[Closed] Flat pedal curious - shin protection

To be honnest, I got more scars DMR V8's and Skate shoes than I ever did with burgtechs and 5.10's. So the best protection is simply to go overkill on the pedals and shoes! That and drop your ankles so that any jolts from the trail are pushing your foot into the pedals, not sliding them off.

I had some of the original daineese knee/shin pads which work well enough. But a lot hot and sweatier than wacking your shin once and learning!

I've had worse pedal injuries from walking into the bike in the garage than from riding it.

Next you'll be wanting a disk brake guard like them soft roadies 🙂

I used to smash my shins all the time on V12s and skate shoes.
Not had a single slip since going to Nano Xs and Freeriders...

My shins have a bone just under the skin that stops the pins before they hit anything important.

Ironically the shin bashing often comes as a result of the benefit of having flats in the first place, as in - being able to take a foot off quickly to save from an even bigger off, might also result in you ****ting the pedals on the way down.

Shoes/pedals are so grippy, I tend to remove one of the pins that's a 'shin-striker'. Also recently bought some 5450 Troy Lee pads which cover most of the going-to-get-bludgeoned area.

Don't really get many strikes after three years back on flats. But still blooming hurts when I do. As above ^^^ tend to walk into pedals while moving around the shed/riding away from the pub!

I don't understand the attraction of pinned flats. You can get the same level of grip from an old-fashioned track/touring pedal so long as you wear shoes with decent lugs on them.

My shins are unscarred. 🙂

football shin pads ftw

Always think of shin protection as more of a trials/bmx issue, myself. As above, knee pads maybe, good shoes and pedals definitely!

(Touch wood) I've had very few pedal on shin moment, however, I do or have had quite a few scrapes down my calves which wouldn't be protected by knee protection.

I get scrapes on shins and calves all the time. These mainly occur when pushing the bike rather than riding though. Never really thought of protection as it doesn't really hurt.

[img] [/img]

Akshewally.....

Many years ago, someone suggested orienteering shin pads as bramble protection for riding. Very light weight shin protection from scrapes rather than impacts. Worked well, so might be worth a look.

bramble protection for riding.

I've wondered about super lightweight pads for late summer riding before as defence against brambles and nettles. Never got around to sorting anything

football shin pads ftw

that was a thought - does it work? I don't own any.,

What TINAS says.

Burgtec + Five10, with a smidgin of technique = happy shins.

I don't understand the attraction of pinned flats. You can get the same level of grip from an old-fashioned track/touring pedal so long as you wear shoes with decent lugs on them.

What sort of riding do you do? And what flat pedal/shoe combination did you try?

I don't understand the attraction of pinned flats. You can get the same level of grip from an old-fashioned track/touring pedal so long as you wear shoes with decent lugs on them.

Haha!

As above.

You won't slip a pedal with them. If you do you're probably taking a big hit and about to fly over the bars or something anyway. I wouldn't worry about pads.

As for touring pedals being ok? go back to road.

As above, used to use shin pads BITD but for pretending to do trials mainly. I've currently got a huge gouge on my right shin from trying to do a cyclocross dismount and jump a fallen tree but ran into the pedal. And one on my left leg where I missed the looks on my road bike (thought I'd burst my prostate too for a bit, if that's possible)

Not an issue with modern pedals. But if you want something football shin pads work fine.

submarined - Member
You really, really don't. There's nothing like the level of grip.
What sort of riding do you do? And what flat pedal/shoe combination did you try?

Unless you are capable of tearing ¼" lugs of a shoe, there's no shortage of grip.

Can't remember what flat pedal/shoe combo I tried, but it felt inferior to me. That would be about 15 years ago.

What sort of riding? I ride bicycles on mountains, rarely on road, so whatever type of mountainbiking is necessary to get me from A to B. Occasionally race.

And you don't need special mtb shoes my way, just a decent pair of walking shoes/boots and no need for shin protection from the pedal.

Me and my lad played bike football with flat pedals once. Only once, mind.
His legs, not mine.
[img] https://tinyurl.com/lf2o926 [/img]

My shin shredding came to an end the day I had a session with Jedi and learnt to ride properly! Once I stopped having the the pedal axle positioned relatively to my foot like you do with cleats and had it further back under my instep and also once I tweaked the angle of my brake levers so my wrists go into extension rather than flexion on a heavy impact (I know, counter intuitive that your wrists could make such a difference to your feet but it really does) my feet have not become unintentionally unweighted from my pedals again and hence my shins are unscathed!

