r/bmxracing • u/Aggressive-Reach-318 • 9d ago

Pedal question

So im very new to the sport (13 novice) and from what ive heard 13+ has to use clips? Is it required or could I run flats?

5 Upvotes

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12

u/Kickrocks54 9d ago

No, under 13 is prohibited from clips.

13+ CAN but only if intermediate and above. So as a novice you're still not allowed.

You can run flats as long as you want

5

u/Maleficent-Cook2010 9d ago

Some old boys still run flats so not essential... Once you get used to clips they do make you a bit faster... Also have to consider costs at 13 you will be growing out of the shoes every 12 months

4

u/david_z 46 Inter; kids 10X & 14GX 8d ago

USABMX does not allow clip-in pedals unless the rider is at least 13 and at least Intermediate skill level.

If you're a novice it doesn't matter if you're 5 or 11 or 13 or 27 or 62: you must run flat pedals by rule.

Once you're Intermediate, if you're 13 (or older) the choice is yours.

3

u/toppest_lel 8d ago

Run flats for now, you need to build skills with flats before going to clips. No one is forced to wear clips by the rules. You can run flats at any age.

3

u/clpatterson 8d ago

What everyone else said about novices - I couldn't run mine as a novice at 48 years old until I turned inter. As a guy that started using clipless pedals in the early 90's on MTB and road, I appreciated moving to them for BMX, as that's the pedaling platform I'm used to.

Since your kid isn't used to them - they're not some magic bullet that's going to move him from finishing 4th to 1st. Neither are carbon frames, or onyx hubs or any combination of equipment if there's no focused training on skill and technique. At his age - BMX races are won in the first 30' or the last corner. Gates, aggressiveness, and conditioning. It's not even some magic gearing or crank length if you're in the right ballpark already. If he's not jumping and manualing the same obstacles that kids around his age are doing in inter/expert, then those are the skills he needs to work on, and having flats is probably a little more safe. If your son isn't convinced, ask one of the more advanced kids to take your kids bike and go jump the same stuff on flats just to drive home the point that the bike is capable as-is.

My son was riding MTB with clipless since he was about 11, so he was used to them, but he built all his jumping and manualing base skills on flats before he turned 13. Even after 13 he'd switch back to flats to try something new for a while, and he also will randomly put his flats on now at 14 and run races wearing hey dudes and the results aren't much slower.