Clipless?

jonKranked · Mar 11, 2012

not me. i switch back and forth between crank bros acids and mallets for AM.

Nick · Mar 11, 2012

I ride on flats too. I try and try to ride my trail bike clipped in, and I'm always ok with it when I'm climbing and hate it when descending. I know I'll try again for a few rides now that Spring is springing.

There are very few happy easy climbs here. I should really commit to clipping in and just stick with it.

TreeSaw · Mar 11, 2012

I go back and forth between clipless and flats...depends on the bike. I tend to like my 575 with flats so I can ride more aggressively and I always rock flats in the colder weather because my flat shoes are way more insulated. My hardtail and singlespeed are both clipless and I ride clipless road too.

EGGS · Mar 12, 2012

ive tried clips, doesn't fell right so im on flats not 24/7
26 bikes pedals and shimano am shoes . i get dogged on the climbs sometimes too but im most comfortable on flats and tend to pass them like they're standing still on the descents

Nick · Mar 12, 2012

Da Peach said:
Yesterday, my ride buddies were both on clips. I was in the dust.

1) use flats
2) ride with slower people
3) profit!

JRogers · Mar 12, 2012

Da Peach said:
Yeah, sounds about the same as my state of mind. Even technical climbing can mess me up on clips.

I went for the same ride today as I rode yesterday with some different folks. Yesterday, my ride buddies were both on clips. I was in the dust.

Today, I rode with two different dudes who were also on flats, and I left them in the dust/mud on the climbs

(there was also a likely a bit of a fitness gap there...)

I just don't see myself ever being as aggressive downhill with my feet in those friggin things... I'm thinking it might still be worth trying some clipless pedals with larger platforms... I've got Candies now.

I'll have to pester some of my bike-part-rich friends for a try on some mallets.

I don't think switching to clips will all of a sudden give you a big advantage on climbs and such. It helps, but maybe not as much as you might think. Overall fitness is much, much more important. Talk of "pulling up" on the upstroke is mostly nonsense to me.

But it might be worth a try and really there's no trick to it; you just get more comfortable with time and it becomes second nature. I use clips for most everything but switched between flats and clips for DH. If you stick with it, the mental stuff will take care of itself. If things get really steep, slow and tech, I might hold back a little on clips, but if it's faster then clips are sometimes even better because there's not as much chance of slipping a pedal or getting your feet knocked off.

Also, I don't know if having something with a bigger platform will help with much. Really, the only thing I found that they help with is that they make it a little easier to clip in on technical terrain or while moving on the trail; even then it's not a huge difference and it only seemed to really matter for racing when you might be going fast with one foot off and can't/won't slow down. I even broke the cages off the Shimano 647s on my DH bike and didn't bother to replace them. If you are looking for new pedals, though, you might want to check out some of the Shimano trail stuff; they are light, low profile, have integrated cages and are the most reliable pedals you can get.

oldfart · Mar 12, 2012

After years of riding with toe clips and straps and then clipless when they first came out in 1990 I tried flats for the first time that past winter. I looked at it as being like riding fixed gear for roadies. It is good for technique. The do suck for steep climbs particularly technical ones. It certainly helps to have good shoes, I bought 5.10 carvers and pedals, I got Straitline. Really excellent grip. But they aren't as grippy as clip less. I clean way more clipped in and my pulse is lower on the steep climbs. And more importantly, riding hard on North Shore XC trails on flats hurts my back. So I will keep them for winter when it is icy and snowy because I hate iced up cleats and the carvers are nice and warm.

You do need to comfortable with your pedals though. The mental aspect of being clipped in has to be gotten used to. It is second nature to me and flats are not.

oldfart · Mar 15, 2012

Peach, you just have to ride with the right crowd. I'm 54 and I sometimes ride with a group on Tuesday nights. I am not the fastest, nor the slowest by any means. Mostly I ride alone with my dog or dogs. I can understand the reluctance to be clipped in. Try it on Bridle Path and avoid the more sketchy stuff like Pangor or Boogieman until you get used to them. Me I get nervous about coming off flats.

johnbryanpeters · Mar 15, 2012

Da Peach said:
I imagine we're riding a lot of the same trails...

It's just the thought of coming unclipped on a sketchy downhill and not being able to put my foot back onto anything sturdy gives me the heebie jeebies.

Or, the thought of not being able to "run out" a crash and putting my wobbly-delicate-from-past-injury-shoulders into a position of getting effed up again.

I think I just answered my own question...

I just hate getting dropped by the young whippersnappers ride after ride.

It's a lost cause.

#oldwhitepeopleproblems

(i don't even really know how to use twitter)

Let the soap opera cease. Quit neurosing and try it. If you don't like it, try something else.

AngryMetalsmith · Mar 16, 2012

I too have been running clipless since the 90's. With flats I am always thinking about where my feet are and not the trail.

Try clipless with the tension set real low so they're extra easy to get out of. Then as you get used to them you can tighten'em up.

Search

Clipless?

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent

jonKranked

Detective Dookie

Nick

My name is Nick

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent

EGGS

Chimp

Nick

My name is Nick

JRogers

talks too much

oldfart

Turbo Monkey

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent

oldfart

Turbo Monkey

johnbryanpeters

Hero

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking