Clifton CC

Hello all, I am looking to get my 8yr old a road bike. He would like to come along to the Saturday morning sessions at the York cycle circuit and do some of the go ride sessions & also fancies a craic at the Malton cycling races on the 22nd of June.
I had hoped that we would come and do some stuff on the velodrome also when completed, together and separately.
So the question is, if I get him a 'decent' little road bike, will he be able to use it on the velodrome too , or would he need a track bike? (well not specific but set up that way)
The money seems to be around the £400 mark for a decent kids bike that does not contain half a ton of steel. A good one should last him years, but I am not as certain if we cannot use it on the velodrome!
All help , advice and 'how much' for a kids bike advice all welcome
Mark

Hi Mark, track bikes for the velodrome will be specific (fixed gear) bike and road bikes won't be used on the track. When my kids started track with Clifton at Manchester and Scunthorpe, they just hired/borrowed track bikes for a bit. From memory, we paid a bit at Scunthorpe but they were free at Manchester for the organised (cluster) sessions. Then once you know they like the track, are accredited and maybe want to get into racing, you could get a track bike. I assume York Sport will be getting a fleet of track bikes for use on the new track.
There's a healthy second hand market in kids bikes...so you can usually sell on when your son grows too big for the bike. I think also the early Go-Ride skills sessions can be done a variety of bikes if someone hasn't got a road bike yet.
With a circuit, velodrome and great coaching, it's a great time and place to start!
Hope that helps
Paul

Ps...forgot to clarify...I'm not one of the coaches..just one of the parents (Anna's Dad)
Also there's a great website dedicated to youth cycle sport here...it reviews some youth road bikes.... The forum blocks URLs but if you google youth cycle sport it should come up first.

Hope that helps!
Paul

Thanks for that Paul, very useful. The Youth website is good too and very handy. Will bring the boy along on his mtb and keep trying a few sessions and see how we go I think before we take the plunge on a bike then!