Cleats or flat pedals?

[raleighnut]

You mean shoe-plates (I have an unused set of plastic ones somewhere). I used to use them. They required some forethought on fixed-wheel.

 

[Drago]

If that feeling of being attached is so desirable I will have to market a range of clipless pedals and matching shoes for cars. Huge untapped market.

I'm not sure that seated car drivers are dynamically unstable or placing comparable loads on the pedals through similar planes of motion as the typical cyclist. It's like comparing a lawnmower to an ice cream.

 

[PMarkey]

You mean shoe-plates (I have an unused set of plastic ones somewhere). I used to use them. They required some forethought on fixed-wheel.

You are probably right Ian,it was a long time a go as for using them on fixed , I struggle with spd's on fixed I wouldn't stand a chance with shoe-plates and toe-clips to be honest

 

[Ian H]

It was my chin actually – on the stem, whilst chasing the toe-strap buckle on the downstroke.

They were great on hills – you couldn't pull your feet out... even if you needed to.

 

[Apollonius]

One useful skill you pick up when riding fixed with toe clips and straps is to balance when almost totally stationary. This is a skill I still use today when using freewheel and SL pedals. Cruise up to a junction, hover, look, decide whether to unclip and stop or just go. People with flat pedals are more often inclined to stop to look, in my experience.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

You are probably right Ian,it was a long time a go as for using them on fixed , I struggle with spd's on fixed I wouldn't stand a chance with shoe-plates and toe-clips to be honest

I used them on fixed, as did many back in the day. You just had to be quick when you were flicking the QR on the strap.

 

[youngoldbloke]

One useful skill you pick up when riding fixed with toe clips and straps is to balance when almost totally stationary. This is a skill I still use today when using freewheel and SL pedals. Cruise up to a junction, hover, look, decide whether to unclip and stop or just go. People with flat pedals are more often inclined to stop to look, in my experience.

Used to ride fixed in the winter with toe clips, straps, and shoe plates. Don't remember it being anymore difficult than on the geared bike - in fact more control as easier to track stand with fixed. Remember getting to know which traffic lights you could lean on rather than having to loosen straps, and not unknown to support yourself on a handy vehicle too. If you ran out of steam on a hill and you weren't quick enough to reach down to loosen the straps that was it - your feet would not come out of the pedals, as Ian H says above.

 

[Apollonius]

Don't remember it being anymore difficult than on the geared bike

Catching the toe straps as they pass, in order to tighten them, is an advanced skill!

 

[youngoldbloke]

Certainly a knack to it. Today's youngsters have it easy, dont know they've been born, those were the days, etc etc mutter, mutter

 

[ozboz]

I was undecided which way to go with this , so today I got some Garneau MTB cleated style shoes , with a set of Shimano pedals that can be used with cleats or without , the shoes feel a bit like diving boots at the mo , but I'll get used to 'em ,

 

[Racing roadkill]

every time I hear the clap trap about flats being sooooo much better than cleats, I just say "I expect all the pro teams will switch to flats next season then".

 

[Sbudge]

OK, so clearly I'm a bit weird as I don't think anyone has mentioned this (and notwithstanding I might be doing terrible things to my hammies that I'm unaware of) but I find the ability to pull more for a bit (rather than 100% 'push') on the pedal helps when my legs are really burning but I still want to keep momentum up on the flat.

On a more general note I find that with a heavier bike I miss cleats less than on a lightweight...back to that sense of 'connection' some people feel I guess.

 

[snorri]

every time I hear the clap trap about flats being sooooo much better than cleats, I just say "I expect all the pro teams will switch to flats next season then".

I wouldn't expect "pro teams" to copy my techniques, and certainly don't look to them for guidance, it's simply a case of horses for courses.

 

[ayceejay]

When our Derek talks about taking your foot off the pedals when cornering does he mean like this -

 

[ColinJ]

Lucky you,mines didn't.
23 years MTB'ing,and I have never been hurt as much as having the bike attached to me

Lower the release tensions then! I normally have mine set to minimum so I can unclip with barely any effort.

I once forgot to lower the tension on one side of one pedal. I could not get unclipped and had to ask for help.