I ride fewer epic rides nowadays (out for three hours max), with the aim of riding up to ride down as fast I can, so the ups are a means to the end for me. Often I find I could do with unclipping for the odd loose corner and I’m wondering whether I’ll notice any efficiency loss moving away from SPDs. In short, I’m thinking SPDs are unnecessary for the riding I’m doing now. Anyone in a similar frame of mind and was the conversion worth the expense of new pedals and shoes?

Borrow a pair of flats and ride in trainers to try it out.

It’s such a personal thing.

It’s such a personal thing.

this should just be the default auto-response whenever anyone asks about moving from SPD to flats or vice versa.

whether I’ll notice any efficiency loss moving away from SPDs

If you’ve been only riding SPDs for a while (years) then you probably will at first, but it’s smaller than it feels, and will go away as you get used to them, unless you’re at the cutting edge of racing then the differences are too small to care about.

FWIW, I use both, location/application/mood dependent

Ha thought you were converting a building to flats.

I bought a pair for messing about on and practicing wheelies and stuff. Been riding spds for 20 years or so and found I had a lot more pedal strikes when doing my usual rides, other than that I really liked the freedom and it’s almost like riding a different/new bike. Glad I’ve got both to choose from but ride 99% spd. I reckon go for it if you’ve got the cash.

I swap around between the two with no real correlation between shoes/pedals and what I’m riding other than winter when I’ve a pair of Spesh Defrosters which are SPD.

Definitely drop my heels more with flats as it helps keep feet on pedals 😆

There is definitely a noticeable difference in how it feels but whether that translates to you being any slower/quicker up the hills is uncertain, I suspect not. I ride for the same reasons you do and switched back to flats 8 months ago after a relatively long period on spds. I haven’t noticed my strava uphill times being any slower (I’m no race whippet but like to climb relatively quickly as it means more downhill in my allotted riding time) but I do have more confidence when things are wet and slippy. I also have more confidence when messing around trying manuals etc which for me translates to more fun on the bike. Clearly this is a mental and personal thing but it works for me. Decent pedals (Superstar are pretty good at the cheap end)and some proper shoes are worthwhile in my mind, otherwise it would be like trying some spds from the early 90s.

Sounds like your a bit like me, ups are just pain you have to endure to get to the good bit. If so don’t think you’re going to be that bothered by a loss of efficiency, I know I’m not- I’m usually thinking about all sorts of nonsense on the climbs to take my mind off it!
I used to ride SPD only when doing C2C ‘s etc but kind of fallen away from the epic side of things and more fun orientated now so flats seem better, you can eject a lot quicker that’s for sure.

It’s such a personal thing.

^That^

I started on flats, went to SPD’s and have gone back to flats.
It’s all a personal thing and for me it’s confidence related on stuff I might crash on. Can feel the benefits of both when i ride, but can also feel the negatives. As above, borrow a pair of decent flats and have a go (and drop your heels)

Sam Hill managed a second place in the EWS on flat pedals. FACT.
I lost a dual eliminator race at Rivington pike because my Onza clipless pedals spat my foot out and I rode down Georges lane one footed. FACT
That’s scientific evidence folks, do you want to be like Sam Hill, or a one footed loser?

I’ve got flats on the hard tail as it’s the bike i grab to go to the shops on or rides with the kids, but SPD’s on the full suss and commuter. But can happily chop and change between them. To be honest when my AM45’s wear out i’ll probably ditch the SPD’s and just run flats on both MTB’s.

Full suss is generally used for the sort of riding you mention, the ride/push up is for the downhill so i’m not really bothered if I’m riding SPD’s or flats.

I started out on SPDs as mates where using them. Imfound as soon as I started riding more technical trails I preferred flats plus I got tired of the comedy (or not) falls when I failed to unclip (eg when knackered). Switched in 2011 after 5 years on SPDs and I much prefer them. I do think I lose some climbing ability but exactly as for you OP climbing is a necessary evil

That’s scientific evidence folks, do you want to be like Sam Hill, or a one footed loser?

😀

Since moving to flats I don’t feel like I’ve lost any efficiency at all. But as I can’t pull up on the pedal as with SPD I have lost some ability to apply lots of instant high torque. I also can’t pedal through flat rooty a sections as well as with SPD. Cruising and pumping through rooty sections is absolutely fine but as soon as I try and pedal my feet get bumped off.

For me the major factor when switching over to flats was relearning the technique of keeping your feet on the pedals. Position your foot so axle is under midfoot and keep the ankles down. I’m now very happy bombing down the bumpiest descents without fear of my feet bumping off (unless I need to pedal).

I’ll notice any efficiency loss moving away from SPDs.

quite bit at first; but it gets better.

