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5/10 Kestrel Lace with flats?!?

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5/10 Kestrel Lace with flats?!?

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flag kwhorne
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Posted: Feb 17, 2020 at 3:06 Quote
I am wanting to make the switch to flat pedals-been riding clipless for 23 years and want to make a change as I’m getting older. I am currently using 5.10 Kestrel Lace and I was wondering if anyone had any experience using this shoe with a flat pedal? The pins on the pedal are all around the perimeter so the stealth rubber on the shoe will make contact but the area where the cleat is recessed is what’s concerning me - that seems like a lot of area to not have any contact with the pedal.

Follow up - anyone know if a place to get a filler plate for the cleat area to make the bottom of the shoe flat? Thanks in advance for your help.
flag cywhitling
O+
Posted: Feb 17, 2020 at 12:39 Quote
Bleh....have wrestled with a similar issue.

I tried to do this with Kestrel BOA, I actually cut up some old 5.10 soles and epoxied them into place. Didn't really work for me.

For what you're talking about, you'd totally be fine to try it with your current Kestrels, without bothering with a plate. Just take the cleat out. It won't ride as well as a dedicated flat pedal shoe, but it will be good enough for you to decide if you're going to go all the way and convert to the dark side. The biggest problem I had with Kestrels and flats is that the sole was so stiff that I didn't have as good of a foot/pedal interface as I'm used to. But I believe the lace version is softer so you should be fine.

Alternatively, you could just get some cheap skate shoes online and try them out. They'll probably ride a little better, and grip better, and if you decide flats aren't your thing, you're only out like $30 and you have some new shoes as a bonus.
flag skerby
Posted: Feb 17, 2020 at 14:28 Quote
Just buy freerider pro, it really is a dialed flat shoe
flag onyxss
Posted: Feb 18, 2020 at 3:43 Quote
kwhorne wrote:
I am wanting to make the switch to flat pedals-been riding clipless for 23 years and want to make a change as I’m getting older. I am currently using 5.10 Kestrel Lace and I was wondering if anyone had any experience using this shoe with a flat pedal? The pins on the pedal are all around the perimeter so the stealth rubber on the shoe will make contact but the area where the cleat is recessed is what’s concerning me - that seems like a lot of area to not have any contact with the pedal.

Follow up - anyone know if a place to get a filler plate for the cleat area to make the bottom of the shoe flat? Thanks in advance for your help.

Just for testing they will do OK. Try them and if you like the feeling buy proper flat pedal Freerider (Pro, VXi or some other model). Problem with clipless shoes is stiffness of the sole. In Freeriders you can actually walk normally and use them every day :-)
flag sayrius
Posted: Mar 11, 2020 at 4:04 Quote
Absolutely not.

I mean you can still pedal the bike with flat pedals, but you will loose all the grip due to stiffness and thickness of the sole.
flag ralschamma
O+
Posted: Mar 11, 2021 at 21:15 Quote
bemorestoked wrote:
Bleh....have wrestled with a similar issue.

I tried to do this with Kestrel BOA, I actually cut up some old 5.10 soles and epoxied them into place. Didn't really work for me.

For what you're talking about, you'd totally be fine to try it with your current Kestrels, without bothering with a plate. Just take the cleat out. It won't ride as well as a dedicated flat pedal shoe, but it will be good enough for you to decide if you're going to go all the way and convert to the dark side. The biggest problem I had with Kestrels and flats is that the sole was so stiff that I didn't have as good of a foot/pedal interface as I'm used to. But I believe the lace version is softer so you should be fine.

Alternatively, you could just get some cheap skate shoes online and try them out. They'll probably ride a little better, and grip better, and if you decide flats aren't your thing, you're only out like $30 and you have some new shoes as a bonus.

Thanks @bemorestoked, that’s really helpful Smile
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