Little do most people know, but the Valley Preferred Cycling Center (aka Lehigh Valley Velodrome), in Trexlertown, PA, offers free track cycling classes for all kids 18 and under, that is, as long as he or she can ride a bike, without training wheels. Yes, I said free. If your child isn’t interested in track cycling you can also get free road cycling lessons from the Lehigh Wheelmen Junior Cycling Club, also located in Trexlertown, PA.
Learn Track Cycling, for Beginners
The Velodrome offers free track cycling lessons to kids 18 and under, sponsored by Air Products it’s called the Air Products Developmental Cycling Program. To sign up all one needs to do is go to the Valley Preferred Cycling Center website and look for the Air Products link.
When you show up for your lessons bring with you your bike helmet, bikes are provided for you. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing, no skirts or sandals. You’ll be sized for a bike and issued one to use for your lessons. Then you’ll carry your bike over to the track and line up.
The coaches at the velodrome have been teaching kids to cycle for years and are very experienced with both track cycling and handling children. Don’t worry about if your children can do track cycling, almost anyone can, with a little practice. After training with the coaches of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center they’ll be racing around the track in no time.
There are several different levels of track cycling. Kids will start out in a beginners course. There they’ll learn to ride a track bike and the rules of the track. Then they’ll learn to ride around the track and even do a little racing toward the end of the three week session.
Track bikes are different than road or mountain bikes. So there will be a learning curve while the kids get used to the bikes. The biggest difference is the fixed gear. By fixed gear I mean that if you pedal forward you go forward and if you pedal backwards you go backwards. The next big difference is that they have no breaks. If you’re going fast and want to slow down, you just need to pedal slower. This is one of the very first things they’ll learn.
Next they’ll move on the intermediate level of track cycling. This is where they’ll start to pick up racing tips and even get to do a little racing. After they’ve become comfortable with the intermediate level of lessons they can move onto the more advanced level where they’ll learn all the ins and outs of track racing.
The Valley Preferred Cycling Center also offers track lessons for adults. They’re not free, but they don’t cost much. Give it a try, maybe you’ll even find that it’s something you really like, and it’s great exercise.
Spring Bike Racing League
Once kids have taken one of the Air Products courses they can sign up for the Bike Racing League (known as BRL). All you have to do to sign up for the bike racing league is know how to ride a track bike and know the basic rules of the track. The sign up for the bike racing league is also is on the website.
Kids who sign up for the bike racing league are usually broken down into three teams. Each team has it’s own coach and assistant coach. Three days a week each team will have practices for the first couple weeks. Then there are scrimmages between two teams at a time. Then races where kids are given points depending on what places they come in.
Races are broken down by boys and girls and also into age categories: 9 thru 12 year olds, 13 and 14 year olds, 15 and 16 year olds and 17 and 18 year olds. Sometimes the older age groups are broken down differently because of a lack of kids in the older groups. At the end of the season there is one big day where they have a final set of races to determine the winning team. The kids in each age category who earned the most point during the season wins a trophy too.
Competitive Junior Racing
If someone does really well at track cycling they may want to give Junior Racing a try. This is a special night of the week, held all summer long, where kids can come out and show off their stuff. They race in a very competitive environment against other kids who also think they have what it takes to win. It’s not free, but the cost is reasonable. It’s a great way to get started in the world of competitive track racing.
Each of the coaches that coach both the Air Products course and the Bike Racing League are available for a competitive level of coaching, for a fee, if someone needs it or wants it. They each coach their own individual teams and travel to local road races with their teams. They’ll also coach kids that are interested in going on to national and even world events. Some of the kids from the velodrome have been known to go on to world events and even the Olympics.
Lehigh Wheelmen Junior Cycling Club
Whether you do track cycling or you’d prefer to do road cycling you should consider . It’s only about $12 per adult per year and kids are free. Joining the Lehigh Wheelmen has many benefits, especially for the kids.
If you’re a track racer you’ll be supported with a tent to sit under while you’re waiting for your turn to race during major races. You’ll also have your own team of sorts to race with and other kids to talk with between races.
If you’re a road racer you can get a ride to races and special events if need be. Snacks and water are available at some of the further away races. Team spirt and a group of other kids to cheer you on while you race is always a good thing for kids.
Discounted uniforms are available through the club for all racers and club members. Reimbursement of a percentace of your races is also available. The junior coordinator can help coach your kids for free if they want to do some racing.
Local Bike Rides
If you’re not into racing, the Lehigh Wheelmen is still a good option for you to join. Weekly bike rides just for kids and their families are provided every Saturday morning. During these rides kids will learn how to ride on the road safely in a group. They’ll learn about hand signals and verbal signals designed to keep bike riders safe. They’ll also learn about rules of the road and cycling laws. Then they’ll stop for ice cream or hot chocolate and ride back to the velodrome.
Other events and rides are available to juniors throughout the year as well. There are sometimes off road rides that anyone can join in and rides for the older kids. Learning to be part of the community is key in the club. Helping out with races and other community events is not only fun but also teaches kids how they can become one with the community they live in and help others.
Tour de FCCC Race
Every year in July the Lehigh Wheelmen hold the Nicole Reinhart Tour de FCCC. This is a junior only road race broken down into three parts over two days. On Saturday there’s a time trial in the morning followed shortly by a road race. Sunday are the criterium races (aka crits). Each race is broken down further into age categories and separated by boys and girls.
People come from several different states and from Canada for this race. It’s sponsored by local companies and run by club members. There are food, drinks and lot of fun. Cash prized are given out as awards as well as trophies. Kids from 8 to 18 can participate.
About Cycling for Kids
Cycling is one of those sports that keeps kids out of trouble and off the streets. The role models they’ll come across at the Velodrome and in the Lehigh Wheelmen club are good people who love cycling. They do it for fun and they do it for sport. They know that you can’t be a good cyclist if you do drugs and smoke, and they pass that idea on to the kids whenever they can.
If you or your kids are looking for something to do that involves exercise and fresh air, this may just be the sport for you. Free is a good price. What have you got to lose?
