So I tried some flatties.....

streako · June 2007

Took the SPD's off and stuck some flats on. Went for a ride earlier.

Hmm. I dont think they're for me. This is why:

1) The pedals catch much more on rough ground.
2) Pedalling efficiency drops more than you realise.
3) I had to keep adjusting my feet to get comfortable.
4) I felt like my feet were going to bounce off on rough descents, even with 5" of travel.
5) My knees were starting to ache due to bad positioning.
6) It is harder to get air.
7) Because they stick out more you are more likely to catch your legs if you have to push, or even moving it round the house.

I'll have another ride but I cant see them staying on.

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Unknown · June 2007

Interesting post, I am a flattie thinking of coming to
the SPD world

My reasons
1) Sick of cutting my legs on the pins on my V12's
2) Very Sick of rubbing all my paint of my cranks
3) Never happy with my feet postion
4) Need some new shoes anyway

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Unknown · June 2007

for XC spd are still the way.

flats for any other use just need good flats and good shoes.

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Unknown · June 2007

It's not harder to get air - you've been spoilt by being clipped in. It's easy to get air with flatties. Even bunny hops are a cinch. I do agree they catch more. I've done some pretty low down corners and caught my pedals. That "clink!" sound is heart-stopping just for a moment! Don't have a problem catching on my legs though. Well, odd occassions. But the teeth that tear my flesh are a constant reminder not to get caught.

Pedalling efficiency. Possibly. But I'm sure those few microseconds are made back when you're bombing down a hill and not being overly cautious because you're not attached to the bike, per se.

Been tempted with some XTR spuds and some nice shoes for on the zaskar, cos i only use that on the road. But for off road on my enduro, me is a happy-widda-flatty.

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monkeyfcuker · June 2007

is this peddaling efficiency thing really that important to everyone?! you would think everyone was racing as its all thats ever mentioned on this subject!

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Andy B · June 2007

If it's a case of being knackered after 25 miles with flatties, or not being quite as knackered if I'm using SPuDs after 25 miles I'll take the SPuDs!

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Unknown · June 2007

lol, never had problems with flats, never had problems gettin air if you have been getting air with spds and no with flats it is probably becuase you dont use the right technique or you have been spoilt, flats all the way for me[^]

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Unknown · June 2007

The pedaling inefficiency thing is a crap excuse for not being fit IMO, I ride with 2 people who ride SPuDs and I'm always first to the top so they can't be that inefficient

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stuartlangwilson · June 2007

You need to stick with it for longer, like a month. practice bunnyhops etc loads, you will get to like them in time.

Unknown · June 2007

Exactly you can't just ride them once and go "nah they're not for me", you gotta give them a chance!

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Unknown · June 2007

i have been using flats for year and never had any problems so i think i am going to stick as i am for now

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geeteewmb · June 2007

Nick, I was waiting to hear what you thought of them, and now I have, I think I'll stick to my spuds.

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guilliano · June 2007

I use both and like both. I feel more secure on SPDs when I'm riding trails, but if I am trying something new, out with Heidi and Saskia or riding on the streets I use flats. There is a place for both in my life

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by aphex2k

Pedalling efficiency. Possibly. But I'm sure those few microseconds are made back when you're bombing down a hill and not being overly cautious because you're not attached to the bike, per se.

Mark 8-D

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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I panic far more going downhill with flats as my feet bounce off. SPDs provide far more effiviency in pedaling uphill and far more reassurance going down ttherfore = more speed.

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Unknown · June 2007

I'm about to give SPD's a try but purely just to see what they're like, that's not to say I'll use them all the time but curiosity has got the better of me. Most of the people I ride with use them so I figure they can't ALL be wrong!!

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Unknown · June 2007

I use both, I don't know which i prefer as I have not used my spds enough, I have the m545s i think on the hopper, the ones with the alloy cage, so when i commute further afield i can ride clipped in, but if i just nip down my local shops i can use my trainers, then on the handjob i have bought the xtr spds, and on the gspot i have got v12 mags, but i think i will replace them with some burgtec penthouse pedals soon.

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Kestrel_daos · June 2007

The pedalling efficiency thing is not completely a load of crap. I for one am an SPD user, but the reason being that my bike came with some crap flats, so getting grip on them was useless (which put me off the whole flast thing), whereas using SPDs is far more efficient.

However, if you are a rider with a proper set of flats, and decent shoes, and have a good pedalling technique, there is probably little difference in efficiency between the flats and SPDs.

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Unknown · June 2007

Pedalling with spd's feels a lot nicer, and you seem to have more control on bumpy descents, but I do like the casual 'just sling a leg over' side of flats, and how you can more easily mess around pulling stoppies etc. Almost ended up with a face full of metal fence on the last big clipped-in one I tried.

