[Closed] Convince me that flat pedals are the way forward.

They're really not.

use what you w ant

Another use what you want. I like messing around with flats but I like longer rides with clips and really miss clips on technical climbs where I really need the power and to be stuck to the pedals. Oh and get a 4-5 year old decent bike that has not been ridden very much instead of paying thousands for this years must have.

Use what you're comfortable on.

I'd never ride off road with them. Fine rolling down to the shop.

Everyone seems to be using them now and even bike journos are ditching the spds for them

That's all your need, surely?

yes yes...I will ride what I want (and my bike is 6 years old) but I need to understand the hulla-ballo about them, and are they are all they are cracked up to be.

Their main benefit is that they force you to develop certain aspects of technique which then improve your riding whatever pedals you use.

what do they force you to do?

god knows but can,t wait for the answer.hahaha

me too.....in suspense as this could be the trump card!

I like riding flats at the moment but I'm struggling to say anything in their favour....

I've put flats on after 16 years of SPDs.
I'm finding it easier to learn how to pump. Bigger pedals mean I can push through my feet more. Same for fast cornering and riding berms, I feel like I can push my weight on the outside pedal more cos there's more of it.
I'm practising my manuals and wheelies and I worry less about coming off and going down with the bike when I'm using flats.
Also, it's helping me learn bunnyhop technique, less tempted to just pull the bike up.
I would buy a cheap pair (DMR V8's) and ride them round your usual trails for a while and see how you get on with them.
Horses for courses I guess

In life, try everything.

rockhopper70.
Is the answer that will make us all a jedi 😉
Come on chiefgrooveguru ...where waiting here...

I tried flats for one ride. Managed to put so much presure through the outside pedal and develop so much grip that I managed to roll the tyre off the rim - stacked it and broke 3 ribs. I'll stick to spds now thanks.

Try both well enough to be able to make an informed decision. Or, try only one and just assume it's best 😉

But don't give them a desultory try and then give up instantly because you feel like you're going to fall off, like most SPD riders dabbling in flats do (this cuts both ways)

Try both well enough to be able to make an informed decision. Or, try only one and just assume it's best

But don't give them a desultory try and then give up instantly because you feel like you're going to fall off, like most SPD riders dabbling in flats do (this cuts both ways)

how much does that cost then, to get decent pedals and shoes?

I use flats because their cheap, you can get a decent pair 2nd hand for about £15-20 and you dont need special shoes.
Never tried spd's so i cant compare but cant think how they would benefit me

Come on, isn't it obvious? Bumps + flats + excess tension & poor balance = feet no longer on pedals = high chance of unplanned dismount.

I should add that I don't think they're the way forward though. They're just pedals!

depends how you use them 😉

I come from a bmx background where flats are compulsory and it teaches you control. I've tried SPDs, bought the shoes and pedals, but it totally spooks me being unable to detatch from the bike when it all goes wahooni shaped. Gone back to DMRs with Karrimor hiking boots, they're brilliant, the grip is phenominal and pretty useful when having to push up the unrideable bits.

rockhopper70 - Member

how much does that cost then, to get decent pedals and shoes?

Not much at all. Pair of Vans, £30 if you shop around, then any sort of cheap spiky pedal.

Managed to put so much presure through the outside pedal and develop so much grip that I managed to roll the tyre off the rim - stacked it and broke 3 ribs. I'll stick to spds now thanks

DMRs with Karrimor hiking boots

on that point, I use Northwave mission shoes that have a "bike n walk" sole, with a chunky tread. Would these be ok with flats as it all seems to be AM40s/Five Tens with flat soles?
Just done a trawl on ebay and I reckon a pair of pedals can be has for £15 max.

TK-MAX for your flats.Loads of skate shoes in there cheap...

rockhopper70: Have a look at 'Bikejames' he has some nice views on flats vs spds. Has some interesting bits and pieces on the website.

I used spd for many years but have now gorn back to flats on both my bikes as i prefer it. Try both and see what you prefer/enjoy the most.

Try both well enough to be able to make an informed decision

a voice of reason in a sea of the sheep following blindness that usually occurs on this forum

You've got to try them both really.

