Talented Junior

"Bertie Wiggins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now taken about 50 children through an intensive cycle training
programme.

Of those children, one ten year old girl has stood out as seeming to
have a natural talent. Where can I go to get professional advice as
to whether she really does have talent?

British Cycling do Talent Team try-outs at various venues. Why not get in
touch with BC and see when the next one is near to your locality?

Cheers, helen s

Bertie Wiggins said:

I have now taken about 50 children through an intensive cycle training
programme.

Of those children, one ten year old girl has stood out as seeming to
have a natural talent. Where can I go to get professional advice as
to whether she really does have talent?

i'm assuming you mean in a competitive aspect.

British Cycling may be able to give you advice.
They run 'Talent Team Tests' aimed at spotting potential under the
Go-Ride' banner.
'Go-Ride' clubs that particularly cater for youngsters are given extra
support in many ways.
Details are at: http://www.bcf.uk.com/development/Young_people.html

An excellent Go-Ride club in London is the VCLondres
http://www.vcl.org.uk/about/

John B

On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 18:56:25 +0100, "wafflycat"

waffles*$*A**T*v21net$*££*D*O*T*co*D£$£*O*T*uk said:

"Bertie Wiggins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now taken about 50 children through an intensive cycle training
programme.

Of those children, one ten year old girl has stood out as seeming to
have a natural talent. Where can I go to get professional advice as
to whether she really does have talent?

British Cycling do Talent Team try-outs at various venues. Why not get in
touch with BC and see when the next one is near to your locality?

Thanks, Helen. I have a contact email address from their website and
will write to them after another couple of training sessions with the
group.

I looked at a page I wouldn't normally read, and found this advice in
the *women_beginner_guide* page:

"Finally, and most importantly, you must wear a helmet. The latest
helmets are highly fashionable, comfortable and very light. They often
include peaks to keep sun or mud out of your eyes. Don't even think of
riding without one. A pair of wrap-around sunglasses complete the cool
cyclist look and protect eyes from insects and flying mud ( a bee in
the eye at 20mph is no laughing matter)."

<Bertie runs to reinforced concrete bunker, dons ear defenders, and
screws his eyes up tight after securely bolting door with three
internal hardened steel 4 inch bolts>

In article <[email hidden]>, Bertie

Wiggins said:

<Bertie runs to reinforced concrete bunker, dons ear defenders, and
screws his eyes up tight after securely bolting door with three
internal hardened steel 4 inch bolts>

You'll be safe in your bib shorts then ?

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

Bertie Wiggins said:

I looked at a page I wouldn't normally read, and found this advice in
the *women_beginner_guide* page:

"Finally, and most importantly, you must wear a helmet. The latest
helmets are highly fashionable, comfortable and very light. They often
include peaks to keep sun or mud out of your eyes. Don't even think of
riding without one. A pair of wrap-around sunglasses complete the cool
cyclist look and protect eyes from insects and flying mud ( a bee in
the eye at 20mph is no laughing matter)."

Pathetic, isn't it?

I have been assured that I will not be forced to wear a h***et on the
TfL cycle test track at Cycle 05 at ExCel. I would encourage others to
demand the same right.

Last year h***ets were compulsory in the test dungeon unless the ones
they had didn't fit.

Colin McKenzie

Bertie Wiggins said:

On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 18:56:25 +0100, "wafflycat"

waffles*$*A**T*v21net$*££*D*O*T*co*D£$£*O*T*uk said:

"Bertie Wiggins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have now taken about 50 children through an intensive cycle training
programme.

Of those children, one ten year old girl has stood out as seeming to
have a natural talent. Where can I go to get professional advice as
to whether she really does have talent?

British Cycling do Talent Team try-outs at various venues. Why not get in
touch with BC and see when the next one is near to your locality?

Thanks, Helen. I have a contact email address from their website and
will write to them after another couple of training sessions with the
group.

I looked at a page I wouldn't normally read, and found this advice in
the *women_beginner_guide* page:

"Finally, and most importantly, you must wear a helmet. The latest
helmets are highly fashionable, comfortable and very light. They often
include peaks to keep sun or mud out of your eyes. Don't even think of
riding without one. A pair of wrap-around sunglasses complete the cool
cyclist look and protect eyes from insects and flying mud ( a bee in
the eye at 20mph is no laughing matter)."

Just a bit of lateral thinking here. How many children die of head
injuries from running into goal posts every year? OK, you are thinking
'What on earth?' but the answer is, as expected, non-zero but small.
Single figures. About the same as the number of children who die of
head injuries from cycling accidents (and how many of those are caused
by motor vehicles).

...d

Colin McKenzie said:

Bertie Wiggins said:

I looked at a page I wouldn't normally read, and found this advice in
the *women_beginner_guide* page:

"Finally, and most importantly, you must wear a helmet.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

I have been assured that I will not be forced to wear a h***et on the
TfL cycle test track at Cycle 05 at ExCel. I would encourage others to
demand the same right.

out of interest, from whom did you receive this assurance?

best wishes
james

David Martin said:

Just a bit of lateral thinking here. How many children die of head
injuries from running into goal posts every year? OK, you are thinking
'What on earth?' but the answer is, as expected, non-zero but small.
Single figures. About the same as the number of children who die of
head injuries from cycling accidents (and how many of those are caused
by motor vehicles).

