dave303e Posted August 24, 2018 Share Get yourself a pair of cleat shoes that have soles and can be walked in easily like the first ascent Traverse:https://www.firstascent.co.za/traverse-mtb-shoe Then get pedals that have the clips one side and flats the other side. With the shoes above you can comfortably klap the tech on the flats uncleated and then clip in and spin away on the non tech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bos Posted August 24, 2018 Share I'm debating this with myself. Have an ally frame FS XC bike that I fitted a good dropper to. Liked it but now also have a very similar but pretty decent bike in carbon w/out dropper and finding I'm not missing it as much as I thought I would and am considering forgetting about a dropper on the new bike and just saving the weight (and munny). Thoughts?Remember I was recommending it to @Spirog. I've ridden without a Dropper post all my life, and was a No Dropper Advocate until I got a trail bike again last year. But thats me and the OP is new to the sport. Personally Id never have one on a Marathon/XC bike. It allows better body positioning and movement on steep pitches, berms and jumps where tucking in behind the full height seat is slightly constrictive.But for XC, there are so few courses where things actually get FUN enough to warrant one, Id save the weight, period. Another thing, flat pedals asks for a bit of "body English" to ride tech stuff proper, where clips allows you to be lazy, which is why its such a good "tool" to improve riding. Trying flats with a full height saddle takes even more skill than Clips IMO, It only allows you to jump off easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselnDust Posted August 24, 2018 Share Remember I was recommending it to @Spirog. I've ridden without a Dropper post all my life, and was a No Dropper Advocate until I got a trail bike again last year. But thats me and the OP is new to the sport. Personally Id never have one on a Marathon/XC bike. It allows better body positioning and movement on steep pitches, berms and jumps where tucking in behind the full height seat is slightly constrictive.But for XC, there are so few courses where things actually get FUN enough to warrant one, Id save the weight, period. Another thing, flat pedals asks for a bit of "body English" to ride tech stuff proper, where clips allows you to be lazy, which is why its such a good "tool" to improve riding. Trying flats with a full height saddle takes even more skill than Clips IMO, It only allows you to jump off easier.Whole heartedly agree with your view here. Flats and a dropper on a play bike is going to be a great safety net and allow building confidence. For an xc bike in a stage race I don't see the ability to bail from the bike outweighing the safety of keeping your feet firmly connected to the pedals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky and the Warden Posted August 24, 2018 Share Okay, thanks for that. My 5-10's are ragged AF at the moment, so need replacement. I know they can't be beaten, but 2k on shoes is just.... joh. Especially at the moment.Know what you mean but I got mine at less than half price from CRC about a year ago... although I should have ordered lube as well #customsdontfuckabout ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidersky Posted August 24, 2018 Share Get a dropper post, so you don't feel like a Giraffe drinking water when going down steep stuff.this mental image made me chuckle... And it's very appropriate too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deefish Posted August 24, 2018 Share Guys I really believe that this is one of those choices that will probably always continue to be divisive. Choosing to ride clips because you enjoy the feeling is the same as someone choosing to ride flats because they enjoy the feeling. There is not a right or wrong answer. That’s why there is choice. The same applies to dropper posts (which I run on my XC bike) etc. Where I tend to disagree a bit is in trying to convince people they should or shouldn’t go one way or another i.e. not having a dropper unless you have a trail bike, or no flat pedals unless the terrain is rough enough for it, or only clips on a stage race. I have a dropper and flat pedals on my carbon XC bike and absolutely love it, the same way I’m sure people with the same bike would not want a dropper or flat pedals anywhere near it, which is perfectly alright too. I think what I’m trying to say is don’t get so caught up in the information that is peddled (no pun intended) and rather try things out for yourself – flats or clips, dropper or no dropper, ride what you enjoy on whatever bike you like ☺ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannygirl Posted August 24, 2018 Share Get yourself a pair of cleat shoes that have soles and can be walked in easily like the first ascent Traverse:https://www.firstascent.co.za/traverse-mtb-shoe Then get pedals that have the clips one side and flats the other side. With the shoes above you can comfortably klap the tech on the flats uncleated and then clip in and spin away on the non tech. Had exactly that setup, for exactly that reason - Shimano SPD's with flat 'cover' on one side. Two major problems, though:1. The plastic cover flat side is really small, and really slippery when wet - no pins etc. for grip. 2. The default position is always cleats on top - so getting the flat bit to the top is sometimes a bit of a struggle...or you think you're on the flat part, just to hear it clip in when you could least afford it... So I'm on all flats now (have a set of cleats that I'll occasionally change into for district road terrain etc.). Saying that, if I can find a pedal that can address the abovementioned two issues (i.e. with a decent flat part, and defaulting to flat on top), I will happily reconsider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave303e Posted August 24, 2018 Share Had exactly that setup, for exactly that reason - Shimano SPD's with flat 'cover' on one side. Two major problems, though:1. The plastic cover flat side is really small, and really slippery when wet - no pins etc. for grip. 2. The default position is always cleats on top - so getting the flat bit to the top is sometimes a bit of a struggle...or you think you're on the flat part, just to hear it clip in when you could least afford it... So I'm on all