My Son's Seeking a Cycling Groove

by Stephanie Oakes

My 8-year-old son, Blake, is a real bike enthusiast. He rides his bike year-round--rain or shine--to school, and although my husband and I have offered to enroll him in soccer, basketball, baseball or any sport of his choice, he's adamant about cycling. I try to nurture his enthusiasm by taking him to skate parks where he can practice and play on the ramps, but there's no instructor or coach around to help out. Where can we take him to learn more about cycling as a sport? And are there any children's events in cycling?

- Meg Featherstone, Encino

Stephanie's Answer:
It certainly sounds as if your son has found his sport. To start your search, check out USA Cycling (http://www.usacycling.org). This site offers plenty of options to see which type of cycling your son is most interested in--mountain biking, BMX, road, etc. It also has links to Southern California races and clinics and plenty of information on supporting young athletes in cycling. For close-to-home information, stop by your local bike shop to find out about nearby biking events. Bike shops are similar to running specialty stores in that most of the people working there participate in, or are partial to, the sport themselves..