Go have some horse-riding lessons; once you learn not to lose your stirrups, you'll never lose a pedal! Well, it worked for my Oh who'd been riding horses for years before she got on an mtb...

[b]Shin 0 : Vaults 1[/b]
Moral of the story, i'm too old to bunny hop!
[img] :small[/img]

Need more of a close-up, flaps.

😆 I post images through links off my Twitter account. I did select the 'small' option.
I think you might be able to see bone if you look close enough 😐

Nah, I've zoomed right in and can only see your inner juices seeping.

Do not ever ride , and i mean 10 feet in crocs and flats.....Worst shin gouges ....

I use some of these

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lizard-skins-old-school-neoprene-shin-guards/rp-prod52130

keeps you warm in the winter and bramble/nettle safe in the summer. It also protects font and back for those bike wheeling incidents

I'm not sure if it's the 5.10s or practice, but I haven't done it in years, I've got the scars though...

6079smithw - Member

football shin pads ftw

+1
Footy pads here as well.

So if flats are so wonderful, and have all that grip, how come people are getting scars?

QED.

Haven't gashed my shins for ages, vaults and 5.10's.
But bitd, vans and v8's..... You know how when you get in the bath your scars start to show, i can join up both shins from ankle to knee.

So if flats are so wonderful, and have all that grip, how come people are getting scars?

Because folk have not learnt to ride proper 😉 SPDs do allow you to develop dodgy riding skillz.

I was going to suggest a skills course but I'm too late!

Went from clips to flats then back to clips via A&E and a month off the bike.... 5.10's and Vaults before anyone mentions poor choice in either - just lousy technique! Decided that flats are for people with better technique (or less pain receptors...) And by the way, chicks don't dig those sort of scars....

+1 for 5450 Troy Lee pads.... an 510's and decent flats.

TBH I tend to get more hits to the shin when walking the bike anywhere..

I don't understand the attraction of pinned flats. You can get the same level of grip from an old-fashioned track/touring pedal so long as you wear shoes with decent lugs on them.

Obvious troll is obvious.

chiefgrooveguru - Member
'I don't understand the attraction of pinned flats. You can get the same level of grip from an old-fashioned track/touring pedal so long as you wear shoes with decent lugs on them.'
Obvious troll is obvious.

Nup, been riding off road like that for over 50 years including 5 hours today on very rough ground at a decent speed.

If your feet are coming off the pedals, something is wrong. Maybe it's because those pedals are more suited to BMX than UK mtb conditions.

You have a large flat area to accumulate mud and slime and you are wearing shoes with a virtually smooth tread. To keep them secure, the pedals are fitted with sharp pins, and yet people are being injured.

When pedals were predominantly rubber we used 'tackets" ie steel studs in our shoes, so there was grip, but the pedal couldn't injure you. Maybe the pedal/shoe interface is the wrong way round and the guys in the early part of the 20th century had it right.

Track pedals are lighter and clear mud instantly.

Obvious troll is obvious.

Nup, been riding off road like that for over 50 years

This is one of these "we'd need to see you" situations. 🙂

My girlfriend put a horrible scrape onto her shin with Vaults, which she was very upset about as it was painful and she was worried about being permanently ruined for skirt-wearing. Bought her a set of fox youth knee and shin guards, and it made a huge difference to how happy she was about riding generally.

When pedals were predominantly rubber we used 'tackets" ie steel studs in our shoes, so there was grip, but the pedal couldn't injure you. Maybe the pedal/shoe interface is the wrong way round and the guys in the early part of the 20th century had it right.

Looks like you might be on to something.

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/freection-puts-rubber-on-the-pedal-pins-in-your-shoes/ ]Have you seen the news?[/url]

muggomagic - Member
When pedals were predominantly rubber we used 'tackets" ie steel studs in our shoes, so there was grip, but the pedal couldn't injure you. Maybe the pedal/shoe interface is the wrong way round and the guys in the early part of the 20th century had it right.
Looks like you might be on to something.

