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Flats or Clipped?

PB Forum :: Downhill
Flats or Clipped?
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flag extremedhracer
Posted: Feb 28, 2009 at 1:15 Quote
all the people who are saying clips are for pusssiies, have any of you ever ridden clips for any amount of time. I've ridden both for a conciderable amount of time and clips are far better everywhere other than innerleithen over here. Yeah i've crashed an still have a foot clipped in, as demonstrated in one of my video on here. but i havent got close to breaking my ankles, they arent that tight, if you foot is twisting with any amount of force you will come uncliped and you ain't gonna break your ankle just pulling up.

this whole question started coming in around the same time as sam hill went big. look at nearly any other top elite- they use clips... its a bit obvious that they are faster on the majority of dh courses. at the world champs rob warner even said during sam hills run that thre was no need for clips... just coz sam can go fast on flats Rolleyes our sport is slowly turning into a giant fashion show. so i guess we should have speed limiters put on our bikes so we go slower down our version of the catwalk so people can see the new style better. i don't care if clips or skinsuites are 'gay' you can go faster with them so whats the big fuss.

think that over.
flag Johnalmasmith
Posted: Feb 28, 2009 at 1:16 Quote
I just like the free feeling of platforms... but maybe I just suck at riding.
flag duir
O+
Posted: Feb 28, 2009 at 9:04 Quote
Years ago probably before many of you were actually born or had even heard of Mountain Biking people started out on flat pedals or worse still toe clips and when they had built up enough experience, ability and confidence they moved onto clipless pedals. I often wonder where all this anti-clip sentiment has sprung from as most old school people clipped. I recently tried once again very hard to ride flats (easton flatboys/5:10s) and began to really like it. I tried for a week at Innerleithen then at the end of that week went back to clips(crank bros mallet/DX shoes). The difference for me was going x2 as fast when clipped and feeling 10x more confident.

What is all this foot out nonsense anyway? One could argue it shows a lack of ability, confidence and technique or point out that it is p*ss easy to unclip for a foot out corner then re-clip so why bother with flats. People would know that if they had actually tried it.

Just ride what the hell you are fastest with and enjoy. Who cares what Sam Hill rides or what's trendy.

Are we really going to say that riders are crap because they clip in? So that makes Steve Peat, Greg Minaar and Gee Atherton crap then does it.

Try to remember that the best in the world last year was clipped in.

Get real

Stay Clipped (or unclipped) who cares.
flag JamesOliver
O+
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 12:10 Quote
Anyone that says 1 is better than the other is wrong. Clips are ace for racing but i'm not sure i would want to use them for general pissing around in the woods.
flag Ridgeracer
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 12:14 Quote
I say it doesn't matter lol. Sam Hill,Steve Smith,etc. can rip the flats, Gee Atherton, Steve Peat etc. can rip the clips. Personally I ride flats but it all depends what your more used to.
flag JamesOliver
O+
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 12:21 Quote
Ridgeracer wrote:
I say it doesn't matter lol. Sam Hill,Steve Smith,etc. can rip the flats, Gee Atherton, Steve Peat etc. can rip the clips. Personally I ride flats but it all depends what your more used to.

You do realise that steve smith uses clips. Watch his part in seasons and you will see.
flag whoadragon
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 12:22 Quote
Used to be clipped but going back to flats after 15 years so I can go bigger on the stunts we ride.
flag Ridgeracer
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:21 Quote
JamesOliver wrote:
Ridgeracer wrote:
I say it doesn't matter lol. Sam Hill,Steve Smith,etc. can rip the flats, Gee Atherton, Steve Peat etc. can rip the clips. Personally I ride flats but it all depends what your more used to.

You do realise that steve smith uses clips. Watch his part in seasons and you will see.
Since when did they start making 5050's clip-ins?
flag Canadmos
O+
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:28 Quote
I've always felt more comfortable with clips. Can't really explain it, but whenever I use someone elses bike with flat pedals, I just plain suck balls at riding.
flag JamesOliver
O+
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:33 Quote
Ridgeracer wrote:
JamesOliver wrote:
You do realise that steve smith uses clips. Watch his part in seasons and you will see.
Since when did they start making 5050's clip-ins?

Looks like he's using clips to me...

photo
2342797
flag speddownhiller
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:34 Quote
personaly im in between. like if its very steep and technical terain, i like flats. when its fast, rocky, smooth, doesnt matter, but not extrememly steep. i like my clips
flag MajesticMOOSE
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:34 Quote
I prefer flats. I feel much more comfortable being able to put my foot down without think twice about it. With the crashes I took last year, I'm very glad I wasn't clipped in for any of them. It all comes down to personal preference and what you're more comfortable on.
flag SuperRoss
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:37 Quote
I started out riding clipless, but a few weeks ago, I put some flats on. Its as simple as flats=control, better for techy riding, and clipless= efficacy, better for climbing and longer distances. Not sure what I like better. Hands down, flats for urban riding and this time of the season (they dont clog), but I'm not so sure for trail riding. I havent really had a chance to use flats on the trail that much, but the trails here arent all that techy, but they tend to be fast, so I'm thinking clipless might be better for that (clipless no questions for racing).
flag sl-twins
Posted: Mar 1, 2009 at 13:48 Quote
JamesOliver wrote:
Ridgeracer wrote:
JamesOliver wrote:
You do realise that steve smith uses clips. Watch his part in seasons and you will see.
Since when did they start making 5050's clip-ins?

Looks like he's using clips to me...

photo
2342797

he uses both. in seasons he rides clips on his hometown trails and then rides flats in the race segament. RIDE BOTH you bunch of pansiesPimp

 


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