hey guys.

after 5 years off from cycling due to various reasons including a knee op and pure lack of time. i have decided that its time to jump back in and have a new bike on order.

im wondering what peoples views on SPDs for general trail use and a small amount of commuting?

i’ve never really used them but can see their potential. i am obviously a little worried about not beeing able to release quick enough should something go wrong etc. and how people find them on techincal trails etc.

You get used to them very quickly. Nicer for commuting then flats I’d say. As for normail trail riding, its up to your preference. I like them.

im guessing i may be worrying over nothing.. had a few offs in the past much like anyone else i suppose. sometimes from feet slipping from pedals so im guessing the SPD will offer a little more stability in thouse situations.

Run multi-release cleats with the pedals set up pretty loose until you get used to them. I have never had a problem getting out of mine, you soon train yourself to twist out in a hurry.

so multi release cleat will work with all SPD medals?
what exactly do they mean by multi release anyway?

thanks for the advice so far

Don’t worry about multi-release cleats, once you develop the correct muscle memory for releasing from standard cleats you’ll be fine as it’ll be second nature. I’ve used SPDs solely virtually since they came out and have only recently switched to flats – rode Afan on a fully-rigid canti-brake-equipped bike clipped in and had no trouble unclipping when I needed to. Funnily enough, it’s only since I bought a FS and started riding more agressively that I’ve switched to flats…

It does irk me slightly when people say that they’ve had offs due to or problems with feet slipping off pedals, then get SPDs to “fix” it – sort your technique first (heels down, legs bent slightly and relaxed).

you don’t need spd’s to keep your feet on the pedals, just good technic.

but use what you feel comfortable on…

I tried multi-release and found them a waste of time to be honest. Best to just back the adjustment right off on your pedals. You WILL have an incident when you go over sideways at a set of lights. Everyone does. Just look at it as a right of passage 😀

I prefer spd’s for trail riding but flats for commuting. If I get hit by a car I want to be clear of the bike when I may not be able to on my own. Out on the trails there is more room for error, I like the extra control they give me and I’ve been using them long enough to be pretty adept at unclipping in a hurry.

I can almost guarantee that you will fall over, twice. But then your cycling life is drastically improved!

I use Crank Brothers Eggbeaters on both my road and mtb. Chain Reaction Cycles has CB Candys for under £15 with free post. 4 sided entry, great mud clearance, weigh nowt and more float than Shimano. Easier to get unclipped to the point that they have broken away mid fall without much effort at all.

Energy efficiency, control, power transfer are all noticeably improved. Do it!

Energy efficiency, control, power transfer are all noticeably improved. Do it!

Can’t say I noticed that. Rode SPDs for 7-8 years, then tried flats and have used them since, just much prefer them. Best try both and see which is best for you, only way to know!

Flat pedals win medals my pedigree chum.
SPD may be bad if you have dodgy knees,
😀

Flats were fine is just spd’s are better unless you are a Danny magaskill type.

They aren’t better or worse. Like I said, all depends which you prefer.

Agreed, it’s down to personal preference. I know folk who cant use flats because they simply can’t hop etc but I know folk who tried spd’s and fell off so got put off. You need to spend enough time on both to feel natural with them before you know for sure what suits you best. I get the most out of doing silly stuff on my bike and enjoy this more on flats but I’m comfortable on spd’s.

Apparently there is a scientific link between sexuality and pedal type but I think the guy who discovered it is currently banned from the forum…

Not.

Just don’t like clip ins. After 4 knee ops, the idea of twisting my knee even slightly when i fall off just gives me the shivers, rightly or wrongly.

I used spds when I started riding. Got a set of flats for a change and never wnet back.

No noticeable difference in powere etc. when doing general trail riding* wider choice of cheaper shoes (very good for commuting if you don’t have to put on your wet disco slippers from the weekend).

I’d say start with flats as it will make life easier and be cheaper.

I like the nano thrupins from readytoride.co.uk or in different colours from superstarcomponents.co.uk

*I own 5 bikes. My commter has spds and my two roadbikes use spd-sl. But my two mountainbikes are flat pedalled unless I’m racing as I think the advantages of flats outweight the advantages of spds.

Flats for sure with a good pair of shoes like 5 ten, the grip these shoes have is amazing next best thing to spd.s with the benefit of easy bail. I’ve seen so many newish riders buying into spd, cosPp I its easier on a trial in the car park to hop etc but once on tech stuff they have a mare. Flats will inspire confidence and its ok to dab, you will 😆 over time learn to lift and flick the bike with proper skills. Its just time on the bike.

I’ve got both and use both, after 10 years on bikes off road I still have SPD moments and usualy lean into a tree rather than uncliping, I’ve had 1 crash that was atributable to SPD’s*, kept me off bikes for 2 years!

*Binding smashed on a rock, too steep a track, couldn’t get weight back ergo couldnt brake, off a drop and OTB.

Still use SPD’s on the SS on smooth trails though, they’ve got their benifits.

You WILL have an incident when you go over sideways at a set of lights. Everyone does. Just look at it as a right of passage

So true, binners !
So glad those days are over for me!

You mentioned a knee op… What sort of state is the knee in now? Reason I ask is that I had to switch off SPDs after I wrecked my leg, was told “If you don’t, you’ll pull the bolts out of your leg, and when you do I don’t want to see you back in my hospital”. If it’s not solid, it’ll be worth speaking to your doctor or if they’re not able to give good advice a proper sports doctor.

