13 yr old doing longer rides.

[Banjo]

My 13 yr old wants to join me doing the Taff Trail Brecon to Cardiff. This is about 55 miles with some rough tracks and hills.

He has a reasonable MTB that doesnt weigh a ton but has probably never ridden more than 5 miles before.He is very fit .

Is it wise to let him and what training goals should I set him to prove that he is up to it and find any potential bike problems.

Im just washing my saddle bag out ,cleaning my shoes etc from doing it yesterday in Heavy rain with occasional light rain the forecast was for occasional showers.

 

[RedBike]

55miles on a MTB over rough ground is going to be a seriously hard ride. You need to scout the route out before and work out exactly whats involved. For example where you can stop for food and water, if it's possible for him to stop or start half way and just ride half of it.

As a very rough guide on long MTB rides (rough terrain) I generally reckon I only manage about 10Km/h average; Which would mean you could be looking at a 10 hour ride. I can't see anyone who's never ridden more than 5miles being able to ride for that sort of time and enjoy it.

The best training he can do is to start putting the miles in / spend time in the saddle.
Find him a local 10 mile loop with a few hills / off-road sections and see how he gets on. If in a few weeks time if he can manage 30/40miles reasonably comfortably then he's probably up to the challange.

 

[summerdays]

My kids have done upto 20 miles but I would not want to do 55 with them as a straight jump from 5. Its a long time in the saddle. I would go for shorter sections of the trail to start with. The one bit of the Taff trail that we have done with my kids was fairly hard going - but it may have been one of the harder bits - the upper route by Castell Coch - admittedly the lower route was better on the return leg.

 

[simon_brooke]

My 13 yr old wants to join me doing the Taff Trail Brecon to Cardiff. This is about 55 miles with some rough tracks and hills.

He has a reasonable MTB that doesnt weigh a ton but has probably never ridden more than 5 miles before.He is very fit .

Is it wise to let him and what training goals should I set him to prove that he is up to it and find any potential bike problems.

At thirteen I was doing rides that length in the hills on an old ex-army roadster with rod brakes, which weighed a great deal more than a reasonable MTB. I did this on my own or with friends my own age (and lots of other kids did the same sort of thing). I don't think you need to set him any 'training goals'; any reasonably fit youngster can do that.

 

[blazed]

At thirteen I was doing rides that length in the hills on an old ex-army roadster with rod brakes, which weighed a great deal more than a reasonable MTB. I don't think you need to set him any 'training goals'; any reasonably fit youngster can do that.

Exactly in fact most people in general could do a 55 mile bike ride if they really had to, whether they were fit or not. Your son should breeze it.

 

[getfit]

Exactly in fact most people in general could do a 55 mile bike ride if they really had to, whether they were fit or not. Your son should breeze it.

I don't think this is strictly right. The type of terrain will have a big bearing on the effort required and having visited the Brecon Beacons a few years back, I'm sure the route would be anything other than easy going!

If you have time to carry out some training, ie. a few rides along the route but turning around after 10 miles or so, you should be able to gauge just how your lad will fair on the terrain in question. I would also advise going out very easy speed wise, try and get across to him that it's the distance that's the goal not the speed, he can reduce times once he knows what’s involved.

Let us know how you get on.

GF

 

[summerdays]

At thirteen I was doing rides that length in the hills on an old ex-army roadster with rod brakes, which weighed a great deal more than a reasonable MTB. I did this on my own or with friends my own age (and lots of other kids did the same sort of thing). I don't think you need to set him any 'training goals'; any reasonably fit youngster can do that.

But you probably worked up to those distances - it may be a fair jump from 5 to 50 miles in one go. I'm just saying that doing some rides in between first would be good.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Keep him fuelled and he'll be fine. My fit 13 year old oaf went from pottering around town, to riding 70 miles in a day when I took him touring in France this spring.

 

[simon_brooke]

But you probably worked up to those distances - it may be a fair jump from 5 to 50 miles in one go. I'm just saying that doing some rides in between first would be good.

Well, yes, of course. But the average kid who is going out and playing on his bike in the evenings may not ever actually go very far from the house but covers a fair few miles without even thinking about it.

 

[summerdays]

The really average kid - rarely gets on their bike or at most just pottles to meet their mates and then hang around a park sitting on their bike. But yes I know what you mean about exploring kids. However I was cycling with a 14 year old last week (not one of mine), who had to stop multiple times over a 5 mile route, who was out of breath etc.

 

[getfit]

As a teenager nearly 30 years ago! I rode a BMX Cruiser with 24" wheels and a single gear. It's fair to say I rode everywhere, never felt out of breath and spent anytime I wasn't riding to and from my destination carry out jumps, tricks and general prating about. That said, I never had a distance in my head I had to achieve and I'm sure being told that 55 miles was ahead would be daunting!

If you are going to jump in and go for it, it may be worth having a backup plan, such as the wife/friend hanging around in a convenient place with the car ready to collect the lad if required.

GF

 

[Banjo]

Thanks for replies

Thanks for all the replies. Just to clarify ,the ride he wants to do isnt all on rough trails .Probably about 15 miles is rough the rest is on smooth paths and minor roads.The steepest / longest climbs are in the first 15 then its much easier all the way home.

The plus side is he is allways out on the bike and does various sports etc.I am going to tell him if he wants to do it he can come with me on a few longer rides building it up bit at a time over a few months. I would love to do it with him ,if he can put a bit of effort in preperation I'm sure all will be OK.

Good idea about a back up plan Getfit it would allow me to relax more knowing someone could come and fetch us.

 

[RedBike]

I bet a lot of the people on this forum couldn't ride for 10+ hours never mind someone whos never done a long ride before.

On the road this sort of distance could possibly be a relatively short 3hour ride; but by the sounds of it this isn't road!

eidt
Ooops, missed the above post

 

[Banjo]

Re Redbike Sorry mate my original post wasnt very well worded.

 

[lukesdad]

the taff trail is relatively easy going as its an old railway line basically. easynorth to south as the gradient goes down hill the castell coch section can be skirted via path beside main road(not brilliantly signed.I think your son could manage it at agentle pace.