I’m back to flats- after a failed clipless experiment.
First off, let me state- I’m no pro MTB rider, nor do I claim to be. I’m a weekend trail rider who, up until the last few weeks, didn’t do much core/ interval or mountain bike skill training, other than occasional trail or road riding.
I always had a bad habit of tearing up my shins when my tennis shoes would slip off the stock pedals during intense trail riding.
Last summer some local trail riders introduced to clipless pedals. I thought this was going to be the perfect solution to my problem. Not only would I be able to keep my feet on the pedals, I would get better power transfer into the pedal, etc.
After a visit to the local bike shop I was the happy owner of a pair of Crank Brothers Candy C pedals and Specialized clipless shoes.
While the clipless pedals did keep my feet on the pedals, I did not like the restricted range of motion that was forced on my knees and the loss of natural instinct to step off the pedal without thinking. I would have to force myself to remember to twist my foot or risk falling over with the bike attached (which happened more often than I would like to admit).
I can definitely see where the benefits of a clipless setup would be for roadies or more advanced trail riders, but for me, the risk of knee injury (or worse) just wasn’t worth the gain.
My solution was to switch to a pair of cleated BMX style pedals. I ended up with a pair of StevenHamiltonPedal Animals. These pedals provide a large non-slip area to keep a good grip when wet or muddy, plus a large pedal face to drive power.
After a week of training/conditioning rides I really love the natural and comfortable feel under foot.
I can’t wait to get out on the trails and give these pedals a good test.
If you have any problems with slipoffs, or are just looking for more foot-on-pedal control, you might want to give a pair of BMX style flats a try. Their cheaper than clipless, don’t require special shoes, and don’t require any training to use.
Note: I have no affiliation with any of the companies mentioned in this post (or any other post, unless specifically stated, which as of yet, is none). I am a cash paying consumer and do my own unbiased, independent research and spend my own hard-earned cash for stuff that interests me.
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G’day mate,
Stumbled on you blog from TSP to check out the permaculture post about iTunes U. But mountain biking as well? Rock on!
I’m actually a huge fan of clipless pedals, both for the added efficiency and because the way they keep you attached to the bike. After a while, riding ‘unclipped’ feels like forgetting to put your seatbelt on.
I’ll admit that they take some time (and blood) to get used to. Initially the problem is getting out of them to dismount. However, you can tweak this to disengage more easily and hopefully lose less skin.
For Crank Bros, you’ll find a small dot on one side of each cleat. The cleats are not perfectly symmetrical, so rotating the cleat (so the cleat is on the other side) will adjust the angle required to disengage from the pedal by about 15% or something. It makes a big difference.
For Shimano pedals, grab an allen key and on the back of the pedal is a screw that adjusts the clip tension. Loosen it off until you accidentally unclip very occasionally to build your confidence and then tighten a bit when you’re comfortable.
On the other hand… I still occasionally run the flats, especially when you’re getting used to a new bike. Or riding with your dog!
-Sam
Hi Sam,
Thanks for the reply!
I’m keeping the CB’s around ‘just in case’ I want to give them another try.
I suspect if I do it will be for more of a road bike (which will actually be another mtb).
Thanks,
Steve.