Best flat pedal/shoe combo nowadays

With winter approaching I’m thinking of going back to flat pedals on my hardtails to prepare for the oncoming slop.

I have an old pair of DMR V8s I could stick on if needed, but what’s the go to flat pedal & shoe combo nowadays. Shoes don’t have to be mega goretex for minus 10 degrees but some level of water resistance/light puddle proof would be nice, however I rarely ride in the pouring rain.

Thanks

Adidas Terrex 5-10s on Specialized Bennies or NP Horizon Pro.

This is my current winter combo. Works well

Pedal wise HT PA03A, light, cheap and tough. Some people claim plastic pedals help with heat loss too as you don’t have a big heatsink on your foot.

Freerider DLX is a good option imo- it’s just the standard oldschool Freerider but with a synthetic leather upper with a dwr coating. It’s not waterproof, not by a long shotbut it’s got some splash resistance and also dries fast. IMO the basic freerider’s one of the best flat shoes ever, it’s got good grip, great feel, better than most of the five ten range. til winter really arrives I’ll be in these, I’ll add waterproof socks when it gets wetter (I’d sooner have my preferred shoe and waterproof socks, than make a sacrifice on the shoe for weatherproofing)

Pedals, tons to choose from now. PA03A is an inexpensive, very good option from HT, who make a whole lot of the more expensive pedals out there. You can spend a lot more and get a worse pedal, put it that way.

Another option at the weather gets colder is the Freerider EPS.

Totally waterproof but likewise no breathability. If water gets in, it stays in – I wear them with sealskinz. They are nice and toasty with Primaloft insulation

Whilst they might not sound like the perfect solution, I wear them for a good chunk of my riding. When it’s a bit too grotty for normal Freeriders/Pro’s but I’m not going down the full on waterproofs route. And when it’s cold

Yes, Freerider EPS are my favourite riding shoe.

Freerider Pro or Trailcross XT for me, sometimes Freerider EPS – and any well-regarded modern flat pedal should be decent enough.

I won’t recommend Nukeproof pedals (which I mainly use), since they are now out of business.

I won’t recommend Nukeproof pedals (which I mainly use), since they are now out of business.

They are, but I bought those Horizon DH pictured above not long ago, there are still some about. Serviceability might be an issue if that bothers people though

Freerider EPS for me too.  I’m on my second pair, run them whenever theres been a load of rain rather than Freerider Pros.  I know I’m among a minority but I really don’t get on with Horizon Pro pedals, I had issues with feet getting bounced off, back on DMR Vaults now and much happier (ran Burgtec composites for a few years which were pretty good, but if you ride in rocky areas the pins bend easily.

+1 Freerider EPS. I find them a bit big n clumpy feeling compared to the Trailcross LTs I use in drier conditions, but warmer/drier feet are preferable. I tend to ride clips most of the time otherwise I’d be tempted to stump out for the Trailcross GTX.

Pedals – I still like DMR Vaults. Nice big platform for my size 11.5s and grippy enough. Not experienced any reliability issues like I’ve read about.

but I really don’t get on with Horizon Pro pedals

I’ve found the DH much better than the Enduro

Waterproof socks & whatever shoes you like. I’ve got some 5.10 Goretex boots & the culprit for wet feet is still water coming in the top, so unless you are wearing waterproof socks, you get wet anyway.

On that basis, the new Specialized shoes are some of the best now. They rival the grip of a 5.10, which until now has been my main issue with other flat pedal shoes (really not that hard, just make them grippy enough!) but they don’t fall apart like a 5.10, better fit options & the soles last considerably longer.

Pedals wise, I cannot believe I am about to recommend them, but in terms of feel, the large CB Stamp 7’s are the best I’ve used, and so far, haven’t fallen apart, like every other Crank Brothers product. otherwise I really like the Deity T-Mac.

Five Ten Trailcross GTX shoes paired with some trousers are the best I’ve had for some level of water resistance. Water still gets in eventually though.

Almost any current ‘large platform’ flat pedal will be significantly better than some old V8s.

