Flats vs Cleats. Your findings

[ChristiaanSt]

So I am thinking of going the flats route...

 

I started road cycling many years ago and obviously cleated in. Then moved over to MTB and also cleated in. In the last 3 years I have moved over to more trail riding and in the last year even more Enduro style riding.

 

The way I ride now I am not worried about the uphills and getting fast times going up. I am not phased about pushing my bike up a steep hill to take a shortcut to the top of the trail.

 

I am in the market for new shoes and the idea of flats came to mind.

 

I would like to know who out there has moved from cleats to flats (after using cleats for a long time) and what your finding where?

 

This is by no means a "what is better" question. That will just open Pandora's box. I want to know what/how your riding has changed and how did you have to adapt to it. Did it take long to get used to? etc...

 

*edit*: I just found a discussion about this exact question on one of the other pages. reading through that now

Edited September 14, 2020 by ChristiaanSt

[Pieter1]

I was riding cleats for 7 years before going to flats.

My times on strava are pretty much the same, my chins are not hahaha.

I got them to get off of the bike faster if I needed to and I must say I think they have saved my bacon a few times by being able to put feet down faster.

[DR ◣◢]

Ask me next week Monday. I’m clipping in for this coming weekend and riding the same familiar trails we always do so no surprises.

 

I’ve been keen on this experiment for a while. I switched to flats about 8 years ago and never looked back... until now.

[Koos Likkewaan]

Not moved back, but using both.

 

Cleated on the DS and HT for long rides, but using flats on the SS.

 

Used to be on flats only and always liked it. Use the SS for fun rides, probably limited to 50-60km rides.

 

The flats are still more fun, but I find the cleats make me lazy. Before, bunny hops and small jumps just came naturally, but now I need to focus to not "pull" on the pedals.

 

It sounds like your riding is moving more towards flats. Most important, have fun and enjoy the ride !

[Mojoman]

Once my current mountain bike shoes start to die, I will be looking for a decent set of shoes for flat pedals and will move away from cleats...I would like to be able to do a bit more 'hike a bike' without having a cleat skate across rock etc....I'm also getting older so the ability to quickly put a foot down is starting to count more now.....

[Eldron]

Clioless for racing. Flats for fun.

[MajG]

When you do go flats, suggest you have shin pads, as pedal strikes are not cool

 

Will happen on your first few attempts with flats

[StevieG]

I started riding a few months ago on flats, used to cycle many years ago with cleats, but mtbing to me just made more sense using a system where you can eject quickly. But there have been a few butt puckering moments where i'm cruising down single track and the bumps get rowdy enough to throw my feet off the pedals. Don't think that's enough to make me want to switch over to clipless, but I can see the merit to having that connection to the bike, especially on the climbs. But have also been on enough hairy sections, where being clipped in just makes me feel too uneasy.

 

It's a tough choice, and i'm also in the same boat now, trying to decide on whether to stick to flats, or make the change. Too many differences of opinion unfortunately, so it'll probably come down to what makes you feel comfortable

[TyronLab]

I've ridden both, but I prefer the security that clipless offers, especially since I ride a hardtail. Granted, I haven't ridden a decent set of flats with proper flat shoes.

 

What I have done though is adjust the tension all the way down on my pedals (PD-M520s for reference). I can eject instantaneously if I need to dab or save a boo-boo, as I've done many-a-time, but it definitely saves a lot of energy when riding flat or uphill sections and makes technical climbing easier. Its a pretty good compromise, and its not like I push out 1500W and swing the bike like Sagan that I need to be riveted to my pedals.

 

What I have found though is that I did develop the bad habit of not dropping my heels when descending and relying on my clips to keep me feet in place not my body weight. I noticed this as my toes started getting sore while descending, as my feet were getting forced to the front of my shoe. Easy to fix luckily.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I started riding a few months ago on flats, used to cycle many years ago with cleats, but mtbing to me just made more sense using a system where you can eject quickly. But there have been a few butt puckering moments where i'm cruising down single track and the bumps get rowdy enough to throw my feet off the pedals. Don't think that's enough to make me want to switch over to clipless, but I can see the merit to having that connection to the bike, especially on the climbs. But have also been on enough hairy sections, where being clipped in just makes me feel too uneasy.

