What's next? - 16 yr old cyclist.

VoxNihili
VoxNihili Posts: 2
edited August 2019 in Road beginners
Hi,
I've just turned 16, been riding for a couple of years, and started road cycling about a year ago. Say, hypothetically, that I wanted to join a serious team in the near future, or start edging into semi-pro racing after sixth form/through university, what an ideal map of races/qualifications, etc be? I'm just considering whether or not it could be feasible to continue, and I wouldn't just want to pour money in if it's never going to go anywhere...
Is it worth joining British Cycling in the immediate future?
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Comments

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Have you done any actual racing? Joined a club?
  • craigus89
    craigus89 Posts: 887
    Join a local club, talk to the older riders who have or still do race and get stuck in first.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    It's never too late - but if those are your short/medium term objectives then you're a bit behind the curve, to be honest.

    Some second year youth A (under 16) riders will already be on regional or national development pathways and will have already been racing since the age of 8 in some cases.

    You're still eligible for U16 races until the end of this calendar year, after which you become a junior category (ie under 18) rider. If you have any designs on becoming a racing cyclist of a standard high enough to be recruited by either BC or one of the pro or pro/am teams out there, then you really need to be racing and training hard right now. The national junior road series would be a good objective to aim for - but if you are a new rider you will start as a 4th category licence holder and National Junior Series events are only open to juniors of 3rd category or higher. So your first objective will need to be gaining a 3rd cat licence asap.

    Join BC, take out a race licence (silver or higher), join a local club or team with a youth/junior section and take some coaching/training advice asap.

    People have started later than you and made it to near the top of the sport, but the majority you are up against will be old hands already.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,820
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I don't want to sound too negative but most pro cyclists would have been racing as kids. There's always a chance - you get cyclists swapping from other sports but by 16 - you'd have laid the groundwork for athletic greatness.

    Clubmate of mine is a pro. When he was your age he was racing and going to bed at 10pm to get up to train early. Lots of sacrifices were made.

    It's not an easy life and you have to really want it.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.
    Even as 16 year old he wouldn’t think he could just become a professional footballer, rugby player, cricketer without playing at a serious level. So why would you think you can become professional cyclist without ever competing.
  • poptart242
    poptart242 Posts: 531
    Webboo wrote:
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.
    Even as 16 year old he wouldn’t think he could just become a professional footballer, rugby player, cricketer without playing at a serious level. So why would you think you can become professional cyclist without ever competing.

    They're a 16 year old asking hypothetical questions, stop being such a gatekeeper.

    OP - join a local club that races, ideally with some sort of youth development angle. Get your BC license and have a go at proper racing - no harm in it. Since you're 16 you've plenty of time to develop! Go race, ride the hard group at Tuesday worlds, sprint for every townsign, smash every KOM, do mad stuff on a MTB. It's all training. You'll know soon enough if you're going to get fast enough. Good luck :D
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,218
    Poptart242 wrote:
    OP - join a local club that races, ideally with some sort of youth development angle. Get your BC license and have a go at proper racing - no harm in it. Since you're 16 you've plenty of time to develop! Go race, ride the hard group at Tuesday worlds, sprint for every townsign, smash every KOM, do mad stuff on a MTB. It's all training. You'll know soon enough if you're going to get fast enough. Good luck :D
    +1
    Join a club (or clubs) and get involved in the local rides/races. Look for one that go out on regular rides.

    If you're still interested by the time you go to university then check out which ones have a decent cycling club that you can join (great way to make friends in freshers week too).

    I don't think there's much point in buying British Cycling membership for the sake of it - only get it if you want a race licence (or the other benefits).

    As for money, just get a half decent cheap road bike to start with and go from there. There's no point spending £5000 on a time trial bike if you find that you prefer group road racing.
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,820
    Ride lots, Join a local club. Ride lots with them. Join British Cycling - it's cheap as a youth member. Look at British Cycling for Youth Teams and local races. Enter. be prepared to lose. Lots of times. Get fitter. Get stronger. Start not getting dropped. Work your way up. Ride more. Be committed. Don't give up. Ignore girls/fags/booze/late nights...

    Chris Froome was 22 when he turned Pro.


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • poptart242
    poptart242 Posts: 531
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Ride lots, Join a local club. Ride lots with them. Join British Cycling - it's cheap as a youth member. Look at British Cycling for Youth Teams and local races. Enter. be prepared to lose. Lots of times. Get fitter. Get stronger. Start not getting dropped. Work your way up. Ride more. Be committed. Don't give up. Ignore girls/fags/booze/late nights...

    Chris Froome was 22 when he turned Pro.

    Big Svein Tuft was 32 when he made it to the world tour!
  • meursault
    meursault Posts: 1,433
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Hi

    I'm the manager of Stevenage FC We would be glad to have you. Can you score goals? We will provide boots and halftime orange.
    Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them.

    Voltaire
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.

    Or is it yet another troll attempt by milemuncher...
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.

    Or is it yet another troll attempt by milemuncher...
    No as he or she didn’t mention peddling at 30 revs per minute over 200 miles while carrying a 100 kg rucksack..
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    go to uni

    join uotc

    get degree and get paid to ride

    make decisons as you go along

    absolutely no obligation to join up

    #freemoney
    #moreexperiencesthanyoucanshakeastickat
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Webboo wrote:
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.

