Flats or clipless on an e-bike ? Is it a good idea to ride clipped in ?

[Mikerb]

I use DMR v12 with 5/10s and have experienced no problems with coming off the pedals...in fact just the opposite. I have to lift my foot to change position or to dab. I tried SPDs just out of curiosity and I can see how they help to make pedalling more efficient but I don't do much sit down pedal riding except on transitions and the disadvantages for me are the god awful SPD shoes for anytime you are off the bike and the likelihood of not being able to throw the bike away in a crash...probably leading to knee or ankle injury. PS when was the last time you saw a MX rider clipped in??

 

[brash]

I ride both, but predominately flats on the e-mtb, the climbs are way more technical than what I can do on my "Acoustic" bike and hence more dabbing and "oh S**t" moments.

Good alternative if you are on Crank Bro's is the "easy release" cleats which are 10deg release and 6 deg float. It's enough float to stay clipped in on gnarly descents but very quick to release.

 

[ImSundee]

Clips make logically most sense, sense, due to on an emtb you want to spin the pedals to get torque.

I dont think there is any right or wrong, but personally I'll be pulling crank brothers, I've raced DH on them and ridden with them for years, I can still dab feet on corners with them. I actually learn to do no footers on them at one stage.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I've found I crash efficiently with flats or spd pedals.
But I prefer the kudos of crashing with SPD's fitted as I feel like it's more professional ..?

 

[Thedoc]

As other people have said, feet coming off flats is because of poor technique. I ride both and this year just flats. I constantly tell my self when thing get bumpy ... Heals down heals down .. and position feet with ball over the pedal pivot.

Flats are more fun and allow great movement around positions for turns/ burns and stuff which make u feel really involved

 

[Gary]

As other people have said, feet coming off flats is because of poor technique. I ride both and this year just flats. I constantly tell my self when thing get bumpy ... Heals down heals down .. and position feet with ball over the pedal pivot.

Although you're agreeing with me, there's way more to strong foot placement/pedal grip than just lowering your heels and you don't need the ball of your foot over the peadl axle at all.
lowering your entire centre of gravity gains you more pedal grip as it weights your fet more as does staying looseing allow your legs to work as dampers.
holding a strong body position via core strength holds your entire body in position on a bike.
Learning no footers/crank flips will build muscle memory so even if a foot is blown off for some freak reason you'll place it straight back on the pedal without any drama. riding a hardtail on rough/tech/jumpy terrain (incl skatepark riding) without the aid of sticky rubber soles or super grippy pedals will also teach you how to remedy any foot security issues.

I don't even use biking shoes or particularly grippy pedals and never lose a pedal from rough terrain.

 

[kntr]

Try pedaling with one foot on your flats. lol

I one foot pedal clipped-in a lot.

 

[sb5050]

Clips or flats, it’s totally subjective to you the rider. Try them both and see how you feel. Give each one at least 2-3 rides and you will figure it out. A compromise is a one sided flat pedal with an spd on the other side. The best of both worlds.. You be the judge.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Chill bro..

I'm just saying put in the time to solve the (non) issue

nah I think it is an issue... for me anyway. i was riding BMX from the very start and have the shins to match when I swapped to MTB and then all my mates were riding SPD so I swapped and had a terrible time getting used to them.. after a while though it was second nature and pulling up was something I did without thinking.
then I bought an EMTB and straight off I knew I would need to go back to flats for the kind of riding that seems to be 'normal' now and guess what.... im having a terrible time getting used to being on flats after so many years of SPD's.. I cant get used to having my heels down and keep losing a foot off every so often so yea, for some people it is an issue and perhaps you have some tips for the people struggling with them, you seem to be a bit of an expert.