I used to use SPDs and loved them, but now use flats and also love them.
For me, theres less faff with special shoes and setting cleats up just right. I can get my feet off the pedals when I need to and move my feet around on them.
With decent grippy pedals and some practice, your feet should stick to the pedals just fine.

I used spds for loads of years then put flats on with 5:10's for a bike skills day. Yes I was all over the place at first especially on rocky ascents but very quickly got over that stage! I have now used flats for a couple of years and would not go back to spds. They're are just so much more fun, I feel like I'm a better rider and don't really notice the difference on climbs.

No one will ever agree that one type is better than the other. The only agreement is that flat's and spd's are better than no pedals at all...

even bike journos

Anyone else laugh out loud at this one. I even think a little bit of wee might have escaped.

As for pedals, try both. I've ridden spds for year but thought I'd try flats gp see what all the fuss is about. still undecided but I'm not sure I've given them enough of a chance yet.

People are different. Riding terrains are different. Try both and see what suits best. Used SPD's for years then moved to flats and won't go back.

I was relatively inexperienced and the shift to flats gave me a lot more confidence to really push my limits on the steep, technical, rocky trails around me in Scotland, knowing I could instantly bail if necessary. Also I now do quite a lot of hike a bike and flats are much easier to walk in

I tend to switch to whatever I'm riding that day. If it's a hoon around Chicksands then the flats go on. If it's a afternoon of XC then on go the SPD's. Both have their pro's and con's - just use what is right for the occasion.

Personally I think it can only be an advantage to be able to use either.

Well do you not like riding spuds? if you don't then try flats, if you do then stick with them 🙂

Trying both is a great idea, but in practice I've grown really used to SPDs over 22 years (toe straps for some of that).

I tried flats over a few rides (probably 5 hours in total) and just couldn't enjoy the rides as much. Some people would say that I've got bad habits (just picking the bike up at any time with my feet without any forethought for eg). But I just couldn't ride the same.

Yes, I felt like I could go nearer the 'edge' and bail quicker on slippy corners, wheelies and suchlike but more often than not, I tried to hop the bike and my feet left the pedals leaving either a heart in mouth or a load of gashes in my shins.

I kind of want to try again, especially for the BMX track, but unlearning seems a lot harder than trying something totally new.

yeah buy these for £35 posted 😉

only used a few times before going clipless

[IMG] [/IMG]

I use both, each is better for certain rides (for me).

Get used to flats before you head off to the Alps on them though. In case you wish you'd taken your SPDs.

Can't you borrow a pair off a mate to try out first?

Have to admit, I think the likes of Crank Bros Mallet's are the way forward for me - flat platforms with the ability to clip in if needed. However, I'm not a fan of the Crank Bros ones in particular - would like to see more options on the market.

Just buy some and try them, i dont like spds, not even on a road bike but that is just me.#

The simple answer is that it is down to personal preference, it really is an unanswerable question as we are all different.

I use a mixture, clips for road and looooong xc rides, flats for hooning about in the woods, dh and throwing myself off of things...

I would like (may even design and market...) a shoe and pedal combo that has a cleat at the ball of the foot and a recess in the instep that will securely sit on top of the pedal (like lego) so you can go down bumpy stuff and over jumps unclipped but gripped.

I need that, because my ankles are wearing a bit and are jarring painfully when I do rocky downhills clipped in.

For winter, make it a waterproof boot with studs heel & toe for grip.

Has anybody ever tried adding a second cleat to a shoe, at the instep? Been considering this.

(Mr MC posting)

18yrs on SPDs. 2 serious crashes in the last 3yrs where injury from failure to unclip (albeit in limited circumstances, both in morzine) meant i didnt fancy third time unlucky, so have transferred to flats. Took a long time to readjust and feel comfortable on flats but now SPDs feel alien (as my foot can rotate which it wont on flats I perversely now feel more secure on flats).

Horses for courses, neither is better than the other its what feels right for you.

posted before in similar thread but the result of my last SPD ride...(its 2 pics of the same knee I didnt do both!)

