I have been riding SPD's for approx the last 5 years, firstly on a GT hardtail, then on a whyte 46 and now I have xtr on my Santa Cruz Nomad. However, I am faced with a dilemma, I live and ride every week in the peak district with a group of like minded mates. We are becoming more and more 'downhill' orientated in our thrill seeking, and as I need some new shoes, I'm wondering if I should try flats to give myself a quicker response if I feel I need a rapid dab! I do have a habit of not being able to clip out quick enough, which doesn't normally hurt and makes the guys laugh, but I think I would miss the advantage in the climbs – your thoughts please 🙂

I use both. Depends what sort of ride I'm after. Chilled playtime in the summer at a trail centre – Flats.
Big rides and bad weather – Time

It's no hassle to swap pedals really, is it? And, if you're clever, you can wear your flat shoes as pre-ride shoes, then you've got 'em with you if you need them!

Had ridden SPDs for 15 years until last summer. A trip to the Alps convinced me of the advantages of flats for certain types of terrain and riding so made the switch. It took me about 3 months to get used to it and be able to ride the jumps and drops I was riding with SPDs but it's been worth it as I think my riding has improved quite a bit. It's now great to be in a position to ride both depending on the ride / bike / conditions etc.

i use both too. You get used to flats on the climbs and to be honest i like to be able to shift my feet around on the pedals. Also i like the thought of the bale out factor of flats!

Always thinking the same. I get on well with spd's, even on DH runs. I use the caged dx spd's with sixsixone skate type spd shoes when its dry or abroad but also have 5 10's and v12's. Cant help thinking messing about rides, would I have more fun with my flats on but when I've got my flats on, I'll come to a techie climb and wish I was clipped in. It's all a compromise I guess

Drop offs are my only real concern with flats. I like that stuck to the bike feeling you get with spuds but I suppose that's just practice and curling the toes with the flats.

i seem to cope fine with flats, and i think i would hurt myself alot more using spd's. the amount of times i have saved myself by dabbing is too large to count. i use super cheap wellgo pedals and shimano am40 shoes, not slipped yet 😀 i have never really had a problem with flats on a tech climb either.

You have to be dead skilled to do downhill with spd's 🙂

I really like my SPD's but that bail out factor would be nice sometimes, but is that a cop out? I was a BMXer as a kid, and used flats all the time with no problem, but the descents we do like 'the beast' are really rocky and i'm worried my feet might slip off without SPD's decisions, decisions!!!!

the pedal system you use is down to choice.
slipping pedals is bad skills same as riding toe down on spds

Can you use flats/spd combo?

or flats with decent spikes and soft-sole shoes?

its not about how grippy your shoes are!

I've stuck with spuds since I first tried them. It's second nature now,I do dab occasionally,without thinking,and I do prefer 'em tight
We had a discussion whilst riding the Peaks last summer.One of the riders said that he wished that he was riding with his flats. Alison,said that she preferred spuds,cos you're committed to the descent. I agree. Also,flats are so ugly on anything other than downhill bikes….and there does appear to be an overwhelming percentage of duck-footed,lardy types,with rubbish bike set-ups using flats.Apart from that,they're fine.

Wow. Never thought I'd hear looks as a reason. And I'd say spds mean you are more committed is rubbish.

OP – try them, youre unlikely to regret it.

I guess thats it, I've just got to try them and see how I get on!

practice good technique and the pedal system you use wont matter

cheers jedi 🙂

anytime 🙂

And I'd say spds mean you are more committed is rubbish.

I agree, saying SPDs make you more committed is such a utterly guff statement.

use a spud on your "chocolate foot" (said in german type accent) and a flat on t'other. or vice versa 8)

they can for some people

Fair comment,but I've seen a few duffers flapping their legs about using flats. Each to their own,as with everything else.

I switched a few years back to flats and have never looked back.

First off got a cheap pair of V8s and old trainers, still on the V8s but now got some good 510s shoes that are ace.

Can't disagree more on the looks – I think some flats are a work of art.

And for skills development they are second to none. proper wheelies and bunny hops atleast that is the idea – not quite there yet.

flats will be less forgiving on technique errors if that make sense?

Ive just partly gone back to toe-clips and straps !!
On my old bikes , that is .
I mostly use spuds though , and have for a good while . Like , years . I went onto them after a year of roadie commuting left me unable to use spuds all week , and then clips and straps on Sunday . I pullup and out , y'know .
So I went ' full spd ' . Does that make sense . ?
OK , why clips and straps .
When I first started MTBing , in er , the 80s , we had BMX pedals . Of course we didnt call them ' flatties ' or owt , as they were just pedals .
Some were ' beartraps ' , some were ' DX ' . We'd used them extensively for BMX so were familiar with their predictable levels of grip , and the ability to dab .
Ah , but , I'm convinced that the geometry of a BMX , and where you hold the bars , and how much you ' weight ' the pedals on a bmx , sorry B M X , gives them more grip than on a mountainbike .
So , fairly early on , we fastened toe-clips and straps to our MTBs . This is not as bonkers scary as you think , but like SPDs takes some learning . You run em slack , but they just secure the foot enough to stop it rolling off the pedal , and down the shin .

So , I think . Flats are OK for jumping the trails or at the track , but if the trails are bumpy rocky , theyre too sketch .
Clips and straps are OK if you're a raving mad luddite going through a mid-life crisis .
SPDs are a pretty good all round system . Run em loose and there's never a problem getting out .

I would definitely try to decide on one system or the other though , as it's abugger riding without em .

but if the trails are bumpy rocky , theyre too sketch .

No offence, but bollocks. I've ridden, bumpy, rocky, rocky bumps and bumpy rocks and it's absolutely fine. Only difference I noticed over SPDs was I could feel my feet moving a little more on the pedals and it's a sensation that I much prefer. But never felt sketchy. Its simply a case of you like 'em or you don't.