Do Flat Pedals Win (more) Medals? Have Your Say...
Two of Team Chain Reaction Cycles PayPal riders are advocates of flat pedals over clips. Sam Hill has won several World Cups on flats, and not long ago, his team mate, Joe Smith converted to them too. Although Sam has missed much of this season so far due to injury, Joe recently won back-to-back races in the British Downhill Series, the last race being in Rhyd Y Felin in Wales, and the previous race at Llangollen, arguably the steepest and most technical track in the UK. Unlike the majority of his competitors at these races, Joe ran flat pedals and managed to cross the line two and a half seconds up from his nearest rival.
So, what is it about flats that makes our riders want to keep using them? The science suggests that riding with clips ensures you can pedal faster, and along with a range of other factors, like bike set-up, the steepness of the track, and riding style. Why is it that riding flats or clipless is seen as a key factor for a rider?
With downhill tracks increasing in their difficulty thanks to more rock gardens, stump sections and root-infested loam corridors, it is arguable that riders are tackling the features at a greater speed compared to a few years ago. That's probably why more and more riders are turning to riding flats as it provides them with more control and the opportunity to easily correct mistakes or have more confidence going into difficult sections, knowing that they are able to eject themselves from their bikes faster if things go wrong.
![Do Flat Pedals Win more Medals Have Your Say.]()
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![Do Flat Pedals Win more Medals Have Your Say.]()
We want to hear what you have to say about wearing flats over clips. Let us know by voting in the poll below and in the comments section.
MENTIONS: @ChainReactionCycles / @Nukeproof-bikes
So, what is it about flats that makes our riders want to keep using them? The science suggests that riding with clips ensures you can pedal faster, and along with a range of other factors, like bike set-up, the steepness of the track, and riding style. Why is it that riding flats or clipless is seen as a key factor for a rider?
With downhill tracks increasing in their difficulty thanks to more rock gardens, stump sections and root-infested loam corridors, it is arguable that riders are tackling the features at a greater speed compared to a few years ago. That's probably why more and more riders are turning to riding flats as it provides them with more control and the opportunity to easily correct mistakes or have more confidence going into difficult sections, knowing that they are able to eject themselves from their bikes faster if things go wrong.
 | Because clipless ain't cool and flat pedals are. So go back to school. - Sam Hill, Team Chain Reaction Cycles PayPal |
Sam Hill's personal Nukeproof pedals are looking fresh, ready and out soon!
| I always ride flats now as I found I couldn't commit as much with my riding while running clipless. There are advantages of both pedals, but I find flat pedals suit my style better and I can't handle the disappointment in my team manager's face when I run clipless. - Joe Smith, Team Chain Reaction Cycles PayPal |
What's faster - flats or clipless?
We want to hear what you have to say about wearing flats over clipless. Let us know by voting in the poll and telling us what you think in the comments section.
MENTIONS: @ChainReactionCycles / @Nukeproof-bikes
Author Info:
Member since Mar 16, 2012
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That being said 5.10's are a definite requirement for flats … i wish i had them back in the old bmx days!
That said, when just cruising I do have some love for my flats. Great for getting that inside foot down low for roosting, and in general stops me from getting lazy technique e.g dropping those heels for the descents, which only makes me faster when I move back to the clips. Yes, it's not always about the race, and yes, there are some perks to each. So I just sometimes use one or the other depending on what I want to do
Next it will be coil or air which is faster.
With this scientific experiment we determine that 275 wheel is the fastest. End of discussion. We shall test pedals now in a similar way. All hail science.
You've seen that study too then? Wasn't it ski-suits or something?
www.pinkbike.com/news/video-aaron-gwin-chainless-leogang-2015.html
www.pinkbike.com/video/378566
Yep, had no idea, but it seems it's actually a "thing":
www.pinkbike.com/video/380723
www.pinkbike.com/video/380422
www.pinkbike.com/video/366477
www.pinkbike.com/news/whistlers-a-line-chainless-race-2014.html
www.pinkbike.com/video/384369
www.pinkbike.com/video/411487
how many of the top 10 where in flats this weekend? the winner was clipped in. your argument is null and void.
5.10 has seriously changed mountain biking like few companies, including bike component manufacturers have. You can now buy Maltese Falcons or Impacts VXii clipless and ride flat pedals with CBros or Time cleats in the fkng shoe, like you would with non-clipless shoe.