[b]Have you seen the news?[/b]

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/mountain-bike-dragons-den ]4 years ago[/url] (halfway down the page) I 'invented' the above news story about inverting the rubber/pins.

I shall await my fat royalty cheque! 😆

Looking forward to the what bike shall I buy with my fat royalty cheque thread.

muggomagic - Member
Looks like you might be on to something.

Have you seen the news?

Spotted it later in the evening when it was to late to edit my post. 🙂

BigDummy - Member
'Obvious troll is obvious.'
'Nup, been riding off road like that for over 50 years'
This is one of these "we'd need to see you" situations.

I'm curious as to why you think that would not provide good grip on the pedal. The lugs on the shoes are deeper than the pins on a flat pedal and they work just as well in mud as dry.

I've tried wearing walking boots on big hike a bike days, problem is that the pedal grips at set ridges, or lugs as you call them, and doesn't allow me to place my feet where I want.

So no use really.

Nobeerinthefridge - Member
...I've tried wearing walking boots on big hike a bike days, problem is that the pedal grips at set ridges, or lugs as you call them, and doesn't allow me to place my feet where I want.

So no use really.

It all depends on the pattern of the lugs on the shoe. 10 minutes with a sharp knife can fix that and you can put your feet exactly where you want them.

One of the many things I like about flats is that I can ride with any shoes. Sometimes I just wear a pair of my normal trainers for messing around practicing etc. Don't want to be putting studs in every pair of shoes I own.

It all depends on the pattern of the lugs on the shoe. 10 minutes with a sharp knife can fix that and you can put your feet exactly where you want them.

Aye, go for it. I'll stick to my Fivetens and Burgtec pedals, thanks very much.

My experience with cut down hiking shoes on flat pedals was that it felt like I was wearing cut down hiking shoes. There is absolutely nothing like the level of grip you get with purpose made shoes. After 20 years of riding flats with trainers/hiking boots I've finally got some 'proper' purpose made shoes and it's nothing short of a revelation.

I suspect you're not doing the sort of riding for which flats are particularly suited, but by the same token I'd suggest that as such, you may not be in the position to tell the world's flat pedal users that they've got it all wrong.

muggomagic - Member
One of the many things I like about flats is that I can ride with any shoes.

Not a problem for spds either 😀

[img] [/img]

submarined - Member
...I suspect you're not doing the sort of riding for which flats are particularly suited, but by the same token I'd suggest that as such, you may not be in the position to tell the world's flat pedal users that they've got it all wrong.

Nobeerinthefridge - Member
Aye, go for it. I'll stick to my Fivetens and Burgtec pedals, thanks very much.

submarined - Member
I suspect you're not doing the sort of riding for which flats are particularly suited, but by the same token I'd suggest that as such, you may not be in the position to tell the world's flat pedal users that they've got it all wrong.

Sorry to come back to this - missed the edit because I was looking for a photo.

I don't know what sort of riding flats are suited for because I don't use them, but when I raced at Ft WIlliam in the World 24 hours, the course went down a portion marked with a big warning sign not to ride it without full face helmet, armour and a suspended bike.

I rode it with a dropbar rigid singlespeed and did ok for my age group. More importantly my feet didn't come off the pedals and I didn't lose control. I reckon I was getting jolted around far more than the guys on their full suspension bikes.

How are Fivetens for hike-a-bike? Doesn't look like there's much grip except on dry surfaces.

They are fine on wet rock, they're only shit on wet grass/gloop, which tbh none of my hike a bike days really feature.

Nobeerinthefridge - Member
They are fine on wet rock, they're only shit on wet grass/gloop, which tbh none of my hike a bike days really feature.

I've always got mud somewhere and peat bogs, even on what started out as a road ride... 🙂

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3934/34147207775_2eba993059_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3934/34147207775_2eba993059_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

However I've been looking at those [url= http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/freection-puts-rubber-on-the-pedal-pins-in-your-shoes/ ]Freection pedals[/url] featured in Singletrack.

Apart from the mud factor, these look like a great idea for winter - get off the bike and you have grip on your feet, and none of this flailing around like a new born Bambi on slick ice. My wife would kill me if I walked in the door wearing spiked shoes though. 🙂

Those pedals and pinned trainers are 20 days too late for april fools.