falling child (long vent of sorts)

[kermit]

I agree with you 100%. If it isn't fun for her she will not want to ride and at worst get hurt when she panics at a hill or bump and can't unclip. With platforms she can get off and walk when she wants too and can also put a foot down when she is about to fall. She IS a tough girl ( women are tougher than men after all) and it sounds like she wants to hang with you. This would be a good opportunity to have some girl time and play with the platforms without dad being there to make her nervous. I am sure she wants to please him and that is why she busted her butt to try. Sounds like a super cool kid! Good luck with this one!

[OakLeaf]

I've been riding clipless on road bikes (on and off) since 1987. And before that, with cleated toe clips and all that that entails.

I don't mountain bike, but some friends have been trying to get me into it. If I do, there is no way I'm starting out clipless.

+1 to Kermit.

[lph]

I'd say this depends a whole lot on the child. If she's the forceful type who will yell and scream and complain but never give up and do it anyway, you might get away with clips. If she's anything at all like my son (and me) - make it easy, as easy as it gets. I learn best from automating the things I can do easily and well before trying the things I can juuust manage, and I learn nothing at all from the things that are just a bit too hard.

[channlluv]

I think this little girl is amazing for even trying, and for getting that far in clipless shoes her first time off-road. Holy cow, she must be an athletically talented child.

I think her dad needs to really listen to his daughter and let her choose how she'd best like to learn. It's okay to go with platform pedals, for heaven's sake. She's eight. The last thing she needs to do at this developmental stage is break the growth plate in her ankle or something because she's not able to unclip in time to get her foot down safely.

(A friend of DD's broke the growth plate in his left foot in a roller skating accident last Spring and is still suffering mobility issues. He's 11, and a very active 11 at that, before he broke his ankle.)

I hope you can convince BF to have some patience with her here.

Roxy

[kenyonchris]

My sweet BF is great, he is such a great dad and she totally wants to please him. I think he doesn't realize that those of us smaller and not as strong don't ride the same way as he does. He is amazingly proud of her (as he should be).

It was a great idea for me to take her out on her own some and surprise him with her skills once she has a chance to practice. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't way off base and that learning in clips would be more beneficial to her in the long run.

Thanks, ya'll!

[Biciclista]

i'm with the go with platform pedals team. If someone had done that to me at the same age I just flat wouldn't have tried it! she really is a trouper and really wants to please her dad. But she'll have a lot more fun on easier trails AND platform pedals.

My sons rode a double century ages 11 and 13 with platform pedals. They did very well. had a great time. why complicate something like that? like someone else said; falling hurts!

[artifactos]

I vote platform pedals, too. Clipless and difficult trails will most likely discourage her from riding for "fun," especially if she's already doing it to please her dad. She will eventually see it as work, and that day will come faster if she has a few harsh falls riding clipless.

Let her push herself, rather than letting her father push her. If she requests harder trails or clipless pedals, let her try them.. but if she just wants to go out and ride for fun, she should be able to. She's only 8 years old! She's got DECADES to ride clipless or work her way up to harder trails, and she only has so many years for her bones to develop without extremely detrimental injuries.

[MartianDestiny]

Those little tiny bikes are enough of a disadvantage. They are heavy for their size, the little wheels just don't roll over stuff, and the gears are clumsy and often inferrior equipment.

There is of course good reason for all of that, so I don't fault the bikes.

But there's simply going to be hills she cannot make it up, logs she cannot make it over, etc. But she should be TRYING to make up up and over these things.

That's not going to happen clipless as she'll be trapped, not able to just drop a foot, etc. There will be a lot more walking if she's got clipless on her bike than if she didn't and it could make her skiddish of things she shouldn't be.

By all means, if she's comfortable enough on a bike to be getting used to clipless on a MUT or road ride, let her. Mountain biking is a whole nother animal. Stops won't be planned and you can't always keep your momentum.

I agree with you, and I mountain bike in clipless pedals (though some days I wonder why...)

A compromise would be to get her a good set of BMX or mountain bike pedals with the studs and an appropriate pair of shoes (designed to go with them, like skate shoes). This will negate a lot of the problems with standard flats (her feet will stick to the pedals as opposed to flying off). If you go this route though I highly recommend a good set of shin guards as the pedals will tear her up without them.