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Jebus, what the hell are they good for? I can see the benefits when climbing on a perfectly smooth incline, but I have never in my life felt so out of control than I did today. Couldn't get clipped in, once I did I couldn't get clipped out.
The defining moment was tentatively manouvering a 5 foot wide trail with a drop to the left when I heard "NOOOO!!!".....It was ME! I couldn't get clipped out and I nearly went off the edge. They are being resigned back to the SS roadbike and I'm going back to flats.
Don't even get me started on the clown shoes......Mr Shimano, you can stick them right up your archie
MTFU
Aye, give over.
I started off riding with toe clips and straps. Raced mountain bikes and cyclocross with them.
SPDs are a godsend, best thing Shimano ever invented.
I agree! I ditched them for flats a long, long time ago. I attempted to use them for a few XC rides / commuting to work but it just felt so wrong.
I understand that they have their place for racing and that some people love 'em. Not me though.
Adjust them so they're a bit looser so you can get out in a flap til you get used to them and you can then spin like a machine
They're adjusted as loose as they'll go without being totally useless, for some reason my feet hurt on the outer edges as well
You will be wanting square wheels next cause round one make you go too fast!!
Funny, i feel the sme loathing with my [s]skillz reducers[/s] flat pedals.... each to their own indeed.
Change the position of the cleet in the shoe and try again?
CB Mallets and a pair of Flat soled SPD shoes
Can't imagine riding without them although I much prefer Time pedals to Shimano - more float therefore kinder on my knees. I tried flats once..didn't get on with them and my shins still bear the scars.
dogbert - MemberJebus, what the hell are they good for? I can see the benefits when climbing on a perfectly smooth incline, but I have never in my life felt so out of control than I did today. Couldn't get clipped in, once I did I couldn't get clipped out.
The defining moment was tentatively manouvering a 5 foot wide trail with a drop to the left when I heard "NOOOO!!!".....It was ME! I couldn't get clipped out and I nearly went off the edge. They are being resigned back to the SS roadbike and I'm going back to flats.
Don't even get me started on the clown shoes......Mr Shimano, you can stick them right up your archie
Posted 16 minutes ago # Report-Post
Dogbert, I am you. Exact same experience. Couple of my mates ride DH clipped in. Bucking Fonkers.
dogbert you deffo havn't got them set up right ethier you have got the cleat set to far back or slightly off at an angle or youve wound the tension the wrong way because if set up right you should be able to take your foot out without trying in fact your foot should be slipping out at every chance and deffo MTFU 😀 😈
I often wonder why so many people clipped in. I think its a peer pressure because you are "supposed to be clipped in". I use them for racing both on and off road but for general riding the gains are so marginal I'd much rather ride flats and not have the disadvantages. Suppose if you are used to it then great but its a bit like smoking in that respect 😉 no one likes it when they first start.
in fact your foot should be slipping out at every chance
is that not defeating the purpose?
Yes but then you tighten them up more and more each ride as you get used to them.
As for there being little advantage, by being able to pull up you'll be using different muscles/ the same muscles in different ways. I can go a lot further with them
I often wonder why so many people clipped in. I think its a peer pressure because you are "supposed to be clipped in". I use them for racing both on and off road but for general riding the gains are so marginal I'd much rather ride flats and not have the disadvantages. Suppose if you are used to it then great but its a bit like smoking in that respect no one likes it when they first start.
Well, I'm the only one out of my mates who uses SPDs.
Could just be that some people's opinion differs to yours, I guess.
I like a bit of super-retard foot out-ness when it comes to trail centres or following faster people mind. Then it's back to flats.
Used Time atacs for years after initially going clipless on the road bike (and falling off a few times).
Despite being used to them on the road bike it did feel properly ropey for the first few MTB outings. Stick with it though as it soon feels more secure and I love that connected with the bike feeling.
I rode with flats for the first time in years the other day when I had to borrow a mates bike for a ride and nearly had an epic off when I tried to bunny hop 😳
sounds horrific to me..
I bought a set of spds last year.. some spd shoes had fallen into my possession and all the [kevin and perry] bigger boys [/kevin and perry] seem to use them round here..
they're sat on the top shelf of the desk in front of me gathering dust.. I'm sure that I'll donate them to museum one day..
it's just showing off anyway.. like ski poles for hiking maybe
I've just started using them after years on flats, they're very weird to start off with, I've had lots of stupid falls, but I think I've finally cracked it, they do improve climbing, I actually missed them today on my commute, not ready to hit busy London clipped in yet, I will though.
Nae nae and thrice nae
A godsend i,d say
if yer not clipped in yer just on the thing
separate from the bike
when yer clipped in you become part of it
and it an extension of you
Anyone else remember using clips, straps and shoeplates? Now that was tricky, trying to remember to loosen off the strap (by hand) at each stop! Clipless pedals, and especially SPD's are just great.
Too right i started off on flats on my 10 speed Triumph road bike circa 1982. Then a year later dad bought me toe clips and straps, oh the joy of being strapped in, took just 2 falls to remmeber to bend over and loosen the straps, then 1988 got a set of look clipless on my new 12 speed Careba race bike. The joy its like a revelation. Then a set of carbon pros on my next race bike.