I’m looking to try flats again.  Have an old pair of original Superstar Evo’s – I rode them for a few months some years back and returned to clips.  I went and rode round the park with them last week and managed to clip my shins getting out of the house.  They seem huge and square.

What are the real differences between pedals?  They all sort of look the same  – similar shape and size, a bit of a curve to the middle, a load of vicious looking pins.  What should I be looking for as a longtime clip rider?

Have an old pair of original Superstar Evo’s

Current pedals aren’t significantly different or better than these IMO.

Just keep riding them and you’ll develop muscle memory to stop banging them into your shins.

Yea, all pedals are basically the same these days, the differences are fairly nuanced or bearing life in some cases.  Plastic pedals are more shin friendly as they have less momentum.  You learn fairly quickly to drop your heels and that stops you bouncing off them, which means less shin strikes.

Equally, modern shoes are all pretty good. 5.10’s are made from the softest sole rubber known to man though.  It’s grippy, more grippy than anyone (IMO) would ever need, but that means they wear out in no time at all.  5.10’s are so soft they leave dotty footprints all over the garage floor!

Personally my favorite setup was some HT pedals with the pins filed down to about half their original height, and Shimano GR7’s.  They’re gripping onto a piece of metal with 8x metals pikes in it, they don’t need the grip to keep Alex Honnold stuck like a limpet so some smooth Sandstone.  Having said that I’m back in Freerider Pro Mid’s because of that Evans sale last year.

They’re gripping onto a piece of metal with 8x metals pikes in it, they don’t need the grip to keep Alex Honnold stuck like a limpet so some smooth Sandstone

I tend to disagree

The difference between good pins/poor pins/soft sole/hard sole is very noticeable IMO

but I really don’t get on with Horizon Pro pedals

I’ve found the DH much better than the Enduro

I was running the DH ones.

all pedals are basically the same these days, the differences are fairly nuanced or bearing life in some cases.

As someone who has tried quite a few sets of flats over the years I can state that, whilst you may not be able to tell from one pedal to another, there is significant difference between a pedal that grips well and one that doesn’t for me.  If the NPs mentioned above worked for me they’d still be on my bike and I’d have not dropped more money on another set of Vaults.

What are the real differences between pedals?  They all sort of look the same  – similar shape and size, a bit of a curve to the middle, a load of vicious looking pins.  What should I be looking for as a longtime clip rider?

Like handlebars, whilst pedals look broadly similar there are quite a few elements that can differentiate good from bad.

For me;

1. A good sized platform, I’m only size 8 feet, but I want a platform I can get a good level of support from.

2. A concave platform to help grip the foot, and to me being able to feel an axle under my foot would not be right (I’m happy for my pedals not to be really thin for this reason)

3. Good, grippy pins.  I want to be able to be happy that my feet are not going to get bounced going fast of rough terrain (this was my issue with the NP Horizons)

4. Easy to change pins (and ones that are not easily bent if riding in rocky terrain a lot – my old Burgtec composites would come away from a BPW/DYFI trip with a load of bent pins).

5. Easy to service.

The difference between good pins/poor pins/soft sole/hard sole is very noticeable IMO

It is, but after taking about half the length off the pins, and using the Shimano shoes it was just about at the point where I could move my foot if I wanted to.

Maybe I just have awesome flat pedal technique ;P

To me, if it’s grippy enough to not move, then it doesn’t move, it can’t not move less than not moving. But it can wear though a pair of £90 freeriders  in a (Short British) summer of riding.  The GR7’s on the other hand were still going strong until eventually the join between the liner and outer wore through at the ankle.  It’s a shame they don’t make more of the range with the Stealth Marathon soles.

For me… Sealskinz waterproof socks in Ride Concepts Hellion Elite shoes on DMR Vaults.

Not saying Vaults are even the grippiest or best built, they just work best for me. My feet stay on them and I don’t ever catch myself fidgeting around on them like the Nukeproof Horizons on my full suss right now. Same as razarrazoo, not fully sold on the Horizons even though most swear by them.

