Local Mountain Bikers Forming High School Bike Team

High school students interested in cycling competitively are invited to participate in a San Gabriel Valley team that will participate in a local mountain biking race competitions.

The team will be coached by a local staff that includes Altadena cyclist Tom Lockhart and all San Gabriel Valley high school students are welcome, regardless of ability.

The team currently is looking at about four to eight members, but would like to have 10 to 15, Lockhart said.  Additionally, any students who want to learn how to mountain bike, but are not sure if they want to race, are welcome to join up.

The full cost of all league and team fees for the spring season is about $400, Lockhart said, but he's encouraging any students who want to participate to contact him regardless of their ability to pay and whether they have a bike or not.

"Our goal is to have anybody who wants to bike to able to do so, even if they don't want to race," Lockhart said.

Contact information and registration information are available on the team's website.

The team will be participating in the High School SoCal Cycling League, which puts on four races from March to May.  There are divisions for students of every skill level, from rank beginners to ones looking to go pro.

There are already teams from several nearby areas participating, including a Crescenta Valley team and a San Marino High School team.

Lockhart and several of the coaches are from Altadena, and practices will be held on trails in the Altadena and Pasadena area on Mondays and Wednesdays.  The team may practice somewhere further east in the San Gabriel Valley on weekends, Lockhart said, depending on where new members come from.

The team already has some strong members on it, Lockhart said, including local cyclocross racers Cody Phillips and Hannah Rae Finchamp, at Altadena Patch.

Adults interested in helping out can volunteer to coach, and the group is also accepting cash and equipment donations at its website.