South Queensferry is home to cycling enthusiasts, and potential new champions, Ross and Hamish Creber (right).

Though only 18, Ross will be cross-country racing with the best senior under 23 riders in the world while brother Hamish (16) will be competing in the junior under 18s section at the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in Fort William this week. 

Both are seriously fit and addicted to cycling, though they’ve taken what started out as a fun interest to a more serious level. 

“My first bike was a kid’s bike with stabilisers,” Ross recalls. “I started cycling when I was about eight and it was great to get out in the fresh air and to see places. Cycling was a family thing then and we used to go to the Borders where there are really good bike trail centres.”

The Creber family are extremely sporty. “Mum used to do triathlon and venture racing and always pushed us with the cycling and supported us,” Ross reveals. But now the boys leave their parents to wheel off into the sunset as they whizz off together. 

It was local bike shop owner and racing cyclist Sandy Wallace who spotted Ross’s talent and he was invited to join a training ride. He was competing in cross-country races by age 15 while Hamish started a little younger at 14. 

“Ross and I train together every day,” Hamish reveals. This has meant juggling schoolwork with cycling so there’s no time left for other activities. “But it’s worth making the sacrifice,” he says enthusiastically. “It’s a great challenge and I enjoy the competitiveness of racing.”

Training with your brother can be tough.

“We are competitive — it’s a nightmare!” Ross says. “We push each other — each of us wants to be the best. It’s not like training with the rest of the Great Britain team. Being with your brother means you can push each other a little bit harder.” 

And it’s not just a few miles the lads put in.

“It’s around 20 to 25 hours training a week on the bike,” Ross explains. “And everything is centred around cycling, like my diet. You have to be as light as possible and not build up too much muscle. When I was younger I had quite a lot of upper body bulk so I had to eat less carbs and train hard to burn the muscle.” At over 5 ft 9 in, Ross is very slim at just over nine and a half stone.

Though the training can be hard work, the races bring pay off. 

“It’s a great buzz,” Hamish says. “It’s the speed — the thrill. It’s really exciting.”

“From the gun, the adrenalin is racing,” Ross reveals. “It’s brilliant!” But there’s more to mountain biking than wheeling along quickly, he explains. “You do need technical skills. You have to be able to go up hills fast but you’ve got to be able to go down them fast, too, using your brakes as little as possible. We’ve done technical work with video analysis to find weak spots. There’s always improvement to be made on the downhill and it’s an easy way to gain time in a race.”

But isn’t hurtling down a hill a bit frightening?

Ross disagrees. “It’s not scary when you’re doing it — it’s great. But it does look scary when you’re watching, especially for Mum and Dad.”

“You’ve got to have focus,” says Hamish, “and fitness and technical skills.” A tough bike helps, too. Hamish admits he “snapped” his bike in the European Championships in July and had to run the remainder of the race!
Both boys are looking forward to Fort William and are hoping to do well. They’ve been practising on the course, though Hamish admits he’s fallen off his bike a couple of times so far.

“Cycling is a tough sport but great fun,” says Ross. His ambitions include competing in the Tour de France and the 2012 London Olympics. And he’s looking to post a good time in Fort William. Hamish is hoping for a top 10 finish in his section — and to stay in the saddle! He realises falls are a problem for many mountain bikers.

“Don’t try to do anything beyond your capability,” he advises. “A lot of people do and end up falling off and getting hurt. That puts them off. Ride within your limits and have fun. Go out and enjoy it. Cycling is brilliant!”

If you’d like to watch Ross and Hamish in action, head for Fort William this week for the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championship which runs from tomorrow until Sunday. More than 700 riders from over 50 countries will be competing in cross-country, downhill, 4-cross and trials disciplines, for 19 World Championship titles. The races promise to be fast, muddy and very exciting. For more info on the event, visit www.fortwilliamworldchamps.co.uk

Inspired to get your own family cycling? Before you hit the bike shop, it’s a good idea to make sure you know what you’re looking for. Will you be going off road or staying on Tarmac? Mountain bikes are great for tracks but hard work on roads where road bikes are king. Try hiring bikes before buying, or borrow from friends, to give you an idea of what you feel comfortable with.

And once you’re ready to bike buy, take the whole family with you. Surprising a child with a bike might be fun, but if the bike isn’t right for them, it can damage a child’s knee and hip joints and there could be crashes and tears. 

While you can be guided by common sense in the shop, the colour or design of a bike can sway a child. Bike specialists Halfords have put together some guidelines to help you make sure your child’s bike is right for them.

Many children’s bikes are classed by age, but it’s the size of the bike in relation to a child’s height which is more important, so you need to test for height match.

Ask your child to stand over the bike frame with both feet flat on the ground (make sure they’re wearing trainers or flat shoes) and see how comfortable they are and if they can control the handlebars easily. Sit them in the saddle with one foot on the pedal nearest the ground — this leg should be straight but not stretching to the reach the pedal. Check your child is leaning slightly forward when they grip the handlebars, feels comfortable and that their knees don’t touch their stomach when they pedal. If this is a first bike, look for stabilisers.

