My son is 8I and having a hard time getting out of the gate quickly. He's a pretty big and powerful kid about 85lbs and 4'10. Because he is fairly new to racing and bike riding in general I have kept him on flat pedals. His gearing is 43/16 with a 160mm crank arm. I notice that the other kids are spinning at full speed within the 30 foot line while he is not. Once he is up to speed he can really put the power down but he has to play catch up and that's bad on a fast track. Besides the clips (which will come at some point) does anyone have any ideas of what to try? Some feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Get to a clinic ASAP. Make sure his cranks aren't set high or isn't clicking them up before the gate drops. Get a copy of BMX training from Stile Ind. at one of the site sponsors, Dan's Comp, J&R, etc. 15 yard sprints from a dead start. The list goes on with tips along with crank length, gears, and bike set-up.

There will be many tips but the most important one is keep it fun!

My first guess is that I think the gearing might be a little big for him.

Also, I hate to say this but when I noticed that every kid in my son's class was running clips and decided to try them out is made a difference. We held out and raced on flats for 2 years though before getting clips. It just came down to doing what we had to do in order to compete. The Time Z's have worked well for us. I would not rush into clips however.

My final thought. Sometimes there is nothing you can do. My son is fine on the rest of the track but slow getting started. It's just the way it is sometimes. At that age not all of them really comprehend the sprinting concept.

I wouldn't push him too hard though. Just let him have fun and maybe play a few games where he has to sprint jump or run short distances. The clinic idea isn't bad either. But I honestly think there's only so much you can do with an 8 yr old as far as training. The BEST thing for him is just to ride the track as often as he can. The rest will come in time if he has the inclination.

well i just went through this with my daughter she is the same age and she runs a 39/14 gear. on a 155 crank she is normally one of the first people out of the gate because that is what we practices all the time, she love this gear over the big gears and she use the run the 43/16 she never did very well on that.. what size are his wheels and tires

So even though her gear ratio is bigger she can spin up faster with the smaller gears?

dont get too crazy on pedal position. My pedal is almost even with my down tube and I get out of the gate fine. let him find his own niche. Have him watch someone that gets good gates,throw those hips and off you go.

Best thing IMO is watch an experienced rider get a gate. Then get together with them with your son to maybe work on gates a few times during practice if they don't mind. Let them line up together and allow the older rider to give tips and advice. That's what I did when I came back. Gated with the fast ex and pros and asked for some advice. They watched me and suggested a couple things. It seemed to work out.

That really sounds like a big gear for an 8I. Pros are running 44/16ish with smaller wheels.

That really sounds like a big gear for an 8I. Pros are running 44/16ish with smaller wheels.

w/o being able to see his mechanics firsthand,you can't possibly know what the issues are. Online advice with these issues rarely helps.

Go to 42/16 gears and 165mm cranks. At 4'10" he should be fine on 165's. I guarantee he will get out faster than he is now.

drop him a tooth or 2 if he is on 1 1/8 wheels. and make sure he has all the skills he needs in place before he goes on clips, its not just about winning its about building the skills for a lifetime.

How does he do at the finish line? If he's in the mix pretty good it might just me a matter of some body mechanics. Working on the same thing with my 8-I, he's a bigger 8yr old (almost 9), his 'long game' is good but his gates are average. He runs a 39/14 with 165 cranks on 1 1/8" tires, which is a 'bigboy' gear setup, so we've been working on body mechanics as of late and it is really making a difference. As stated in other posts, 165mm cranks will help too.

This book, along with long-time racers at the track are helping a bunch

Yup, that book and some local pro clinics...

Just to throw in 2 cents...

I think there are some considerations for off the bike too.

Other activities that are fun and develop speed & athleticism for that age range are things like basketball, soccer, playing tag, etc.

Experimenting with the suggested posts about gearing and such, also throw in some off the bike stuff that compliments what you're trying to achieve.

Well my first thought is the gearing is to big/high. Like a car in 3rd or 4th gear at a trafic light. Many adults are on a 43/16 with longer 175 or 180mm cranks. Which has much more leverage to get the gear moving. In addition a adult is much more powerfull. Try a smaller front sprocket, like a 41 tooth. I could not tell you an exact gear because I don't know what your track is like, or if your kid is a spinner or a masher. Though most new kids are mashers just due to them still learning how to use his body to produce the most power and spin. So a slightly harder gear will have his feet moving slower and make handling the bike easier. Check what other kids his size and similar bike (crank and wheels) are runnin.

I agree. When I was 8 and just starting out I had a robinson jr with 1-1/8th wheels, 160mm cranks. We ran a 41/16 at rockford because it was flat and long and we ran a 42/16 at elgin because it was more downhill. The cheap and easy fix is the drop a tooth or two and see how he reacts.

If his feet aren't moving fast enough now, going up to 165's isn't smart. Example, I know a NAG 9x who's 4'10" on 155's. Most dad, in my experience, have their kids on too long of cranks fwiw. As for 43-16, not sure of your track but thats NOT a big gear for an 8I, especially his size. Kids can push much bigger gears than adults. My 10 yr old has never run anything less than 43/16 since he was 8 and for 90% of that time has run 41-15 or 42-15 and he's smaller than your 8 yr old.

Truth is, 99% of all problems can be solved by your kid deciding to go faster. Gears, cranks, etc., mean very little to them. Put those kids who beat your son on his bike and let him ride theirs. The results will be the same.

I think this is really what it comes down to. I do think that gearing a high for his size and crank length, but it's really about the rider. I had a similar issue with my son when he was 8. It becomes really easy to over-think these things. Just get him to the track as often as he will go and also give him plenty of opportunity to do things like maybe play some basketball or things like Big Bird suggested. The speed will either come or it won't.

my daughter is 12, but small. only 4'11" she has ran a 42/15 on 1 1/8 for the past few years. last year i actually went down to a 155, she has always gotten pretty good starts.

I recall having this same problem 10 years ago and also wondering whether asking on a forum made me more confused! haha.

I would suggest the following:

- gearing sounds too big. While some grommets can push that, it typically depends on whether they are getting stuffed out of the gate and whether they can get it running.

- clinics help immensely, but guidance can vary a bit. In general, form is form and you'll benefit.

- work on other aspects of the track to build skill and confidence.

- downhill sprints teach the legs to move faster.

- Sprints on lower gearing perform the same function, but I wouldn't suggest that on the track at first.

- intentionally racing on a smaller gear can be frustrating but it can teach a rider to pedal faster.

- find a pro/attend a clinic and verify how well your rider is pedaling in effective circles. Crank length matters a lot for the gate and beyond.

- DO NOT obsess on the gate or your rider will fear failure EVERY time they get in the gate and learn to hate gates and possibly racing in general. I screwed this up for years. Decide that for a while you will work on other skills and winning isn't everything. This can often remove anxiety which weighs heavy on a rider who wants to make Dad proud. This will be a life lesson. For both of you.

- Remember a great gate is not about only the snap, it is about how quickly the rider gets into a spin. Stumpy was never first out of the gate on pedal 1, but was usually in front on pedal 3. Less pedal 1 and more pedal 2/3 makes for a winning mix.

If you race for years, this will only be one of several challenging phases and it will pass.

As many have said, keep it fun. A so-so outing at the races can still be a wonderful weekend of hanging out, having fun and enjoying those chats at bedtime when the lights turn off and a few minutes later you hear, ... "Dad?...." Priceless.