I’ve been playing with flats on and off for a few years now; but only recently bought decent shoes (adidas) which are great: quite a lot stiffer & comfortable than the skate shoes from before. it always takes a ride or two to get into it after a while off. when i first rode with them (after a few years of spds) i couldn’t get it at all.

Borrow a pair of flats and ride in trainers to try it out.

+1 shoes are expensive, pedals not so much.

with flats you foot wants to be a lot further forward. pedal axle under arch of foot, not ball of foot.

I’m back on SPDs after a 12 month dabble with flats. It helped while my confidence was low and I wasn’t racing, now i’m back to eaking out every last second.

Flats were fun but I prefer SPDs on the ups and the downs if i’m honest, jumping is more fun on the flats though

Sam Hill managed a second place in the EWS on flat pedals. FACT.
I lost a dual eliminator race at Rivington pike because my Onza clipless pedals spat my foot out and I rode down Georges lane one footed. FACT
That’s scientific evidence folks, do you want to be like Sam Hill, or a one footed loser?

So what you’re saying is that despite his best efforts, a fully trained and very fit athlete with fantasitc bike handling skills still couldn’t win on flats?

And that an average STW internet hero almost won a race on SPDs and would have done if not for a minor technical hitch?

It’s all about the interpretation… 😀

15+ years of SPD, I bought a new bike with flats, couldn’t be bothered changing pedals, stuck an old set of vans trainers on and have been running fine ever since.

I ride flats all the time now (after being Jedi’d) and would really struggle to swap between flats and SPDs for mountain bilking. For me, I gave myself 12 rides before even considering going back to SPDs and I needed most of those to convince me to stick with flats.

It is different – not better or worse, all depends on how you ride/what works for you. Just make sure you give it a good go as it takes a while to stop worrying your feet are going to head off in a different direction to the pedals!

I still have SPDs on my CX bike. Only ever used for riding on the road. And it feels very strange indeed!

I think the one thing I might miss is being able to pull the bike up easier for bunny hops and the like. Are proper flats and shoes sticky enough to be able to pull the bike up just as easy?

Like some above I’d been riding spds for 20+ years but felt I’d give flats a go. I was conscious that flats may improve my technique a bit. The lack of efficiency is really apparent at first but in the end that’s just a placebo for me. Whenever I climb (unless I’m really on my game) there’s always something I pin it being so hard to, tyre pressure too low, seat too low etc so the flat pedal thing was just that to me. But, it’s the pedalling downhills that better too, you just get shaken about too much for on flats compared to spds, but, on the flip side I carry much more speed on flats on tech stuff and I’m more confident about getting a foot out. I did a few enduros last year, crashed twice heavily with the front wheel washing out and I cracked ribs hitting terra firma (I’m not a small lad), I’ll never know but flats would at least have given me the opportunity to get a foot down easier. The main gain for me personally though is cornering, you can postion your foot on different areas of a flat pedal that has a profound effect on grip. This is all completely subjective however….

good technique is better than sticky shoes 😉

“In short, I’m thinking SPDs are unnecessary for the riding I’m doing now. Anyone in a similar frame of mind and was the conversion worth the expense of new pedals and shoes”

yes – I used to ride 5-6hrs with only odd technical bits and being a mouse rather than a man often unclipped one foot when scared (maybe only a couple of times per ride) now mostly riding trail centre style 1-2 hour stuff and though features are more predictable than natural stuff I’m used to like to push it a bit (sometimes) so flats seemed a good idea – already had pedals and shoes so no cost for me – for this style of riding I’m happier with flats

ripped my shimano shoes and sent them back to CRC for a warranty replacement. borrowed some flat pedals off a mate for a few weeks. Ive not ridden flats for over 20 years. The pedals weren’t anything special, and didn’t have pins on them, and i was riding in an old pair of trainers… but i found it bloody awful. on fast rocky descents my feet were all over the place, and climbing felt like hard work. Im sure with a decent pedal, and a good shoe, it would have been a different story, but i can’t see myself switching

And that an average STW internet hero almost won a race on SPDs and would have done if not for a minor technical hitch?

there was no danger of actually winning the race, this was in the qualifiers 🙂 . But if I’d been on flat pedals then maybe, just maybe I could have been a contender. To qualify. Which I didn’t. Damn you Onza clipless pedals, should’ve put the black elastomers in.

