What are you riding with - Flats vs Clips?

[MinusPrevious]

Yeah, Been on the flats now for a month or so. My shins have healed LOL.

But, foot placement on the pedals is not always consistent as i my left foot ball got a bit numb on my last ride (it was too far to the rear)

Inconsistent Foot Placement is a downside for me!

 

[Aragaiki]

In a nomal Mtb, cleapless give you more power especially in climbing but in eMtb that is not so important. I believe with flats I can attack harder and push the limits of my emtb, because you are riding faster and have less time to react. So I feel more confortable and safer on Flat.
Cleapless might appear to have one clear benefit when it comes to riding rougher sections — they literally keep your foot attached to the pedal — but using the right technique “on flats pedals“ you can keep your feet firmly planted. All you need to do is drop your heels when riding a rough section, which also has the additional benefit of improving braking tractionI.
So just get a good pair of Five Ten MTB flat shoes or similar, descent pedals and drop your heels for safer riding.
“Heavy feets, light hand” said Brian Lopez...

 

[Doomanic]

Inconsistent Foot Placement is a downside for me!

I’m finding that too, but I’m only 3 rides in.

 

[Madmatt75]

I use FUNN mamba pedals. Flat one side and clipless on the other. I can ride clipped in then if I need to flip the pedal over and ride on flat side. Best of both.

 

[p3eps]

I use FUNN mamba pedals. Flat one side and clipless on the other. I can ride clipped in then if I need to flip the pedal over and ride on flat side. Best of both.

I have the same, and have been using them for about 3 years now. I’m on my second set.

What I am finding more and more is that my SPD shoes (I have 5:10’s for summer, and a pair of Northwave hideous boots for winter!) have such hard soles that they don’t really grip too well on the non clip side.

I like to unclip for technical sections I’m not too sure about... or if it’s really slippy / boggy and I’m likely to have to put a foot down. I feel my feet slide about if I’m not clipped in.

I’m tempted to try a grippier pair of flat shoes and see how I get on with that. I was looking at a pair of 5:10 Impacts.

 

[R120]

I think if you are used to clips, going to flats can be bit of a learning curve in terms of weighting the pedals to make sure your feet dont come off.

I remember a few years back I had been doing a fair bit of velodrome riding, and went out on my MTB, hit a small jump and found my feet coming off the pedals as I had totally forgot I want clipped in.