Who else uses flat pedals?

[zizou]

I just feel that pedal 'threads' tend to lack a level of honesty when weighing up the pros and cons and analysing someones needs. There is a strong undercurrent of mockery towards non clipless users with a dollop of inadequacy if they didn't like clipless or are loathe to try them.

Yes the threads on Cyclechat tend to be more balanced but would they be if people like me didn't chime in? Or would they be the free marketing fest for the sellers of pedal systems and shoes that you see elsewhere on the net?

The mockery seems to go both ways with comments directed towards those who prefer clipless over flats as being blinded by fashion and suckered by marketing. If someone says they feel a real, tangible benefit it gets dismissed because they are not a serious enough cyclist capable of being able to exploit the benefits!

If someone doesn't get on with clipless pedals then there should be no shame in that (some riders do look down their nose at those with road bikes and flat pedals, but these are the sort of people who will look down their nose at other things too...if it isn't the pedals they will find something else to be snobbish about like a saddle bag or spacers in the stem etc thats just how some people are unfortunately). However if someone is clipless-curious then I would always encourage them to try them out and see if they get the benefit too that I and many other riders genuinely feel when they made the switch themself. I dont feel the benefit because of fashion either - i'm wearing lycra shorts, a colour clashing top with rear pockets stuffed with bananas and flapback, a helmet that makes my head look like a mushroom and sunglasses that only Bono would choose to wear....what my shoes look like when im cycling is the least of my worries!

 

[MacB]

The mockery seems to go both ways with comments directed towards those who prefer clipless over flats as being blinded by fashion and suckered by marketing. If someone says they feel a real, tangible benefit it gets dismissed because they are not a serious enough cyclist capable of being able to exploit the benefits!

If someone doesn't get on with clipless pedals then there should be no shame in that (some riders do look down their nose at those with road bikes and flat pedals, but these are the sort of people who will look down their nose at other things too...if it isn't the pedals they will find something else to be snobbish about like a saddle bag or spacers in the stem etc thats just how some people are unfortunately). However if someone is clipless-curious then I would always encourage them to try them out and see if they get the benefit too that I and many other riders genuinely feel when they made the switch themself. I dont feel the benefit because of fashion either - i'm wearing lycra shorts, a colour clashing top with rear pockets stuffed with bananas and flapback, a helmet that makes my head look like a mushroom and sunglasses that only Bono would choose to wear....what my shoes look like when im cycling is the least of my worries!

and that's a perfect example of CC balance

In my defence I'd like to claim that the 'counter mockery' is only ever retaliatory but I'd be lying

 

[VamP]

...like some get interested in climate change scientists

Or even just one in particular

 

[Crackle]

.......
feet will get sore - nope....

The only time I ever got sore feet was when I borrowed a bike in Germany and belted off down the local cycle path. The next day, I had sore arches and had to hobble through the airport. Now I put this down to a couple of things

1) the soft shoes I was wearing
2) Using soft shoes after using stiff soled cycling shoes
3) being pretty fit at the time and putting a lot of power through my soft soled shoes
4) shoot flat pedals on the borrowed bike

It's never happened again but it was sore for a few days, so I choose my pedals and shoes carefully now.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Has anyone tried a bike with clip system on one pedal and a flat on the other?

Go around in circles?

 

[MacB]

Has anyone tried a bike with clip system on one pedal and a flat on the other?

Go around in circles?

You really have no idea do you? this is how you train properly, it allows you to work on each leg seperately and overcome any inherent imbalance. Yes you may end up with one huge and one skinny leg but your pedalling motion will be perfectly balanced.

 

[tyred]

All you need to do is to use some super glue to glue your pedals to the shoes. Much cheaper than buying clipless pedals.

Makes walking up the stairs at bed time a bit difficult though with a bike stuck on your feet.

 

[Mr. Jaggers]

Thanks for all the feedback. This has turned into a really interesting discussion, and I'm quite surprised there are so many people out there using flats.

I'm going to stick to mine - well, get some for my new bike. It feels like quite a relief to have stopped pressurising myself to go clipless!

I have just bought a Boardman CX Team. I am new to cycling and didn't know what to do about pedals. At present I have flats with pins, which are very grippy and seem fine off road, which is where I have mostly been. My question is - for a cx bike, which is on the road as much as in the woods, what kind of clipless would i go for? Road or MTB. Can anyone advise? Is this just down to personal choice in my circumstance?

 

[raindog]

Seven pages to say that some people like flat pedals, and some people like clipless.

 

[mickle]

I have just bought a Boardman CX Team. I am new to cycling and didn't know what to do about pedals. At present I have flats with pins, which are very grippy and seem fine off road, which is where I have mostly been. My question is - for a cx bike, which is on the road as much as in the woods, what kind of clipless would i go for? Road or MTB. Can anyone advise? Is this just down to personal choice in my circumstance?

Seek and ye shall find.

 

[Christopher]

Useful post, mickle. Not.

Jaggers, it depends if your off-road is going to be very muddy, but I would recommend some form of MTB pedal with stiff shoes, like Specialised MTB shoes and Shimano M520 pedals - I use that combination on- and off-road and it works great. However, if you are going to do muddy off-road then it might be worth looking at Eggbeater pedals or Time MTB pedals as they both have a repuatation for not easily clogging with mud, but are also more expensive than the 520's. The 520's are excellent pedals but do have a tendancy to clog in mud - that's only a factor if you do muddy off road though.

 

[wilko]

It's flats for me now. DMR V8's. When I had my road bike I started with flats and then went to clipless. All was fine until I had a bit of a clipless moment. Bashed my elbow and bent my bike! That probably wouldn't have happened if I was using flats. I don't ride so much on the road now, sold my roady and bought a 29er and I mostly ride along the local towpath. I wouldn't want another clipless moment as I would probably end up in the drink. But for my type of riding I find the flats more than adequate

 

[RiflemanSmith]

What are those pedals that are flat on one side and have cleats on the other?

 

[wilko]

Shimano do some. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shimano-Pdm324-Single-Sided-Spd/dp/B000NORMU4?SubscriptionId=AKIAIMQHVMQOCODBLBWQ&tag=foxstart6-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000NORMU4

Cheaper on Wiggle! http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m324-combination-pedals/

 

[RiflemanSmith]

Cheers for that.
So I would have to buy the cleats and a pair of shoes and the cleats go on the shoe like you would put studs on a rugby boot?