I guarantee that he was happy to be on his - HT AE05 flat pedals - as a slow speed over the bars is never fun when clipped in!
If you are one of the 0.0001% who still use toe clips, fine. We can accommodate you. We'll have two types of clips: your pedal will be known as "Toe Clips," and the ones that attach on the bottom will be technically known as "Sole Clips."
However, since nobody rides with toe clips any more, we'll just go with Flats and Clips 99.999% of the time.
Done. You're welcome. Viva la revolucion!
It'd be fine if I just stuck to XC but as my skills progressed I got into more and more technical riding (and trials) where it became evident that I sucked at step ups, jumps, and chunky sections without being clipped in. I'm sure this doesn't happen to everyone but the threat of becoming over reliant on clipless and developing poor technique is real, at least it was for me and I'm still paying for it 2 years after switching to flats!
I say it's down to rider, and what they want to run. Let the racers worry about what's faster. Our opinions won't make them slower, that's for sure.
"Flat pedals win medals" says it all
I rode clippless for a year and was convinced they were better that you can unweight the bike easier in rocks and control the back end better, which is true. Though leaning corners to slide out and be attatched to the bike which would drag me an additional 10 feet was not in my foreay, of course, most of the time they would unclip, but not 100% of the time. So my decision came when i was on a ride with buddies and it was 'one of those days' i had crashed 4 times in one run, then i nose cased a jump throwing me over the bars. It was an unlucky crash in the fact that my feet did not unclip so my bikes weight + my weight went towards the ground and i procceed to break my collar bone and thumb. Sure, i could have broken the same things with clips but it would have been less likely. Anyways, take from that what you want but I am flats for everything now.
Same thing if you don't like flats.
There's no sense saying one rules all.
I'd like to see Gwin stomping everyone on flats.
Wouldn't all the racers be confused as to what to do then?!
And can we stop calling the pedals that clip,
Clipless?!?!
Am I ready, to ditch flats for clips then? No, why? Because I don't always race, I like to get sideways now and again, plus clipped in, as rowdy as I think I'm getting, cornering isn't the same as it is on flats, even though I'm technically 'with the bike' I don't feel as 'at one' with the bike as I do when I ride flats, despite race results. So bottom line, clips or flats? I think flats, Why? Underdog, with flats I want them to work for all occasions, why give up now?
If I were racing I would switch back to clips, just to be certain that my feet stay right where I want them through rock gardens and roots. That stuff gets hectic at race speeds, even the pros have trouble sometimes.
But I'm not racing, and rocks/roots have no appeal to me, so I only use flats. I'll take that 0.1% risk that the pedals might come off of my feet, just to avoid that 0.1% chance that I might crash without unclipping.
Loose - flats.
Everything in between is good for clipless but thats less than 30% of my riding so flats win most of the time.
Even with the toe clips and straps, I can get out of those super quick, but in situations when you're going down really steep or really technical sections, I get out of the toe clips completely. I've had some epic fails landing head over heals enough times that I feel it's way safer to go flat. Been to Moab slick rocks where I hit a patch of sand and the front or rear tire gives out. If I was wearing clipless pedals or straps, I would've wiped out and my buddy would've run me over in the same process. I've also fallen over too many times on clipless pedals going up a very steep section and just couldn't get enough speed to get over the top and I fall over panicking to get my foot out. I did this a couple of times and Ihate that feeling of falling over so much that I took the pedals off and put back on toe clips and straps which I can get out of fairly quick. I tried using the toe clips and straps on my full suspension bike and I don't feel comfortable using it like on my hardtail. I go faster on downs and technical sections without being tied down to the pedals. So many times I could've wiped out but having flat pedals without cleats, I was able to hop out of the saddle or use one or both of my feet to negate a crash scenario. So, yeah, flats all the way.
On challenging terrain I tend to go for clipless as it makes me commit more (dabbing is not an option) and there's way more clearance (shimano spd have a smaller surface area than any flat).
The rear wheel tends to bounce a lot on a ht too, so anything that helps my feet planted at speed is welcome.
I like the clip crutch idea but how does it apply to bmx racing where everyone clips, or road for that matter?
And secondly.. Lol how did he get nine negs for that gag?
and here twitter.com/hashtag/flatpedalswinmedals