Do you ride clipped in pedals on your Emtb?

[steve_sordy]

Clipped in as my prosthetic leg needs to be attached to the pedal. I sometimes ride with a flat on my analogue leg side. .........

Both at the same time, the perfect diplomatic response!

 

[Janluke]

Both at the same time, the perfect diplomatic response!

 

[Stumpy]

I’m an amputee as regular readers will know so I need something to hold my prosthetic foot to the pedal. Over the years I’ve tried many solutions and have also riden flat on my good side and clipped in the other. More recently I’ve found Magpeds which give me the best of both worlds.

 

[Stumpy]

Clipped in as my prosthetic leg needs to be attached to the pedal. I sometimes ride with a flat on my analogue leg side. I tried magnetic pedals from Maglock but the pros still moved about when pedalling hard

Just posted the same then saw this ?? Shame the magpeds didn’t work for you... the best thing about them for me is if I crash on my bad side my foot detaches now - clipped in it didn’t and I’ve twisted my knee ligaments as a result more than a few times..

 

[Stumpy]

@Janluke i just looked at Maglock, they don’t look good.. try Magpeds, link above

 

[Janluke]

@Janluke i just looked at Maglock, they don’t look good.. try Magpeds, link above

I'll check them out many thanks

 

[Brianjonesphoto]

Been riding Time ATACs for at least 2 decades. Still use the first pair I bought. They last forever don’t clog up and once the cleats are a worn-in unclip fast, easy and predictably. I have the Z-Controls on my emtb best of both worlds.

 

[Levon]

Cranky Candy 3's for me with aftermarket Ti spindles

Light, shed mud, easy to service, no brainer

 

[Kangr]

Flat pedals for me. I've tried various forms of clipples over the years but always come back to flats. I just don't have the confidence when riding clipless.
Saying that though I'm glad the mountain bike community has got to a point where both flats and clipless are acceptable and there are very few people ranting that you have to use one or the other.

 

[Deleted member 3086]

SPDs for me. Probably because that's the setup I've always used and it provides more even power distribution. The motor is there to assist but I still want the workout.

 

[MarkH]

Spds for 30 years to compensate for poor jumping skills, then changed to flats 2 years ago when I got the ebike. Not looked back and now twice the jumper I was.

 

[Mini si]

Nice to see this didn’t turn into a discussion at any point ?
Both for me.

 

[Shinn]

Mostly SPD's over the years, both road and MTB. I have been trying to get used to flats and do like the DMR Vaults I bought but still prefer my Crank Bros E-Mallets but will continue on the flats until I can rule them out.

 

[Sidepod]

I’m keen to convert to flats. I’ve ridden SPDs since the earth cooled but only on a very light setting.
I’ve had a few pop-outs on jumps/bumps and it’s tricky to get back in when committed to a line.
What’s troubling me is the footwear. So much choice and I don’t like any of them. I have an old pair of cross country runners that I quite like. Deffo sub optimal but they feel good so that’s ok with me.

 

[eMullet]

I don't think there is any difference considering pedal choice on ebike compared to normal bike. Rode normal mtb with mallet-e pedals, so I ride my emtb with same pedals. I don't see any benefits going back to flats (for myself) unless I want to perform off-pedal tricks, which I won't and can't do.

 

[RustyMTB]

Bit of both but mainly flats on MTB for the convenience of *cough* unscheduled dismounts/rapid bailing opportunities. Always SPD's on road bikes but haven't ridden road for a few years now. Feel a bit set in my ways on flats now & probably will stick with them but clips are great too.

 

[VWsurfbum]

The way I see it with flat pedal/decent shoe grip levels there's very little downside to using flats over Spuds. The main downside in my opinion is the lack of waterproof flat pedal boots being available and the clipless shoes being available in a waterproof boot?
Back when I did race in Spuds when it was really muddy i would put flats on, no one wants to be rolling around on the floor in the mud trying to unclip?
Come on shoe manufacturers start making flat compatible waterproof boots like the clipless versions!
EG:

I stupidly bought the 5:10 trail cross boot thinking that they would be great, i was wrong. they are a pain to put on, water is designed to seep out and they are not that comfortable. Good grip levels though.

 

[Blakey]

Been an SPD rider since I bought my first MTB decades ago. Went straight to SPDs when I bought my eMTB in September 2020. Rode them all winter. This spring I bought a pair of flats. Rode them for about half a dozen rides and switched back.

Why? My feet keep coming off the pedals. I do some jumping/hops on the various trails around here. I 100% admit I cheat and use the SPDs to help me hop, but I do preload the suspension so it's a bit of technique and a bit of cheating. But the main difference is that when clipped in I feel part of the bike. I just feel like, as long as I can guide the bike where I want it to go, I'll go there too. When unclipped I was never certain I was going to go where the bike went, and sometimes my feet just clean slipped off which is painful and scary. Of course the downside is when my bike hit a tree a few weeks ago, so did I.

 

[RustyMTB]

Flats pin shin is for life.

 

[The EMF]

Rode spd’s for years after originally riding flats, now I’ve migrated back to flats. I ride HT components flats, they have a good platform and perform great with my 5Tens......

 

[Shinn]

Been an SPD rider since I bought my first MTB decades ago. Went straight to SPDs when I bought my eMTB in September 2020. Rode them all winter. This spring I bought a pair of flats. Rode them for about half a dozen rides and switched back.

Why? My feet keep coming off the pedals. I do some jumping/hops on the various trails around here. I 100% admit I cheat and use the SPDs to help me hop, but I do preload the suspension so it's a bit of technique and a bit of cheating. But the main difference is that when clipped in I feel part of the bike. I just feel like, as long as I can guide the bike where I want it to go, I'll go there too. When unclipped I was never certain I was going to go where the bike went, and sometimes my feet just clean slipped off which is painful and scary. Of course the downside is when my bike hit a tree a few weeks ago, so did I.

I'm right there with you Blakey, I a little skittish on flats. The grip is really good when my foot stays on the pedal.

I'm going to keep trying though.

 

[The Hodge]

I've been on Time Atac's for as long as I can remember ..but unlike other folks I don't find them indestructible ..Im probably on my 4th set ..but only my second set of MX6'S which I've just bought .
These have a wider platform .
I have never really had / desired a pair of flat pedals ..rode " clipless" when I first started riding ..( those things you attached to the pedal )..which were bloody awful .
I've never had the shimano version so don't really know how easy it is to unclip..but I don't consciously think about it on the Time system ..it just happens ..
Not interested even slightly in changing to flats ..I value the skin on my shin too much and don't see any advantage at all ..

 

[Sapientiea]

Been riding clipped in for more than 25 years so im used to that. Two years ago after buying the Decoy I tried flats and they scared the living sh*t out of me when there is a technical decent. Foot jumped of couple of times with the pins hitting my shin (auwie ). I am absolutely sure it is my flat-paddle skill that needs improving, but my feet felt so loose on the bike I ran back to spd...or actually I ride with crankbrothers pedals and I can have my foot loose on there if needed. Also, was not used at the enormous pedal surface. If I planted my foot it always felt just not in the correct place and once you go down I could not shift my foot.

 

[7869hodgy]

The way I see it with flat pedal/decent shoe grip levels there's very little downside to using flats over Spuds. The main downside in my opinion is the lack of waterproof flat pedal boots being available and the clipless shoes being available in a waterproof boot?
Back when I did race in Spuds when it was really muddy i would put flats on, no one wants to be rolling around on the floor in the mud trying to unclip?
Come on shoe manufacturers start making flat compatible waterproof boots like the clipless versions!
EG:

I stupidly bought the 5:10 trail cross boot thinking that they would be great, i was wrong. they are a pain to put on, water is designed to seep out and they are not that comfortable. Good grip levels though.

I changed to flats on my emtb in April. SPDs for the past 15-odd years.

I have Northwave Artic GTX winter boots which are SPD. If someone doesn’t come out with a winter/waterproof flat I’ll revert back for the winter.

Current using 5-10 shoes which I really like along with the flexibility of flats.