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[Closed] clipless or flats

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[#3577561]

looking at new pedles cliples or flats which do you thinks best i run flats at the min but need new foot wear anyway


 
Posted : 17/01/2012 10:44 pm
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What riding do you do? I've just switched from flats to shimano xt spds, it's been a revelation, but I'm doing more hilly xc long distance.


 
Posted : 17/01/2012 10:50 pm
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Sweet lord no.


 
Posted : 17/01/2012 10:58 pm
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Gone from spds to flats, I like them ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 17/01/2012 11:11 pm
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This again? ๐Ÿ˜†

I was on flats to start, progressed to eggbeaters on both the road (commuter, rarely lycra) and MTB and now have flats on the MTB and flat cages on the road/commuter.

Cleats give you antigravity jumping/climbing powers and a higher potential for weird injuries. Flats make you ride differently and let you release in the event of a mistake. I've finally got my technique back from the cleat-flat transition and I feel better for it. FWIW a knee injury prompted the change.

Each have their place (although there are many, many exceptions). Generally speaking...SPDs suit XCish distance, flats suit DH, jumping, clumsy people or anything with a bit of risky fun.

Can you borrow some to try them out?

As asked, what do you ride?


 
Posted : 17/01/2012 11:41 pm
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hi all i ride many trail centers red and black route like lee and gisburn 2 to 4 hour but do some xc racing manly at lee. short 1 1/2 h ones but looking in to uping the racing a bit


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 11:59 am
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Flats on my Blur 4X which I like to get a bit erm, ragged on.

Clips on my Curtis S1.


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:02 pm
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I use both depending on what kind of riding I'm doing. Flats are good for practising skills such as manuals and proper technique for bunny hops and give you the advantage of being able to dab. SPDs are like a cheater pedal and should give you an advantage once you've learned your trade on flats.


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:16 pm
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If you learn to ride in cleats/SPD's and have reasonable skills you can ride them with the same freedom as flats.(almost)
I have rode Downhill tracks uplift days and never have a problem taking a foot off and then almost instantly clipping back in.
Uphill techy sections are also easier to ride with spd's


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:19 pm
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Flats! No Clips! No Flats! No Clips! Both! Neither! ... Awww I dunno, hedge your bets, one of each?
Or just hack your feet off at the ankles and get rid of the problem all together!


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:28 pm
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I got SPDs then fitted the 'multi release' cleats (ie: that come out really easily). Even an instinctive leg twitch will pull my foot free, but they still help loads for pedalling, and even popping the bike around a bit.


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:38 pm
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Flats these days, but I sure do miss the spd's on the hill climbs.


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:43 pm
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Both. But not at the same time.


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 12:44 pm
 GEDA
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Both fun.


 
Posted : 18/01/2012 1:04 pm
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ok so many vue's was thinking thay mite help as my lefy legis a lot weaker than my right due to a lot of surgery rebilding my femer and my leg and foot dose not sit right on the pedle bit sceard i wont be able to put a foot down in time


 
Posted : 19/01/2012 9:31 am
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you get used to getting your foot down and after a while its no longer an issue. for xc racing - clips no question


 
Posted : 19/01/2012 10:06 am
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ok so many vue's was thinking thay mite help as my lefy legis a lot weaker than my right due to a lot of surgery rebilding my femer and my leg and foot dose not sit right on the pedle bit sceard i wont be able to put a foot down in time

Same here.. had a lot of surgery on both my tib and fib from some very bad breaks, resulting in not much movement in the ankle. Makes it hit/miss whether I can get out of spd so now only use flats.


 
Posted : 19/01/2012 10:17 am