SPD Shoes for kids

johnboy183

Thinking of getting some of the above for my 6 year old. The only ones I've seen are these http://islabikes.co.uk/apparel/DMT_Marathon.html

Aside from them being a size or 2 too large, has anyone bought similar cheaper? Although I think he may have them a year or two and I'll probably get a decent 2nd hand price for them, £75 is a wee bit steep

baudman

There's not a lot out there, but I think that's with good reason (and not just because it's a niche).

How far does he ride, and how often? Do you really think they'd make that much appreciable difference? Clipping in/out is a skill, so learning that early is handy, but that's the only reason I'd contemplate them.

On the flipside, if he does ride daily, and longer distances are on the way, you'd want to be ultra-careful with setup, so you didn't repetitively injure growing joints - particularly the knees. One of the great things about flat pedals is generally the feet subconsciously go where they're comfortable and so less prone to injury. As he grew, you'd have to re-check this. A lot can change in a 6yo in as little as 3 months.

Finally, speaking for my (recent) 7 year old, we're lucky to get a whole year out of her school shoes. Sometimes less. At his age, I can't see a pair of shoes lasting two years. For that, they'd have to be bought too big and still used when too small.

johnboy183

Yeah I'd considered the same already thanks. Just wondering if I could find some cheaper somewhere. On balance he's probably not going to have any til he fits them properly. But, if I can find some cheaper, then who knows.....

Anonymous

I got some DHB carbon road shoes (37) and look easy pedals in a sale (£16 for both) but not seen anything that small before.
Am guessing it unlikely that anything small would be cheap/discounted as its too niche.

Daughter (11) has only tried them out on her MTB and seemed to clip/unclip ok. Am going to put on her new road bike when weather improves. If she has any reservations about unclipping or float on pedals is poor (don't think it is?) I might just get some MTB shoes and eggbeaters.

What pedals were you going to use? You should not have any joint issues with MTB's.
Never really considered clip in shoes for her before getting a road bike (ie when she was younger). Roller blades and ice skates are bad enough (cost wise), and at least they extend to cover about 3 shoe sizes.
Maybe extending children's cycle shoes are the next big thing, they have a rigid sole so it would be easy to do

johnboy183

Mtb pedals. That way he can clip in both sides without looking down to see if pedal is correct where are you? Up. May even consider platforms so that his feet are on the pedal so that he can move off

nicklouse

johnboy183 wrote:

Mtb pedals. That way he can clip in both sides without looking down to see if pedal is correct where are you? Up. May even consider platforms so that his feet are on the pedal so that he can move off

don't not consider a pedal with a flat on one side and an spd of the other they are worse than useless.

johnboy183

@nicklouse Why would that be? Would have thought that would be a good safer option

nicklouse

they nether ever are why you want then to be.

they are a pain for adults.

people bought them as they thought they would be a good idea.
and soon they would be back for some proper pedals.

johnboy183

@nicklouse. Ok thanks I will bear it in mind

othello

My 8 year old has been clipping in for 12+ months now and copes very well. He uses SPDs on his road/cross bike and MTB and I would recommend going for the double sided SPD route so they don't have to hunt for the right side of the pedal. Get some M520 pedals which are dirt cheap these days.

When he first started we managed to pick up a pair of DMT titanium shoes off eBay in size 12.5 for £35! Someone had a job lot of them and they all got snapped up very quickly. He has out grown them and we picked up a pair of these last month for him in a size 2 http://www.wiggle.co.uk/northwave-spike-pro-shoes/

Slightly cheaper at £62 and they are really good quality. I haven't found anything else out there cheaper and believe me I've looked!

johnboy183

Will bear that in mind, thanks. You were fortunate to find some so cheap cos as yet I've just seen the new "expensive" ones

othello

johnboy183 wrote:

Will bear that in mind, thanks. You were fortunate to find some so cheap cos as yet I've just seen the new "expensive" ones

I know I was really lucky.

Once they hit a size 3 shoe you are in the realms of small womens cycling shoes, and you can get some that are a neutral colour. Before then there is a real gap in the market.

baudman

nicklouse wrote:

johnboy183 wrote:

Mtb pedals. That way he can clip in both sides without looking down to see if pedal is correct where are you? Up. May even consider platforms so that his feet are on the pedal so that he can move off

don't not consider a pedal with a flat on one side and an spd of the other they are worse than useless.

I'm not a fan either, but I know many experienced commuters, and a few tourers, who have such as their pedal of choice.

Perhaps a Shimano M424 (or the metal-caged one).

