Clipless or flats

getonyourbike

pugaltitude wrote:

getonyourbike wrote:

pugaltitude wrote:

As iv said before-

Toe clips. They are the futre!!

I hope you're joking. They're like clipless except they're hell to get out of. stupid things

No not joking. I cant afford pedals and shoes and hate running flats because feet fall off everytime I jump or on bumpy ground.
Iv been using them since early 90's. Granted they do make a bike look stupid but buy the right shoes and your feet will go in and out no problem.

the feet coming off your pedals sounds like an underlying problem with your technique. if your technique is right then it shouldn't happen.

bails87

getonyourbike wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Sticking your foot out can mean the difference between stalling on a bend, or having your knee smashed into the ground.

that's what i'm getting at

I can unclip my feet in SPDs as quick as I can on flats. Even on the road bike where the tension is higher, the font wheel washed out on some gravel, and I got my foot down before I'd even thought about it. Once you're used to them it becomes a reflex action.

Anonymous

bails87 wrote:

I can unclip my feet in SPDs as quick as I can on flats. Even on the road bike where the tension is higher, the font wheel washed out on some gravel, and I got my foot down before I'd even thought about it. Once you're used to them it becomes a reflex action.

So, what, are you suggesting that those of use who rode SPuDs for years never got used to them?
Big claims.

bails87

yeehaamcgee wrote:

bails87 wrote:

I can unclip my feet in SPDs as quick as I can on flats. Even on the road bike where the tension is higher, the font wheel washed out on some gravel, and I got my foot down before I'd even thought about it. Once you're used to them it becomes a reflex action.

So, what, are you suggesting that those of use who rode SPuDs for years never got used to them?
Big claims.

You're asking me if I'm suggesting that everyone who's used SPDs 'for years' never got used to them? Obviously I couldn't say, I haven't met every SPD user to ask them, but if you can't unclip instinctively then you're not really used to them. I'm not saying SPDs are better or worse, just that I can unclip as quick as I could get my foot down*, seeing as good shoes and flat pedals mean that you can't just 'slide' your foot off, you need to lift it to get it off the pins/tread of the pedal.


*some people might have a load more tension so the unclipping might be slower, or they might just not 'get on' with SPDs, in which case fair enough. I'm just saying the option to 'dab' a foot is still there if you need it.

cooldad

Except for those who are a bit dozy, roll to a stop and fall into the nettles.

Rich Hcp

cooldad wrote:

Except for those who are a bit dozy, roll to a stop and fall into the nettles.

I can do that on flats

I use SPD SLs on the roadie and flats on my MTB

I have to bail out sometimes because my left ankle and calf isn't strong enough to hold me up or push away, so I have to jump off if I can't get the right foot down, with the condition I have I can't twist that ankle and there is no way I can get out in time with SPDs.

There is plenty of grip, I find, on the pedal with decent flats

Each to their own and go with what you are comfortable with.

The Northern Monkey

SPD's hurt my knees and didn't seem to offer ME any benefits. So I went back to flats!

Mojo_666

The Northern Monkey wrote:

SPD's hurt my knees and didn't seem to offer ME any benefits. So I went back to flats!

Same here, they force your leg into position and that cannot change. I tried them 10 years ago and we never got on well, with flats you can move around on and reposition if you start getting twinges. I think if your feet are flying of the pedals and you need to be clipped in then you are doing something wrong maybe?

bails87

At the end of the day it's personal and neither 'side' should automatically look down on the other for making the 'wrong' choice.

I rode the Monkey at Cannock Chase on Saturday and rode on flats for the first time in well over a year.

My feet didn't come off the pedals, and I could still bunny hop over stuff, after a couple of minutes to get used to them. But I just didn't like it. I'll give it a few more tries, but as others have said about SPDs, I can unclip my feet just as quick in SPDs and the position is comfortable for me, and the shoes a re more comfortable, so flats give me no benefits.

Others will have different experiences and that's fine, I'm not going to be so ridiculous as to make claims based on 'every SPD user' or 'every flats user'.