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Unknown · June 2007

I much prefer spds, I did have flats on my HT but changed them over to spds for Inners at the weekend. Have had spds on my fs since I got it (and the previous one). Sometimes I think it would be good to have flats (northshore, mega technical stuff) but I like being clipped in for both climbs and downhill, just think it feels more secure.

Being clipped in also helps with climbing, just because people using flats get to the top before others using spds does not mean spds are rubbish, it means that the one who got to the top of the hill is faster than the other two. A couple of the guys I bike with use flats and always kick my ass on the uphills - because they are fitter/faster than me, no other reason.

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guilliano · June 2007

Flats are great for learning skills and techniques, SPDs are great for putting the learning to use. As with many things in this sport, it's a personal choice. If you are the sort to dab a lot on techy sections then flats are worth using. If you are like me and determined to ride everything out til you topple sideways then SPDs are better. Both are good, it's just what you prefer to use

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streako · June 2007

The pedalling efficiency question was demonstrated a few times when my back foot was rising off the pedal. I had never realised that I also pull up slightly with the trailing foot on steep climbs.

I will try them again sometime with different shoes, but for next weekend I am using SPD's for the Stanes.

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off-one · June 2007

Ive just swapped my spds for flats after a big crash, and will never go back to them .Ifind Im enjoying my riding alot more especially technical climbs, my feet have never bounced off the pedals, sure the pedals have met my shins a few times but the benefits for me far outweigh the disadvantages Iam much more confident on the bike now and my skills have come on in leaps and bounds. Just get make sure you get decent shoes.

Unknown · June 2007

Eeveryone should learn on flats. SPDs encourage lazy technique for general off road riding. Take these skills through to SPDs and you may ride even better. But not always. If you learn to pedal efficietly with flats, how to hop and weight shift and lifft the back wheel, you will be a more efficient and better rider than someone who goes straight onto SPDs.

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Unknown · June 2007

All depends what you are used to.

I started on road bikes and have never ridden without being attached to the pedals. It just doesn't make sense on a road bike.
Originally I rode with toe clips (and you think SPDs are hard to get out of in a hurry [;)]) then with clipless. I now run Look Keos on my road bike.

Trouble is I'm so used to riding clipped in that I simply cannot ride with flats - my feet just don't stay on the pedals on the upstroke or when 'putting the power down'

So I ride SPDs on the MTB too

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banana pilot · June 2007

I've been riding SPD's all winter and would say I'm now pretty proficient with them, especially on long XC.

However, went to Puddletown Forest in Dorset with a few friends last weekend and did some hard techy singletrack. Oh how unconfident I felt! I kept clipped in because my shoes (Spesh Taho's and M520's) don't offer a great deal of grip when not clipped in. All my friends said I should ditch the SPD's and get some flatties like DMR V8's or 12's.

My basic problem was hitting roots and not being able to get my foot out for speed stability and feeling very uncomfortable in the air not being able to bin it and land on my feet if I screwed up!

What do you suggest? SPD's for long XC and flats for techy singletrack/jumps/bumps?! I think I need to buy a big spanner for lots of pedal changes!!

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banana pilot · June 2007

....or are there any decent caged clipless that you can be 'in' or 'out' of depending on where you step?! Don't know that I can be bothered to keep swapping the pedals!

Paulie

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mudface · June 2007

oh THIS old chestnut again...

banana pilot - they exist. they are rubbish and cause more problems than they solve.

i totally agree with sonic.

Clunkwmb · June 2007

I'd been riding with toe clips for years (both with & without straps) before getting some cheap welgo SPD's last year.
Being attached to the bike always felt like I had that bit more control & confidence to throw the bike around and follow through instead of dabbing when riding at (or past) the edge of my abilities.
At the end of the day all that really matters is that you use what feels right and safer for you.
There is no definitive right or wrong where personal preference is concerned.

Mad Splasherwmb · June 2007

I have some M324s on the Kona so I can ride it to the station in normal shoes but ride clipped in when touring or the likes and they're great at that kind of level but you wouldn't want to be messing around with them on a proper ride.

I did the same as Steako last year and decided to try flats. The ride was Jacobs Ladder, Rushwarp Edge, Mam Tor in the Peak. Climbing Jacob's ladder was much more difficult because of the jerky power delivery but the biggest difference was down the other side which is a fast but very rocky descent. My feet were lifting off the pedals and landing in different places and I had to ride the last part with the pedals in the arches of my feet because that was how I landed.

Each to their own, but I'll stick to M540s.

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mudface · June 2007

that's just poor technique though. that's like saying spds are rubbish because you can't unclip.

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mad Splasher

I had to ride the last part with the pedals in the arches of my feet because that was how I landed.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Lol, that's how I ride anyway! I can't seem to get my feet comfy any other way, I'm thinking spd's will either solve that problem or exacerbate it.

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So I tried some flatties.....

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