 

It's a tough choice, and i'm also in the same boat now, trying to decide on whether to stick to flats, or make the change. Too many differences of opinion unfortunately, so it'll probably come down to what makes you feel comfortable

If you concentrate on getting your Heels down, that will happen less and less.

[dirtrider]

When I started this 20+ years ago it was totally unacceptable to enter an event with Flats . Rock up with flats and you start in the Z batch because  you deemed a newbie . Those years flats with straps was still acceptable but you had to be "one" with the bike . 

Not knowing any better we all did what was  deemed "acceptable" normal behavior . After giving away all my geared bikes I soon realized that doing races like the Magalies Monster or Transbaviaans cleated in was just no making any sense and also tried the flat option . It then dawned on me  that you actually do not want to be part of the bike , you want to be free !!

So eggbeaters , spd's , Look and all kinds of other pedals found new homes . 

But even in the FLAT Pedal society I found that fashion is also more than just a statement and I got the proper shoes for the job . 

Those shoes also found a new home very soon and now it is just me , the bike , my Hi-Tech tekkies and the trail . 

People say to me , if you cleat in you might actually do a sub 3 Argus !! Maybe but my 03:04 suites me just fine thank you  .  

[TheoG]

In the beginning when I just started MTB'ing, I fell my arse off with flats, broke a few ribs and dislocated my shoulder, simply due to the rough downhill I was attempting my foot came off the pedal and completely lost control.

 

Personally from then clipped in is the only way for me.  Very few guys push and pull, I do sometimes "if I remember", for me its more a safety issue.

 

That being said, everybody is different, do what ever the hell is best for YOU.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Theog

[StevieG]

When I started this 20+ years ago it was totally unacceptable to enter an event with Flats . Rock up with flats and you start in the Z batch because  you deemed a newbie . Those years flats with straps was still acceptable but you had to be "one" with the bike . 

Not knowing any better we all did what was  deemed "acceptable" normal behavior . After giving away all my geared bikes I soon realized that doing races like the Magalies Monster or Transbaviaans cleated in was just no making any sense and also tried the flat option . It then dawned on me  that you actually do not want to be part of the bike , you want to be free !!

So eggbeaters , spd's , Look and all kinds of other pedals found new homes . 

But even in the FLAT Pedal society I found that fashion is also more than just a statement and I got the proper shoes for the job . 

Those shoes also found a new home very soon and now it is just me , the bike , my Hi-Tech tekkies and the trail . 

People say to me , if you cleat in you might actually do a sub 3 Argus !! Maybe but my 03:04 suites me just fine thank you  .  

That's so funny. I'm constantly getting slated by the guys I ride with for riding on flats, but as the fitness level improves, I get less mouthing off from them

[DR ◣◢]

10 years ago this thread would have gone in a very different direction. 

[Duane_Bosch]

I'm hardly an expert at this.

 

I run flats on my MTB's and obviously I clip on my roadie.

 

I clipped for years. DH racing included. When I started doing France trips I'd switch to flats about a month before coz over there pedaling efficiency is literally the last thing you need to be thinking about. Coming back I'd switch back to clips.

 

The one year I took too long to switch back and that was it. I can ride with clips but I'm a bit "pointy" in the tech stuff. I did run clips during "training" for Sani but that all went tits up.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Duane_Bosch

[Jehosefat]

Horses for courses imo. Only clips for road. Clips or flats for xc/marathon riding (usually clips but if I've been using that bike for some trail riding with the flats on I sometimes get too lazy to switch them out). Only flats for anything more technical (trail/enduro).

 

But again, your mileage may vary. I definitely find that I feel much more in control with flats because it forces you to develop better technique than riding clips (that carries through to riding in clips again after riding flats).