Luckily it turns out that both flats and SPDs are perfectly suitable ways to attach yourself to a bike. Took a while but after a horrible start I got to be as happy on flats as I ever was back in the old days.

Fans of both inevitably exagerrate the benefits of their preference and the faults of the “competition”- and an awful lot of pedal zealots have never used the alternative, or did- once, and funnilly enough didn’t like it because they had no idea what they were doing.

Spd are great its true but they have their place,.learn the skills on flats first, you will have more fun and less scary moments. I learned the hard way, and have used flats ever since!

When I first swapped to flats from spd’s I had to really concentrate to keep my feet from being thrown off the pedals. Now I ride really rough stuff without giving it a thought and they stick like glue, so it is just technique.
This is with vans skate shoes too, or even normal trainers when I forget, no need for super stick 5-10’s or anything like that.

No need for 5 ten true but they are ace as long as its the freeride as the others feel too thick a sole, like a skate shoe its good to feel the pedals

when I first went from V12s to clipless I agonised over which ones to go for as I was a bit nervous.

I went for Time ATACs as I read of people that got stuck in their spds, even good ones, because the spd had got some mud in it.

ATACs and other designs with two loops, like eggbeaters, are ‘mud clearing’ and you can, if needed, change the angle on the cleats for easier release by applying a dremel and lowering the angle of release. This is what I did with my ATACs to start with. You should possibly also look at making sure you shoes are canted if needed, if you are bandy for example – just like ski boots.

But I now ride Look 4x4s, which are like eggbeaters. They are really easy to get in and out of – don’t every think about it, especially in a fall.

The only way I might have a problem is possibly in an endo, otherwise any fall will cause my body to twist to the side and easily give enough angle to my foot to unclip.

If you have a dodgy knee you can work on your spinning technique which wil be much better for your knee as you will stop pressurising it so much when pushing down.

You could also look at canting the shoe if needed, if you are bandy for example – jst like a ski boot.

I totally agree that it’s a matter of choice, but to say that flats allow equal energy transfer is incorrect unless you add velcro, magnets, or….a cleat?!

You can exert force through out the entire pedal cycle with both feet when using cleats, however there is always a point when only one foot is propelling the bike with flats. I think the time it would be most noticeable is uphill. These transfer points of 2-1-2-1 foot pressure are called ‘dead centres’.

Injury potential is obviously increased, which is fine for me as I ride at about red run standard (maybe a little more technical) but feel happy at this level. I used to want to try and become as gnarly as possible with my riding and used flats. Different (pedal) strokes for different folks.

Each have their place and a fairly keen loyalty each way. Find someone with a set/buy a cheap set and try them out, then you can sell them/give them back if you want too.

Herman Shake – Member

You can exert force through out the entire pedal cycle with both feet when using cleats,

That’s the theory. Do you do it? If you do, do you deliver as much power through the rest of the stroke as you would if you didn’t?

The limiting factor of power and delivery is the rider, not the pedal. For the highest level riders that’s more relevant as they have the strength and fitness to deliver more power, all the time.

But for most riders, what happens if you apply the same power more continuously is you run out of leg or breath faster, and if you apply power constantly without blowing up it’s generally because you’re applying less, you’re just doing it all the time.

Flats don’t make me any slower- I’m perfectly capable of exploding myself on flats or SPDs, neither gives me more stamina or power, they just give me the capacity to use up what I have faster. There will probably be people on here that this isn’t true of but I bet there’s not many.

simple test – take one foot out of your spd – if you can still pedal along smoothly without bobbing up and down then you can spin ok and the being clipped in is smoothing out the power delivery.

Northwind, that’s interesting stuff. I don’t mean to suggest a “better” value to either, just a point of efficiency. There’s loads of great riders on flats and I’m sure we just adapt to what we ride.

I definitely feel smoother climbing with cleats to flats and enjoy the sense of commitment they come with when things get technical. The fact that they’re minimal and lightweight also is a pro in my book. I started splitting hairs as it was suggested that flats were as efficient as spds, which I can’t agree too. I also acknowledge that most of my opinion are simply observations of my own riding vs things I’ve read/watched/chatted about.

I may be able to pedal like a beast, but have a lot of technical skill to develop. The original topic was about a single isolated part vs part discussion. Inevitably it becomes holistic as the pedals don’t make the rider 😀

I did used to find it really odd going from a road bike with cleats to a jump bike with v8s. I think a consistent approach helps technique (assumption of course!) and I now feel smoother having ‘beaters on both bikes.

By the way the jump bike is now a Meta, I wouldn’t put spds on a DJ. Even I know that’s wrong 😆

It’s worth a try.

The technique is easy to learn but you need somewhere soft to fall on while learning, like a cropped grassy field. I liked multi release cleats for learning as it’s easier to escape when you get it wrong. But they can be a bit loose for serious effort and when cornering when they sometimes unclipped. I did find getting a comfy cleat position by trial and error quite a chore.

Why not start with your commuting and see how you feel? IMO SPDs work very well for most XC trail riding. I ignore people who reckon they have no pedalling benefits over flats; I can feel the difference. I only went back to flats & 5.10s because I found SPDs a nuisance on more difficult trails.

I recommend Shimano M520 pedals – cheap, strong and good. Get some decent shoes.