flats now (have a set of cleats that I'll occasionally change into for district road terrain etc.). Saying that, if I can find a pedal that can address the abovementioned two issues (i.e. with a decent flat part, and defaulting to flat on top), I will happily reconsider. not plastic clip ins but actual dual edals:https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/shimano-pdm-324-pedals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted August 24, 2018 Share not plastic clip ins but actual dual edals:https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/shimano-pdm-324-pedalsNo. Just... no. Those are useless and have NO grip at all. A proper flat, or a proper cleat. There is no middle ground that is acceptable. Reason for that: When in a pinch and needing to dab, or starting off. Both dedicated flats and dedicated cleats have platforms (cleats) on both sides of the pedal, so you don't have to concentrate on getting the "right" side of the pedal before you're able to put all your weight on it and clip in or stomp on. Likewise, shoes with a cleat on them are not appropriate for use on flat pedals, as the interaction between the cleat and the metal / plastic of the pedal surface presents an extremely slippery and dangerous situation that compromises the mechanical grip between teh pins and shoes. Flats, or cleats. None of these dangerous halfbreeds. If you absolutely MUST get a dual-sided pedal, the only ones I've seen that even remotely comes close to fitting the bill of being acceptable is the FUNN Mamba and the Crank Bros DoubleShot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannygirl Posted August 24, 2018 Share No. Just... no. Those are useless and have NO grip at all. A proper flat, or a proper cleat. There is no middle ground that is acceptable. Reason for that: When in a pinch and needing to dab, or starting off. Both dedicated flats and dedicated cleats have platforms (cleats) on both sides of the pedal, so you don't have to concentrate on getting the "right" side of the pedal before you're able to put all your weight on it and clip in or stomp on. Likewise, shoes with a cleat on them are not appropriate for use on flat pedals, as the interaction between the cleat and the metal / plastic of the pedal surface presents an extremely slippery and dangerous situation that compromises the mechanical grip between teh pins and shoes. Flats, or cleats. None of these dangerous halfbreeds. If you absolutely MUST get a dual-sided pedal, the only ones I've seen that even remotely comes close to fitting the bill of being acceptable is the FUNN Mamba and the Crank Bros DoubleShot. Now THOSE I'm willing to give a go... Those other ones will just eat my shins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted August 24, 2018 Share Now THOSE I'm willing to give a go... Those other ones will just eat my shins...If you're absolutely sure.... and agreed with the bold. Those are commonly referred to as "bear traps" (you can see why) and are utter, utter shaite. https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/crank-brothers-double-shot-raw-black I'd still recommend a proper pair of flats or cleats (dual sided) due to the reasons above. A cleat shoe should never be used on a pair of flats, and vice versa. Unless it's a set of 5-10's with the cleat removed, and even that would be too stiff for the flat side due to the shank in the shoe (you want a bit of give in flat shoes) and not satisfy the requirement of a set of shoes that can do both at the same time, if yo uhave the cleat in (contact between cleat and flat side of the pedal creates a very slippery mating surface) These ones get my vote. https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/shimano-pd-gr500-pedalshttps://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/dmr-v8-pedalshttps://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/crank-brothers-stamp-2-pedals (these, in LARGE platform, are EXCELLENT)https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/dmr-v12-pedals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidersky Posted August 24, 2018 Share Crankbrothers Stamp is the one I really want, last time I had bucks for them they were sold out... Must look again when the taxman finally sorts me out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MudLark Posted August 24, 2018 Share Don't be stupid.Um, okay. Thanks for that... The other comments drawing a distinction between a playbike and a serious XC bike really highlighted something for me though - folks put their finger clearly on the exact point that I have been struggling to define for myself. Now I know what I am going to do - thanks guys! Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted August 24, 2018 Share Um, okay. Thanks for that... The other comments drawing a distinction between a playbike and a serious XC bike really highlighted something for me though - folks put their finger clearly on the exact point that I have been struggling to define for myself. Now I know what I am going to do - thanks guys! Much appreciated.Sorry, I meant to say - put it on. When people like Nino and Kulharvey are putting them on their XCO machines, you know it's not a fashion statement but fulfills a very distinct requirement - to be able to get lower and further back than a rigid post allows you to. Play bike vs xc bike makes not a jot of difference, in my opinion. It's a bike. Droppers make bikes better, or to put it better, allow you to be more confident over sections where a rigid post would leave you puckering and begging for mommy. If all you do is gravel grind, then fine - a dropper won't make a difference to you, but it seems to me that you don't just gravel grind, and occasionally like to let it loose and gun it. A dropper on your XC bike will allow you to do just that, at any time, without it feeling as if you have a rod up your ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Gordo Posted August 24, 2018 Share Op, pm me if you wear a uk10/11I have a pair of mtb shoes in a very good condition with cleats and pedals for very cheap. Then u can still buy a set of flats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted August 24, 2018 Share Likewise, if you're a 12UK, I have a set of these that aren't being used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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