how many of you guys use clipless peddles for dh use? Im thinking that i might want to buy crank bros egg beaters with the flat peddle around it with 661 launch shoes to go with them. so how many of you use them for dh?
how many of you............
- Thread starter freeridebiker21
- Start date
I do for races, I also have the crank bros mallet c's and the rock
I use clipless almost everywhere.
I do. Mallets are a good choice. If you use spds for tech trails, you should be able to adapt to using them for DH.
still on flats but i am thinking about to reswitch to clipless.
I ride clips most of the time, but not always.
Just a note about the Mallets. I know a few people who use them, and there are a few small problems that a lot of people seem to have.
1. The "spike" wears out rather quickly. But I guess that is why they give you an extra set when you buy them.
2. A lot of people have fit problems when trying to get them to work with their shoes. I would ask around and she what shoes work best, and need the least amount of modification.
BTW I use the Time DH pedals, and have had zero problems in 2 years. Plus they work fine with the following shoes. Specialized, SIDI, Lake, Shimano. AXO, 661, and Carnac.
Besides those two small problems, everyone I know who has them loves them.
Just a note about the Mallets. I know a few people who use them, and there are a few small problems that a lot of people seem to have.
1. The "spike" wears out rather quickly. But I guess that is why they give you an extra set when you buy them.
2. A lot of people have fit problems when trying to get them to work with their shoes. I would ask around and she what shoes work best, and need the least amount of modification.
BTW I use the Time DH pedals, and have had zero problems in 2 years. Plus they work fine with the following shoes. Specialized, SIDI, Lake, Shimano. AXO, 661, and Carnac.
Besides those two small problems, everyone I know who has them loves them.
I use clipless Time pedals...until my recent trip to Utah, which due to the recent rains was very peanut-buttery muddy and clogged my shoes up incessantly when I stepped off the pedals, and just wouldn't clear out to let me clip in.
Plus, the terrain was so techy that on the inevitable stops, clipless (esp. in combination with the mud) made it very hard to start again.
There was also the fact that nearly every trail there has huge exposure.
So it was a flat-pedal appreciation weekend for me; glad I brought them along. But I'm on clips as much as I can be.
MD
Plus, the terrain was so techy that on the inevitable stops, clipless (esp. in combination with the mud) made it very hard to start again.
There was also the fact that nearly every trail there has huge exposure.
So it was a flat-pedal appreciation weekend for me; glad I brought them along. But I'm on clips as much as I can be.
MD
MMM peanutbutter...
I hate that Utah mud, I remember getting caught in a thunderstorm about this time of year and having so much mud sticking to my tires that my wheels would not spin. We stopped in the middle of a creek and tried to wash the mud off and, wouldn't you know it, the more water you add the sticker that stuff becomes. We ended up bailing out on our shuttle run and took a paved road back down. I'd mark it up there with the worst ride ever.
I hate that Utah mud, I remember getting caught in a thunderstorm about this time of year and having so much mud sticking to my tires that my wheels would not spin. We stopped in the middle of a creek and tried to wash the mud off and, wouldn't you know it, the more water you add the sticker that stuff becomes. We ended up bailing out on our shuttle run and took a paved road back down. I'd mark it up there with the worst ride ever.
True dat! Definitely the worst...ride...ever.Kornphlake said:
Weren't you also running like 2.35s at the time?
Ummm, "4-sided entry" just means the cage rolls around, either on its own or inside the pedal cage. Even on a cageless egg beater, you can't clip in on any surface but the one facing up, unless you have some kind of bizarre preying mantis ankle that lets you touch your toes to your calf bone or point them straight down at the ground...and even then, you've still got an entry point directly under your foot.mack said:
So having the cage around the 'eggbeater' doesn't matter at all. But I don't care, because I use Times.
MD
I use flats for mucking around these days but race almost exclusively in DX SPDs. as anyone had any experience with the Atomlab clip system? It looks pretty decent and might provide a better unclipped platform than the DX pedals.
clipless definately rule while DH racing. they allow you to pedal with so much more efficiency as you are able to get power on the upstroke as well. i race with flats, and ride with flats because i am not competitive nor do i care to be. my riding level is not at a point where i have super skills that i can reproduce on clipless pedals. i need the forgiveness of being able to step off. if you want to be really fast, use clips.
Tim
Tim
I find that I am much more comfortable on rock gardens with clips and less on jumps.
I use Time pedals with the Specialized sawpit shoes and the combo is perfect. The Times have enough float so you can still move like you would on flats. I say go for the clipless if you've go the money. I would use the time system over the Crank Brothers. The times can take a beating and still work like new where i have seen the Bro's get smashed to the point you cant clip in.
