Been on SPD's forever and looking to give flats a go as there's some really techy stuff locally and finding the SPD's tricky to get in and out of fast enough.
I've got a pair of cheapy Nukeproof plastic pedals or been offered a set of Syntace Titan's (which would go nicely with my Liteville)..
Shoes-wise I was thinking of Adidas Trail SL's as they seem to tick all the right boxes.
Any tips on making the transition as smooth as possible?
it's just riding a bike mate
Practice bunny hopping and manualling etc before going out on the trail. I don’t know if you currently use spd technique or proper flats technique for tris sort of stuff currently. You want to make sure you can still get over stuff on the trail like normal.
Also concentrate on getting your weight through you heels on downhills - this will give you more grip and makes it less likely you lose a pedal etc.
Shoe wise I’ve found 5-10’s are the benchmark for outright grip. The Adidas Terrex mtb shows aren’t as grippy but dry out a lot quicker. I have both but the 5-10’s are first choice unless it’s wet out.
I made the transition a while back, theres a lot of hocus pocus around the subject.
My 2p's worth: Its a contact point, buy the best you can afford in shoes & pedals, , foot more forwards on the pedal than your SPD, heels down on tech, maybe drop your seatpost a smidge, commit to it for at least 12 rides before you make a final decision on it. I got on fine, no pedal spikes to shins, its pushing the bike that hurt me when the pins caught my calf!
Personally i'm back on Time ATACs, they work better for me for more of my riding than flats do. I think.......
I've certainly got 'scars of honour' on my shins, but on the plus side they don't really hurt, just look messy - except one I got at Flims, went to reposition my foot just as I hit and unexpected rock = ****ing ouch!
Apart from that, Geex is kinda right - its just riding, stick with it. Qwerty also correct on foot position.
I can't imagine riding with SPDs now, been 10yrs on flats. nothing beats 5.10s.
Pedals are much of a muchness, plastic ones are almost as good as metal. That injury above was on DMR vaults with long pins - awesome grip, but quite a terrifying pedal!
Five Tens and Burgtecs... I mean Syntace Titans, deffo Syntace Titans! 😉
On pedals I’ve found most flat pedals with a decent size are good with 5-10’s. I’ve settled on superstar nano x’s on one bike and Carbon Cycles Exotic alloy pedals in the other. Both decent and not outrageously expensive.
I've been on SPDs for a bit having started on flats. Just refitted some flats to my hardtail (and DJ bike).
I generally use my SPDs on my XC bike and flats on "fun" bikes (just my preference). Like Geex says, it's just riding bikes. Have a look at Tony's last video about foot position and go from there.
The only thing I had to remember is making sure I was weighting the pedals enough through rough stuff on my hardtail. Other than that, it's just a change you get used to through practice.
heels down deffo works as a 'swing thought' for me, I'd agree John
The quality of your pedals and shoes make a huge difference, don't skimp on them. Burgtecs and 5:10's are an unbeatable combination.
DMR offer great grip, but they're no where near as durable as Burgtecs.
Mind your shins - especially if you ride with an spd assisted technique....
V12's and addidas Terrex ankle boots. Great combo.
I'm led to believe 5 10's have better grip but the long drying time put me off.
V12's are scary at first. 5 stitches on the first ride and you won't do it again!
I've never had a shinner sown up, probably should have though. Usually give it a good clean shave around the cut and use butterfly stitches to close it up. My shins are a mess now mind!!
V12’s & 5 10’s , very very sticky although I ripped my shins while trying to bunny hop, lifted my legs too high
They'll probably feel less efficient than SPDs when you're pedalling up a hill but it just takes a bit of adaptation. You might also discover if you've been relying on the clips to lift the back wheel if you go over a drop and the pedals drop away from your feet.
But yes, just go out and ride.
Try committing on techy stuff more, ie get the idea of unclipping out of your head.
The one thing, in fact the only thing I liked about SPDs was that I felt more confident on techy stuff being attached to the bike.
Only went to flats as I had a knee issue, and got fed up of freezing cold feet on Spuds.
I was the same with techy stuff. SPDs made me commit more!
@Nobeerinthefridge
That's what winter boots are for 🙂 (the cold, not the knee).
Thanks for all the info. Just going to give it a go and see what happens.
With regard to committing more, I'm at 100% commitment but some of these tracks are proper techy - roots, tree stumps, off-camber catches into steep chutes etc..
It's slow riding but full-on tech.
