Flats or clipless?

[Super_mil]

The problem I find with the combo pedals like the earlier pics is that while they are a good clipless option they are pretty k@k flat pedals. Also, since they offer the 'flat' pedal option they sucker you into unclipping when you're heading for technical terrain, which is the worst thing you can do. In hard riding shoes you get little traction from the flattie on offer and you're probably heading into the tricky section with a negative mindset anyways, so the odds are stacked against you.

 

 

 

For me learning (and still learning) to wheelie, track stand, bunny hop has all been way easier to learn on flatties. Then when you head back to your clipless pedals these all seem way easier and you have way more confidence doing them.

 

 

 

I guess it all comes down to personal preferance. It sounds like you have clipless pedals already, so you might as well buy some cheap, decent flatties and try them out (you'll waste R150-200 worst case). Then you can make the call on what's best for you.

[Kaizen]

The Shimano SPD in my humble opinion (over 30000KM of MTBing all over the world in three years) are the best general purpose spd on the market. weight weenies may prefer others.

 Don't get me wrong I have had my share of oh S#@t I'm stucks but they have all been due to my forgetting to take care of my pedals

[Joe Low]

I went for combo pedals as I'd seen them on the spinning bikes at the gym - these are proper flat on one side and spd on the other.

 

The surround on the mtb shoe means it does feel like a flat pedal & like other folk have said, its nice not to be clipped in wen you dont want to be. I can see that they'd be clunky for serios riders but am v happy so far with them.

 

 

[Bos]

Flats for Playing, 5'' plus trailbikes and rag dolling through corners with the foot out. Clips for all other applicatins. clipless shoes dont rip on anything except clipped in.

Unless you really take your rime on annything pedally, dont bother, Ive ridden flats for a long time and the only places I still mis them is in the air, and going balls out around flat corners, however I find I can get my foot out quick enough to save it if I slide out. Its just getting it back in quick enough that is a hassle.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

 

Try these and get the best of both worlds' date=' used them for over two years now and couldn't be happier.

 

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=4516

 

 

[/quote']

 

I have the model below and happy with them. I commute each day and there great.

 

[tmstiles]

These days i don't clip out for anything, just find it more comfortable.   However when i first started these pedals were great, as i could clip out when i got to difficult technical sections in preparation for putting my foot down.   Now as i said i tend to stay clipped in unless i need to dab a foot down, but i have adjusted the tension so that clipping out is almost as instinctive as taking my foot off a flat pedal.

 

Where these pedals are really great is when starting on a hill or in difficult terrain or just when your foot comes unclipped, theres no struggling to get clipped in, you can basically just pedal until they clip in

 

 

[Wsquared]

Flat pedals are the only way to ride,worldwide people are changing to flats because theyre tired of crashing and feeling stiff on the bike.if you want to have more fun and become a better rider then flat pedals are the best change you can make!

[Bos]

Flat pedals are the only way to ride' date='worldwide people are changing to flats because theyre tired of crashing and feeling stiff on the bike.if you want to have more fun and become a better rider then flat pedals are the best change you can make![/quote']

 

What world do you live in

 

The only people that are stiff and crash allot are people that have not been riding long enough to develope style. Its not a bad Idea to try ride flats for a while, but the best place to get propper flow and style going is by riding a pumptrack, cliped in or not. or do gravity runs down hill, so that you need to pump & push your way down the track to keep speed up.

 

I promise you there are lots of guys on clips that ride as smooth or more so then th worlds best (with exception of Sam hill perhaps, Although he might not make it to the bottom in one piece if he clipped in because of his flat out style.

[cat-i]

am also using the double-sided ones and i very often use the flat sides. it gives me the confidence to try hills that are too steep for me - or all kinds of other technical stuff. it's prefect fo me.

 

[Wsquared]

all to there own pedal choice.