Did anyone else read this and think of the "soccertainment" advert?

<hollywood movie trailer voiceover mode>
When BMW Driver Magazine in association with Ford Transit started
sponsoring the Pro Tour, we had a vision - the French Republic's Tour de
Vans. Why bother modifying regular cars for team vehicles when you could
use one much more suitable for the purpose? Helmets - why make it easy
by increasing the size of the target? All those bicycles blocking up the
road - bannish them to the cyclepaths. But then we thought we'll do the
[censored] driving and leave the cycling to you guys.

JimP

Quoted message said:

Bertie Wiggins said:

I looked at a page I wouldn't normally read, and found this advice in
the *women_beginner_guide* page:

"Finally, and most importantly, you must wear a helmet. The latest
helmets are highly fashionable, comfortable and very light. They often
include peaks to keep sun or mud out of your eyes. Don't even think of
riding without one. A pair of wrap-around sunglasses complete the cool
cyclist look and protect eyes from insects and flying mud ( a bee in
the eye at 20mph is no laughing matter)."

Pathetic, isn't it?

Quoted message said:

Colin McKenzie

Err, to you maybe. 'IMHO', no.

--
Mark
_______________________________________
Nerves of Steel, Heart of Gold, Knob of Butter

Mark (MSA) said:

Err, to you maybe. 'IMHO', no.

So it is the "most important" thing you can do to wear a helmet?
Really? Is it really ludicrous to "even think of riding without one"?

Please explain those opinions in more depth...

(I have asked the BCF to do likewise since my original missive had a
rather pathetic "you're entitled yo your opinion and we're entitled to
ours" response. As the public face of British cycling I think their
advice needs substantially better grounded than that.)

Pete
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

(I have asked the BCF to do likewise since my original missive had a
rather pathetic "you're entitled yo your opinion and we're entitled to
ours" response. As the public face of British cycling I think their
advice needs substantially better grounded than that.)

Following this up, I have just had the following reply from Phil Ingham,
the BCF's "Communications Manager":

************ start
Peter

sorry, I'm not going to debate it with you.

Regards

Phil
************ end

So that really explains their reasoning very well! If anyone else
wishes to communicate with Mr. Ingham regarding this particular BCF
communication, his email is [email hidden]

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Quoted message said:

Mark (MSA) said:

Err, to you maybe. 'IMHO', no.

So it is the "most important" thing you can do to wear a helmet? Really? Is
it really ludicrous to "even think of riding without one"?

Please explain those opinions in more depth.

First of all please re-read and understand what I'm replying to.

"IMHO, no it is not pathetic". At no time did I suggest that wearing a
helmet is the most important thing you can do!

I'm presuming we are talking about someone becoming interested
in/starting racing, on a bicycle, in some form or another? IMHO (very
important part that), it is advisable to wear a crash helmet while
partaking in any form of cycle racing. Given my experiences, I
personally (that relates to the M in IMHO) would not race without a
helmet, I have crashed numerous times (due to my own mistakes, and
those of others) in the past, and have been glad to be wearing a
helmet. I have scraped helmets, I have broken helmets; without
researching any further (which I don't because I would rather be riding
my bike) I am happy to think that the damage to the helmet means less
damage to my head. It is my (M) very simple view that wearing a helmet
causes me (M) no discomfort or disadvantage, so I wear one.

Time after time I bite my lip when reading any threads that discuss
helmets and the use of. No one is wrong or right, wear one, don't wear
one, if I'm told to wear one, I wear it, if I'm not told, I make my own
mind up.

I race weekends, I always wear a helmet, I commute approx. 200 miles
per week, I always wear a helmet, today I rode to my LBS to pick up
some spares, I didn't wear a helmet. Just thought I'd add that to show
that I don't think that riding without one could ever be "ludicrous".

Please don't forget that this is MO.

--
Mark
_______________________________________
Nerves of Steel, Heart of Gold, Knob of Butter

Mark (MSA) said:

First of all please re-read and understand what I'm replying to.

"IMHO, no it is not pathetic". At no time did I suggest that wearing a
helmet is the most important thing you can do!

I'm presuming we are talking about someone becoming interested
in/starting racing, on a bicycle, in some form or another? IMHO (very
important part that), it is advisable to wear a crash helmet while
partaking in any form of cycle racing.

Ah, but that particular page on the BCF website isn't about racing,
despite being at the BCF site, it's general advice to beginners. It
also, for example, suggests an MTB is ideal for most sorts of cycling,
so we're fairly clear that racing isn't the only thing on the agenda here.

Quoted message said:

I don't think that riding without one could ever be "ludicrous".

My problem with the page is that in admonishing people who might even
think of not wearing one on any riding occasion is going rather beyond
what you're saying, so your HO and the BCF page are at odds AFAICT.

