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

Definitely harder to just pick up clipless and shoes to try out.

I picked up flats to try out a few years ago and it was a nice comparison. I still prefer clipless in 95% of situations, but there are a select few trails that I'll throw the flats on for.

 

I have both personally. Now that I think about it I’ve never ridden flats at a downhill bike park though. Clipless make me feel like I have one less thing to think about. It can also teach bad habits like pulling up on your pedals when bunny hopping.

flats are obviously something you need to learn to keep your feet on in rough stuff but it can be more confidence inspiring on some occasions.

 

If you can ride all the trails go with the intermediate group.
Just push yourself to keep up in sections you know really well.

No one is going to care. Remember, I passed out my first time "trying" to keeping up with some of these guys, but I still ride with them now every week.

 

I've always used flats in the DH park, but sometimes when its rough I feel that the bike will push me off. I used to ride stand up jet skis in the surf and i'd semi-lock my feet in the tray to do aerial manuevers like 180's and rolls. To exit was either to lift the heel or turn it. I guess its a similar and it's got my curiosity.

 

Yeah that sounds pretty similar. I pretty much only ride clipless and change out to flats whenever I’m feeling bored haha. The majority of my recent riding has been more XC. A couple years ago I’d ride some more Enduro type stuff and was still riding clipless back then.

 

Yeah, one dude uses flats. The rest of the entire field uses some form of clipless pedal.

Clipless FTW.

 

I'm thinking this is the right way to do it.

https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/apparel-accessories/shimano-series-lsg-2020/SH-AM702.html

https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/product/component/shimano/PD-ME700.html

 

I have the ME7s - my favorite shoe so far. The Michelin rubber sole and lugs are fantastic for when you actually have to walk. A lot of XC clipless shoes are like ice skates if you have to walk on sandstone (read: moab) https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/apparel-accessories/shimano-series-lsg-2021/SH-ME702.html

I have several years on the Crank Brothers Mallet E. Great pedal. loved them, but the design means they require a fair bit of maintenance. I was replacing bearings a few times a year and spindles at least once a year. When they work they are awesome, and they do take a pounding. https://www.crankbrothers.com/products/mallet-e

However, I've switched over to the Shimano M820. The axle design is far superior, and the way you repack the bearings in Shimano pedals is inspired. They just require a lot less attention than the Mallet's. https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/saint-m820/PD-M821.html

But I will say, for any kind of downhill/enduro style riding, running a dedicated Enduro shoe/pedal combination is amazing. There are times when you get kicked off the pedal or don't have time to clip in, and having a platform with pins to fall back on is a life saver.

 

I know winter riding is almost over but found these in the garage this morning and realized I never got around to selling them since they don't really match our riding weather here in San Diego-

Bontrager OMW Winter Bike Shoes- Size US 9, EU

$100 Plus shipping...

 

Your set up is roughly $130 more than what I posted. Do you think its worth it?

 

I think the things that connect you are always worth it. Grips, seat, pedals, tires. Those pedals, without the pins, are just more weight that the ones without the cage. You want pins. If money is tight, get the M820 pedals and go with the more affordable shoes.

 

how do you guys do crank flips with your clips?

 

Ouch.

 

Eeek

 

Did my first my area group ride tonight. Stuck with the beginner group, mainly because the more experienced group was going allllll the way down the mountain, then back up. I’ve done all the way up....then back down, but not the reverse. So I didn’t want to be a hold up, in the dark..

still had a lot of fun and got some decent mileage in with the beginner group. Gotta get my cardio up though so I can do the climbs confidently with a group...

 

Understandable. Part of the reason I dont do group rides in phoenix cus most of these guys are the ones who have been out here 20 years and just dont stop. For my climbing, my technical ability is the only thing I've got, and even then my trials skills are horrible. Even when I do ride with friends the only ones who ride are the soccer kids and on XC kid. They also do not get tired...

 

Same reasoning here. I knew a few of the folks going with the tougher group and knew for a fact I couldn’t keep up with them cardio wise. Like one guy comes and climbs the road climb we have for 40+ miles up and down just for fun.

f that.

 

if they would’ve ran like a mini windrock like people say the place basically is they would’ve faired better. Ride rain or shine. Sad they canceled my reservation when I was in Asheville

 

I personally feel that cardio/ability to pedal fast for long time can be done by almost anyone given enough time to build that up. I could be totally wrong. But the difference in my ability to pedal up an actual mountain when I first moved to Phoenix from Dallas vs now, is drastically different. Even after 3 knee surgeries interrupting 10 months of riding in these 2.5 years. I'm way more impressed by the guys who have the technical climbing abilities. to me for mountain biking as a whole I see "skill" > fitness. After all isn't that the only thing that separates MTB from roadies? The Skills on the bike rather than pedal far and fast.

 

True, but can’t show off skill if you’re out of breath lol. Everything local to me is tech. So climbing takes skill, I just don’t have the cardio to continuously do the sections between haha