20 years riding clips, almost from my first year biking.
I’ve never ridden flats before but going to give them a go for the winter to help improve my technique.
Any tips or advice for getting use to them?

You can angle your pedals in a sort of cradle, with your leading foot toe-up and your rear foot toe-down. This allows you to push against each pedal for either a little extra security or to move the bike with your feet. If that makes sense?

You can expect your feel to feel all wrong.

I rode SPD-SLs for the first time in years the other night, ny feet angles and position just fel completely wrong.

Don’t try to mimic your ball of the foot over the axle position. Instead, place the mid foot over the axle.

If your thinking about jumps, wear shin guards as you will be pulling your feet off the pedals for a while….

Get good shoes, I have 510’s the one with the smooth section on the sole they grip the pedals great.
And what everyone says above about foot placement.

U’ll spend a lot of time trying to unclip at junctions on autopilot until you adjust

Just a guess , but do you currently ride around with your backside glued to the saddle?
If using flat pedals and midfoot position on the pedals then you will realise the benefits of being out of the saddle more. Not necessarily standing, but your body will not be just a sack of potatoes parked on the saddle.

Probably lots of cuts on your calves an shins to start with.

Feet bouncing of pedals through braking bump style territory (on a HT).

Having to think about weight and bike control a bit more but getting more out of it.

Not getting mashed up by your bike if you stack it.

Not being any slower up hills.

Not losing the ability to have a smooth pedal motion.

A transition period where it feels weird. Stick at it.

Did you ever learn to bunny hop etc on flats before you went to spds? If you didn’t then you’ll feel a. It unconnected to the bike and like you can’t easily do anything on it. Stick with it though- it’ll get better and you’ll be a more skilled rider because if it. I put spds back on for a while in the summer and found I was pulling up on them too much. Enjoy my flats more these days – invested in some 5-10’s now too.

I got some cheap footie shinguards when I made the transition.

As mentioned above a good shoe/pedal combo can feel just as secure as SPDs with a bit of adjustment to your technique.

Gave up on SPDs about 5 years ago and don’t ever miss them. There’s a new (proper) technique required but my crash rate has significantly dropped (jinxed it now!) and I enjoy technical riding much more.
Nowadays I feel in control, whereas before I often felt like a passenger, if that makes sense?

Good shoes (5:10s or similar) are a must to get the most out of flats.

Took me about 3 rides to get fully used to it – I had been riding spds for 5 years. My first ride on flats was a Jedi / UK Bike Skills day.

I got Nukeproof electrons and 510’s which imho is a good combo and the foot/shoe is very planted. The pedalling motion is a bit different but not rocket science to adapt. I like the foot out ability although you do have to discipline yourself to keep your foot on the pedal sometimes and just keep going. Shin dings come with the territory, aside from getting muddy what’s more kid like than coming home with a few cuts 🙂 ?

What kind of rider are you? Do you like drops and jumps or are you strictly a wheels on the ground pootler?

As above, you really need to know how to bunnyhop on flat pedals to go fast off road. You need to be able to suck the back wheel up with your feet to either clear obstacle or just move the wheel side to side. All things that are much easier clipped in.

Flat pedals won’t improve your technique automatically they’ll just frustrate you. YOU have to improve your technique. That’s a lot of time and effort if you’re up for it.

Probably lots of cuts on your calves an shins to start with.

Feet bouncing of pedals through braking bump style territory (on a HT).

Having to think about weight and bike control a bit more but getting more out of it. If you think about this when clipped your already there

Not getting mashed up by your bike if you stack it. Does this still happen or is it just a myth?

Not being any slower up hills.

Not losing the ability to have a smooth pedal motion.

A transition period where it feels weird. Stick at it.

what are the good points again 😉

Just a guess , but do you currently ride around with your backside glued to the saddle?
If using flat pedals and midfoot position on the pedals then you will realise the benefits of being out of the saddle more. Not necessarily standing, but your body will not be just a sack of potatoes parked on the saddle.

You can still do that clipped though?

Tried it last year after 20yrs of spd’s. Got fed up of thinking about my feet all the time. After so many years of my feet being exactly in one position even being a couple of mm out felt wrong. I was constantly trying to make little adjustments to my foot position.
In the end I went back to spd’s and started just riding my bike again.

I wouldn’t bother. It’s a myth that flats give you a better technique. It’s just a different technique.

I wouldn’t bother. It’s a myth that flats give you a better technique. It’s just a different technique

This is very true IMHO.

I went from 20 years of SPD to flats over a year ago. It wasn’t the big deal I thought it would be. I have been bitten by the pedals but only a couple of times. The thing that took me the longest to adjust to was not being able to pull up on the rear pedal. I’d be struggling up some horrible rooty section, go to pull up with my rear foot to keep me moving and lift my foot straight off the pedal.

I gave them a go after some incompetent crashes that wouldn’t have hurt so much if I’d clipped out. Having made the change I like it

OP here, Wow ok loads to process there already.

Some replies.

I’m ok in the air, been racing enduro’s for 3 years with fitness holding me back more than skill.
I don’t think I can bunny hop without spd’s and wheelies and manuals are only basic. I suppose being clipped in always held me back from practicing them more.