    Or is it yet another troll attempt by milemuncher...
    No as he or she didn’t mention peddling at 30 revs per minute over 200 miles while carrying a 100 kg rucksack..

    Yet.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    This guy started riding a bike at 16 years of age. :wink:
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Matthewfalle wrote:
    go to uni

    join uotc

    get degree and get paid to ride

    make decisons as you go along

    absolutely no obligation to join up

    #freemoney
    #moreexperiencesthanyoucanshakeastickat

    My best mate from junior school did just that but he was determined to join up. Ended up a Major. Decorated for his time in Bosnia and a spell guarding Hess in Spandau. Retired before 50 on a 2 fat pensions (his wife is also a Major...)
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    De Sisti wrote:
    This guy started riding a bike at 16 years of age. :wink:

    True, but he was a Belgian youth football international on the books of PSV and Anderlecht before switching to cycling. It also helps if your dad was a pro cyclist too...
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    keef66 wrote:
    Matthewfalle wrote:
    go to uni

    join uotc

    get degree and get paid to ride

    make decisons as you go along

    absolutely no obligation to join up

    #freemoney
    #moreexperiencesthanyoucanshakeastickat

    My best mate from junior school did just that but he was determined to join up. Ended up a Major. Decorated for his time in Bosnia and a spell guarding Hess in Spandau. Retired before 50 on a 2 fat pensions (his wife is also a Major...)

    uotc is just a ridiculously good way to have a brilliant time at uni, meet some really nice people, get paid for doing all your sport (inc travel, accomodation and food costs) and then the potential of an excellent career like your friend.

    your friend has done it exactly the right way - big het to him & his wife.

    #betterthanadeskjob
    #251
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    "better than a desk job" - all of the officers I ever worked with (mostly majors, half/full colonels and a brigadier) with ended up in desk jobs pushing pens around bits of paper...
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    Imposter wrote:
    "better than a desk job" - all of the officers I ever worked with (mostly majors, half/full colonels and a brigadier) with ended up in desk jobs pushing pens around bits of paper...


    choose your trade/career path and it doesn't have to be so

    and you are forgetting about all the years of experiences leading up to that point

    #careerplanning
    #251
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Matthewfalle wrote:
    Imposter wrote:
    "better than a desk job" - all of the officers I ever worked with (mostly majors, half/full colonels and a brigadier) with ended up in desk jobs pushing pens around bits of paper...


    choose your trade/career path and it doesn't have to be so

    and you are forgetting about all the years of experiences leading up to that point

    #careerplanning
    #251

    Most of the ones I worked with were gunners or infantry officers - they all had some pretty good stories to tell...
  • shortfall
    shortfall Posts: 3,288
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    Webboo wrote:
    Hi
    Just turned 16, been kicking a football round the park with my mates. I’m thinking about being a professional footballer after university what’s an ideal map of games qualifications.
    I wouldn’t want to buy any football boots if it’s going nowhere.

    Seriously you tw@t Webboo. He's a kid. Stop being such a troll.

    Or is it yet another troll attempt by milemuncher...

    It's possible. Another new poster called fstrownyver has appeared on the Hand Built Wheels thread asking an inane question. (Apologies to the OP on this thread if he's genuine).
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Perfectly possible it's a genuine poster.

    OP - ride your bike. Join club. Ride lots more. Then you'll know if you have a future.
  • Darius_Jedburgh
    Darius_Jedburgh Posts: 675
    OP hasn't been seen since his/her one and only post.
    Troll? Quite possibly.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    Imposter wrote:
    De Sisti wrote:
    This guy started riding a bike at 16 years of age. :wink:

    True, but he was a Belgian youth football international on the books of PSV and Anderlecht before switching to cycling. It also helps if your dad was a pro cyclist too...
    Not quite sure if you're trying to make a link between being on the books of two football clubs (at the same time? :wink: ) and cycling?
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    De Sisti wrote:
    Imposter wrote:
    De Sisti wrote:
    This guy started riding a bike at 16 years of age. :wink:

    True, but he was a Belgian youth football international on the books of PSV and Anderlecht before switching to cycling. It also helps if your dad was a pro cyclist too...
    Not quite sure if you're trying to make a link between being on the books of two football clubs (at the same time? :wink: ) and cycling?

    Anderlecht first, before switching to PSV, I think. Just making the point that Remco was clearly a talented athlete before he took up cycling, not to mention coming from a cycling family. I know a couple of riders who have been successful in other sports before moving to cycling - and have been able to carry-over that success into their new sport..
  • poptart242
    poptart242 Posts: 531
    Franco di Banco wrote:
    OP hasn't been seen since his/her one and only post.
    Troll? Quite possibly.

    Given the type of comments in the thread I'd run a mile if I were OP too.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Poptart242 wrote:
    Franco di Banco wrote:
    OP hasn't been seen since his/her one and only post.
    Troll? Quite possibly.

    Given the type of comments in the thread I'd run a mile if I were OP too.

    OP was online this morning (I say 'this morning' - just after midnight)

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