AHSCS Message Board

This topic is to discuss if peewee racers should be allowed to use training wheels during the race. There have been some crashes associated with racers trying to pass training wheeled racers.

Please voice your opinion on the matter.

After teaching my kids and many others, I feel it is best for kids to learn on a balance bike (strider or small bike with no pedals) first, then learn to pedal, then give them a motor. Kids become dependent on training wheels and that makes it harder from them to learn to ride.
Safety first! Its just not safe for the rider and others to have training wheels

I see both sides. I can see how passing a rider with training wheels may leave a rider in danger of crashing or being held up until a clear line is open. However, you don't want to discourage riders from racing who have not yet gained the skills to ride a track without training wheels.

I have seen a few bad wrecks do to the fact that the rider was using training wheels. The tracks are not always training wheel friendly. I have also seen wrecks or close calls when a faster rider is trying to pass one with training wheels. I know this may upset some parents but I feel it is better when training wheels are not used. I feel it is safer for all the riders.

Riders with training wheels often require a lot of assistance during the race which usually comes from the parent or family member running along behind them. It's pretty safe to say that nobody once to see a collision between a faster rider and the persons on foot.

have 2 peewee classes thoes with 4 wheeels and thoes with 2 wheels

I agree with James King (it hurts to say that ). Riders have to start somewhere, for instance, my daughter has been riding a bicycle without training wheels with no issues at all for almost a year. However, she is small framed and is not strong enough to hold her motorcycle up without training wheels. I have tried without the training wheels and it discourages her and I feel it will turn her off of riding a motorcycle.

I feel the easiest solution would be to encourage or strongly suggest that promoters make peewee (and all junior riders) tracks pass friendly. I'm not saying that we should have a vehicle-wide race track at all, but at least have MULTIPLE sections where younger riders can make safer passes.

greg wrote:have 2 peewee classes thoes with 4 wheeels and thoes with 2 wheels

Moto 1--ATV Pee Wee (I bet there are more of these around...smooths out the track too)
15 minutes
Moto 2--Pee Wee with Training wheels (ONLY with training wheels)
15 minutes
Moto 3--Pee Wee (No Training Wheels)
20 minutes

just a thought

Why not combine ATV and Training wheels? They seam the same to me.
My vote is still for PeeWee (No training wheel ) only. There are plenty of great starter bikes out there. The electrics have a very low CG. My kids started on a 50cc Trials bike, very light and low seat height.

My vote is still for PeeWee (No training wheel ) only.

+1 IMHO you need to be off training wheels before entering a race.