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

What is the benefit to clip in pedals when riding MTB? I feel like there are literally none.

Am i wrong?

 

According to Strava, I am lightyears faster on the ups than I was on platforms. I can def feel it on the climbs too. I don't feel as tired.

I also clear the techy stuff better on the ups as well for 2 reasons: 1. my feet don't bounce or spin off the pedals and 2. I can't always conciously clip out in time, so I just have to survival-pedal my way out of a jam.

 

Just one less thing to think/worry about. I know my feet will be on the pedals when I need them to be. Whenever I eat shit I rarely think I wouldn’t have eaten shit on flats.

With that said I used to run flats on my singlespeed in college since I was too lazy to swap the pedals out and it 100% made me a better rider, although the singlespeed rigid part might have helped with that a little too.

 

I can agree with the first statement. And I have only been on clips for 4 rides now. My legs hurt way less. And I feel like I have a little more control and don’t have to think about my feet slipping off the pedals. Which is one of the big reasons I went clips. No I have embarrassingly fallen over in the parking lot a couples times because I forget I’m clipped in.

 

Yes, you are wrong. You never slip off the pedals. You can put power down for a full 360 degrees of rotation. Nobody on flat pedals will ever go uphill as fast as someone clipped in. Once you get used to them it becomes second nature and they do not restrict you from getting your foot down in sticky situations. They become so "normal" you will have a "how did I ever ride without these?" moment of revelation. I liken it to driving without a seatbelt. It's mindblowing that anyone still does it. The only place it even remotely makes sense to run flats is on dirtjumps.

 

I rode clipless for a decade before going back to flats a few years ago. I experienced way too many slow-moving injuries when I didn't clip out in time, so I decided to go with flats to avoid some of that. I also always preferred flats for downhill and jumping -- if that's your thing.

I haven't noticed much difference, in terms of speed or power transfer, but fatigue on longer rides is definitely more noticeable with flats.

If you're racing XC, then I do highly suggest clipping in for the fatigue factor alone.

 

I had a pretty funny one yesterday. Coming down from the peak of a local lookout trail and my buddy OTB'd into the bushes. Pretty funny low speed wreck. I stop behind him "OMG Kev, are you OK?" OH SHOOT! *crash*

I was focused on him and not the fact that I clipped out only one foot and tipped the other way.

 

I'm all for clips on ups and trail rides, but I just can't get the hang of it on the gravity stuff. flats are staying on my DH bike and rowdy rides on the Bronson.

 

yes. they are more efficient when pedaling, and give you more control with riding down, without the risk of the screws on flat pedals making your shins into a minefield.

 

I was just wondering if anyone has tried to use a tailgate cover while they also have a bed rack. I’m looking at getting a rci bed rack, but want to throw a rtt on it. Does anyone think I’ll be able to do that and thrown my bike on the tailgate cover or is there not enough space? Thanks.

 

Makes sense man when I used to commute to work I always had clips cause you get that extra power on the upstroke as well. When it comes to gravity stuff, I just cant go clip though.

 

Ohhhh, nice!

See that bike in the last pic of just handlebars? That’s my buddy’s Optimus Ti that he will be storing at my house while he’s in Japan. He was borrowing one of my spare bikes when he’d come home but they all run just a tick small for him and he’s not an XC guy. So that gives me a sweet HT... with... a dropper. Oy vey...

 

It’s a syncros ergo. It came on the bike, but I’ve honestly loved it so much I haven’t even debated switching back to my fabric scoop

 

Yup, you wrong.

Both have pros and cons. Pick your poison for your uses and preferences.

 

There it is. Flats are fun, and I bike for fun, so I run flats.

All bikes are better with droppers.

T.W. comes through with great answers. But@alt-alt, dude cmon. I’ve ridden both for years, and to say one is superior is silliness.
And I’ve passed plenty of people on ups with flats while they’re running clips. It’s all fitness, not pedals man.
Pedals are a contact point, like saddles and grips. It’s all about preference.

 

Ahem...

 

Pisgah!

 

Knocked the cobwebs off my mini-downhill bike todayst Mountain Creek

 

Ah I miss the creek! Its crazy how smooth that hit is...nicely done!

 

Clips Vs Flats are like the wheelsize debate. Pick one, then be a dick about it

(in case you missed that reference)