I never thought i'd ask, but should I be riding flats?

I got Jedi’d earlier this week – I am more than willing to wax lyrical about how its transformed my riding, because it has – but you all must know by now how his services are worth every single penny, right?

As an aside that I wasn’t ever expecting to ask, In all the excitement of preparing to visit the Jedi I forgot to pack my SPD shoes..
My riding buddy had a spare pair of flat pedals and much to my dismay these were my only option, so I fitted them and prepared how to learn to jump & drop.. (and smash my shins)

A few minutes and several jumps later, they felt totally normal.
In fact, Im wondering if wearing SPD’s again will now undo some of the work Jedi did?

I must’ve turned a dozen people on to SPD’s in the last few years and all of them havent looked back, and I havent used anything else for probably 10 years, but now im wondering if ive even been riding the right pedals myself.
The ‘rad’ big air boys tend to ride flats, right?

What do you ride and why?.

I like the extra efficiency clipless pedals give me uphill, and im thinking that long distance XC rides are still suited to them. But for shorter blasts around the trails, should I be riding flat?..

If I stick to flats, which ones should I go for? (light but strong ideally)

The ‘rad’ big air boys tend to ride flats, right?

Yep
Steve Peat – SPD
Gee atherton – SPD
Miami Bryce – SPD
Troy Brosnan – SPD

Plenty do both

Have a go with your SPD’s apply your learning and see how it go’s

You should be using the one you like the most.

It does sound a bit like you’re not one of the riders that use SPDs as a crutch- lots of people do, they’re only connected to the bike by the shoe not by technique, which is sort of constantly bad news since they’re not really riding with the bike, but against it. But if you were doing that, then you’d probably have spent all day falling off!

Im not sure which type I rider I am, I was a staunch supporter of SPD’s though, until now.
Maybe it was because I was slow round corners and never got air – therefore never really fell off!
All that should be changing now as I’ve got some skills to pay some bills.

Go back to SPDs and compare. Stick with what you like most, or change according to your riding, not the end of the world.

I go fast and want to put feet out every now and again so I ride flats. Also can’t be arsed buy new pedals/shoes etc and having to fall off a few times while I relearn how to ride with them.

A friend does bunnyhops by pulling up on his SPD’s….
I’d say that is not an ideal technique..(especially when you don’t have them fitted) 😀

I ride flats because……..I have no idea. Just grew up with bikes, none of which I was attached to.
I also don’t like to sound like a girl when I walk.. 😉

Not so much ‘not ideal’ as ‘wrong’ 🙂

I made several attempts to ride with SPD’s and each time nearly ended up in a trip to A&E.

I really enjoy flats, especially if you have a good pedal/shoe combo. I use Nano’s and AM40’s and have no slippages and easily stay planted when hitting jumps drops etc.

I appreciate that SPD’s keep you more in tune with the bike and will give you better pedalling efficiency. Not that any of this matters, as I have a partial cruciate tear that that would’t allow me to clip in and out without casuing further knee problems!

I rode clipless exclusively til I bought a full-suss, gave flats a go and really liked them. If I know I’m going to be doing a fast solo XC ride I’ll stick the SPDs back on but for everything else I ride the flatties. Superstar Nanos and stiff-soled skate shoes from TKMaxx, winner.

If you like the flats, stick with them until you don’t, IYSWIM. 🙂

I ride both and I think you’re on the right idea with choosing the pedals for what you are riding. I can happily change between both, dont rely on SPDs being stuck to my feet to get the bike in the air etc.

My usual choice is:
SPD for longer more XC rides where efficiency has more effect
Flats for shorter blasts, more gnarr riding! Also for trying new skills where being able to jump off will help.

But say if either have been soaked the day before on a weekend away, then I’ll ride the others as they are dry 😆

I’ve been trying spds recently, and despite getting on really well with them on road, off road they just ruin my ride.

Last night I went back to flats, and despite not comfort dabbing once, I was much faster and more confident knowing I could if I wanted to…

I moved to flats on the susser last year, and took to it very quickly as well, my new set up is as follows… I don’t think it will undo what you’ve learned, and applying it spd riding may even help cement it.

XC bike – SPD
Full Suss – flats
Do it all hardtail – both, based on whim, weather, whether I can be arsed changing the pedals, which shoes are dry…

It really is an each to his own thing I think. I’ve ridden flats since I learnt to ride a bike and I’ve not even considered clipping in. I do everything from 5 hour xc rides to uplift days.

Currently I have Nukeproof Electrons and they are slim, light, tough, cheap and ultra-grippy together with my FiveTen Impact 2s. Previously swore by Wellgo MG1s, and before that DMR V12s.

I can’t see what I will gain from clipping in, maybe if I was a racer looking for the extra small percentages, then I’d try them. For now I’ll work on my fitness and technique first!

I’ve got some skills to pay some bills.

You still can’t spell “skillz” though 😉

I’ve tried both but have almost always ridden flats off road and definitely prefer them. As for recommendations, Superstar Nanos are just brilliant for the money (and come in lots of shiny colours too!).

Learn to ride (and pedal) well in flats, use clips if you want/need the extra few percent benefit, especially for racing.

The pulling up being more efficient/powerful is a myth – the only time you gain from pulling up is on brief uphill steeps. Some good info on bikejames.com and leelikesbikes.com about this if you want to read more. You only have to consider what our legs evolved to do to see why they’re made to push, not pull!

I’ve been tempted to go to flats.. but it seems funny to put on runners to go riding… weird I know but….

Steve Peat – SPD
Gee atherton – SPD
Miami Bryce – SPD
Troy Brosnan – SPD

Thats for UCI level DH racing, not entirely relevant to normal UK riding.

scruff – Member

Steve Peat – SPD
Gee atherton – SPD
Miami Bryce – SPD
Troy Brosnan – SPD

Thats for UCI level DH racing, not entirely relevant to normal UK riding.I still prefer wearing clips for riding DH and hitting decent sized gaps and stuff. The only thing they’re (obviously) not that great for is messing around on the step up, playing around with tricks.

The pulling up being more efficient/powerful is a myth

If I’m climbing and my legs are getting tired I’ll pull up as well as push down with the opposing foot which gives my legs a bit of a rest therefore it is more efficient as I can climb for longer because of it.
It also helps me maintain cadence when standing and climbing for extended periods. With respect I don’t think you are correct saying its a myth.

EDIT: Dead, old link.

There is some evidence based stuff on the internet that suggests that it is a myth, but I seem to have lost contact with it, sorry.

I’ve been Jedi’d as well, I also also follow BikeJames as per @edlong. I still ride both, depending on conditions and expected trail. Generally ride flats if I know its going to be technical. But equally, clips can be good for rough and fast as you don’t loose you footing (on a hardtail). Horses/courses.