Check your local rules for youth racing... In Ontario, we used to have a recessed cleat rule (MTB style shoes) for the youth racing, but that was recently scrapped, because clipping in and out is a required skill as part of the Draft-legal certification (DL racing starts with the 12-13 category here if memory serves). Now they can use whichever style of cleat they want, since most are leaving their shoes in the pedals anyways.

from the cycling size, pretty much by the time they hit cadet level, everyone is racing with clipless, even at the younger categories. Like with anything new, I would start with skill development and practice it on a soft surface and build confidence before having them practice clipping in on open roads or in a race setting. I would also factor in their individual coordination level (you might wait a bit later with the less coordinated kids...) in terms of when to start. I got my first set of clipless pedals (old school look) at around 15 (when I got my first decent road bike) when I started racing... I never had any falls related to not being able to clip/unclip...

After years of trial and error and experimentation here's the progression that I'm loving currently...

Start with platform pedal & run shoes - keep 'em there 'til skills determine the move to clipless (not age, skills)

Skip toeclips - they are harder to use properly then some of the basic clipless.

After Platform, mtb shoe/pedal is the next step - I like a really low level/inexpensive Shimano SPD. Tune the springs down to a low setting. Pair them with a 2-3 velcro strap shoe. Set up and introduce them on the trainer. First show them how the cleat interacts with the pedal by doing the clip-in, clip-out process holding the shoe in your hand and doing it upside down so they can watch it happen. Then with athlete on the bike, on the trainer, and shoes on feet.... Coach lays on their back beneath the edge of the bike and you help guild the athlete into and out of the cleat a few times on both sides. Do some one-footers on the trainer. Then get off the trainer and in as a safe environment (wide open parking lot) and teach the start-off: clip in at 6 o'clock and lift that pedal up to 2 o'clock then launch with pressure down on connected pedal rather than skate-boarding off with the free foot. Drive home the idea of pedaling the bike up to speed first then finding the other cleat/pedal connection. Teach the "long game" of planning to stop by clipping out way,way,way before hand and brake/lean to the free foot side.

After a long while with the mtb set up then a road pedal.

Ian

PS. I like Speedplay for lots of stuff but not so much in the early stages of this progression

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Ian Murray
http://www.TriathlonTrainingSeries.com
I like the pursuit of mastery
Twitter - @TriCoachIan

I started my 10yo Daughter on some Shimano MTB SPD pedals over the winter while riding on the trainer. We set the springs at the lowest setting. She is not ready to swap over fully yet but we practice on them all the time.

It took her less than a min to figure out how to clip in and out on the trainer.


Im not pushing her into using them. Ill let her get comfortable and decide when she wants to make the switch over on her own.

I never gave it much thought as to how I progressing my son through this when he was young. But, I just went and looked through some old pics and up till he was 8 he was just using flat pedals and running shoes for triathlons. At 8 he got a road bike and we put some toe clips on the bike. By 9 he’s using some spd’s and by 11 he was using an old set of Look pedals that I had around. We only went to the next stage when he started asking about it. The only time spent “teaching” him to use them was when he started with spd’s and that was just in the street kinda holding the seat while he got used to it. After a few mins he was gone.

All good to know. But I was more wondering, even if I don't push at all, how young is 'too young' (for clipless)? And I can't use my own experience as a guide, because I started cycling as a teen just before clipless pedals came on the market.

I am not concerned about rules or categories, I am more concerned with when the typical youth has enough strength and multi-tasking brain bandwidth to cope with the skills and spring tension level of clipless pedals even in just casual bike path rides.

I don't have speedplay but I do have some spd and look-style pedals in my parts bin, so it sounds like spd might be the way to go initially ?

All input welcome.

Greg @ dsw

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My wild ass guess based on my three kids is “it depends.” My youngest son (mentioned above) was 9 when he started with spd’s but I suspect he could probably have done it 1-2 years sooner. My daughter was 13 and that was about right for her. My oldest son never actually tried clipless pedals but I’d say about the 10-12 range would have been right for him.

Don't sweat it, if the kid wants them, go for it. I've seen junior cylocrossers as young as 6/7 years old using clipless pedals. The only strong suggestion I would give you is to avoid eggbeaters with the younger ones. Some tend not to have enough strength to engage the pedal. Off road, go with the spd's and adjusting the pedals to make them super easy to get in and out. If you're just doing road, look is just fine.

The real challenge is how fast kids grow out of their shoes. You won't get more than a season out of any shoe you buy.

I'm a proponent of keeping kids on flat pedals as long as possible. It keeps things simple and they do just fine. For clip-in style pedals I have found the egg beaters to be a great choice. They are total garbage and fall apart, but they are very easy to get in and out of even for younger children.