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feet slipimg off pedals

mtnbiker7

Monkey
May 22, 2007
260
0
New Jersey
Lately my feet have been getting knocked off my pedals and their slamming into my leg. Eventhough I have on pads its starting to piss me off. They look fine to me. Do you think its something I'm doing or should I get new pedals. Any advice would help.
 
New pedals might help depending on the condition of the ones your using (pins worn out)? Are you making sure you have your weight or some sort of pressure against the pedals when your jumping, hitting roots/rocks, etc?? When I ride with my clipless pedals and then go back to flats I find that I've gotten lazy with body position (as clipless lets you get away with that) and my foot slips until I get used to concentrating on putting pressure on the pedals for a while.
 

ThePriceSeliger

Mushhead
Mar 31, 2004
4,860
0
Denver, Colorado
You might try and keep more wieght on your pedals like jonny said. If if your riding on your toes more, you could be slidding back, which is why I nearly ride on my heels, more on my arch than anything.
 
That's easy, get some 5.10 shoes, they will change your life. Literally.

Ideal pedal position matches the ball of your foot directly over the pedal spindal. Riding a little on your toes is good. Gives you more control, susupension, and better power during pedaling. If your slipping it's because of your pedal/shoe interface, not foot position.

A quick note on the pedals above. The pins around the outside of those pedals are the type you're looking for. Basically just replaceable threaded pins sticking out of the pedal. The pins in the center of those pedals (square, forged into the pedal body) are what you want to stay away from, pedals with those pins won't grip anyting, stay away from non-replaceable pins.

If you can't find 5.10s get some Vans with waffle soles, they're the next best. Basically, the 5.10 stealth rubber is completely in a league of it's own when it comes to flat pedal traction.
 

mtnbiker7

Monkey
May 22, 2007
260
0
New Jersey
That's easy, get some 5.10 shoes, they will change your life. Literally.

Ideal pedal position matches the ball of your foot directly over the pedal spindal. Riding a little on your toes is good. Gives you more control, susupension, and better power during pedaling. If your slipping it's because of your pedal/shoe interface, not foot position.

A quick note on the pedals above. The pins around the outside of those pedals are the type you're looking for. Basically just replaceable threaded pins sticking out of the pedal. The pins in the center of those pedals (square, forged into the pedal body) are what you want to stay away from, pedals with those pins won't grip anyting, stay away from non-replaceable pins.

If you can't find 5.10s get some Vans with waffle soles, they're the next best. Basically, the 5.10 stealth rubber is completely in a league of it's own when it comes to flat pedal traction.
how much are they. I was thinking of buying lake shoes freeride shoes,
 

PhilipW

Monkey
Mar 13, 2007
311
0
Leominster, MA
usually around like 70-75 bucks.

i've rocked them for the last two years, and for DH and freeride kind of stuff, they are amazing.

I'm trying some Orchid Vandever2's for street/park (a BMX shoe) because the 5.10s dont grip at all on flat smooth surfaces (skateramps).

I still HIGHLY recommend the 5.10s...i've almost worn out my sole in two years of riding...and I will be upgrading to the new model next year.
 

mtnbiker7

Monkey
May 22, 2007
260
0
New Jersey
in my front yard theres a natural 4 foot rock wall.(almost perfect drop)lately i've been dropping off it to flat, no tranny. Sometimes my ankle hurts when I land, but most of the time it dosent. Could my foot placement have something to do with this.
 

ThePriceSeliger

Mushhead
Mar 31, 2004
4,860
0
Denver, Colorado
in my front yard theres a natural 4 foot rock wall.(almost perfect drop)lately i've been dropping off it to flat, no tranny. Sometimes my ankle hurts when I land, but most of the time it dosent. Could my foot placement have something to do with this.
Yeah, dropping to flat causes your weight to all be focused on your ankles, and seeing as your toes on are the pedals, your heels are forced backwards that would potentially cause a bad injury.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
Make it a gap and build a landing. :lighten:


