Pedalling technique

Northwind

Your feet can't fall off if you screw up your pedalling, or get a kick as you jump, or similiar.

Druid \'64

for me its the correct foot position and the securiity on rough stuff, my feet dont come off :oops:
I know that practice makes perfect but its me being a wuss mostly :?
(see, i'm old enough to admit it)

jinnorfolk

thanks for all replies

Have to admit my straps are a pain to keep getting into but I do feel safer when I am riding. I have had a sore shin from the pedal without them and at my age I dont need it.

I feel like the oldest mtb in town on the trails

Skonk

I have SPD's on my XC bike and Flats on my DH/FR bike.

I feel more comfortable on flats when doing jumps and stuff, I guess because I know I wont get my feet stuck if I crash.

On the XC bike I like the SPD's for the extra oomph when climbing and stuff.

paul.skibum

My tuppence - I have tried both - got some V8's a few years back when I forgot my psd shoes going to wales - rode the weekend on flats and trainers - worked ok but being shaken loose of the pedals on descents was a pain and i shinned myself a couple of times. Tried them again a few times in Alps on my Patriot and found I'd put my foot down at stupid moments because I wasn't assured of staying ont eh pedals on steep rough terrain - ended spraining my ankle.

I still use the V8's but on my commuter bike - spds on both my other rides. I find with spds I can keep spinning over roots/rocks etc where on flats I'd stop pedalling. My commute is mainly on road and I'd probably rather have spd's on 80% of the time but then I like being able to do quick dismounts, wicked skids and rest my trainered foot against bumpers and tyres (which would be frowned on if I had spds!)

I can see why people use flats to some degree but they didn't suit me and frankly the idea of not knowing my feet were on the pedals in the air would stop me doing even the minute jumps I do do!

useyourwings

I am roadie who is a bit of noobie to MTB too. I have used clipless on my roadbike for years (currently Look Keo). When I started a few months ago on my new MTB I had flats on the bike and was pretty happy with them, but I missed the security, power and control I am used to on my roadie. My mate had a spare pair of DMR SPD pedals and as I had a spare of MTB type shoes I used for touring, I gave them a go. Now I am hooked.

I may fly in the face of convention due to the roadie background, but it works for me. One really big advantage moving from a road bike is that I am very used to clipping in and out and whilst you cant predict every time to unclip, my timing is good. I also found the DMR pedals much easier to unclip (a little harder to locate though) which only increased my confidence.

llamafarmer

useyourwings wrote:

I may fly in the face of convention due to the roadie background, but it works for me. One really big advantage moving from a road bike is that I am very used to clipping in and out and whilst you cant predict every time to unclip, my timing is good. I also found the DMR pedals much easier to unclip (a little harder to locate though) which only increased my confidence.

It's not really 'in the face of convention' I know loads of MTBers who use clipless (in fact probably a slight majority of the people I ride with regularly). Ride in what you're comfortable with I say

GHill

I tried to like clipless pedals (had them for a good sixth months or more) but ended up going back to large platform flats. It felt like I was getting up the hills better but I had no confidence in my ability to unclip on the technical stuff so I'd try to ride unclipped on a tiny platform over tech terrain. This wasn't any fun at all.

Anonymous

If your feet are coming off flat pedals, than you're doing something wrong.
Is it better to remedy that, or just use SPDs to hide it?

Each person has their own view I suppose, but personally I'd rather sort my technique out.

canada16

I dont understand ?

My feet never come off flats, I have never seen any disadvantages with flats.

If you need pedals to keep your feet pedaling then maybe the people in the SPD's are doing something wrong.

I think its just down to preference really as I said before.

I can go fast, and if I fall off I dont have to worry about thinking to unclip, but I was raised on flats.

And loving my MG1's

gaz047

hmmmm.do spd's hide bad technique or promote good technique.......

Anonymous

gaz047 wrote:

hmmmm.do spd's hide bad technique or promote good technique.......

If you ride with SPDs, and afterwards, find that you can't keep your feet on flats when the going gets rough, or when you're in the air, then they must be promoting (or at least reinfrocing) bad technique.

gaz047

yeehaa- fair point about being in the air and in the rough, but thats only ever going to be an issue if you go back to flats from spd's and then its only a maybe.
i should have highlighted good "pedalling" technique which imo is promoted using spd's.

its like the old hardtail and full suss choice though, everyone has different riding styles and what your comfortable/happy using is always going to be the way forward.

popstar

Well, I have asked about pedalling technique and after all heated debate, came to conclusion ... This is the quote from MBR magazine (22-09-2009issue) PRO TIP : --Pedal prefference is often something we decide early on in our riding careers and seldom change. For the majority of riders out there, clipless pedals are used from the start and although the physical attachement to the bike is efficient it can encourage some poor techniques. To freshen things up try sticking on some flat pedals and get some soft-soled shoes. Persevere and your riding will thank you for it, as flats force you to use correct technique and not to rely on a mechanical connection with the bike. IMHO.

tjwood

stubs wrote:

The main advantage of flats is all those cool scabs and scars on your shins from all the times you miss the pedals my shins look like someone has been playing noughts and crosses on them with a stanley knife

I have a number of pedal scrapes on my shin and calf, though none of them are from slipping off the pedals while pedalling - all from bashing my leg on the pedal while off the bike to open a gate or whatever...


Discovered a disadvantage of SPDs the other week when out for a ride with some people from a local bike club - at one point we realised we'd missed the track and needed to hop over a fence, very easy in grippy flat shoes but those in SPDs had fun!

tjwood

tjwood wrote:

stubs wrote:

The main advantage of flats is all those cool scabs and scars on your shins from all the times you miss the pedals my shins look like someone has been playing noughts and crosses on them with a stanley knife

I have a number of pedal scrapes on my shin and calf, though none of them are from slipping off the pedals while pedalling - all from bashing my leg on the pedal while off the bike to open a gate or whatever...


Discovered another disadvantage of SPDs the other week when out for a ride with some people from a local bike club - at one point we realised we'd missed the track and needed to hop over a fence, very easy for me in grippy flat shoes but those in SPDs had fun!

tjwood

Oops, keyboard failure...

Anonymous

OK, OK, we get it!