Following up my own followup, I did get some useful discussion with the
BCF Communications Manager after I admonished him for not doing what his
job title suggested he should, and we've had a rather more constructive
exchange where he's taken my points on board to some extent. A rewrite
is promised by the time the new BCF website is done in January.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

John B said:

i'm assuming you mean in a competitive aspect.

British Cycling may be able to give you advice.
They run 'Talent Team Tests' aimed at spotting potential under the
Go-Ride' banner.
'Go-Ride' clubs that particularly cater for youngsters are given extra
support in many ways.
Details are at: http://www.bcf.uk.com/development/Young_people.html

An excellent Go-Ride club in London is the VCLondres
http://www.vcl.org.uk/about/

As always, John, you give good sound advice.

It looks like I'll be taking all 30 trainees to either Herne Hill
Velodrome or Lee Valley Cycle Circuit in May or June 2006.

in message <[email hidden]>, Peter Clinch

(') said:

Peter Clinch said:

(I have asked the BCF to do likewise since my original missive had a
rather pathetic "you're entitled yo your opinion and we're entitled to
ours" response. As the public face of British cycling I think their
advice needs substantially better grounded than that.)

Following this up, I have just had the following reply from Phil
Ingham, the BCF's "Communications Manager":

************ start
Peter

sorry, I'm not going to debate it with you.

Traduit: we know this is indefensible, but we'd look idiots if we
publicly changed our stance.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; better than your average performing pineapple

in message <[email hidden]>, Mark (MSA)

(') said:

I'm presuming we are talking about someone becoming interested
in/starting racing, on a bicycle, in some form or another? IMHO (very
important part that), it is advisable to wear a crash helmet while
partaking in any form of cycle racing. Given my experiences, I
personally (that relates to the M in IMHO) would not race without a
helmet, I have crashed numerous times (due to my own mistakes, and
those of others) in the past, and have been glad to be wearing a
helmet. I have scraped helmets, I have broken helmets; without
researching any further (which I don't because I would rather be riding
my bike) I am happy to think that the damage to the helmet means less
damage to my head. It is my (M) very simple view that wearing a helmet
causes me (M) no discomfort or disadvantage, so I wear one.

Well, you may think that, but the science is against you. The issue comes
down to speed of impact. At low speeds (i.e. single vehicle accidents
when not racing) there's no question, helmets are on average a good
thing. In accidents involving traffic, the rate of KSI increases with
the rate of helmet wearing, and while there are a number of confounding
factors involved it appears from the data that there probably is a
causal relationship here: more people wearing helmets is causing more
people to get killed. The excess deaths show up in road statistics, so
they're happening on the road, and it's a fair guess that they are
happening at speed. One proposed mechanism is rotational injury, which
it is possible that wearing a helmet aggravates.

We don't know when and in what circumstances helmets make injuries worse.
But we do know that in incidents with serious injury potential they
aggravate slightly more often than they ameliorate, because if they
didn't, KSI rates would go down as helmet wearing goes up.

In summary, no-one knows whether wearing a helmet when racing a bike on
the road is safer, neutral, or riskier than not wearing one. There
hasn't been a study of racing cyclist injuries to indicate either way.
However, on the evidence the probability is that it's neutral or
riskier.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; 99% of browsers can't run ActiveX controls. Unfortunately
;; 99% of users are using the 1% of browsers that can...
[seen on /. 08:04:02]

Bertie Wiggins said:

John B said:

i'm assuming you mean in a competitive aspect.

British Cycling may be able to give you advice.
They run 'Talent Team Tests' aimed at spotting potential under the
Go-Ride' banner.
'Go-Ride' clubs that particularly cater for youngsters are given extra
support in many ways.
Details are at: http://www.bcf.uk.com/development/Young_people.html

An excellent Go-Ride club in London is the VCLondres
http://www.vcl.org.uk/about/

As always, John, you give good sound advice.

It looks like I'll be taking all 30 trainees to either Herne Hill
Velodrome or Lee Valley Cycle Circuit in May or June 2006.

That sounds brilliant.
As I guess you already know Herne Hill is where VC Londres meet.

Being a road circuit, Lee Valley (Eastway) may not be quite so exciting
for the youngsters and may seem a long way around for them, plus some of
the hills may be sapping.
At Herne Hill all youngsters can be in view of each other (and of the
supervisors) all the time.

Good luck,

John B

John B said:

Being a road circuit, Lee Valley (Eastway) may not be quite so exciting
for the youngsters and may seem a long way around for them, plus some of
the hills may be sapping.
At Herne Hill all youngsters can be in view of each other (and of the
supervisors) all the time.

I'll certainly post feedback after the trip. In the meantime I'm
returning to my bunker while the h*lm*t debate above (which I started)
continues in earnest.

I wonder if Duck is right after all, and I am a troll!?

Quoted message said:

Colin McKenzie said:

I have been assured that I will not be forced to wear a h***et on the
TfL cycle test track at Cycle 05 at ExCel. I would encourage others to
demand the same right.

out of interest, from whom did you receive this assurance?

It came from Bob Davis, after he followed up my query to TfL. But I'm
not sure who he got this answer from.

I have asked him.

Colin McKenzie