MTB cleats \ pedals advice

[NicoBoshoff]

If SARS didn't whack 40% on clothing imports CRC's Impact Low's would have been affordable, but I develop heartburn when I know I'm going to fork out R450 extra in the name of protectionism.

[Google]

In a closed environment which has (almost) no technical challenge, no motor vehicles and no trees, sure. But on an MTB or road bike? Suicide.

 

Track is possibly one of the most technical aspects of cycling. I've done downhill for many years however riding around a track at 60km/h with no brakes and no ability to free-wheel requires far bigger balls than downhill. Track requires ridiculous amouts of technical skill just to navigate your way through the bunch or while doing a sprint and it made me fell like i didn't even know how to ride a bike.

 

As for the rest of your guys comments of flats not effecting peddling and cleats making you ride worse. Then can you please explain to me why lots of the top DH riders are swapping over to cleats for the Maritzburg world champs such as BullDog. Here is another interesting piece of info only one world cup has been won on flats since 2009.

 

I do agree that flats does provide you with some good skills and is a good place to start. However cleats give you far more control and power.

[DR ◣◢]

My impact lows are 4 years old and have 3 Alps trips in them and are still going strong. I also use them on build days and they are my gardening shoe of choice.Yes they are expensive and aren't pretty but they last damn well.

 

R400 / year aint bad at all considering a pair of skate shoes will last a year at best and they cost R500 to R600 easy.

 

Some guys spend R1600 on disco shoes. (I did) so the 5.10s at R1600 is a fair price.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Track is possibly one of the most technical aspects of cycling. I've done downhill for many years however riding around a track at 60km/h with no brakes and no ability to free-wheel requires far bigger balls than downhill. Track requires ridiculous amouts of technical skill just to navigate your way through the bunch or while doing a sprint and it made me fell like i didn't even know how to ride a bike.

 

As for the rest of your guys comments of flats not effecting peddling and cleats making you ride worse. Then can you please explain to me why lots of the top DH riders are swapping over to cleats for the Maritzburg world champs such as BullDog. Here is another interesting piece of info only one world cup has been won on flats since 2009.

 

I do agree that flats does provide you with some good skills and is a good place to start. However cleats give you far more control and power.

 

On this factor - I think Minnaar is the only one who has always ridden clips in competition. Everyone else came p through the ranks on flats, learnt how to ride on flats and learnt proper bike control on flats.

 

Therefore, the migration across to clips doesn't cost them much as they already have all the technical prowess they need.

 

For us mere mortals though, we start off in clips because "they are the best" and thus never learn proper bike / riding technique. That's the difference.

 

As for track being technical - yeah, sure in terms of bunch riding and the speed. But not technical in the same way as MTB is technical. Totally different disciplines.

[Google]

You would be surprised at how many guys have always ridden cleats. Flats do give a great grounding however once on cleats the benefits are exponential, i know for a fact that when i switched over my riding and bike handling improved greatly.

[NicoBoshoff]

I reckon this is going to boil down to what works for you personally. Personally, I want more freedom that comes with the ability to stick out my foot in sharp corners and to be able to bail when it hits the fan.

 

I will admit that I felt way more connected to the bike with clipless, BUT I put this down to me not knowing how to ride on the flats yet. I am sure that in a month or two I will have it down and have the same measure of comfort as was the case with clipless.

[pierre-]

It boild down to this:

 

With flats, when a take a risk on the bike, and **** starts going wrong, I hop off (more like oh-my-sack-bail-for-your-life) and land on my feet. Running, but not necessarily eating said ****.

 

With cleats, at the MTN bikepark, I rode round a short climbing switchback (black route other side of the highway), lost momentum and fell over (not taking any risks at all). Added injury to something seemingly low risk. Not ideal.

 

Plus those disco tekkies just don't look so lekker.

[Capricorn]

exponential? lol. sorry, love your gratuitous exaggerations. If Sam Hill, Blenki, Bulldog, and ratboy can reach stratospheric heights on flats, heights you on your clips didn't reach, then i guess exponential is just bunk. Or dont you have the right kind of clipless?

 

Nico nails it though: personal choice.

[Google]

I guess it does come down to personal choice. Its just reassuring to know that your feet are not shifting around the pedals in a bumpy section and that they are in the perfect position for the next technical section or jump. It really is just one less thing to worry about when your trying to focus on hitting your lines.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'll tell you now. With proper shoes and pedals your feet do not shift around on the tech stuff. As for the perfect position, yeah that's subjective.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Oh and I view it as one more thing to worry about when in clips.

[Google]

Trust me no matter how good your shoes, pedals, suspension, technique. your feet will always shift on a proper DH course.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Trust me no matter how good your shoes, pedals, suspension, technique. your feet will always shift on a proper DH course.

 

LOL. I know. Same can be said for clips then though. If your foot rotates beyond acceptable float, you're screwed.

 

It s a highly personal thing. What I'd say for everyone is to start off on flats. Learn. Practice. Jump, drop, manual, hop and so on. Only when you're proficient should you contemplate a move to clips. Any sooner and you'll start learning bad habits (like pulling up to initiate a bunny hop, which I got into the habit of doing cos I rode clips after a layoff of 15 years or so)

[Google]

Ya as long as the basics are learnt first and you don't require cleats to stay attached to your bike in the air then cleats can be used effectively.

[NicoBoshoff]

Ok so had another outing this morning, but this time with my Puma's.

 

 

 

Man, what a difference. Those little holes gripped the pegs and I wasn't slipping around any more. Felt like a normal ride again, except I was sticking foot out in corners and just going on the single track.

 

I can feel that the shoes aren't going to last, but it'll give me some time to save up for 5-10's in a few months.

 

AND I EVEN PULLED OFF SOME BUNNY-HOPS!!! (very small ones - like maybe 5cm off the ground, but I got the swoop down and I feel like a hero!)

 

The biggest surprise for me though was hoe much I had to fiddle with seat positioning. Fore/aft was a mission, but I am comfortable now after quite a few stop and adjusts and I think I dropped the post by about 2 - 3cm.

 

Anyways, I am happy and I think the move will stick.

[Capricorn]

idle thoughts on the drive to work: i think DH has more in common with MX than track cycling, or any form of cycling that requires pedalling efficiency. On some world cup tracks, there's zero reason to pedal. MX is way harder than DH: bigger jumps, rougher terrain, yet they are not clipped in. If it's all about control, then why aren't they doing it? Or is clipped in just an excuse for not learning how to position body and feet?