 

[Gary]

read my reply 5 posts above this one.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

read my reply 5 posts above this one.

ok I read it and I still suck, what now

I think personally speaking im suffering from a bit of 'bike future shock' where everything I ride now is 100% different to what I was riding.. ie going from clips to flats, ancient mtb to emtb, 26" to 29" wheels etc etc..
I also think im a really lazy setup rider and ill do the basics on the suspension and fork but that will be the end of it
I rarely get caught out on for example, a fast rough, loose, steep rocky descent but it will be something like a set of natural whoops that will buck me a bit and ill have a foot slip off and head for the weeds etc..

I have only just retired from rugby and have half decent core strength so I guess its just technique and skill im lacking

 

[Gary]

TBF I've regularly switched from flats to clips, 20" to 26" to 27.5" to 29" to 700x23c for years
and ride loads of other folks bikes too. I adapt quickly to riding anything from the latest up to date geometry wonder bikes to old shitters but know straight away when a bike I'm on doesn't suit me and whether it's just a set-up issue or the bike doesn't actually suit my preferences/riding style.
I'm very particular about all my own bikes set-ups but I'm really proficient/efficient at setting up bikes and modest with it.

Now you've FTFM...
Ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat...ride... repeat... ride... repeat... adinfinitum

 

[Changleen]

OMG can we not with the 1/0 choices about things? What about, it’s like clips when you start riding?
Day one; sounds like a bad idea. 2 years in; absolutely in the right situations.

Get clips if you want them and feel ready for them, and that you’ll be safe on the trails you’re riding.

 

[Hasse Birkmose]

The extra stability of the emtb makes it work even better with flats in my view.

 

[R120]

I love these threads, it’s a bit like asking what’s the better on toast, jam or marmalade, personally I prefer marmalade because when I take a bite of the toast it doesn’t drip down my face as much, but then I have people telling me my techniques all wrong and jams the best, and it’s not the jams fault it runs down my face.

Like eating toast, riding a bike is very much an instinctive pastime, overthinking any aspect of it does lore harm than good.

 

[Eddy Current]

Are the 5/10 really the benchmark? I don’t trust (completely) reviews, you always find that “good but no as grippy than five tens” line when they test other shoes ...

 

[Gary]

5:10 do use the grippiest rubber compounds in their soles.
Hence that line you keep seeing in reviews.
But why would you trust any of us?

 

[Eddy Current]

What a question, is like that “who’s watch the watcher“ shit. Ok i answer

5:10 do use the grippiest rubber compounds in their soles.
Hence that line you keep seeing in reviews.
But why would you trust any of us?

Because you didn’t say Spe 2F0 shoes are the stickiest ... i caught you here ma nigga!

 

[Gary]

you're such a fanny Ed

 

[Eddy Current]

you're such a fanny Ed

I’m Spaniard after all gary, what do you expect?

 

[CjP]

Clipped in is for the road! Mtb flats.

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.
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[Pondboy]

As eMTB's reward spinning so well, clipless is the winner.

 

[Ripping g]

Good pedals n good pair of 5/10 are as good

 

[Martinintirol]

Flat pedals for me on MTB, and my road tourer. Just convenient being able to wear walking shoes/hiking boots. I had 25 years of spd's on road bikes and tried them initially on my mtb here in the Alps. After a few crashes leading to several visits to the hospital I changed over to flat pedals and have never gone back.
You need to get your leg out frequently on descents, dropper posts have helped here.
But the crashes are horrible - having broken bones and gravel needing to be scraped out of your skin is not fun!

 

[Rusty]

I have thought a lot over this dilemma and have come to the conclusion ...................
How much do you love your bike?
If you really, really love it you will use clips.


The reason I say this is that with clips there is a better than even chance that you will hit the ground before your bike - which will then use you as a landing area ..... helping keep crash damage to the minimum.
After all - Pain is just weakness leaving the body.

 

[jsharpe]

I normally ride with clipless pedals but was looking for a flat option that would work when I occasionally need to ride in work/hiking/snow boots that have deeper Vibram lug soles.

I didn't want the normal spikes/pins that come with most flat pedals because of the potential for damaging the soles of my rather expensive boots or my shins. The solution I came up with is to simply replace the small diameter bolts that came with the pedals with larger stainless cap screws fitted from the other side.