I rode spd for years and went back to flats a year ago. Felt weird at first but also gave me more confidence on the bike, I wouldn’t go back now. Can’t say I noticed a huge loss in efficiency but as always YMMV.

meh, ride what you want…

After 25yrs clipped I thought I’d try flats on my messing about in the woods bike. I tried it for a couple of months, deffinetly needed more energy climbing (a lap of Cwmcarn killed me), on slow technical climbs I’d lift my foot of the pedal if the rear wheel got hung up. After so many years of my feet being in exactly the same position clipped in, I felt uncomfortable with my feet being even a couple of MM away from that “sweet spot”. I did like the bit of confidence I got on slow steep stuff. But then I pulled my calf on a small jump because my foot was to far back on the pedal, so the spd’s went back on and I couldn’t be happier

I think the one thing I might miss is being able to pull the bike up easier for bunny hops and the like. Are proper flats and shoes sticky enough to be able to pull the bike up just as easy?

If using the correct technique then yes. If you’ve fallen into spd technique then no, your feet will come off the pedals, miss them on the way down, your nuts will hit the top tube and then you’ll crash.

On the other hand…
I killed my spd shoes a couple of months ago and chucked an old pair of wellgos on the bike just temporarily. I haven’t looked back 🙂
I’ve definitely developed a taste for more trialsy lines when climbing or just generally faffing about and my bunny hops have definitely improved.
The only downside are my scabby shins, my next investment will be some shinnies but only after some five tens.

Flats are more involving and for me, more fun.

Get yer heels down and off you go.
Don’t go mad ’till you feel confident again.

Makes me feel more like a kid again, off playing in the hills, rather than ‘A Mountain Biker’, which is serious bizniz.

More confidence and cool scars too.
🙂

slight hijack, but still relevant. I’m in the market for new flat shoes.

Got a couple of pairs of 5.10 dirtbags with holes in the soles.

Not looked for a bit. Anything new/different around from people I might not think of? Mavic/Salomon? Teva? someone I’ve never heard of?

Ta.

Onza clipless pedals, should’ve put the black elastomers in.

You must be going back a few years 🙂 I had some of those onza pedals, they were an accident waiting that didn’t wait long to happen.

To the OP, give flats a try. I didn’t find the transition too bad and mostly use flats now after >20 years of SPDs

I changed to flats after 5 years with toe clips and then 20 with spd’s. I just ride cross country and like riding uphill and I can’t see I’ll ever go back. I don’t feel any slower up or along.

This is a subject close to my heart. I swap and change depending on my mood and the terrain I’m riding. Techy stuff, particularly when it’s a new route a prefer flats all the way. I also think flats just feel more fun in general. I use SPDs for long rides MTB rides +40 miles where the techy to easy terrain ratio isn’t that high. They feel slightly more efficient to me when my legs start to get tired, but this might be in my head.
I know it’s a faux pas but I put some flats on my cross bike recently :), which turned out to be a laugh, great on the more lively ground. They are going to say on there for a while I think.

I recently changed to flats because I realised every time I rode something vaguely technical or steep I would have one foot in lipped as insurance! I don’t think I am any slower but do find it more comfortable! So much so I am thinking of putting flats on my commuter bike (13 mile each way!)

Some random and not necessarily sensible musings.

My knee was sore.
I tried flats.
2 years later, I’m still on them.
SPD’s were better.
I didn’t mind riding tech on SPD’s, never unclipped for stuff.
My knees no longer sore.
my feet are far warmer using flats in winter.
I’m not a great technical pedaller, so don’t really miss SPDs for actual pedalling.

Just sayin…

Currently into month two of flats on most of my bikes after 20yrs exclusive Time pedals. It’s definitely helped improve my technique. I had the foot lifting off the pedal on steep climbs thing but that seems to be sorted now.
I imagine I’ll use both in future depending on what I’m doing.

It’s such a personal thing.

yup.

for me, a bit less efficiency on the ups, a bit more confidence on the technical downs.

definitely more scars on shins and calves.

more pedal strikes, but that’s because they’re wider. that’s why I use those cheap 15 quid superstar ones. they’re gonna get trashed.

for me it’s not an either/or. SPDs for big days out, where I really would miss them. Flats for when on snow or the big mountains where there’s a lot of down (and I’ve probably cheated on the up).

Started on flats as everybody did at that time – there was no choice. Became an early adaptor of spds and rode them for over twenty years until a couple of years ago. A mate switched to flats, loved them , encouraged me to have a go. Instant conversion, both my bikes now have flats, both the more long distance and the mucking about bikes.
I find even on long day in the hills type of riding I prefer flats. I did notice most of the Ht 550 riders were on spds even though there must be a lot of walking

I think it’s good to be able to ride either. If I’m having a muck about day with friends at FoD/Aston etc I’ll put the flats on. If we’re on a long single track ride with lots of climbing then I put the clips on. Definite pros/cons to each, but the trick is to get comfortable riding both.