Flat pedals?

[dplasters]

My opinion on clipless and commuting is based on my commute. I recognize that there are many other distances and types of surfaces ridden on. The point was not that clipless pedals and commuting are a stupid combination. It was to point out why I don’t use them on my route and hit a few major reasons you see on the internet as to why everyone and their mother should ride clipless.

I will still say that I still don’t “get it”. I don’t have knee, ankle or foot pain etc. I know that others have these things. That doesn’t mean I understand it. I don’t “get” having a long distance time wise. I live where I live specifically to have a short commute. I understand that these options exist and they make sense to people, but I clearly don’t buy into them otherwise I’d be riding clipless. Do whatever makes you ride more.

There is no answer to the question. Both are great ways to enjoy a bicycle. But whenever I get to try and convince a clipless person to try platforms I’m all in.

[jabberwocky]

@dplasters 120680 wrote:

There is no answer to the question. Both are great ways to enjoy a bicycle. But whenever I get to try and convince a clipless person to try platforms I’m all in.

Having done both, I’d certainly have a difficult time going back to flats on anything but very short distance utility riding. Even on the DH bike I start missing clips on more pedally trails like Bryce. Run what ya like, but I think that unless you really want the convenience of using normal shoes, there is very little reason to run flats on any bike ridden more than a mile or two.

[GovernorSilver]

My commute is 12 to 12.8 miles each way. No problems for me so far doing all these rides with platform pedals – aside from the aforementioned slipping after some light rain – pedals got wet while I shopped for some groceries.

[Tania]

Tooling around town (think CaBi type rides) I’m fine in flats. Otherwise, I want to be clipped in. I change how I pedal as I ride – I switch from mostly pushing down to pulling up to give my muscles a break. Especially on hills where I spin up – I’d never be able to pull up on the pedal with my leg to get me up the hill with any efficiency. Doing that means I can cruise up Two Sisters and not even be out of breath or feel it in my legs.

I pull up on the pedals even on false flats – pretty much any time my quads are giving me the finger.

I liked flats on my Syren but I’d almost always had on shin guards. 😮

I don’t even give clipping in/out a second thought. But I DID want flats the few times I rode on packed snow/ice this past winter.

BUT, isn’t your commute now like four blocks? I think you need a new bike just for short city rides with flat pedals.

[KelOnWheels]

@Tania 120685 wrote:

BUT, isn’t your commute now like four blocks? I think you need a new bike just for short city rides with flat pedals.

Well obviously you are correct! (it’s like 12 blocks, but who’s counting)

I totally need a cute mixte with a basket for the dog. It is clearly the best solution. (It would actually be quite handy, I could ride it to work if I wanted to wear a skirt. Although our office is freezing. )

[Tania]

@KelOnWheels 120686 wrote:

Well obviously you are correct! (it’s like 12 blocks, but who’s counting)

I totally need a cute mixte with a basket for the dog. It is clearly the best solution.

Streamers.

You. Must. Get. Streamers.

[americancyclo]

@KelOnWheels 120686 wrote:

(It would actually be quite handy, I could ride it to work if I wanted to wear a skirt. Although our office is freezing. )

Couldn’t you, you know, knit something to take care of that?

[GovernorSilver]

Blog entry with photo comparing the Velo Orange Sabot vs. Rivendell Thin Gripster:

http://epicureancyclist.com/spotted-velo-orange-sabot-pedal-vs-thin-gripster/

Blog review of the Sabot:
http://pathlesspedaled.com/2012/12/review-velo-orange-sabot-pedal-a-pedal-revolution/

[KelOnWheels]

@americancyclo 120693 wrote:

Couldn’t you, you know, knit something to take care of that?

Ain’t nobody got time for that!

[jabberwocky]

Those fancy VO pedals are very similar to several of the pedals I’ve run on DH bikes over the years. You really don’t need to go fancy for flats, BMX pedals are usually available in standard threadings that fit normal bikes and they are cheap and bombproof. Wellgo MG-1s are popular and can be had for like 35 bucks.

[GovernorSilver]

I believe this is the other Rivendell-MKS collaboration pedal- the Grip King. Cost is maybe $20 more than the MKS mountain bike pedals I saw at Spokes Etc.

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/pe1.htm

Still leaning personally towards the VO pedals for my pedal upgrade – I like the large surface area.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

OK, I’ll pile on. I have a 7-8 mile commute one way and all my bikes have flat pedals. I wear Keens for the summer commute and waterproof shoes in the winter. The thought of changing into shoes to walk around seems really dumb to me. Also, I don’t need to add any more steps to my bike-to-work-meeting transition.

I have a cheap set of wellgo BMX pedals with metal pins that work just fine 98% of the time (they came with my Handsome Devil). I have the all-metal MKS RMX “Sneaker” pedals and they have flat-topped metal grips that slip on rubber shoes when wet. My folder has a set of all-metal MKS folding pedals that work really well. Forget about rubber-topped pedals as they don’t grip rubber shoes at all when wet. Yes, I ride in the rain.

I’ve been dying for a new pair of those thin fancy pedals from Rivbike or VO. I don’t see the upside over my cheap BMX pedals at the moment. Maybe I’m just cheap.

[Tim Kelley]

Have we considered the flip-flops angle?

[GovernorSilver]

@Tim Kelley 120786 wrote:

Have we considered the flip-flops angle?

Do my Crocs clogs count?

[Author]

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