# Kids Road Racing Training, Tameside Circuit Manchester



## fossyant (8 Aug 2012)

Well,

All I can say is go down there if you fancy your kids having a go at riding a bike, and learning skills.

Went to Mossley CRT's session on a Wednesday from 6 pm.

Turned up and parked near front gate, met another family and no one was about. Saw a roadie go past so drove round back of athletics and they were there. Sent son back on his bike to tell other family.

Anyway, typical club running, charged a pound for my son.. Too cheap. About 10 young lads on road bikes, some range in kit, one lad had Dura Ace C35 wheels... My son was the only one on an MTB...

Fortunately a few others arrived, and two kids moving from another go ride club due to training times, really difficult if you work.

Anyway, it's a great facility, basic, but the road surface is awesome. The coaches were great with the kids, and we had a few others arrive later. Al loved it and will be back next week.

It runs every Wednesday, all year extreme weather dependant, as it's floodlit. Starts at 6pm for the youngsters from 6 to 12.

I'm taking my bike next week. Oh and son wants a road bike, he will get slicks for his bike.


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## I like Skol (8 Aug 2012)

I think I will have to give this a go next week then your lad won't be the only lad on an MTB. It's within riding distance for us so no prob to get there after tea. We have used the track a few times for bikeability and a holiday day camp they do and kids have had fun each time.


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## fossyant (8 Aug 2012)

We had a couple of families turn up, one came from a Manchester one as the training times were silly for a working family. They had a trek mtb and an islabike. Had one new little girl of 6 who was amazing. Then another family turned up, initially thought it might be you, but the guy was a shortie like me.

We had 4 going round the track, two lads of 10/11 on good MTBs and two younger girls. TBH the new kids worked hardest. The older lot did bugger all later.

Will try and take my daughter next week, and poss missus.


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## fossyant (15 Aug 2012)

8 kids tonight, including Skol's 2 lads. Going to be popular.


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## I like Skol (16 Aug 2012)

fossyant said:


> Going to be popular.


I think you're right there. It's a good, fun format and valuable skills being taught too (bike control, teamwork, listening to instructions).

I got a bit of a shock when I got home and reported the nights events back to Mrs Skol. When I mentioned we were encouraged to join the Mossley cycle club that organises the session and explained that they are possibly more family biased than a traditional cycle club she said "that's great, maybe I'll be able to get out with them and the boys when you are working weekends"


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## fossyant (16 Aug 2012)

Sidelined ?


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## I like Skol (16 Aug 2012)

fossyant said:


> Sidelined ?


 Maybe not. Who's going to fix the flat tyres on her bike?


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## gb155 (16 Aug 2012)

Sounds great 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


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## Rob3rt (16 Aug 2012)

It this track fenced off or open access?


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## fossyant (16 Aug 2012)

Fenced off - it's only open for club sessions, although there is a race league on Tuesdays. Weds tends to be Mossley's sessions, and Thursday evenings are chaingang sessions organised by Wills Wheels.


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## Rob3rt (16 Aug 2012)

Just wondered as it essentially looks like a pathway in a park, nothing fancy (not sure what I was expecting tbh), wondered how they keep the kids off.

Are there any open sessions where you can ride? Would be nice to give it a whirl, work on my notable shoot cornering skills


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## fossyant (16 Aug 2012)

It's a 1km circuit, that does indeed look like a path - it's fenced all round so no access unless you have the key. Worth checking out Will Wheels site about the Thursday chain gangs on it.


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## Rob3rt (16 Aug 2012)

Will's Wheel's is an odd prospect, they are a "club" (as well as bike shop, which I knew about before now) but they don't advertise how to join from what I can see :S

Anyway sounds cool, might contact them, once I regain a bit more fitness would be nice to get on a chaingang for training. I assume will also go far with developing confidence at riding in a group at speed (I am fine in a group, but never ridden in a group at race speeds ). Was thinking about re-joining (joined once before, but other than 1 or 2 intro rides, didn't really take part) the Manchester Wheelers and jumping on their chaingang's.


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## I like Skol (29 Aug 2012)

Kids track night tonight. I am working but trying to convince Mrs Skol that if we all ride to the track together then I can shoot off to work and she can ride back home with the kids after the session. She's not keen as the youngest son has to be kept under control when near the roads.

Are you going Fossy?


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## fossyant (29 Aug 2012)

We should be there tonight. Missed last week due to holidays.


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## I like Skol (29 Aug 2012)

We missed last week too. Did a family ride along the canal from Ashton to Castlefield for lunch then back. It was amazingly interesting going under the Piccadilly area beneath all the buildings and along Canal St (gay village!) down to Deansgate locks. We didn't get home until 5.30 and everyone was shattered after the 18 miles so getting to the track for 6pm was out of the question.


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## fossyant (29 Aug 2012)

May / May not now be there - wife and kids visiting friends in Sheffield, and they are still there now !


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## Rob3rt (29 Aug 2012)

Get the kids out in this weather, train them to be MEN!


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## fossyant (10 Sep 2012)

Little Miss went along last week also, and she 'seems' to have enjoyed it - made friends with another girl of a similar age. Going back this Wednesday with both again !


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## I like Skol (11 Sep 2012)

fossyant said:


> Little Miss went along last week also, and she 'seems' to have enjoyed it - made friends with another girl of a similar age. Going back this Wednesday with both again !


It's a shame about this because I would really like my boys to do the track training (not that they need any encouraging to ride and they are getting quite good on the roads now) but with Mrs Skol being unable/unwilling to take them when I am working and the fact that it clashes with their established cubs/beavers sessions it just isn't possible.
The cold decision is that, much as I/they like cycling, if they don't do the track cycling session they will still do lots of cycling anyway but if we stop the cubs/beavers then they will lose a big chunk of their out of school activities


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## fossyant (11 Sep 2012)

Shame that, but you can only do so many things and some have to take a back step.

My son's dropped the Drama/Theatre group on Tuesdays as he is waiting to see how many after school clubs there are at high school - he's already on the drama group. Even Scouts was missed last night. 

We now only have Friday and weekends free. Monday, Dance and Scouts, Tuesday Drama, Wednesday Cycling, Thursday Brownies.

Back to the cycling, Little Miss's bike is already getting an upgrade - the front mech that's fitted is made of cheese - way too much flex in the cage and pivots, meaning crap up shifts. Ordered a SRAM X3 front to match the rear X3. Shame such a crap front was fitted, as the X3 rear is brilliant for the bike price !


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## I like Skol (11 Sep 2012)

Upgrades on kids bikes 
Youngest's bike keeps throwing the chain off the front/single chain ring for no reason. Only thing I can think of is that the chain is terribly worn (I measured it a while ago at more than 1% ) but thought I would just leave it alone to mash the freewheel. I then considered a new chain and freewheel but started to itch for an upgrade so looked at mega range cassettes, but oh!, then the rear mech can't cope so a new mech needed at which point I gave myself a slap and just ordered like for like replacements. Should be here this week so MORE bike jobs to add to the list.


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