Once the bike fits, remember a helmet. Cycling helmets should be a snug fit and sit squarely on the head, without covering ears or eyes. To test for a good fit, place your child on a bike, wearing a helmet. Stand behind them and ask them to look over one shoulder, keeping both hands on the handlebars. If the helmet is a good fit, your child will be able to see you easily and the helmet won’t move.

Once the whole family is confident cycling around the garden or local park, it’s time to pack a picnic and set off on a mini adventure. If you’ve bought mountain bikes, you’ll be able to go off road, so why not head for the woods? 

The Forestry Commission has turned many of its forestry tracks and paths into waymarked routes suitable for cyclists (visit the cycling section of www.forestry.gov.uk ). Routes are graded for different abilities so make sure you know which you can tackle before hitting the pedals. Trails range from easy green and moderate blue to difficult red and severe black which is only for expert mountain bikers.

Because the trails are all in forestry, there’s a good chance of spotting wildlife such as red and roe deer, pine martens, red squirrels and also birds. And there are picnic spots, information boards and car parks provided at most forests. There are routes all around the country, taking in some stunning scenery. 

For a really beautiful day out, head for Loch Ard Forest near Aberfoyle. Cycle routes are clearly marked on the 16 miles of forest roads (just follow those green cycle disks) but the prettiest has to be the circuit round lovely Loch Ard. Glentrool in Dumfries and Galloway is another mecca for mountain bikers. Here there’s a long route mainly along forestry roads and a shorter fun loop which includes features to make cyclists bump and jump a little in the saddle.

Once you’ve gained confidence on easier routes, why not visit Leanachan Forest near Fort William where you can watch the real experts on the World Championship trail or even have a go yourself? There are 35 km of routes in the forest and one for every ability.

If you have road bikes, you might like to stick to the National Cycle Network which criss-crosses the country. All the routes are signposted and follow traffic-free paths, quiet lanes and traffic-calmed roads. With 75 per cent of the UK population living within two miles of the Network, it’s easy to find a quiet route. For info, check out the cycling section of www.sustrans.org.uk

If you live in Scotland, www.cyclingscotland.org is a good source of info on routes, bike buying, cycling to school, cycling training and events. There’s also the latest on the Pedal for Scotland event which will see hundreds of cyclists cycle between Glasgow and Edinburgh to raise money for Leukaemia Research on September 16.

Freewheeling holidays

www.scotcycle.co.uk  or 01250 876100
This family business based in Perthshire offers self-led, group or tailor-made cycling holidays.
Where they go: from Orkney to the Borders, they offer 18 Scottish holidays and also tours in England, Ireland and 10 European destinations.
Suitable for: families, couples and individuals of all ages.
Grades: easy (suitable for all), moderate, strenuous and sporting (includes steep hills).
Example price: 7 nights self-led Highland Glens and Lowland Hills tour, including bed and breakfast and cycle hire, is £340 per person, excluding travel to tour start in Pitlochry. 
Most popular destination: the Great Glen Cycle route and the Lochs and Bens — both have great scenery and trails.
What they promise: routes on quiet roads and byways, time for exploring, personal service and a holiday never to be forgotten.

www.inntravel.co.uk   or 01653 617906
This York based holiday company specialises in activity holidays, including cycling.
Where they go: Austria, France, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain.
Suitable for: generally couples but some routes could be tackled by families.
Grades: 1 (suitable for all) up to 3 (challenging long days).
Example price: 7 nights self-guided cycling tour of the Loire region in France, including bed, breakfast and dinner plus cycle hire, is from £608 per person, excluding flights/ferry travel.
Most popular destination: France — it’s easy to get to and good for food, wine and scenery.
What they promise: quality cycles, family-run hotels, good food and detailed map and itineraries you can take at your own pace. 

www.cyclingholidays4u.co.uk  or 0845 458 0120
Part of the special interest holidays offered by HF Holidays, you’ll find group guided, independent and tailor-made cycling holidays on this website.
Where they go: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland plus a combined walking and cycling break in England.
Suitable for: families, couples and individuals of all ages. 
Grades: very easy (good for families) to moderate (includes some hills).
Example price: 7 nights IJessel Lake Family Tour in Holland is from £309 per person, including barge accommodation, all meals, cycle hire and tour guide, but excluding flights/ferry travel.
Most popular destination: Holland — the cycling is easy along good cycle paths.
What they promise: relaxing and carefree cycling in some of Europe’s most interesting and picturesque destinations.

www.skedaddle.co.uk  or 0191 265 1110
This Newcastle based independent travel company offers self-guided and guided group cycling holidays ranging from easy weekend breaks to epic three-week adventures. 
Where they go: the UK and throughout the world, from Argentina to Vietnam.
Suitable for: families, couples and individuals of all ages.
Grades: 1 (easy) up to 4 (a challenging 40-70 miles a day).
Example price: 7 nights self-guided tour of Croatia is from £555 per person, including bed, breakfast and dinner but excluding cycle hire (£120) and flights.
Most popular destination: Sardinia — the island is quiet, the food wonderful and the coastal scenery gorgeous.
What they promise: personal service, quality holidays, great accommodation and superb food.