Do you use SPD's when MTB'ing?

5625tom

Evening,

Question is:
So- would you usually wear SPD's when out MTB'ing or do you stick to trainers and invest in a decent pair of pedals?

Reason behind question:
I went to Llandelga in Wales yesterday and had a horrid time as my feet kept slipping off my pedals, i had three wipeouts and lost control numerous times due to this. I had a decent pair of trainers on and an average pair of pedals, yet couldn't believe the lack of grip/control. Not really had this problem before but it was driving me nuts yesterday.

Look forward to hearing what the consensus is!

Cheers all!
t

nicklouse

i use both.

Look forward to hearing what the consensus is!

never.

p44cmb

Yup SPD's for me. Cant ride without em now after making the transition about a year ago.

paul.skibum

I used to use them, not because I wanted the grip, because I thought they imparted an advantage of some sort (not grip particvularly), switched to DC skate shoes and flats last summer, now have 5:10's and decent pedals.

If you are slipping off your pedals its because your trainer/pedal interface doesnt impart decent grip and/or your technique is a little off (drop heels on rougher terrain to maintain grip on pedals).

As for concensus. Good luck with that.

warpcow

Both here too, though mostly flats nowadays.

If you are slipping off your pedals its because your trainer/pedal interface doesnt impart decent grip and/or your technique is a little off (drop heels on rougher terrain to maintain grip on pedals).

^^This. 'Trainers' might not be the best choice no matter how grippy your pedals are.

felix.london

SPD's on XC/AM bike

Flat's on DH bike

Flat's on fun/park bike

Will put flat's on next build (AM/Enduro bike)

5625tom wrote:

...and an average pair of pedals, yet couldn't believe the lack of grip/control

Get some decent pedals. Keep your weight on your pedals and your feet shouldn't slip

welshkev

yep

cooldad

Nope

njee20

Yep

nferrar

I use SPDs, have occasionally tried switching back to flats to help get rid of some bad habits but not got on with it and switched back soon enough. If you're using flats get some ones with decent pins for grip and preferably some decent shoes to like FiveTens which have a very soft compound sole to help with grip. Maybe buy some shin protection to...

mintedox

I don't. Doubt I ever will.

.blitz

Can't ride without SPDs tbh but flat pedal & Five Ten wearing mates insist their way is just as good and I believe them but there's something about being clipped in that puts me in the right frame of mind for a bike ride I just cant take it seriously with flatties.

benpinnick

Yep.... Mainly.

angry_bird

Both. Depends on the mood I'm in and if I can be bothered swapping pedals around.

MountainMonster

I ride clipped in both my road bike and mtb, I tried riding flats with some skate shoes which were super tacky, but it never really worked for me. Just felt too uncomfortable and uneasy not having that extra bit of security with being clicked in.

paulneenan76

Flats for me. I do wear Shimano AM's which do have an option to clip in but work really well with my DMR V8's. Might move up to Superstar Nano's next year for more room but I've never slipped off during any tricky sections with this combo.

Obviously I bought the shoes as a halfway house option but have not yet plucked up the courage to try clipped in.

Oh and my missus reckons the AM shoes look like I've put my feet in killer whales, and she has a point

ilovedirt

If you're using running trainers and cheapo V8 copy pedals then that's why your feet are slipping. If you want to ride flats, get some decent pedals (Superstar Nanos are good budget choice) and some proper shoes - Five Tens are pretty much the industry standard. I use Superstar Nanos and Five Ten Freeriders and have little issue with grip.

That said, I use SPDs as well, it used to be exclusively for XC, but I'm starting to use them on the downhill bike now as well.

mkf

i use both spd one side, flats on the flip side

Chunkers1980

Yes but you have the best of no worlds.

5625tom

Hello boys & girls,

thank you all for your comments. I will put the results into a nice little pie chart for you all to see what the current consenus is....

cooldad

5625tom wrote:

Hello boys & girls,

thank you all for your comments. I will put the results into a nice little pie chart for you all to see what the current consenus is....

I am so excited I can hardly contain myself.


Which is a lie really. The only thing in a pie should be meat.

Maybe go for a ride instead.

Chunkers1980

I like apple.

WindyG

I like cherry

paul.skibum

The simple fact is people use spds or flats and most wont use anything else. Some have used both and prefer one and generally stick to that.

As I said earlier, I used to use spds and now use flats and to be honest I dont miss the clip in. I find I jump better now (stopped relying on pulling my feet up through the clips), am better balanced on the bike, have lost no sensation of connection with the bike and gained confidence.

I dont think I understand the confidence when clippe din comments by some - I get being more committed perhaps, through rocky tricky sections you can stay clipped and power through maybe when the temptation might be to dab but generally I didnt find clipping in gave me confidence. In many cases the opposite.

As for pie, I am more of a quiche man myself but I do like apple.

boristhespie

Have dodgy knees so avoided clip ins but when I got my new bike it came with crankbros. Fantastic amount of movement for my wobbly legs and love the pull up but they aint that far off how I felt with my clips and straps on my other bikes. Something my new build will have.

lostboysaint

Crank Brothers Mallets. Big platform with pins so you have excellent support if you do miss the connection with the very floaty clip mechanism. Fantastic pedals.

bennett_346

paul.skibum wrote:

(stopped relying on pulling my feet up through the clips)

What's wrong with doing that? Surely with flats you rely on the grip to pull the bike up with the pedals anyway.

paul.skibum

bennett_346 wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

(stopped relying on pulling my feet up through the clips)

What's wrong with doing that? Surely with flats you rely on the grip to pull the bike up with the pedals anyway.

Depends how you do it. if you just yank straight up on the clips rather than the old toe scoop thing in flats - I used to find with clips I often threw myself off balance in jump either pushing myself sideways or going nose heavy. On flats I dont have the same problem, just occassionally lose a foot on a pedal!

plugp7

No.

ilovedirt

paul.skibum wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

(stopped relying on pulling my feet up through the clips)

What's wrong with doing that? Surely with flats you rely on the grip to pull the bike up with the pedals anyway.

Depends how you do it. if you just yank straight up on the clips rather than the old toe scoop thing in flats - I used to find with clips I often threw myself off balance in jump either pushing myself sideways or going nose heavy. On flats I dont have the same problem, just occassionally lose a foot on a pedal!

Depends, I sometimes find it useful to just pull up on them in a sticky situation (trying to avoid a pinch flat on the hardtail for example), but I would hope that my technique is fairly good given that I started riding on flats.

supersonic

Use flats for everything.