Or one of the Crank Brothers varations. Or Time. (Whoops, sorry, we were trying to stay 'inexpensive' weren't we )

You can pedal in normal sneaker/BMX shoes. And, you can pedal straight away without having to clip in, should you be wearing SPDs. Great for crossing the intersection and then having to worry about clipping in. Yeah, you can feel the cleat a little through normal shoes, but it doesn't bother me for 10 mile trips. Anything beyond that, and I'd have SPDs on.

So, for a kid, it means it's a versatile pedal. Normal shoes whenever.... SPDs for distance etc?

johnboy183

Thanks fella. Yeah those were along the lines of what I was thinking of. Still need to find cheaper pair though methinks before I buy.

othello

My son has been using his new Northwave Spike Pro shoes for a few weeks now and they are *excellent*. Really well made and should last him well past the time he grows out of them! Expensive but I expect there will be a decent resale value on them.

Anonymous

I like the look of those.
Daughter has not been out with her road shoes properly yet, but unless she loves them I might put them on ebay and get the Northwaves.

othello

Carbonator wrote:

I like the look of those.
Daughter has not been out with her road shoes properly yet, but unless she loves them I might put them on ebay and get the Northwaves.

I did ponder road shoes for a little while, but my son uses SPDs on his MTB, road bike and cyclocross bike. At that price I needed a pair to use on everything! The Spike Pro are a mini MTB race shoe -- a nice stiff sole.

juggling mum

The smallest spd shoes we found were the Northwave size 2s. Before this we used a pair of football boots(bought at an outlet site), which my husband removed studs (slowly) and fitted spds to. We have come across other parents who have done this as well.

My daughter started using spds around the age of 8 on the tandem and then the road. My son is nearly 8 and we plan to start him using spds this summer on his road bike but will keep him on flats for mtb and the next cross season (my daughter didn't race at this age but second child has to go to races so might at well join in). I wouldn't start them on spds too young as they need to understand how to balance the bikes properly first - - eg off road descending is best learnt on flats. When my daughter started mountain biking (age 10) we had to reteach her to keep pedals level on a descent as with spds she hadn't needed to. Mountain bike skills training (BC) uses flats all the way through youth (up to U16) (race)training as this enables skills to be learnt properly.

My daughter is 11 and we still use double sided spds for her on the road and it is not affecting her racing at U12 level. It means when she is still growing we only need to fork out for one pair of shoes (she is actually using a pair of mine at the moment)

johnboy183

Thought id rekindle this debate (sort of). My boy is now in size 1(ish) shoes and I'm still struggling to find a cheap pair of shoes. Has anybody got any for sale please?

othello

johnboy183 wrote:

Thought id rekindle this debate (sort of). My boy is now in size 1(ish) shoes and I'm still struggling to find a cheap pair of shoes. Has anybody got any for sale please?

My son has grown out of his Northwave MTB shoes (mentioned above!) and they are for sale. They are size 34

2 bolt fitting for taking MTB style SPD cleats. A few scuff marks and a little bit of the lining on the inside near the ankle has worn away. But lots of life left in them. Used by my son for cyclocross and mountain biking, though could easily be used on the road. Cost £55 new. Looking for £25 + postage. Photos are available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fkwbduf8ok6dxnc/AACnWCAxajiiuLTpMtA9oOE0a/cycling-shoes/Northwave?dl=0

johnboy183

Apologies for the delay in response. Thanks for the offer buthe now has some which should hopefully last him a couple of years!!

debeli

I'm glad the OP has found a solution - although the '2 years' bit suggests that the shoes are a pretty loose fit.

I got my middle child (now adult) into clipless pedals quite young (9ish) to help with his dyspraxia. It turned out to be a good move, although it was one of many that I tried - not all of which were successes.

My other kids (also now getting on) didn't get into clipless pedals until they were 10 or 11. I thought that even that was slightly early. I am staggered that six is an age someone would choose. I don't think it wrong; I'm just staggered.

Both on-road and off-road, there is (for most novices) a freedom which derives from being able to move the feet around and learn to keep the weight where it needs to be. There's also some benefit to learning about how to keep the foot correctly positioned.

At the age of six, my cycling and that of my children was just a giggle. At that age that is what it is all about. Do be careful not to push or encourage infants in a way that might suggest some vicarious wish to emulate the pros. I don't suggest that's the aim here, but do take care not to let it become so.

I'm lucky in that all my kids still love to ride in late-teen and adult life, but I know many children of cyclists who were 'encouraged' too far, too young and stopped riding as soon as they had the freedom to do so.

Which might sound like a criticism, but isn't. All the best riding with your offspring.