[IMG] [/IMG]

give them a go and see how you get on with them on some trails you are familiar with. don't worry about fancy pedals and shoes some cheap v8's from classifieds and skate shoes from tk maxx will be fine for now as you've not lost much if you don't like them and decide to sell on. before fivetens came out i preferred the vans waffle sole type trainers for years, in fact i'm actually thinking of going back due to the cost of fiveten shoes! i've always ridden flats and only got spds a few years ago as i thought it may help for xc riding (which it did) but i'm happy on either. you do have to ride slightly differently but there's not much in it IMO, just ride what you feel comfortable with

Shameless plug, couple of pairs of flats for sale here...

[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-clearout-various-bits-all-at-15 ]http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-clearout-various-bits-all-at-15[/url]

AlexSimon - Member

Trying both is a great idea, but in practice I've grown really used to SPDs over 22 years (toe straps for some of that).

I tried flats over a few rides (probably 5 hours in total) and just couldn't enjoy the rides as much. Some people would say that I've got bad habits (just picking the bike up at any time with my feet without any forethought for eg). But I just couldn't ride the same.

I mean this kindly but- no s**t sherlock. Of course you couldn't ride the same with only 5 hours experience vs 22 years! You might as well have not bothered if that's all the chance you were going to give it tbh.

I dont get why peoples feet come off flats on rough stuff, must be doing something wrong.

I have never used spd's in 30+ years of riding and I'm not dead yet so flat pedals must be ace..

Having said that.. I'm gonna be the proud owner of spd compatible shoes soon.. so I might give them a wee try..

Have a look at this, he has a lot to say in favour of flats:-
http://www.bikejames.com/q-a/flats-vs-clipless-pedals/
For me I can't ride offroad with spd's seem to be thinking about how I will unclip through a section rather than getting on and riding it, don't get this with flats.

I want an electro magnetic pedal and cleat combo with variable current and a panic button on the bars. That would be a start and then it could be developed with a spincterometer which would automatically release the cleat when things get twitchy.

LOL @ avdave2!

I am hopefully going to win a cheap pair of 2nd hand flatties off the 'bay soon so it will be off to TK Max in the morning.
Not too keen on the thought of second hand shoes... 😳

Not too keen on the thought of second hand shoes..

I have to admit that if you buy one of my spincterometers you may have some trouble in selling it on in the classifieds. Choosing the right size will therefore be crucial, I'll have to work on a non contact measuring tool, perhaps lasers might be the answer.

Why do you need to be convinced they are the way forward? Try both and go for what suits you best.

I dont get why peoples feet come off flats on rough stuff, must be doing something wrong.

Subtle change in foot/pedal position compared with SPDs, and ex SPD users are sometimes less used to keeping their ankles low when coasting. I sometimes get bounced around my flats on my HT - it's mostly down to technique to avoid it.

I dont get why peoples feet come off flats on rough stuff, must be doing something wrong.

Subtle change in foot/pedal position compared with SPDs, and ex SPD users are sometimes less used to keeping their ankles low when coasting. I sometimes get bounced around my flats on my HT - it's mostly down to technique to avoid it.

I don't have any probs with my flats as long as I have good shoes and the pins are sharp. I'm going to try out spd's though to see if they give me more power.

Am sitting reading this with my arm in a sling due to knackered collar bone. Going to order some flats next week...

Will be interesting to try and unlearn/relearn.

Like a lot of others on here, I've been an SPD user for the best part of 20 years and am very comfortable with them and have never had an issue with unclipping in the face of danger, it's just natural to twist my foot as it leaves the pedal. However, I recently bought a new bike, an Orange Blood so thought it was time to try flats, Superstars with AM41s.
I've had the bike 4 months and only now am I starting to get used to them, I still feel a little nervous going over drops, but only when I think about it.
I'm still riding SPDs for longer XC rides on my Five and here's the eye opener, on a number of occassions one of my feet have come unclipped going over rough ground and through corners, which never used to happen. I'm guessing that riding flats has enabled me to distribute my weight better and alter my foot position to suit the terrain and corners etc and I'm now trying to do it on SPDs, but this obviously makes my foot unclip.

I'm still not 100% confident on the flatties and it does feel harder work on climbs but there's is definitely a skills benefit to using them.

