Flat vs Clipless

[Me rida my bicycle]

A good set of flats, paired with some good shoes are great and will help you confidence and improve your technique. I have been running some Hi-tec's with Vibram soles which have lasted and performed well, 5.10's are great, I recently bought a pair, a bit expensive and hard to come by though and I am finding very stiff so require a slightly different technique, though the rubber is very sticky.

 

These are awesome on the trails, look for something like this

Neutron.jpg

 

These DON'T belong on the trail

MKSBearTrapPedals.jpg

 

And definitely not these, though I'm seeing more and more people in Tokai with them!

Adadptor.jpg

 

yip a buddy had to get 14 stitches thanks to that plastic clip on sh#t. Now he listenes???? Edited January 26, 2019 by Me rida my bicycle

[Arries87]

Had this debate today on our long and slow ride today (70km), I have only been back on the bike for 4 months, but I love my technical terrain doing drops, downhills (enduro type riding) etc. often above my skill level (read going off the bike OFTEN).

 

My friends are strict XC riders, all out racing snakes with the lycra, cleats, Cannondale lefty's, the works. Their biggest peeve is when I pitch to ride with them in baggies over my cycling shorts, t-shirt, flats, trail frame not to mention the 2.4" tires! However, for my fitness levels I keep up with them, yes I have to work harder, but I am loving my riding. I get constantly ribbed, but their turn will come when I get them to do some of the Central Drakensberg trails around my hometown.

 

I have got a set of OneUp Composite pedals along with a pair of FLR shoes (not the best, but ok for the price). Honestly the confidence I get from riding flats makes it a no brainer for me. Ride what makes YOU happy.

 

The plan is to get a clipless setup when we do stage races later in the year, who knows, maybe I will stay on the clipless, but for now, I am doing what I want to do, not what the rest says.

 

Just get a decent flat pedal setup. It is going to cost the same as a decent clipless setup BTW.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Alouette and Arries have covered it, mostly. 

 

Running / hiking shoes belong faaar away from flat pedals. Skate shoes are okay, but a bit too flexible to provide the same support that a good pair of flat-pedal specific shoes (5-10, Ion, FLR, 2FO etc) will provide, and their gum-soles are ripped to shreds in no time, but can be replaced by one of the sole repair places (they remove damaged sole and stitch & glue new sole onto the shoe) 

 

Only 2 okes in our group of ~20 ride with cleats. 

[Sbloomer]

 

I have got a set of OneUp Composite pedals along with a pair of FLR shoes (not the best, but ok for the price). Honestly the confidence I get from riding flats makes it a no brainer for me. Ride what makes YOU happy.

 

 

http://cyclelab.com/flr-pro-flatline-mtb-shoes-black/

 

http://cyclelab.com/images/detailed/7/FLR-AFXPro-Black.jpeg

 

These ones?

[thebob]

Who has a decent selection of FiveTens in Gauteng

[Arries87]

http://cyclelab.com/flr-pro-flatline-mtb-shoes-black/

These ones?

Jup, not the best though. The soles are made of little flat topped knobs, some of them have started to rip out after some jumps where my foot lifted off the peddle (due to my poor form) and slammed back onto it when the wheels hit the ground again. Still lots of grip though. I am impressed about how good they hold up after repeated rides in heavy mud/water. I just spray them off with the hose and scrub them with my bike brushes. The glue and stitching of the shoes are still in perfect shape.

 

That said, I will be getting a pair of 510s once these die. I tried my brother's 510s, they have much more grip.

[SnowflakeSSW]

I rode clipless for many years on the road and after a 20 year break I can't believe how much fun mountain biking was in the Cape and now only ride off-road. I started with clipless cleats I changed to flats after slipping and struggling to get in and out but then alas, I slipped off my flats coming down the mountains and lifted off the pedals during drop-offs so I really wanted to get back to clipless cleats, caught between a rock and...My life changed when I tried Bontrager Mtb shoe...it has a groove down the middle and clips in and out like a dream even through fast switchbacks etc..its the grey shoe with the green bits on top and the sole, Velo Life Somerset West helped me but you can get them just about anywhere I'm sure.

[deanbean]

I rode clipless for many years on the road and after a 20 year break I can't believe how much fun mountain biking was in the Cape and now only ride off-road. I started with clipless cleats I changed to flats after slipping and struggling to get in and out but then alas, I slipped off my flats coming down the mountains and lifted off the pedals during drop-offs so I really wanted to get back to clipless cleats, caught between a rock and...My life changed when I tried Bontrager Mtb shoe...it has a groove down the middle and clips in and out like a dream even through fast switchbacks etc..its the grey shoe with the green bits on top and the sole, Velo Life Somerset West helped me but you can get them just about anywhere I'm sure.

The big thing about riding with flats is technique. Keep your heels down, and you'll be okay.

[RiverInTheRoad]

Flat pedals win medals!

Edited January 27, 2019 by RiverInTheRoad

[MudLark]

Best of both worlds: clipless combined with Shimano multi-release cleats and keep the pedal clip settings very loose. I struggled in the beginning with normal cleats. Then I discovered multi-release cleats. They have all the advantages of clipless but I can get out them just as fast as off a flat pedal. Google is your friend. They are available at various shops (including usually CycleLab) but not everyone always has them.

 

They guys are right about the advantages of clipless and slipping off flats etc but flats do teach you proper technique.

[Sbloomer]

I had stuff in my Amazon Cart, so just added these.

 

Relatively cheap but look pretty solid and quite large. So will see how it goes before I fork out loads of dosh.

 

Now for some shoes.

 

[Milkman]

Someone mentioned horses for courses , and that's what it comes down to .

 

If you are gonna play a lot on the trails in the mountains, then flats .

 

If you are planning on doing mostly marathons and stage racing - clip-less .

[Grease_Monkey]

I had stuff in my Amazon Cart, so just added these.

 

Relatively cheap but look pretty solid and quite large. So will see how it goes before I fork out loads of dosh.

 

Now for some shoes.

 

Yoh yoh, I'd be buying some kevlar reinforced shin guards if I were using those.

[Sbloomer]

Yoh yoh, I'd be buying some kevlar reinforced shin guards if I were using those.

Incentive enough to not screw things up

[ChrisF]

When I ride platforms, its with my old pair of new balance tennis shoes. the shoes grip okay onto the pedals, but can't walk on wet tar without huge risk of slipping! IMO is it the quality of the platform pedals that makes the difference and not so much the shoe (putting aside things like pressure points etc., simply referring to grip).

 

Obviously better flat pedals have better grip.

 

That said, "hard soled" shoes dont grip, not even on some of the best flat pedals !!

 

And NO, not all "tekkies" have the same level of grip either ....  Even swopping out an older set of a specific brand with their new 'similar shoe" gave me totally different "feel" .....

 

 

 

Finally got my pair of 2FO Spez shoes for flat pedals today.  As soon as my sinusses lets up I will TEST these on the trails ....

[Sllab]

Just FYI, Shimano makes two types of MTB cleats for spd pedals. One type (SH51)comes out with a sideways motion only, the other (SH56)will release with sideways or angled upwards motion. Makes it a lot easier, especially when you are a bit nervous. I have been riding for 25 years and changed to the SH56, they are much, much better. Might make using your clipless a bit easier.