Clips or Flats?

Clips or Flats...

  • Total voters
    177
  • Poll closed .
W2ttsy

W2ttsy

Likes Dirt
LIAM?! said:
Flats.... clip ins and dh just dont click :p

You wear clip ins, You fall, Your Fucked
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only if you have them tight as or try to race with out knowing how to ride clipless.

i run my clips loose and they clip in and out no different to putting my foot and off the pedals. in fact im so used to them that i make the clip out manurism when using flats :eek:

they are a bit off putting for doing freeriding type stuff, but for racing, they are imperative. gives you all the power needed when the track is rough and you cant keep your feet on flats...

of course the trick is not to fall over at the starting post :p

W2ttsy
 
Big_Al

Big_Al

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Clips all the way

im riding clips now i have just converted.. i carnt imagine wat it is like to ride flats anymore..
 
mike-

mike-

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The funki 1 said:
Are the shimano "DX" pedals all that they are talked up to be?
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They are not bad, but there difinately is a better alternative in my opinion.

Time Z pedals are great, I much prefer them over the Shimano DX range (which I have been riding for nearly 7 years, on the same pedals... those red ones, indestructable).

But yeah, if your buying new I would go for the Time Z pedals, only bad side is they do not have any tension adjustment, might not be so great for a beginner to clips.
 
Kram

Kram

Likes Bikes and Dirt
mike- said:
They are not bad, but there difinately is a better alternative in my opinion.

Time Z pedals are great, I much prefer them over the Shimano DX range (which I have been riding for nearly 7 years, on the same pedals... those red ones, indestructable).

But yeah, if your buying new I would go for the Time Z pedals, only bad side is they do not have any tension adjustment, might not be so great for a beginner to clips.
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If your's are 7 years old, you are missing out on the big improvements they have made since then. I've run the kind you have for many years, as well as the new style for a couple of years. There really is no comparison. Easier in, easier out and less unwanted ejections. All round better. The resin cage slides over rocks quite nicely.
 
C

cappa

Likes Bikes
with the pedals it all depend what you are comfortable with, there is no point in being cliped in and not being cofortable and confident other wise you wont go fast, there will be more of a chance of crashing and you will be distracted away from the track becouse your thinging about when you neeed to un clip. if you are confident with being cliped in then you will probably go faster.
its all trial and error, you have to give clip ins a go and if you don't like them then go flat pedals. i ride flat
 
noske

noske

Likes Dirt
if you are a xc rider you use clips, if you ride downhill you use clips. IN one way clips are good for getting more power and keeping your feet on your pedals but if you stack you will be hurt.
got that
 
Plow King

Plow King

Little bit.
noske said:
if you are a xc rider you use clips, if you ride downhill you use clips. IN one way clips are good for getting more power and keeping your feet on your pedals but if you stack you will be hurt.
got that
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No comment...

You CAN get hurt if you can't unclip for some reason but most of the time it happens automatically.

If you crash on any bike you will get hurt, hell alteast onl clips if you cant unclip it keeps your legs hugging the bike so you can slide instead of your legs going everywhere on flats., i,e if you slide out your going to slide on your leg, not put it out and snap/twist break it.
 
oscarjackson_321

oscarjackson_321

Likes Bikes
i thought clip ins were only used in xc and stuff like that, i reckon flats are heaps better, not only safer if you stack, but more manoverable with tricks. cos ya not gonna be able to pull one off if your foots stuck to the pedal. plus there wider 2.
 
J

JnM

Likes Bikes
Would people please stop assuming stacks will be worse with clipless. If you have learnt how to use them properly over an extended period of time they are no more dangerous. In my opinion, they are safer; Why? your feet can't slip off, whenever you stack it (unless OTB) your feet naturally twist, which unclips you.
The power increase is very noticable, giving you a huge increase in acceleration.

I wouldn't recommend doing downhill with clips unless you have plenty of experience with them on road bikes or xc/trail riding. As for pedals, crank bros mallets are good, you can still get back on the bike without clipping in, saving you time recovering from a stack.
 
Viv92

Viv92

Eats Squid
JnM said:
Would people please stop assuming stacks will be worse with clipless. If you have learnt how to use them properly over an extended period of time they are no more dangerous. In my opinion, they are safer; Why? your feet can't slip off, whenever you stack it (unless OTB) your feet naturally twist, which unclips you.
The power increase is very noticable, giving you a huge increase in acceleration.

I wouldn't recommend doing downhill with clips unless you have plenty of experience with them on road bikes or xc/trail riding. As for pedals, crank bros mallets are good, you can still get back on the bike without clipping in, saving you time recovering from a stack.
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Yeah a lot of pro's seem to run mallets. Crankbro's cost a fair bit more than their shimano equivalent though, still worth looking at.
 
jarred_M

jarred_M

Likes Bikes
My 2 cents worth

Between the guys i ride with, about 5 or so have flat (including me) and 3 have clips. At the moment one of those guys has a broken wrist and another a broken collarbone after big stacks.

Yes, if your experienced you might be able to get your feet out, that is if you see or feel the fall coming. If it comes out of the blue, your farked.
 
ajay

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
Plow King said:
How long have you been riding them for?

Like a month?
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It doesnt take long! I converted to clips a while back, sure the 1st few runs were sketchy, but you soon get the hang of it and the thought of flats makes you shudder... but alas I had a serious ankle injury (while using flats) and can no longer un-clip in a hurry so im back on flats...

And ill echo JnM's thoughts on crashing and clips too - 1st learn to use them, then use them for an extended period of time, then form an opinion, not the reverse.
 
I

Ingeniator

Likes Dirt
Its way to hard to do no-footers with clips;)
(yes, i know this is in relation to 'dh' but assuming you use one bike for everything....)

Ive ridden flats since i started, although i have had a turn on a friends spd-using machine, but was annoyed that i couldnt take my inside foot off in the sharper, looser turns.

I quote "clips are remedial only" hahaha
 
J

josh88

Likes Dirt
I would personaly go for for the flats. This is because i know someone who has clip ins and they're all ways crashing. But it comes down to personal preferance in the end.
 
Rutter

Rutter

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Ive recently gone back to flats/510's after riding clips for about a year. I just find when riding flats its alot easier to attack corners faster and when it gets sketchy you can always put a foot out. I just have more confidence when on flats. However as already stated clips are good for when the going gets rough and is generally in a straight line (imo), and i also found you are able to pedal through rocky sections alot better than when riding with flats. In 99% of crashes with clips i have always been able to clip out before i hit the deck.

Give both ago and see what you like best

hope this helps
 
Last edited:
The funki 1

The funki 1

Likes Dirt
Byast Opinions.

Whilst reading this thread, (from start to finish) I have noticed that the guys/gals who ride flats tend to be very byast and in one way or another say that clips are stupid and your a moron for even thinking about using them.

However some flat riders (not alot but some) give both sides of the story and actually justify their opinion.

Since starting this thread i've come to see that more ride flats. But the main reason for this is because none of them have given clips a try...

I support clip-ins!!

Ha Ha* Go all the clip in riders, I respect you!

To the boys who roll flats....Give clips a fair try before coming to a conclusion.

I know its not all flat riders but it is over 70% (THE MAJORITY):eek:
 
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