Shoes for flats and maybe eventually clips for my kid?

**jhyatt** · 03-05-2021, 08:16 AM

My teen signed up for high school MTB team. He and his friends don't wear spandex and ride in sneakers on flats in sweatpants and hoodies. As all teens should, IMHO.
His sneakers get shredded from the pins on his pedals.
I am looking for shoes that are flats but have the piece on the sole you can rip off if you want to go to clipless. I have the feeling he might want to go to clipless.
Or is that as dumb as a 50/50 ski boot and just get him flat pedal shoes and then just get another pair later?
Size 8 or 8.5 if you have anything laying around.
LBS had nothing to try on. out of stock on everything in that size pretty much.
five ten shoes look good. SIDI are for dads. and moms. HOT moms.

**VTskibum** · 03-05-2021, 08:22 AM

I’d say go five tens or some vans skate shoes and then clueless when ready for them. These might work as well for 50-50, though can’t say if they have the cover for the cleat. There are also the Pearl Izumi flat shoes for $50 on Sierra as well in that size

https://www.sierra.com/five-ten-hell...prod-prod880NJ

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**pano-dude** · 03-05-2021, 08:34 AM

Imo vans are terrible shoes for riding, sole is to soft.
Stick with a proper flat pedal specific riding shoe.

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**grskier** · 03-05-2021, 08:58 AM

Get him a pair of 5.10s. He'll be stoked. If he wants to try clipless, get those later, probably a 1/2 size bigger, because... kids.

**jhyatt** · 03-05-2021, 09:21 AM

do you think 5.10 with the recess for cleats sucks for flats and no cleat?

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**Eluder** · 03-05-2021, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by jhyatt

do you think 5.10 with the recess for cleats sucks for flats and no cleat?

Yep.

I have a pair of 5.10’s that were too tight for me size 8.5. I think they are for flats, I’m not sure as I run both. I’ll pull them out and take a look. PM your address and you can have them, then just buy him some clipless shoes if you think he needs them.

**Dantheman** · 03-05-2021, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by Eluder

Yep

x2.

Ride Concepts also makes some excellent youth shoes. Though, I spent years buying my kid 5.10s and then one day he stopped liking them and just rides in Vans now. It makes zero sense, but it's cheaper for me, so whatever.

**jhyatt** · 03-05-2021, 09:41 AM

thanks mang. I sent you my address.
I think he should start with flats and see how it goes and what other kids are running. I just want him outside having fun and getting exercise.

Originally Posted by Eluder

Yep.

I have a pair of 5.10’s that were too tight for me size 8.5. I think they are for flats, I’m not sure as I run both. I’ll pull them out and take a look. PM your address and you can have them, then just buy him some clipless shoes if you think he needs them.

**grskier** · 03-05-2021, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by jhyatt

thanks mang. I sent you my address.
I think he should start with flats and see how it goes and what other kids are running. I just want him outside having fun and getting exercise.

That's good parenting.

**RootSkier** · 03-05-2021, 10:23 AM

The STP link above led me to looking at what other bike shoes they had in stock, which led me to seeing this, and now you have to see it, too:

**VTskibum** · 03-05-2021, 10:30 AM

I knew a few shop mechanics that wore those all summer while working back in the late 90s. I could get see myself finding some uses for those for beach weeks where I only bring my CX bike for mix of solo rides in real shoes and riding to the beach/ice-cream whatever in those.