’re getting involved in cycling is to enjoy it. Whether you prefer to cycle at your own pace or are interested in racing competitively, at Cycling Ireland we have something for every kind of cyclist.
Whatever way you cycle, it should be enjoyable and always make sure to do it in a safe manner.