Since these were composite pedals (Stamp 1's) I could simply self thread the new screws directly into the plastic but the same concept would work if you used a tap on metal pedals. All the pins are completely adjustable. If I wanted an even more bulletproof option I could have bought longer screws and put nuts on one or both sides. However, as it stands it seems plenty tough for my needs and 100 of the new screws were only about $7USD on eBay so I have lots of spares.

Even though the cap ends of the screws are much larger and more rounded than the original bolts, they still hook up great with my boots without doing any damage. And the hopefully rare contact with my shins also won't be nearly as damaging.

 

[SupasafeElectroLumberjack]

just gone back to riding clipless after I couldnt be bothered to take my flats off my old bike, and I finally found my spd shoes in the boot of my wifes car.

I find the additional pedalling efficiency is helpful, even on an ebike, when standing up on the pedals up hill. I've had a couple of moments where I could really do with finding the pedal and skating my shoes around which is a non-issue with flats but other than that there haven't been any issues. I do feel that once you need the spd shoes though, rides cease to feel 'casual'.

I've been riding SPD's on and off for about 15 years so am pretty comfortable in both situations. I started when doing freeride on my HT and my feet kept bouncing off the pedals, that is just not an issue now.

I guess the main reason for keeping my clipless pedals is that I don't have any flats that match the colour scheme of the new bike...

 

[deksawyer]

That'll be slippy as hell when they get wet.

I normally ride with clipless pedals but was looking for a flat option that would work when I occasionally need to ride in work/hiking/snow boots that have deeper Vibram lug soles.

I didn't want the normal spikes/pins that come with most flat pedals because of the potential for damaging the soles of my rather expensive boots or my shins. The solution I came up with is to simply replace the small diameter bolts that came with the pedals with larger stainless cap screws fitted from the other side.

Since these were composite pedals (Stamp 1's) I could simply self thread the new screws directly into the plastic but the same concept would work if you used a tap on metal pedals. All the pins are completely adjustable. If I wanted an even more bulletproof option I could have bought longer screws and put nuts on one or both sides. However, as it stands it seems plenty tough for my needs and 100 of the new screws were only about $7USD on eBay so I have lots of spares.

Even though the cap ends of the screws are much larger and more rounded than the original bolts, they still hook up great with my boots without doing any damage. And the hopefully rare contact with my shins also won't be nearly as damaging.

View attachment 27286

 

[Gary]

I normally ride with clipless pedals but was looking for a flat option that would work when I occasionally need to ride in work/hiking/snow boots that have deeper Vibram lug soles.

I didn't want the normal spikes/pins that come with most flat pedals because of the potential for damaging the soles of my rather expensive boots or my shins. The solution I came up with is to simply replace the small diameter bolts that came with the pedals with larger stainless cap screws fitted from the other side.

Since these were composite pedals (Stamp 1's) I could simply self thread the new screws directly into the plastic but the same concept would work if you used a tap on metal pedals. All the pins are completely adjustable. If I wanted an even more bulletproof option I could have bought longer screws and put nuts on one or both sides. However, as it stands it seems plenty tough for my needs and 100 of the new screws were only about $7USD on eBay so I have lots of spares.

Even though the cap ends of the screws are much larger and more rounded than the original bolts, they still hook up great with my boots without doing any damage. And the hopefully rare contact with my shins also won't be nearly as damaging.

View attachment 27286

That's hands down thew worst flat pedal set-up i've ever seen. but if it works for you .Fair enough

 

[Stihldog]

I used clipless on my road then my gravel. I went to flats on my emtb earlier this year.
Then I tried the magnets. I find it the best of both worlds. My shoes don’t fly off the peddles. I can dab without thinking about it. On an upstroke I still get the power. If I have an accidental release I can quickly return to the position I’m comfortable in. I will never do clipless or flats again. Magnets on the peddles and an plate on spd flats.