There was a light crowd last night — early yet in the season — [...]]]>

Last night was the first Thursday Night Lights of the season at the NSC Velodrome up in Blaine. My family headed out to check it out, as it was a lovely evening, and my preschooler is a fan of the track cycling experience.

There was a light crowd last night — early yet in the season — but as the crowd grows, there have been some changes for the 2011 season to be aware of:

• Admission fee: The suggested donation of $2 is now the admission price for adults. Apparently, a lot of people weren’t supporting the racing, and thus the fee is not optional for those over 12 years of age. The fees support the velodrome and the racing and development programs for young racers, so this is still a good deal.
• Beer: The snack shack has been upgraded mildly. Pop, ice cream, pretzels and Peace Coffee all remain available, but there is now bottled beer as well thanks to a new sponsor.
• Prize races: The sponsored ‘prize races’ are back, in which spectators pick a racer to win, and all who pick the actual winner are entered to a raffle to win a fabulous prize. This year, the race organizers are pushing filling out race cards early — before the racers line up, certainly. For prize races whose participants are determined by qualifier heats, this means spectators need to note the winners of each heat to know who’s even an option for their raffle entry.

Last night’s racing was a good mix of newer racers, juniors, and Cat1/2 riders starting the season. Race selection stuck to the basics, with a chariot race being the most ‘complex’ option on the slate — bit early in the season for keirins and Madisons. There were several traditional points races, scratch races, and miss-and-outs.

Definitely make a point to check it out some Thursday, and bring your exact change for admission!

Personally, I find this a little ridiculous. By 12 months, many children are pulling [...]]]>

If you read the literature that comes with the average bicycle baby trailer, your reaction to actually hooking it up may be one of panic. Industry standard recommendation is not to even put the kid into a trailer until at least 12 months.

Personally, I find this a little ridiculous. By 12 months, many children are pulling themselves to standing positions or even walking. While there are certainly developmental concerns to be heeded before putting a kiddo in a trailer, that level of advancement is not necessary. At the same time, the people who rig up strange accommodations involving their carseats and the trailer are probably jumping the gun, and creating unstable riding situations.

With my first child, he didn’t land in the trailer for cycling purposes until about 10 months — he was born in the spring, so that first summer was not going to happen, regardless. My second child is a winter baby, and depending on her development, she may get into the trailer in time for fall 2011 — or wait until spring 2012, when she’ll be closer to 18 months.

My doctor says the 1-year recommendation is probably lawyer-driven, and based on a conservative expectation of infant development. Here are some physical signs that a child may be ready for a trailer ride:

• Able to sit up under his/her own power
• Good neck strength
• Ability to find a helmet that fits/trailer harness that is secure

Neck strength is probably the biggest factor, as the bike helmet adds some weight/awkwardness that neck strength is needed to deal with. The soft spots (fontanelles) on a baby’s skull are also a potential factor — but 12 months isn’t a particularly solid guideline around the soft spot, as they typically begin to close at 6 months but won’t completely grow together until sometime between the 9th and 18th month.

My recommendation is to speak to a medical professional about your child’s physical readiness for a trailer experience. Keep in mind that even with a nice child trailer, the ride in a child trailer is not especially smooth, even on the nicest trail. Every bump will be felt. When you feel comfortable putting the child in the trailer, try to choose smooth routes that will minimize the jostling of the trailer. It helps to have a doctor who is supportive of cycling, and whose response won’t be to freak out about the general safety of cycling.

Additional tips I offer based on personal experience:

• Build in fun stops, especially as the kiddo gets mobile. Parks are always a good choice.
• Carry snacks.
• Ride with a friend. Even if you have someone to call if you have a major mechanical or the like, it’s good to have a buddy with in case of an emergency where you can’t call or someone needs to hang on to the kiddo.
• Wear your damn helmet. It is not okay to make sure your kid has one and you do not. Being the adult means being a good example.
• Be sure your bike is in good condition. Tune-ups matter.
• Don’t try too long a ride the first few times out, between the kid getting used to stuff, and you getting used to the turning radius and weight.

Once we started with Child #1 in trailer, we found he liked to nap in the trailer, and sometimes sing. In nice weather these days, at nearly 3, he’s been known to march up to either me or his father holding his bicycle helmet to demand a ride in the trailer, and he also loves outings to the Thursday Night Races at the NSC Velodrome. We’re hoping to achieve similar result with his little sister, when she’s able to get on board — probably in early fall 2011.

It’s a 5 race series, with 3 races each night. Racers are allowed to bring any bike they want, although it’s to be assumed that cyclocross bikes are likely the best handling. I have to assume that spectating [...]]]>

The National Sports Center in Blaine, and the NSC Velodrome, are offering indoor criterium racing on grass this winter.

It’s a 5 race series, with 3 races each night. Racers are allowed to bring any bike they want, although it’s to be assumed that cyclocross bikes are likely the best handling. I have to assume that spectating is possible, although I haven’t yet tried and the web page for the series doesn’t mention spectators at all.

I’m hoping spectators are feasible, because this sounds freaking awesome to watch, even if it’s sort of after the littlest racefan’s bedtime.

Unlike some of the road races, you [...]]]>

Obviously, I realize that the National Sports Center is in Blaine, which for many is like coming up to a strange, far away planet. But the Thursday Night Racing series at the Velodrome is one of the most accessible, fun opportunities to check out bicycle racing in the Twin Cities.

Unlike some of the road races, you get to sit in stands, and you’ll see a LOT of racing. You’ll get to see some interesting race disciplines and get to watch the entirety of the tactical execution. Oh, and there are prize drawings too.

Recently, the Trinidad and Tobago National Cycling Team has been racing on Thursdays, and are resident at the Velo as a training camp. Other racers on the track are also international quality.

It starts every Thursday at 7. It’s free, although they appreciate donations.