Clipless pedal poll. Are you a clipper?

Who rides clipped in?

I am currently experimenting with riding in flats, I may even go back to clips and straps as I am finding that on longer rides my feet are getting pissed off with being in the same place, I'm not talking float here, it would be nice on longer climbs to move the foot about a bit fore and aft.

So, attached or detached?

Please also read this very interesting (maybe complete bunkum but interesing all the same) article by Grant Petersen...

http://www.rivbike.com/article/clothing/the_shoes_ruse

Have used clipless since 1992, wouldn't have it any other way. It was the first 'proper' upgrade I did to my crappy bike at the time. It would be the first thing I would do today as well. Without them it feels like I haven't got a helmet or seatbelt on - very strange!!

Nothing against flatties as such, just don't feel secure.

Toeclips are the spawn of the devil: can't get in 'em, can't get out of 'em. :evil:

SPD's are the way to go

The only time I have used flatties is when I had a period off the bike full stop, and my RTS was only used to go to the shop and back

I'm a devoted flat pedal fan. In the mid nineties after trying a couple of types (Onza, Shimano, Time) I found I couldn't rely on clipless pedals not unclipping suddenly on technical sections. Moved to flats and thought I'd made the wrong decision as I could no longer bunnyhop. After a bit of perseverence though, I got all my old skills back plus more, and I didn't have to rely on some mechanism in my shoe. If you switch to flats make sure you give it enough time to adjust, and spend a bit of money on decent flat pedals and shoes.

I bought my first pair SPD when the first came out , 737 . never looked back .

even for my 3 miles commute I use them everyday . I can do and undo them fairly easily , not an issue for me .

on the road bike , I have Look pedals and cleats , i have been using them for a long time .

Interesting article by the way, but it seems to be more geared to road cycling. 'The odd mammal in the way' - well when you're mountain biking you're hopping over things all the time.

Also I did use to ride with flatties before clipless and I found my feet really ached after a ride in the arches. Having stiff spd shoes made the difference.

Finally, he states that you rarely pull up on the up stroke except on the occasional burst. I do it virtually all the time. I push down right leg, while pulling up left leg and vice versa for 360 deg smooth power.

While on occasion my foot has come loose from the SPD, I can't believ e that wouldn't happen 20X more without them resulting in cracked knees on bar ends/stems if not falling off etc.

Now maybe I could change my style, perhaps I'm all wrong, but I don't see why I should need to when it seems to work as it is.

the only people not using cleats pedals are track riders . they still use old style pedals and straps .

I could not go back to flats .

stevet1":3t8z44xj said:

as I could no longer bunnyhop

Click to expand...

Although if you learnt on flats (ie BMX) way, way BITD, and you move to SPD's god, you can orbit the moon!!

I honestly believe pedalling with SPD's to be less tiring. I'd always attributed this to them keeping my foot in the position that i i'd set up my saddle/cockpit for. With flatties i often found that my foot would move so the heel was doing the pedalling so i'd have to move it back. Maybe i don't need to move it back and pedalling with your heels is fine? :?

Bit o' both... the SS has flatties on it - better for just messing around & less worry of 'stalling'
Long rides I always use spuds, but I prefer my red DXs for the bigger cage, & I'd rather have flatties for anything risky...!