Flat pedals

[Eddy Gordo]

So...until recently I have been riding the Saint's.

Step 1...remove the washers

Step 2...enjoy the awesome ride

Anyway, they're great and I have enjoyed em.

 

But then I got a second bike (HT) and moved the Saint's across to it and needed new flats for the Spitfire.

CRC...Spank Oozy Trail...Though I'd give em a try as almost R1000 cheaper (landed) than local and not significantly more then the Saints either.

OMFS...a marked improvement over the Saints...instantly noticeable.

 

I have recently been having to ride in skate sneakers due to my Spez 2FO's being warranteed (again) due to the soles having chunks torn out (this time after 5 weeks) and the Saint's with sneakers are OK, but the Spanks...still 100%.

With a proper pair of flat shoes they're beyond sick.

Anyhoo...would 100% recommend to anyone...but honestly.NOT at RSA pricing...

I know what you mean regarding the screws.

My choice was between the Deity Bladerunners and Spanks.

I went with the bladerunners. The grip is amazing. I cannot move my foot. I have bashed myself a times.

SO what I did was remove the outer screws as I found these are the main culprits. The inner screws still provide plenty of grip. I then turned the out screws back in with the heads making contact with my shoes.

Although its not as sharp as when they the right way around, they still assist with some grip. 

Works for me.

[Piston ZA]

There are not many people that ever go back once they give flats a proper go.

I've been interchanging between the flats and clips this year, but definitely prefer riding on the flats.

 

What I did notice when I went back to the clips for a while (did it because I was training for a stage race), was an improvement in skill and confidence, which I contribute to riding on the flats.

[AlanD]

I have been a flat convert for a while now and have not even thought of going back to cleats.

 

I ride with skate shoes but desperately would like some 5.10s but seeing as thought i bought a Giant Trance Advanced recently and some new shoes for her, i cant buy squat for a long time now, not complaining though -

[Dieter ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

I have been a flat convert for a while now and have not even thought of going back to cleats.

 

I ride with skate shoes but desperately would like some 5.10s but seeing as thought i bought a Giant Trance Advanced recently and some new shoes for her, i cant buy squat for a long time now, not complaining though -

Or the Terrex Trail Cross Same same but different! 

[Eddy Gordo]

Anyone have the name of the guy on here for Da Bomb. I need to get hold of him. I think its Edward.

[T-Bob]

Anyone have the name of the guy on here for Da Bomb. I need to get hold of him. I think its Edward.

 

http://www.dabomb.co.za

 

http://www.dabomb.co.za/images/dabomb_dude_contact.png

[Traveler]

Anyone have the name of the guy on here for Da Bomb. I need to get hold of him. I think its Edward.

 

Da Bomb has some serious specials at the moment. Many items currently at 50% discount.

 

http://www.dabomb.co.za/

[Eddy Gordo]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/ridden-amp-rated-six-flat-pedals.html

 

nice review

[Mike Mac]

Hi

Reviving an old topic. 

I recently managed to get a pair of 5 Ten  Freerider Pro (previously riding  with Leatt 3.0 Flats). I have Shimano PD-GR500 flat pedals. I noticed that after one ride that the soles of the 5 Tens are slightly damaged by the pins. Is this normal?

That also got me googling regarding pin length. There seems to be a lot of different views regarding this topic and I was wondering what other Hubbers think regarding maybe installing the washers to the pins to shorten them a bit (to save the shoes)? Will this have a marked impact on the grippiness of the shoes on pedals.

I was also wondering if the shorter pins may allow slightly more manoevarability of the shoe on the pedals, without necessarily causing the foot to slide off. I sometime feel that my foot is in the wrong place and the only way I can move it is to lift it and put it back down again. Could shorter pins benefit here or will it be too much of a grip compromise?

Googling pedals also led me to best flat pedals and the Shimano's simply don't feature in any of the top ten reviews. Should I be looking at something else like Hope or Nukeproof (that is if I could get)?

Apologies for the disjointed post and questions that this venture to new shoes has opened. 

   

Edited June 4, 2021 by Mike Mac

[thebob]

Please, please, please, you are referring to pedals.