So have been strapped onto my bike since 1983 and only took up mountain biking last year, bought the new bike and got thte shop to stick on my xtr trail pedals, why would you have it any other way?
I've been riding with flats for the last 3 months. I'm still having to remind my self to drop my heels on the descents to stop my feet bouncing off the peddles.
With spds I can descend much faster and jump much higher as being attached to the bike gives me more confidence.
But when riding technical trails I find I focus on the fact I'm clipped in. So I thought I'd give flats ago and I like the difference but still love spds.
If you're trying spds for the first time I'd recommend using used cleats as they disengage much easier.
I love my spds tensioned quite tight though so you get a nice snap when clipping in.
Fine for road but I don't like them for mtb. Feels like your feet are always floating above the pedals, I don't get the "connected" feeling some people talk about.
How do you pedal efficiently without spds you cant pull properly on the pedals to start with .Flats ? no way thats for toys/bmx
I can never understand when people complain about the lack of float with SPD's, in my experience of grippy flats there's no float at all.
I'm convinced SPDs help you control the bike in a way that you can't with flats. Then there's the efficiency thing. Surely the OP just needs more practise? I always look at XC riders without SPDs as a bit amateurish, perhaps that's just me?
spds on the xc/roadie, flats on the dh bike, and I'm thinking of going over to spds on that.
i remember what it was like first ride out on spds, you have to stick with it.
Some people don't like em, some love em - there's no right or wrong.
I prefer flats for street and bunnyhoping etc, but SPD's for anything aggressive as it stops my feet bouncing off, which can be a problem in the alps on a HT.
Always ridden clipped in, never since changing to spds have I had an issue with not getting unclipped when I want. IMO it make a huge and obvious difference to peddling efficiency.
I do have flats and sometimes ride on them - and it probably the only way to learn to jump properly
Good riders (not me 🙂 )do not need spds to keep attached to the bike . keep control
"I often wonder why so many people clipped in. I think its a peer pressure because you are supposed to be [s]clipped in[s] on flats or your not riding properly / skills are rubbish / lazy / cant ride"
Not a go at the person who posted this but an often and lame reason to use one pedal system or another...
If you have ridden on either system for years and swap, its going to be a bit of a steep learning curve.... I had a rant about flats and ditched them, I am obviously a bad person.... but my shins and riding have gone back to normal....
Stick or ditch, your choice but don't follow fashion as the only reason. S-pose the best would be pedalardextrous and use both as you wish...
Can't imagine not being in spd's until I get to an exposed drop like the short section early in Whinlatter N! Then wonder why I am attached to this bulky thing between my legs! Did I just say that?
Bikes are toys, clips are too serious.
They also make me feel removed from the bike. Foot position is important to me, i change it a lot.
People with clips don't appear any fitter or efficient IMO either.
I also see the peer pressure to ride clips, "all the professionals use them".
Going straight into clips cause major skills bad habits too.
Lots of negs IMO, for gains which are only going to make a difference in a serious XC/endurance race. no difference to your average joe trail slayer.
I rode flats for a while then changed to spd i had afew tumbles but after a year and a half of constant use i find them fantastic i can clip out just as quick as putting a foot down it just becomes natural. I find them more efficient .
I find them more efficient
This isn't just for you, but for all these people who find SPD's more efficient.. how do you quantify this?
Do you have times for a set route that you're quicker on with SPD's than with flats ? Do you use another method ?
For example, with my 29er i am 4-6mins quicker on a 1hour ride over my 26ers.... therefore IMO i am more efficient...
How do you work yours out ?
Getting back to the OP, you need to spend time getting used to SPD's. Adjustment of the cleats and clamp tension is really important and takes time. At first I just kept clipping in and out to the point where it became a subconcious movement. That was using single sided pedals so if things looked a bit technical I could use the flat side of the pedal.
On the trails I wore elbow pads for a few months so that I could have more comfotable landings when I got it wrong.
Now I ride full SPD's and no elbow pads just like all the other big boys 😉
HTH
Dean is your last comment about bikes or just spd's?
I can't be the only one that sometimes uses flats, sometimes SPDs depending on my mood, intentions and where I am going?
Why does one have to be right and one wrong...?
There isn't a right or wrong answer - its a personal choice.
I've used both and hate being clipped in after riding flats for so long. Using the right pedal / she combo, I've had no issues with feet bouncing off even in the Alps.
You can definitely climb better with SPD's, but for thes rest of the time I prefer teh feeling of flats (but then most of my riding is mucking about, sessioning stuff rather than mega xc loops).
love em! rode with flats recently and found my foot coming off the pedal on the slighest of bumps and on the whole felt very insecure! With SPD's it's like I am with the bike, rather than me and the bike being seperate.
Can't see myself going back to flats full time.
never in my life felt so out of control than I did today. Couldn't get clipped in, once I did I couldn't get clipped out.The defining moment was tentatively manouvering a 5 foot wide trail with a drop to the left when I heard "NOOOO!!!".....It was ME! I couldn't get clipped out and I nearly went off the edge.
User error.
rode with flats recently and found my foot coming off the pedal on the slighest of bumps and on the whole felt very insecure!
User error.
SPDs for proper bikes
Flat pedals are for the pub bike and tourer when you don't want to wear cycling specific shoes.