Flow-Rider
Burner
I know the video is about jumping but it does explain how not to pull up with your cleats.
Advice for a flat pedal newb
- Thread starter Goudgey
- Start date
ForkinGreat
Knows his Brassica oleracea
it may help to take the pedals off and rub your shins with them to help the conditioning process.
SF Trailboy
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Best advice I was given - drop your heels sweetheart- worked a treat...
Ultra Lord
Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
heavy feet, light hands worked for me.
moorey
call me Mia
This is an MTB thread, fruitboots.
moorey
call me Mia
You too.
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
You forgot "use your face"
pink poodle
ここには見るべきものは何もありません
There was a bit of talk about shoes. I'm fucking around in the garage, so here's a my main off road shoes. Both are Teva (I don't think they make MTB shoes anymore) that I've had for years. The shoes keep delivering. Dissapointing they don't do MTB shoes anymore as these have outperformed the couple of pairs of 5:10 (line king, spitfire, dirtbag) I've owned in performance and comfort.
You can see where my feet go on the pedals from the pin gouges. It doesn't really fit in with the foot forward trend being spruiked.
Black and Blue is a stiffer sole of dense rubber. It grabs onto bigger aggressive pins with ease. When the pins wear down the harder sole has a little difficulty settling in place. Comfortable for walking around in as well but I wouldn't wear them all day.
The gum sole fits like a regular skate shoe for comfort. It grabs pins really well, even when they are worn down a bit. I've got massive fresh pins on one of my bikes and it's currently not an issue with these shoes.
Personally I find it's more important to have comfortable fitting shoes than worry about which brand or sole pattern everyone likes. This is good of you can head into the local shop land try shoes on. Not so easy when buying online.
You can see where my feet go on the pedals from the pin gouges. It doesn't really fit in with the foot forward trend being spruiked.
Black and Blue is a stiffer sole of dense rubber. It grabs onto bigger aggressive pins with ease. When the pins wear down the harder sole has a little difficulty settling in place. Comfortable for walking around in as well but I wouldn't wear them all day.
The gum sole fits like a regular skate shoe for comfort. It grabs pins really well, even when they are worn down a bit. I've got massive fresh pins on one of my bikes and it's currently not an issue with these shoes.
Personally I find it's more important to have comfortable fitting shoes than worry about which brand or sole pattern everyone likes. This is good of you can head into the local shop land try shoes on. Not so easy when buying online.
Attachments
teK--
Eats Squid
As long as you are using riding specific shoes, it doesn't matter so much that you aren't using 510s. Ideally you have something that is as grippy as 510s, but even if you don't, technique is going to be the biggest factor.
The grippiest soles won't grip the pedals if you don't have enought pressure on them.
Pressure can come from 2 things:
1. Your body weight
2. The force you apply by pushing your hands against the grips and your feet back into the pedals. Imagine you are picking up a bowl by touching only the inside surfaces. How would you do it? You push against one side with one hand the other one against the opposing side to create tension.
If you are being pitched forward on rough stuff it sounds like your pedal may be sitting too far forward on your feet. Also you may be mistiming your body weight shift.
It's great advice to drop your heels, but you can't be doing that all the time; sometimes you have your toes downwards but you are pushing back into the pedals with your hands simultaneously pushing forward into the bars (creating pressure on the pedals).
Check out some videos on how to do a correct bunny hop; that will be the best way to visualise.
It will take you a good 10+ rides of perseverance and likely riding slower and clumsier than usual before you get back to the same level of confidence and speed as you were on clipless. From then it can only get better.
I made the transition from clipless to flats after about 7 years, so it definitely is possible. Don't give up!
The grippiest soles won't grip the pedals if you don't have enought pressure on them.
Pressure can come from 2 things:
1. Your body weight
2. The force you apply by pushing your hands against the grips and your feet back into the pedals. Imagine you are picking up a bowl by touching only the inside surfaces. How would you do it? You push against one side with one hand the other one against the opposing side to create tension.
If you are being pitched forward on rough stuff it sounds like your pedal may be sitting too far forward on your feet. Also you may be mistiming your body weight shift.
It's great advice to drop your heels, but you can't be doing that all the time; sometimes you have your toes downwards but you are pushing back into the pedals with your hands simultaneously pushing forward into the bars (creating pressure on the pedals).