Now that is off my back, the pins will damage the sole of the shoe over time. My FiveTens are two years old and there is some damage, but it seems to be holding steady. As for pin length, the further out they stick, the more grip, in general. Play around with the length to see what suits you. There is no right or wrong setting. As for new pedals, if you can't get the Shimanos to work for you, then by all means, try another brand. My Crankbrothers don't get rave reviews, but I am very happy with them

Edited June 4, 2021 by thebob

[ChrisF]

Mike also note that half of those brands on that list is not available in SA ....

 

Shimano certainly does a decent enough job for the vast majority of weekend riders.  No better and no worse than Specialized or even the best from Giant - I have all three in my stable, and they all do the job well enough.

 

PINS - some of these pedals comes with shims, allowing you to experiment with the pin length ....  I tried shorter, and then went back to full length for max grip.

 

SERVICE - THIS is probably one of the biggest differenciators between the types of pedals .... the expensive ones allows you to replace proper bearings.  Then again, with a bit of labour I have serviced entry level Giant pedals as well .....  But YES, the more expensive modesl DO feel "smoother".

 

EDIT .... just had to temp fate, checked the bikes last night for the weekend rides  .... the serviced Giant pedal is "dry" .... not grinding yet, but certainly short spans between services ....

 

weight - .... so do get serious about this topic ....

 

platform size - I have wide feet, and DO find the larger platform more "natural" ....

Edited June 5, 2021 by ChrisF

[usxorf]

2 hours ago, Mike Mac said:

Hi

Reviving an old topic. 

I recently managed to get a pair of 5 Ten  Freerider Pro (previously riding  with Leatt 3.0 Flats). I have Shimano PD-GR500 flat pedals. I noticed that after one ride that the soles of the 5 Tens are slightly damaged by the pins. Is this normal?

That also got me googling regarding pin length. There seems to be a lot of different views regarding this topic and I was wondering what other Hubbers think regarding maybe installing the washers to the pins to shorten them a bit (to save the shoes)? Will this have a marked impact on the grippiness of the shoes on pedals.

I was also wondering if the shorter pins may allow slightly more manoevarability of the shoe on the pedals, without necessarily causing the foot to slide off. I sometime feel that my foot is in the wrong place and the only way I can move it is to lift it and put it back down again. Could shorter pins benefit here or will it be too much of a grip compromise?

Googling pedals also led me to best flat pedals and the Shimano's simply don't feature in any of the top ten reviews. Should I be looking at something else like Hope or Nukeproof (that is if I could get)?

Apologies for the disjointed post and questions that this venture to new shoes has opened. 

   

DMR vaults get my vote for best pedals, pin length full size, and don't worry about the wear on the sole. I commuted about 2 years on pair of 5.10 contact's before I had to throw them in the bin. They'll have some scarring from the pins but shouldn't fall apart.

[StevieG]

As far as repositioning your feet on the pedals everytime, I don't think there's any way around that. Pins are meant to hold your feet in place, so you'll have to lift your foot slightly to get them in the position you want. Over time I imagine you'll get better and faster at doing it, so it doesn't hamper your ride too much. I'm using the DMR V12's and they're perfect. Tons of other options out there in SA, and I see the Oneups are also pretty good, and have a slimmer profile to help with pedal strikes.

[StevieG]

Have to admit, I wasn't prepared to pay over R1000 for a pair of Flat pedal shoes, only to have them ruined by the pins over a few months. Bought a pair of Vans for R600, and they've been amazing.

[Steady Spin]

Recently tried to resolve an issue with numb toes and ended up with three different pairs of shoes. Etnies, RC, Bontrager. 

The soles on all of them wear from the pins. I ride with OneUP and they have pretty long pins. I love the grip though. I've accepted that shows are a consumable now. If I get two or maybe three years out of a pair then I'm happy. My old 5.10 Impact Lows lasted about 8 years before they started falling apart. Hard to expect that again. 

Problem with Vans... the soles flex more than the R/$

[Mike Mac]

I am going to play around with the pins lengths (the pedals came with different size shims) for a while and see how that goes. Thereafter I will decide if I am going to try a different pedal  or just stick with the Shimano’s