Who else uses flat pedals?

[MaxInc]

Idea of SPDs frightens me especially after witnessing a biker falling on his side in front of me at the traffic light ... he must have really hated them at that time too. Don't think I'll be trying them anytime soon.

 

[John-Ellis]

I have always had flats, my mate is doing his best to convince me that cleats are much better, he may be right in what he says about better pedalling up hills but I like wearing my normal trainers, my feet dont slip and if im struggling up a hill I drop a gear or two, so I cant see myself investing in cleats.

 

[flatflr]

Fitted my first pair of SPD-SL peddles on the road bike (after using SPD which will go on the MTB), took a bit of time getting used to clipping in as quite different from the SPDs. I had cleats fitted to the shoes by the LBS, legs (knees in particular) are feeling the best they even have after a 56 mile ride. I could have got the peddles cheaper from Wiggle but the personal service from the LBS was well worth it

 

[themosquitoking]

What made you go for those spd sl over spd?

 

[flatflr]

Just to up-spec, SPDs were M530 so I could get used to the whole clip in & out thing but have a flat to be able to fall back on if I didn't get the cleat engaged first time. The plan was always to move those to the MTB as I like to be able to choose to ride clipped in or flat depending on conditions.

 

[themosquitoking]

Just bought my first pair of clipless and they're m530's so glad to hear you got on with them. I've bought them for the same reasons you did. In what way exactly though have you up-specced? I only ask because i don't understand what the real difference is between spd and spd sl, why would you deliberiteky choose a shoe you can't walk in over one you can when you're still attached to the pedal?

 

[themosquitoking]

Just bought my first pair of clipless and they're m530's so glad to hear you got on with them. I've bought them for the same reasons you did. In what way exactly though have you up-specced? I only ask because i don't understand what the real difference is between spd and spd sl, why would you deliberiteky choose a shoe you can't walk in over one you can when you're still attached to the pedal?

Not sure what happened there.

 

[flatflr]

I found that I get a bit more sideways movement (float) with the SPD-SL peddles which feels good when on a longer ride (only done one ride so far and it did feel good), with the SPD it's totally locked in. Walking with the SPD-SL cleat is a little awkward but not all that bad.

 

[themosquitoking]

I found that I get a bit more sideways movement (float) with the SPD-SL peddles which feels good when on a longer ride (only done one ride so far and it did feel good), with the SPD it's totally locked in. Walking with the SPD-SL cleat is a little awkward but not all that bad.

Ok i didn't know that, does the amount of float you get depend on how tight the spd release is done up?

 

[Herbie]

And I mean just flat pedals, not toe clips!

After nearly 3 years of "going to go clipless when I have some spare cash for the pedals and shoes," I've finally realised the reason I haven't done it is because I like my flat pedals. It's a good thing because I'm building a new bike, and have spent the last couple of evenings looking at SPD pedals online and trying to decide which ones to buy. After my ride today, I realised there's nothing wrong with flat pedals, I don't ride in the wet and my feet don't slip, I like riding in normal shoes, and I like being able to get a foot down very quickly if I need to.

I wonder if I've been bowing to (imagined) peer pressure and thinking I'm not a proper cyclist if I don't go clipless.

So, who else uses flats all/some of the time? And why?

My pedals swing both ways but i prefer the flat side...have had a few mishaps with the clipless but they are good when its wet and slippy

 

[buggi]

reason to use flats... coz you don't like being attached to your bike.

reason to go clipless:
1. more effective pedalling
2. stops the chance of slipping off pedals when standing up (eg if going up hill)
3. the shoes are stiff and therefore, you don't get strain on the bottom half of your foot which can cause problems later on in life if you cycle a lot.
4. NICE shoes

i rode on flats for 3 years before i went clipless (SPDs because they are double sided) and although i was crapping myself for the first month, i wouldn't change them now, they are second nature.

 

[flatflr]

Ok i didn't know that, does the amount of float you get depend on how tight the spd release is done up?

Yellow cleats give some float, red have no float.

 

[kedab]

Yellow cleats give some float, red have no float.

i didn't know that. you learn something new every day - I've been riding with yellow cleats for well over a year. I knew they had float but not that red cleats did not. note to self: must pay more attention to bike shop staff when they explain stuff, rather than drooling over shiny bikes.

 

[Venod]

Used to use Look clip-less on the road bike for years, but now I run MTB SPD's on all my bikes I like the ability to walk easily in MTB shoes, I had a brief try of flats on the MTB, but couldn't get on with them off road, too much slipping & bouncing about on the pedals for my liking, I have some of those plate inserts that turn the SPDs into normal pedals but never use them.

 

[MacB]

reason to use flats... coz you don't like being attached to your bike.

reason to go clipless:
1. more effective pedalling
2. stops the chance of slipping off pedals when standing up (eg if going up hill)
3. the shoes are stiff and therefore, you don't get strain on the bottom half of your foot which can cause problems later on in life if you cycle a lot.
4. NICE shoes

i rode on flats for 3 years before i went clipless (SPDs because they are double sided) and although i was crapping myself for the first month, i wouldn't change them now, they are second nature.

WARNING - the above post may contain nuts some subjective opinion masquerading as fact