My eldest son is really getting into his cycling and some racing. At the moment he’s wearing trainers and has pedals with toe clips. Who does SPD shoes to fit a 9 year old?

Thanks

Sidi go down to a 35 (UK2.5) in ladies (just don’t tell him he’s wearing girls shoes) or a 38 (UK5) in mens.

Personnally I wouldn’t want a child wearing SPD shoes, but maybe that’s controversial? What do you feel he will be gaining by wearing them?

I have heard it suggested that SPDs for kids whilst they are still growing can cause issues later on.

I have heard it suggested that SPDs for kids whilst they are still growing can cause issues later on.

And what might those be? 😆

As irelanst said womens shoes go small, my lad has some, age 7.

There are plenty of kids – some really young – clipped in down at the BMX track.

There are but it doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. Mike King on record as saying he doesn’t think it’s a good thing, for those interested in BMX history..

It’s your choice and just playing devils advocate. But I would think that learning better pedalling technique is important and I believe flat pedals the best for this and also better for learning handling skills. That’s ignoring any debate on if it’s good for developing (or even developed!) limps and joints.

I’ve seen loads of kids at CX races clipped in. I guess the advantages are the same as for the rest of us. I will look at women’s shoes too.

SPDs if not set up properly can cause knee issues in adults. Conversely young still developing limbs / muscles and tendons could be forced into the wrong position and cause damage in the long term.

Mike King: “My motivation to use SPD pedals/shoes had to do with the ABA introducing a pro time trial in 1995. Then it helped me when I was racing mountain bikes. However, I think the clip debate is overrated. I don’t think kids under 10 years old should be racing in them and I believe this has effected how tracks are designed today.

Oh so a rider with no scientific backing says kids shouldn’t use them. OK

That was my understanding, but I’m not a paedophile paediatrician podiatrist.

SPDs if not set up properly can cause knee issues in adults. Conversely young still developing limbs / muscles and tendons could be forced into the wrong position and cause damage in the long term.

Yep all the above is true if you don’t set the cleats up properly.

Bones are softer in children, too. I understand this is another reason why children shouldn’t use SPDs.

Bones are softer in children, too. I understand this is another reason why children shouldn’t use SPDs.

Please explain further…..

richpips you seem to know a lot about it being ok. Perhaps you would like to share your knowledge, rather than just rubbishing everyone elses comments?

richpips you seem to know a lot about it being ok. Perhaps you would like to share your knowledge, rather than just rubbishing everyone elses comments?

Sorry to disappoint, my knowledge is no more scientific than the rest of the posters on the thread.

But if we presume a child has a shoe that fits with properly with a cleat in the correct position, which is then clipped into a SPD pedal that they can easily get out of. Then how the fact that they have “soft bones” “are still growing” has any bearing on them using SPDs alludes me.

Fell free to point me to some proper science that proves otherwise.

So in other words you know no more than the rest of us.
Only you’ve made an assumption that its ok. Your choice.

I cant think of a valid reason to use clips and straps over SPDs. SPDs would have more float and be easier to get out of than clips and straps.

So in other words you know no more than the rest of us.
Only you’ve made an assumption that its ok. Your choice.

Yes an assumption, based on logic, and not on unscientific hearsay.

While I can appreciate concerns of long term damage to growing limbs, I must admit that my son has been using spd’s for racing cross, xc,and road since around 9 or 10. If carefully set up, and bearing in mind the limited time actually wearing them, I thought it was worth the risk as the performance benefit is noticeable. All based on totally non-scientific assumptions of course! He also rides bmx, fixie, and general riding in flatties as they’re cool, to redress the balance.
His first pair of race spd’s were ladies, but the Sidi logo more than compensated for this slight indesretion.
Might have a rummage in the roof tonight and pop them in the classifieds.