Thewaylander

getonyourbike wrote:

warpcow wrote:

getonyourbike wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

unixnerd wrote:

Proper cycling shoes have solid soles and it really helps. Get some shoes that will take SPD cleats and run them with flat pedals until you're happy with your bike handling skills. Then convert to Shimano M520 pedals and cleats.

Or don't.
And don't feel pressured into the "change to SPDs with experience/age/whatever bollox" nonsense.
Flats or SPDs is a PERSONAL choice.

+1 to what the mighty mcgee said. I've had so many people tell me to go clipless, especially from my club, who all ride pretty boring XC. I'm not a fan of that, I'd rather push my limits on more challenging terrain and that often means I need the ability to dab a foot when needed or even bail on a jump.

SPDs and 'gnarr' riding are not mutually exclusive. I could make an internet claim to be more hardcore than you because I can ride technical trails with clipless pedals. Might not be true (I have no idea what your version of technical, or 'pushing limits' is).

OP: Yeeha's post speaks the truth. You don't have to have clipless to be 'proper', and the same goes for flats. Try SPDs sometime, give them enough time to get over the initial weirdness, and see if you prefer them. Anything you can do with flat pedals, you can do with SPDs, within reason so the most important thing for the average rider is simply what you feel comfortable with in the end.

agree with what you've said totally. It's what you're comfortable with. I wouldn't be comfortable knowing that I couldn't quickly dab when I need to and being attached to the bike when I crash.

The one thing with trying both is not to follow the first guys advise and use SPD shoes on flatties, there too stiff. this is good cycliing effiecency but terrible for grip, flatty soles tend to bend a bit to grip the pedal better.

Riding with Cycle shoes only leads to peoples feet shoooting off uncomefortably at bad moments

getonyourbike

Thewaylander- that's true, I didn't notice that. I'm getting some AM41s soon so I can look like even more of a tard and have better grip. Should be far better than the crappy karrimor things I'm using at the moment. I'll replace that missing pin on my nanos while i'm at it. tenacious grip, I will have

TOMathon

cooldad wrote:

Except for those who are a bit dozy, roll to a stop and fall into the nettles.

I did that the first time with SPDs, came cruising down my normal route and found myself gently toppling into some pine needles as i forgot to unclip. A combination of practice and lowering tension means it's instinctive now though,

Overall, I'd say while I certainly ride better with SPDs, I think this is partly due just by getting some stiff soled shoes to go with the M520s. Having rode years on flats and trainers, having a stiff sole I was the real bonus, in terms of power and comfort. And cycling an hour along roads to the trails, this makes a real difference.
I'm certainly thinking of getting some decent flats for more technical trails however, an option for foot dabbing would make me much more confident.

Deepunder

Firstly I'd say I've not ridden SPD's much at all and only on road with my hardtail on slicks.

I ride some very old DRM V8's with half the pins smashed out with non-MTB spec shoes. I rarely lose my footing and rarely whack em' into my shins. When I do bounce out it's probably very rough sections and probably due lack of rider technique where I'm mildy out of control. Rather than bounce a foot off a flat, in SPD's rider and whole bike may bounce/shift !

A few mate ride SPD and at one time I felt that I was at a power/efficiency disadvantage but on 2-3 hour rides actually I don't think it makes much difference.

On flats, I find that when I focus on what my feet actually do on technical stuff I notice they move a fair bit, such as (rightly or wrongly), sometimes I tip or tilt my feet to gain balance or move my pedal more over the central part of the foot on rough sections; sometimes my foot angle across pedal shifts. In SPD's I’d feel trapped, even egg beaters would not have enough float for me!

I also like to dab here and there; it has saved me a few wipe out's for sure. Also when I muck up a techy uphill section on the re-start I'm not left fiddling about clipping in or getting mud/ice clogged. Often I'll leave mates behind as they phaff about with clipping in or struggling to get momentum back. OK the pro's use SPD's but so what, each to their own and I'm far from pro!