I’m really good at pumping, cornering, reading lines, tech decent etc but it’s the very basic skills I’ve become weak at.
I bought cheap wellgo V8 copies and had an old pair of indoor football runners but it all felt wrong (wellgo are huge in terms of profile)

I’m going to order five ten Maltese falcons so I can install cleats once I’ve improved my skills. I’ve also bought Nukeproof neutron pedals for the lower profile than the wellgo’s.

I’m committed to giving flats a go for the winter and see where that takes me.

You can angle your pedals in a sort of cradle, with your leading foot toe-up and your rear foot toe-down. This allows you to push against each pedal for either a little extra security or to move the bike with your feet. If that makes sense?

Thats not the technique that I was taught or found it works for me. Both heels down is what I use.

women: falling at your feet.

There’s no doubt that it helps you develop a better bunny hopping technique, but the rest is more down to the rider than the pedals and shoes.

Expect to be slower uphill.

I’m going to order five ten Maltese falcons so I can install cleats once I’ve improved my skills.

Bad idea IMO – get dedicated flat pedal shoes as otherwise they’ll be a compromise. FWIW, don’t be put off by the stories of mashing your shins and calves up; I rode clipless exclusively from the age of 16 til 35, moved to flats just over 4 years ago and have yet to slip a pedal and catch my shin or my calf.

Ideal foot position is ball of your foot over the forwardmost innermost pedal pin, and don’t worry about forcing your heels down either – concentrate on a light seat, light hands and weight through your feet. If you have the right technique you won’t be slower uphill either, that’s nonsense.

Flat pedal design has moved on somewhat. When the pinnacle of flat pedal design was the DMR v8 then it’s not surprising flat pedals got the reputation of mashing shins.

Although I’ve just looked and I’m amazed to see you can still buy onza bear traps..

Expect frustration and mangled shins.
I also got some flats to try to learn basic skills better, but find they irritate me non stop as you cant pedal properly without lifting feet off the pedal every 30s 😡

I went from 20 years of SPD to flats over a year ago. It wasn’t the big deal I thought it would be. I have been bitten by the pedals but only a couple of times. The thing that took me the longest to adjust to was not being able to pull up on the rear pedal. I’d be struggling up some horrible rooty section, go to pull up with my rear foot to keep me moving and lift my foot straight off the pedal.

I gave them a go after some incompetent crashes that wouldn’t have hurt so much if I’d clipped out. Having made the change I like it

Exactly my experience – just gone onto flats after 25years on SPD and it took me all of half a ride before I didn’t even notice it anymore. Only the techie rooty ups catching me out still. I think it helps if you’ve done some jumping/pump track stuff on flats though, as I have so it meant I wasn’t phased by drops/doubles etc.

Only thing I would say is good shoes and good pedals are a must. For me it was only when I found a pedal I really liked did I make the switch over. Not looking back now.

…but find they irritate me non stop as you I cant pedal properly without lifting feet off the pedal every 30s

FTFY 😉

No, its not just me.
If you are pedalling circles properly its pretty much impossible going across the bottom and unweighting pedal as it starts upstroke.
Theres a very good reason every XC pro rides clipped in.

Is it because they don’t ride enduro?

You can angle your pedals in a sort of cradle, with your leading foot toe-up and your rear foot toe-down. This allows you to push against each pedal for either a little extra security or to move the bike with your feet. If that makes sense?

jairaj – Member
Thats not the technique that I was taught or found it works for me. Both heels down is what I use

[/quote]

Try scooping your back wheel up with dropped heels…

Some people that they pedal in circles, but what are the alternatives.
Its the myth of pulling up that confuses
https://roadcyclinguk.com/riding/bike-fitting-the-myth-of-the-upstroke.html#Wf6hLrtw94BTl8Cy.97

Which Muscles are Really Used During the Pedal Stroke?

and this might help
https://www.bikejames.com/strength/how-to-get-rid-of-pedal-bob-while-standing-up-to-pedal/

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe6a_N3vesQ[/video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe6a_N3vesQ

I can definitely pedal without lifting my foot off lol.

@paton, yes, i agree, not really feasible to pull up at any sensible cadence. Only really works when climbing something horrifically steep and cadence has bogged right down.

Op I’m almost exclusively on flats now after 20+ clipless years.
I was using cheap skate shoes and getting sore feet and hot spots to start with which was ok on short play rides but not so much on longer xc stuff.
I bought some 5-10s before giving up and going back to SPD’s for out in the hills /general riding.
They grip the pedals like excrement to a blanket and they’re stiff and solid to pedal in. I’m sure a disco slipper gives better efficiency but for my level of performance I am finding flats give me a little more confidence and force me to focus on foot position anf pedalling style. I reckon I pedal better (smoother) on flats as you can’t resort to pulling as well as pushing.

Thanks again for all the replies.

Just to confirm,
Maltese falcons are a bad bet with the cleat cover left on.
The sole on the freeriders or equivalent is better for riding flats.

I’m just at looking at going the other way but only on my hardtail , only really rode flats but want to see why it’s like to be clipped in and see if it’s true that you feel more at one with the bike as it were .

Not sure how long I will stick it as other posters have said good peddles and shoes are the key I have v8s on my fullsuss but old superstar flats on my hardtail and ride with 5,10s which are great .

Just fancy a change and to se if it makes me faster , more confident , and more efficient

Time will tell

give yourself at least a month to transition from clipped to flat, but then expect a whole new world of Fun style of riding 🙂 i only ever use clips on my roadie and remember (Flats for Fun) 😉