Decathlon have kiddy sizes as I recall

Fly Racing Talon
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=78195&gclid=CI7Kt9vnqbQCFY65zAodRAUABQ
http://www.flyracing.com/product/bmx/riderwear/shoes/talon-ii-shoe/682/blackgrey

Diadora Escape 2
http://www.diadora.com/en/detail/29/46/335/cycling/shoes/escape2jr.html

richpips – Member

So in other words you know no more than the rest of us.
Only you’ve made an assumption that its ok. Your choice.

Yes an assumption, based on logic, and not on unscientific hearsay.
What logic is that then? It seems logical to me that a wrongly set up set of SPDs could cause longer term damage to developing limbs.
But Im not a scientist and neither are you. So I’ll agree to disagree with you on this one.

What size shoe is he – I’ve a pair of size 36 Shimano SPDs FS here:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-shimano-qrs-cheap-frame-saddle-hope-disc-bars-spd-shoes-walking-boots-3

Without trying to fuel another pointless interweb fight I can see the benefits to putting a child on SPDs and so long as they are setup properly…

I think fitting and adjustment would be the main thing to look into, are there any bike fit types who specialize in kids out there? TBF it’s not rocket science and you can spend some time helping him get them sorted…

The other, other option is finding a pair of cycling shoes with a cleat cutout cover, leaving it fitted and letting him carry on with toe straps for a while, but at least in stiffer soles shoes, so some benefit still there…

The should they/shouldn’t they thing all comes down to a bit of common sense doesn’t it? If they want to use them (and my 7 year old does and has been asking for about a year), then set them up properly, use something that has plenty of float if you can, and make sure they’re happy using them – I think mine picked it up quicker than I did BITD!

Set up right they’re likely to be comfier and have more float than using clips and straps. That’s the main thing I remember about moving from clips to clipless way back then – in clipless I got some float, with clips and straps done up I got very little. Plus you can get out of clipless much easier than out of straps in a hurry (obviously once you’ve had some practice).

Also there’s the moderation thing – he’s not just riding clipped in. He’s probably riding on flats more than half the time. I’ve got an array of different pedals he’s going to be trying out too.

As for getting little shoes – a patient watch on eBay will turn something up if you don’t want to spend a lot. I got some size 33 Answer shoes recently that way (which I don’t think are available new anymore). Otherwise the Fly Racing ones or DMT Marathons seem to be the only other shoes that go down to real children’s size – neither are cheap though.

My 8 year old has them; on his second pair after growing out of his first (Shimano size 4, now on 4.5) so it’s been about a year.

He has less issues with his feet slipping and bashing his shins on flats so is much more confident.

He has not developed bow legs, club feet, rickets or rabies; so no worries there.

When we were kids did we have them? Did we suffer because we didn’t have that extra Newton of force going into the pedals?

What next? With the Spd’s he/she is expected to do really well at that Junior race?

I’ve NO idea if SPD’s are good or bad but in adults incorrectly worn SPD’s can damaged adults knees etc can’t they?

Childhood for Children.

When we were kids did we have them?

We might not have had mobile phones or GPS, either. Does that make them bad?

Childhood for Children.

Fatuous soundbite of the day.

Coleman has just told me these disability inflictors are in the post for my boy.

At least he’ll look good eh? 😉

Favourite colour Sidis ever… girls (and boys) get all the best stuff 🙂

And does that mean you’ll be moving on his current pair? Just planning ahead 😉

And does that mean you’ll be moving on his current pair?

I’ll let you know. 🙂

Good good 🙂

richpips, hope your lad will like them – just ignore the Government Health Warning on the other side of the box!

Do you want him to grow up and ride like an xc mincer, who cannot bunnyhop and is afraid to lift the front wheel in case he falls of the back?

If so, go right ahead.

good thread, had been wondering the same for my 9year old. will be looking on ebay and in the sales for some size 5 shoes then.

Personally I’m not in any hurry to get my kids clipped in. I’d prefer that they develop solid bike skills on flats before they start clipping in.

Kids racing BMX in France can’t go clipless until they’re over 16. When you look at the number a super fast, super skilled, super smooth French BMX riders there are, my guess is it’s not doing French kids any harm staying on flats.