Is the Freerider EPS different in low form than on the Mids or something? I had a set of Mids and they were not waterproof in the slightest, they could wet through with the first puddle. And they held onto the water like older five ten sponges did, and the insulation only worked when dry so once you were wet you got cold too if you were relying on it. Even once plastered with waterproofing they still were poor, I think they leak through the seams in the (unwaterproofed) leather? Even five ten only call them “weather resistant”.

Basically seemed very north american, a great shoe for “completely dry but very cold”, I liked them for fresh snow, and for properly deep cold, but absolutely bloody terrible for everything else and most UK cold days still have some water. Less good ime than even the DLX which is a bit more water resistant but also less of a sponge, and less bulky so you can more easily use waterproof socks, thick socks, etc.

Is the Freerider EPS different in low form than on the Mids or something? I had a set of Mids and they were not waterproof in the slightest, they could wet through with the first puddle. And they held onto the water like older five ten sponges did, and the insulation only worked when dry so once you were wet you got cold too if you were relying on it. Even once plastered with waterproofing they still were poor, I think they leak through the seams in the (unwaterproofed) leather? Even five ten only call them “weather resistant”.

You always say this, but everyone else (including me with my low and mid ones) finds them to be reasonably water resistant. Close enough to waterproof really.

Any chance you had the wrong shoes on?

Is the Freerider EPS different in low form than on the Mids or something? I had a set of Mids and they were not waterproof in the slightest, they could wet through with the first puddle. And they held onto the water like older five ten sponges did, and the insulation only worked when dry so once you were wet you got cold too if you were relying on it. Even once plastered with waterproofing they still were poor, I think they leak through the seams in the (unwaterproofed) leather? Even five ten only call them “weather resistant”.

If you plough through a puddle your feet are going to get wet via ingress through the top of the shoe, the EPS wont solve that, theres no ‘magic’ cuff or fancy features.  The good thing about them is that there are no seams or vent holes around the normal ingress areas (toe box) so ‘normal’ mud/water etc contact does not ingress, think of a normal freerider shoe constructed from a single piece of leather (with he exception of the tongue) and you’d not be far off how the upper works.  I’ve comeback from rides with them being filthy and still having dry feet and I can pretty much carefully hose them off (being careful not to soak the inners, let them dry and be ready to go again).

EDIT: I have had a look at the mid, so I assume you know what I’ve written above anyway in terms of the construction.  My point about ploughing through puddles still stands.

my Freerider EPS leaked from new. I could have a dry sock except where the tongue was stitched. The right shoe was worse than the left for this.

Maybe not the best but solid enough. Etnies Culvert mid boots and Funn Fundamental pedals (a loving homage to DMR Vaults) with grease/oil ports for the end bushing. In the last few years I have replaced one broken pedal pin and added grease to the drive side pedal, which started to sound a little dry and span faster than it used to!

The boots are not quite as grippy as my old Five Ten Impacts (one of the most rugged and grippy shoes Five Ten have made), I don’t think anything is and it’s only a shade less. I definitely don’t miss the Five Tens ability to absorb every drop of water on a trail, ending up weighing the same as concrete boots and taking about two days to dry!

https://contour-cycles.myshopify.com/Fox union lace or boa with waterproof socks.

chakaping
Full Member

You always say this, but everyone else (including me with my low and mid ones) finds them to be reasonably water resistant. Close enough to waterproof really.

Nah, not true, last time and as you can see also this time other people agreed. It’s interesting that Doomanic has one worse than the other, I’ve never heard that before but considering the differences in experience we’re all having that suggests it’s bad build quality, I got 2 bad ones , he got a bad one and a less bad one, you got 2 good ones?

It’s interesting that Doomanic has one worse than the other

Doesn’t everyone get one shoe that gets wetter than the other due to which foot you ride forwards and which shoe gets more water spray?

I agree with Northwind though, if you can ride around the puddles and it’s not actually torrentially raining then the Freerider Pro-Mid’s are OK for the winter with waterpoof socks. And they dry out reasonably overnight. But one big puddle and they’re soaked.

Fine if your trails are either so steep they never get wet, or you’re not chasing strava times and happy to put the brakes on and coast through puddles without a splash.  But rubbish for XC or any grassy hike-a-bike.