Check out some videos on how to do a correct bunny hop; that will be the best way to visualise.
It will take you a good 10+ rides of perseverance and likely riding slower and clumsier than usual before you get back to the same level of confidence and speed as you were on clipless. From then it can only get better.
I made the transition from clipless to flats after about 7 years, so it definitely is possible. Don't give up!
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
I made the transition after 25 years in clips, and it took at least a dozen rides to stop feeling like i would die at any moment... It good to learn new skills though right?
I'm using Shimano shoes because they were cheap and I always fit Shimano shoes well and some $30 eBay nylon pedals with vicious looking screws that Im sure will open an artery if i get it wrong... I've just stayed away from drops and jumps for a while until i learn how to do them again. But so far so good and I think its slowly improving technique in general.
In short, just give it time and don't do anything that feels sketchy until confidence returns. Eventually one day you'll realise you had stopped thinking about it and it feels normal again
I'm using Shimano shoes because they were cheap and I always fit Shimano shoes well and some $30 eBay nylon pedals with vicious looking screws that Im sure will open an artery if i get it wrong... I've just stayed away from drops and jumps for a while until i learn how to do them again. But so far so good and I think its slowly improving technique in general.
In short, just give it time and don't do anything that feels sketchy until confidence returns. Eventually one day you'll realise you had stopped thinking about it and it feels normal again
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Scotty T
Walks the walk
You forgot "use your face"
Making the right face shouldn't be underestimated. You can use your tongue to stabilise and lower facial centre of gravity in the air, but put it away before you land, and don't use it for rock gardens.
My feet are the same position on cleats and flats. I run my SPD cleats in the centre of the slot, it puts the centre of the cleat bolt a few mm behind the ball of my foot.
This is a good short article.
https://www.leelikesbikes.com/foot-position-on-flat-pedals.html
Ultra Lord
Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
he’s referencing me blowing both feet off my pedals off a drop and going face first into a mound of dirt after tripoding off the second drop.
Always go full send!
teK--
Eats Squid
picsorban
thepotatokid
Likes Dirt
Ryan Leech had a good series of videos/drills for moving to flats. I followed his guide when I moved to flats a couple of years back and found it very helpful. Not sure if it is still available but worth looking at.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ultra Lord
Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
pink poodle
ここには見るべきものは何もありません
And buy the most expensive gear you can find.
1) Just grab some shin pads and wear them for a bit until you get comfortable. Colony BMX makes cheap bike specific ones you can pick up at 99 bikes or online.
2) If you're gonna miss or lose a pedal, miss the back one. If you miss the back one, the cranks have to turn the drivetrain and will glide into the back of your calf with resistance. If you miss the front one, it will slam into your shin at warp speed with no resistance.
2) If you're gonna miss or lose a pedal, miss the back one. If you miss the back one, the cranks have to turn the drivetrain and will glide into the back of your calf with resistance. If you miss the front one, it will slam into your shin at warp speed with no resistance.
pink poodle
ここには見るべきものは何もありません
2) isn't always going to work out well...I came up short hopping onto a retaining wall a long time ago. After a few hours at the hospital I left with 24 stitches.
1) I always ride in shin pads. It's apparently uncool these days but I don't like hurting my shins. I've got these:
https://www.bicyclestore.com.au/o-neal-rocker-knee-shin-guard-2-colours.html
But haven't used them yet.
And these which I have owned a few times:
TLD Method Knee And Shin Pads
Avoid the pain and agony of a slipped pedal the TLD Method Knee and Shin Pads. With extended shin coverage, these pads will adequately protect you from trail hazards and your own bike! Featuring a 2-part system, the Method allows you to wear them with or without the plastic plates allowing you...
www.mtbdirect.com.au
Scotty T
Walks the walk
I'm finding the IXS knee pads are pretty amazing comfort wise, and putting them with my old school CTR shin pads is a super comfy combo, rode 20km in them the other week. Closest thing seems to be the Lizard Skins and I agree with the description "Old School Neoprene guards are the most comfortable protective gear you will ever wear."
https://www.lizardskins.com/product-details?h=shin-guard-black&c=body_protection&v=0&t=Shin Guard