My son and I enjoy other sports together, no football but he has competed at Nats in foil fencing, is a prolific runner and plays table tennis like a demon. He has totaled several cars however in his brief time driving. I will not be buying him a bike. If he chooses to ride I will teach him the survival skills needed and hope he beats the odds. I forgot to mention that my father was also a cyclist. His cycling ended with a crash that left him with a brain injury. At age 86 it is now sadly clear the effects have left him. I am 56 and still ride a lot and will keep riding. I am done racing. I however have a permanently broken clavicle, an elbow that will no longer straighten, wrist pain from a fracture. All long term injuries while cycling. On the plus side I am the only member of my family that does not have diabetes However I can not in good faith suggest cycling anymore as cross training for my students for the reasons I already stated. It is interesting to me that the responses ignored everything about eating disorders and doping as part of cycling culture Those with young kids should IMO teach not only riding skills but healthy life choices.
I will continue to educate cyclist and other athletes on proper nutrition for health and performance. I will continue to advocate for safer roads and driver education. I will let my views regarding doping rule be known to those that fail to enforce them. Still the whole thing makes me sad

Thanks for the replys. See you on the road

Rustychain

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WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

Ok, you're an Epee coach... I understand the need for your students (if they are at a competitive level) to be held back from participating in other sports or hobbies where there is a high risk of injuring themselves. If, you are a local club coach and only coach beginners/introductory/non competitive fencers then I see holding them back from enjoying any other sport as selfish and unfair. They'll look to you as a role model, and need the right advice depending on their situation.

You always came back to cycling after injury, so did your father until his unfortunate crash. What were the reasons that kept you getting back on your bike? Those are the stories you should share about cycling with those interested in taking up the sport.

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FELT AR0
Velo Club Bristol

I am willing to risk my personal safety. IMO the current risk in road cycling are greater then I'm willing to take responcablity for with others.
My students compete at all levels and most do other sports. The question is when a parent asks my for a suggestion. Most know me as a bike nut. I do not see anything selfish about protecting kids from what at least in my area is a sport that is IMO overly dangerous. I don't recomend football for that matter. Yes all sports have risks. That is not the issue. I wish I felt differently, if we had a velodrome (dangerous but seldom fatal) if kids were interested in cross..... But road, not at this time

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WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

You should tell your pupil to move near my place Rusty, there is more danger coming from the surrounding wildlife than from automobiles or human "presence"...

Louis

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http://www.ccsalma.com

Does anyone really think that road cycling - either just recreationally, commuting, fitness or even racing - is actually more dangerous than it was in the 70s/80s/90s when we started riding? Were people unduely and unrealistically worried about the "danger" then? Why now?

Let kids be kids and pursue their recreational attractions. Guide them, but they can't live in a bubble. To me, it's like firearms: they can be dangerous. But people who learned how to use them as kids, under good guidance are much safer (in my experience) than the adults who just got into it on their own as adults.

From the reverse perspective, Ive been riding at a decent level since I was 15 and am now 20 - my mum still wants to know how long im going out for, when Im back and where Im going - as in her words she wants to know ''where to come scrape me off the road''

I say let them ride, I cant think of anything thatd be more annoying than if my parents stopped me from riding, doing what I enjoy most, when Im at home!