I'm 13 and I want to eventually get into racing. I do a lot of cycling around the city and I enjoy it very much. It didn't take me too long to realise how much I was losing out on buy running platform pedals on my road bike. It annoyed me every time I saw someone with spd's zoom past me with half the effort (ok maybe not half the effort). So during the summer I decided to start saving up to buy a good pair of clipless pedals for my bike. But now I've run into a huge problem. My dad thinks clipless pedals are dangerous, and said that I can't use them. I know their not, but what ever he says, goes. Theres nothing I can do to change his mind . Even showing him that 9/10 cycling blogs, forums and websites recommend them makes no different. It took a year of convincing for him to let me cycle on the road. It took these kind of articles to change his mind.
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/8197430.stm
https://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...on-pavement.do

The situation is really winding me up. If I sprint, I have to use high gears to get to anywhere near 25mph before my feet slip off the pedals. I'm 90% sure he woun't be pleased by the idea of toe clips or power grips. I can't figure out why.

Any Ideas of what I could do?

Tell him Pcad said he was...

incorrect.

That should take care of it. Let us know how that works out for you.

Show him threads on BF that talks about clipless pedals. And tell him that clipless pedals are actually safer than toeclips.

OK, maybe not.

botto will know what to do.

botto?

Tell your dad Ed Rendell is right.

Considering that half those threads are Fred tales of 'I fell over at the stoplight' woe, maybe this isn't the best solution.

-take a few voluntary spills to show dad how resilient you are

-young bones heal quick

-it'll console you to know, youre not "losing out" much on clipless. they wont zoom by people with half the effort

Listen to the old man. Wrong as he may be, he's still your Dad and that trumps everything else. Besides that, consider that the people you see pedaling with half the effort and twice your speed are probably doing so because of many more miles of riding and conditioning than you have yet.... clipless pedals do make it easier to go faster.... but not by That much.

If you were my kid, I wouldn't let you ride without clipless pedals for safety reasons. Tell him that.

Your foot will not slip off the pedal, more secure.
If you're crashing at ~20mph, putting your foot down wont save you anyway.
Tell your dad I said good fight.

It's much easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission.

Do you have any kids at your school or in your neighborhood who are pregnant or experimenting with drugs, Jackass-type stunts, or dirt bikes? I would mention these to him and then suggest that not being able to (gasp, the horror) ride a bike makes life seem empty and hopeless.

P.S. A man without scars is a sad, sorry animal.

I'd say clipless pedals ARE more dangerous that platform pedals, especially when you're not used to them. Falling over when stopped in a bike lane next to a busy road could be bad news, and you mention you are "cycling around the city".

Anyway, you aren't really "losing out" that much.

PS, welcome to the board. I think almost everybody on here is 13 years old too.

I'm a dad and I happen to think that clipless pedals are safer than platforms.

Most of them act that way, anyway...

Ask how many experienced cyclists who ride at least 5000 miles a year he can find that believe clipless pedals are dangerous. Then ask how many he can find that believe that riding clipless improves safety. This idea that clipless is unsafe is in the same category as people who honestly believed that seatbelts were unsafe (i.e. better to be thrown clear of the wreck) when seatbelt laws first started getting passed.

Noncyclists and novices often hold beliefs that are WAY out of line with what people who actually do this stuff have known for a very long time. Other common misconceptions are that riding on sidewalks or against traffic is safer (hint: the reason these things are illegal is because they are much less safe)


This situation is correctable as clipless will barely affect your speed, if at all. As you get stronger, your speed will improve. Clipless will help enforce proper technique which can help boost speed and reduce injuries.

Since you are 13, learn to ride well and don't wreck your knees. Don't try to build your speed too fast, and you'll enjoy riding for a very long time.

Oh, that will work.

Fixed!

As a dad, I say what your dad says goes. You can always tell him that there are some beginner clipless pedals that have very low release tension, yet provide the benefits of clipless.

Like most here, I find it more dangerous to use platform pedals because my foot always slips off at the worst times! Good luck!

You'll shoot your eye out!

Pedals don't cause crashes, people do. If you've got the skills then get to the bottom of his fear, help him get over it and move on. Start racing and losing and blame him. jk, just ask him to count how many other competitors who podium are using platforms. GL

No matter what you tell your Dad, he's convinced he is right. If possible, have him speak to Bike Shop people, cycling coaches, and see if they can change his mind.

I agree with this. Even though I do not think that clipless pedals are dangerous, your father still has a say in this matter. However, he may come around in time. Maybe as you get older he will let you give it a try. But, don't give up trying to change his mind either. Some day he might say yes.

I wanted to take martial arts as a kid and my mother wouldn't let me. The day after my 21st birthday, I signed up at a studio and was active in martial arts into my mid 40s.

If you are still interested in cycling after you become an adult, then you are free to do what you want.

Yeah, that's the lesson here. And it only cost a couple of years of doing without clipless pedals. By 13, all the other stupid things I was doing vastly overshadowed any minuscule difference in the safety of different types of bike pedals. Who cares about the difference in pedals if other activities involve gasoline, BB guns, and fireworks.

Have your Dad read this:

https://orangecycleorlando.com/buyers...dals-pg647.htm
https://bikeline.com/buyers-guides/al...dals-pg273.htm


Why does your Dad think they are dangerous? Does he think that you will still be connected to the bike if you wreck? I think that is the biggest fear of people who have never ridden clipless. Both of my cleats unclipped right away when I wrecked last.

The only thing you have to worry about is when you forget to unclip and you slowly fall over and look like a complete idiot...and it will happen.

here's a story for your, when i first got into cycling, i was maybe 12ish, but i was riding along and i started to sprint. at 25 mph my right foot flew off of the pedal and got caught in my front wheel. i flew over my handlebars, and was covered in road rash. the sole reason for the crash was not having clipless pedals.