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William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
its not just pedals (although I'd be lying if I said I didn't have amazing pedals - syncros mentals. Slightly concave pedals tend to work the best in my experience, but super concave pedals make my foot cramp up) that make a huge difference. I like to keep the pedal right in the arch of my foot, so that it can slip forward and backwards if it does slip, but i can still keep my footing. The other thing I do is keep my toe pointed at a pretty steep angle down so that i can leverage the handlebars and pedals to keep my footing while i'm in the air. also nice for botched landings where your ankle would otherwise get buggered.
 

mtnbiker7

Monkey
May 22, 2007
260
0
New Jersey
Last year when I broke my foot my doctor said that I was very flatfooted. Eventhough I waer sneakers my foot kinda bends over the pedal. Maybe me being flatfooted is causing my heel and toes not to grip on the sides of the pedal when all my weight is on it. What do you think.
 
Feb 13, 2002
1,087
17
Seattle, WA
Your problem has nothing to do with equipment. Put your credit card back in your pocket and go for a ride. Lots of bmxers use plastic pedals, which basically have no grip.

What you need to do is redefine your paradigm about how pedals work. If you have been using clipless, stop. You have to move your feet to match with what the bike is doing. When downhilling, this is much more energy intensive than using clips, but it is also smoother and faster. You can't just plow, or your feet will blast off the pedals.

Think of your pedals like a skateboard. If you lift your feet, does a skateboard lift up? Nope. You have to pop the skateboard up and then move your feet out of its way.
 

[Tha]Shovla

Monkey
Aug 28, 2007
119
0
Somewhere over the rainbow
I would agree with Sir Chomps... I converted about 6 months ago to being totally commited to flat pedals on DH, from about 8 years of solid XC clipless riding and 2 years of clipless DH riding.

Ultimatly like Chomps said the difference is in just commiting to learning to ride flats and being willing to get comfortable. it will take a good 6-8 months of solid 3-4 days a week of riding before you a re totaly comfortable. the important thing is to NOT put the clips back on the bike no matter what, your gonna have good days and bad days you just need to work with it.

try a couple of different positions on your pedals in relation to front and back of foot, get comfortable. Also you need to work on being more fluid and loose on the bike, that was my biggest problem. When your rolling at top speed you need to be able to keep you weight centered over the pedals and you bike and be able to shift around your body mass but also counterballance your weight on each pedal. just give it time. dont buy anything yet its not nessisary.

*** side note ... i got the 5:10's for x-mas and had been riding the 661's for a year ... like apples and oranges. 5:10's all the way.
 
I agree that you should save your money and just go out and ride. If you're not having fun because your feet keep slipping, get some 5.10s. I really think flat pedals are the way to go unless you're taching up a lot of uphill miles, but really thats a decision you need to make for yourself. Flats, or clips? Pick one and stick with one.

Ultimately, no purchace will give you proper technique, that's just a matter of getting out and enjoying the bike every chance you get. ride, ride, ride. Ride with riders around you that have skills, pick their brains. Choose a rider in a video who has a style you like and watch stuff over and over in slow motion, picking apart the body positions and analyze what is going on. ALWAYS try to keep the bikes energy moving parallel with a transition. You wouldn't ride straigt into a 90 degree wall, so why drop straight down to a 90 dergree ankle breaker. Drops to flat are just plain silly. They are bad for you, bad for your nice bike, look bad, feel bad, and if you can wheelie off a curb then your not doing anything to improve your technique by just making the drop bigger.

In regards to flat feet, I have flat feet and never had a problem. As far as I'm concerned flat feet and flat pedals were a match made in heaven, but then again I don't know it any other way. I'm going our riding, and suggest you do the same.
 

wickedracin

Chimp
Aug 24, 2007
5
0
San Jose
Without any question 5.10s I used them for two years and before that used the intense shoes. basically the exact shoes. As for peddles Syncros stainless steel are supper sticky but they will eat you up.
 

rigidhack

Turbo Monkey
Aug 16, 2004
1,206
1
In a Van(couver) down by the river
I have always ridden flats, and I consider pedals to be perhaps the most disposable part of the bike. Weight distribution is the most important thing to keep you on the pedals. Rely on your suspension less and learn to finesse the bike a bit. It will help. That and a pair of 5-10's. I just got a pair after using skate shoes and running shoes for years. Unbelievable difference. They might make you lazy with the weight distribution thing, they stick so well.