I dont get why peoples feet come off flats on rough stuff, must be doing something wrong.

best be trolling 😡 . maybe for the bike youve got, the speed you ride at and the condition of the trails round by you mean theres no problem with flats. correct me if im wrong.

its horses for courses. its easier to get away with flats on a full sus as the bikes not trying to throw you off on every bump. for this reason im sticking with spds (ive got a hardtail) because when youre riding down something bumpy the last thing i want to be thinking about is trying to keep my feet on the pedals.

I dont get why peoples feet come off flats on rough stuff, must be doing something wrong.

Mine did a lot before learning "heels down" and also now I have the pedals less on the ball of my foot and more in the middle over rough stuff. I've also found new shoes tend to be too stiff to start with and seem to lose my pedals quite regularly til they've worn in enough.

Flat pedal shoes are wider and a hell of alot more comfy than SPD shoes.
SPD pedal accidents for me is shattered collarbone, spd moment on the side of a car £800 bill, fell down a near vertical banking trying to clip in to go down the banking ect ect ect
Flat pedal accidents, 4 tiny tempary holes in my shin when foot came off pedal.
So flats are the way forward, unless you are a xc / race rider.
In total SPD pedals have cost me around £3k in lost wages and repair bills.
Toms right, heels down and use pedals in middle of feet, takes a little getting used to but that is how you HAVE to ride.

float - Member

Its easier to get away with flats on a full sus as the bikes not trying to throw you off on every bump. for this reason im sticking with spds (ive got a hardtail) because when youre riding down something bumpy the last thing i want to be thinking about is trying to keep my feet on the pedals.

Then don't think about it, it's only asking for trouble. Put it another way, do you ride around on your SPDs thinking "twist to unclip twist to unclip" or do you just do it when you have to? Same thing- a basic skill that once learned keeps you safe without you thinking about it. Absolutely nothing to do with the bike, if I can ride a hardtail on downhill courses despite being really not a particularily good rider, then so could anyone.

Or don't, of course, if you're happy then there's no reason to change BUT, but but... Your SPDs are covering up a technique failing here I think, if you rely on them to keep connected. The skills that keep you on the pedals with flats translate equally onto SPDs and help you ride with the bike rather than against it, which in turn helps keep you in control. Over the terrain that'd kick you off on flats, you're still being kicked around, just that you're taking the bike with you and giving it and you a harder job to do rather than being in unison with it.

Speaking from experience here 😉 I made the swap for medical reasons and I hated it at first but figured out after a while it was me that was the problem not the pedals. I had no choice but to carry on where a lot of people would stop.

I have never ever failed to get my feet out of my clips except for the first 5 minutes of using them about 15 years ago. I am using Time atacs so maybe others who have had the problem had them done up too tight or using something else. The only problems I have had is when they are too loose and my foot has come out due to me being a tight git and not replacing the cleats when they were worn.

Last time I went to the Alps I forgot my clips and rode the whole time with flats. That was fine to. I do find SPDs comfier though and got a pulled ligament in my foot from wearing 661 shoes. SPD shoes are a lot more supportive and stiff (Just to counteract the person above.)

What I really like about SPDs then is the comfort and the ability to help with technical climbs. I have no idea if this is true or not but I would say no XC racers use flats, plenty of DH racers use clips, and no dirt jumpers use them so that should give you enough to go on.

well, I will hopefully found out soon as I managed to bag a 2nd hand pair of slim flat pedals on ebay for £4.99 today.
I might just give them a go with my regular skate-ish trainers as a visit to Leisure lakes today suggested an outlay of £65+ for shimano or even more for 5-10....

Flat pedal shoes are wider and a hell of alot more comfy than SPD shoes.

I don't think that is a rule. The northwave missions I have use a vibram sole and are almost walking boots but still very comfy to ride in. My only other concern with flats for general use would be the grip when pushing/carrying/hiking. Surely that flat soles are rubbish for that?

yes..that AE carnage corner video does show the weakness of flat soled shoes....any way, picked up a pair of airwalk skate shoes today at tkmax for £20. When the pedals turn up it will be up to Norland moor for a razz. If you see a very bright white revolving halo shape then don't worry, it's just the shoes.

Any news on the spincterometer..?

wait for fresh goods this week!!!!.