All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

Ever blast through a rock garden and your feet get all jostled around and you end up on your toes on one foot and heels on the other? I should swap to clips

 

No, because I’ve been on clipless since day one some 20 or so years ago. Nothing like being one with the bike. Arguably the most controversial topics of our sport is which works better. Flats or clipless, to each his own. Both systems obviously are proven and work great.

 

It’s even a debated topic in my own head haha! I know clipless would make me a better climber, and keep me on the bike in some situations longer before I had to hike it.

but...I also take my foot off like a lot to keep myself from falling or simply to adjust for something. Idk it scares me to be locked in, though I’ve never done it.

 

Drop your ankles

 

If I'm on my BMX bike or dirt jumper I'm pedaling platforms. On my cross country bike I'm clipped in.
Clipped in is the way to go if you want to go fast cause it's the only way you can truly spin for speed.
Funny thing you could really go old school and just use straps on your pedals. This gets you half way to
being clipped in. Just don't try to wheelie clipped in. Looping over in front of your buddies is pretty embarrassing.

 

The more i ride the less it happens.
Given clipless or flats aren't going to make me a better rider, but Sam Hill proves flats are a viable option even for the best.

 

rode unclipped on my first road bike for a month or two then moved to clipped. got a mtb and rode flats for a few months then moved to clipped. rode clipped for a few years on hard tails. got a full squish and back on flats. ive also been doing stupid steep freeride stuff and would tumble so hard if i was clipped

i really only get jostled on real dh tracks, like bike park stuff. my suspension probably needs to be fine tuned to my style of riding more than anything else.

 

Thats how I roll. Clips for XC and trail riding, but when things get janky/techy, I go back to flats for the mental comfort that I'm not gonna go down clipped to the bike still.

 

keeps the holiday weight off

 

yea all the time.. been having that issue a lot on climbs recently where a foot blows off the pedal...I keep trolling pinkbike waiting for a deal on some shoes...really just scared for all that clipped in commitment... although every bad otb style crash I've had the bike always ends up with me anyway... so might as well go down with the ship, right?

 

All my clipped in crashes have been on techy uphill bits where you just run outta juice and are still committed all the way to impact. Usually on the dh stuff, gravity gives you the little bit of roll you need to not completely dicker yourself.

 

That’s funny depending on where you fall over at.

 

That’s what Trackstands are for...

 

What size shoe you where? I have given up riding clipped and have a set of CB mallets and some 9.5 Gaerne shoes I'd make you a hell of a deal on.

 

Falling over in a snowmelt stream when you hit some unexpected riverrock underwater is less than ideal.

But hitting a soft spot, and your tire just stops so you just fall over in the soft ground. Hilarious!

 

I’ve got a spare set of cb mallets and a pair is specialized shoes. I’ll check the size for you when I get home but it’s probably between 10.5 and 12

 

Luckily you had that killer stach to cushion the fall

 

Thanks boys.

Shoe size 13's

 

coming to a stop after having feet ideal, vs getting feet ideal while stopped. I know I need to practice that second technique.