Try telling that to Sam Hill, Nathan Rennie, Michael Pascal, Chris Kovarik, etc... Flats are taking over!Polandspring88 said:
Personally for me I came from a xc background and when I started downhilling I idolized Palmer and since he rode flats I thought that was the only way to go. With the shock technology the way that it was then It was damn near impossible to keep my damn feet on the pedals. I chose to give clips a try and loved it. I rode clipless pedals almost exclusively for about 3 seasons and had no problems with it really. But then I realized where the rear shock technology was at now and looked at all the pinners out there rocking flat pedals and I gave it a shot. Now I feel 100% comfortable going into hairy corners and sketchy technical stuff whereas I allways used to second guess myself with clips. I think with flats I just have that much faster reaction time to re-stabilize if I make a mistake that could put me on the ground. I think now that I ride alot more agressively I make alot more mistakes but overall I think I am alot faster now on flats because of that added confidence and comfort.
But If I were to ever go back to clips I think it would be between either the Crank Brothers or any of the SPD Cage pedals.
Not real sure here but I don't think there's been a Senior Men's World Champion on flats for like 10 years.heikkihall said:
I ride the same local trails as Rennie and Kovarik (albeit much slower) and flats are very advantageous on the loose rocky stuff we call trails here.
Just wait! Its been close a couple of times and I think ove of those guys mentioned above is going to pull it off in the next couple of years. There have been plenty of other titles won on flats in recent years though just not the world champs.toodles said:
I use Shimano SPD 636
Flat just for dirt!
Flat just for dirt!
Flats-world champs fo 10 years? um no.
Remember that Nico guy? SPD's allways.
Steve peat,Fabien,Cedric,all run clips.
really it's moctly the Aussie madmen that rock the flats.
I know there are many exceptions and i don't want to start a war here.
anyway i run both too.Mostly flats for racing,but it depends on the course for me to decide.
If you pin it through the rough stuff like an aussie then flats can be great.
If you are a fitness guy or can get used to running clips i believe it is the fastest way down most racecourses,especially since most of us are not pinnin it like the Ausseis.
Oh-Shimano 545's all the way unless it's really muddy/snowy(which i run flats in those situations).Shiz ones release a little more quickly for me.
Remember that Nico guy? SPD's allways.
Steve peat,Fabien,Cedric,all run clips.
really it's moctly the Aussie madmen that rock the flats.
I know there are many exceptions and i don't want to start a war here.
anyway i run both too.Mostly flats for racing,but it depends on the course for me to decide.
If you pin it through the rough stuff like an aussie then flats can be great.
If you are a fitness guy or can get used to running clips i believe it is the fastest way down most racecourses,especially since most of us are not pinnin it like the Ausseis.
Oh-Shimano 545's all the way unless it's really muddy/snowy(which i run flats in those situations).Shiz ones release a little more quickly for me.
leprechaun said:
maybe its a gravity thing, being upside down and all, because pretty much all the fast guys here use flats.
I've used Shimano SPD 636 pedals for the last eight years. No, they're not perfect, but they're really good. Check out the Shimano M-221 shoe, it's way stiffer than the 661, so it's a lot more efficient. Plus, they're really comfortable, and you can hike up anything with the awesome tread and toe spikes. Just don't spend too much time at the local dirt jumps rockin the clipless... I say learn to ride both flats and clipless well enough that you can switch and not feel more/less comfortable.
I recently bought the Mallet C's.
The first runs on my Mallet's were sketchy and I was afraid to jump the bigger stuff.
Now, almost two months later, I jump everything I jumped with flats and I can 'pin it' a lot more, it's very confidence inspiring when your feet don't bounce around.
I switch back to flats for Dirtjumping, street and northshore.
The first runs on my Mallet's were sketchy and I was afraid to jump the bigger stuff.
Now, almost two months later, I jump everything I jumped with flats and I can 'pin it' a lot more, it's very confidence inspiring when your feet don't bounce around.
I switch back to flats for Dirtjumping, street and northshore.
I use flats, but no doubt that you will go faster DH clipped in !
I only know two people who clip in for DH... I don't like it, I hate not having the arch of my foot over the pedal spindle, it always feels like I'm gonna break my ankles. On some seriously fast/rough tracks I'd like them though (eg Thredbo, 7 mins of 8" deep braking bump goodness) simply for the less effort needed to cruise through the rough stuff.
I just got a pair of Mallet's.
Seems like the traction plates don't do much when just using regular shoes. Anyone have this experience? Seems like my feet always want to slip on the egg beater part.
So naturally.....
Can anyone recommend some SPD shoes that work well with the Mallets? Seems like I've heard about some fitting problems on 661's. Anyone running specialized shoes with Mallets?
Seems like the traction plates don't do much when just using regular shoes. Anyone have this experience? Seems like my feet always want to slip on the egg beater part.
So naturally.....
Can anyone recommend some SPD shoes that work well with the Mallets? Seems like I've heard about some fitting problems on 661's. Anyone running specialized shoes with Mallets?
