Comments on: The Flat Pedal Revolution Manifesto: How to Improve Your Riding With Flat Pedals

By: Penny

Penny — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:20:45 +0000

I feel Ben’s pain even though I have the opposite probem. When I tried of the biking shoes by 5-10 it was like wearing clown shoes, even the women’s sizes. Thank goodness for all these web stores that allow free shipping and returns. I went through 7 pairs of shoes before I found something that fit my narrow, low volume foot.Teva makes the “Links” which is also a mtb specific sticky sole shoe. Teva Links in a kid size (even though I wear a ladies 7) is what worked for me, and they have a full range of men’s sizes. Adidas has one style, also. The 5-10 “Guide” which is actually an approach shoe has a very flat sole which might work, too. In short, there is more out there than just 5-10s but you really have to look for them.

By: bikejames

bikejames — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:38:50 +0000

At some point you will slip a pedal and it slam you in the shin. The better you get at keeping your feet planted the less you will slip a pedal and there is an “art” to getting out of the way when you do slip a pedal so eventually you don’t need to worry about it but at first you should wear some light shin pads. Even if you do hit your shin it is rare that you need stitches but even then, I’d rather have stitches in my shin than a cast on my wrist or arm because I fell over when I couldn’t get unclipped.

By: Jim S

Jim S — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Perhaps a silly question, but I’m not a flat pedal rider (but seriously considering it)…I’ve noticed several comments about dangers to the shins. How? What scenarios? I’m just not able to envision that type of injury, not doubting just not clear how it’s happening (someone even mentioned stitches, yikes).

By: bikejames

bikejames — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:39:00 +0000

Glad you liked it. Giving riders a reference was exactly why I created it – to give flat pedal riders the info they need to combat the myths and half-truths being pushed onto us by the clipless pedal mafia.

By: Jill Homer (@AlaskaJill)

Jill Homer (@AlaskaJill) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:34:02 +0000

Great manifesto. I am going to refer to this when I’m fielding flat-pedal criticism in the future.

By: bikejames

bikejames — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:34:56 +0000

Thanks for checking out the manifesto and the blog. I still like the VXI shoes although the pair I have wore out and so I rock the regular Freeriders most of the time now. I am not a fan of the convex pedal design, it is an attempt to solve a problem that doesn’t exist (the need to pull up on the pedal) and I’ve found it really makes my feet cramp, but that is just my experience and opinion.

I ride the Deity Decoy pedals and like them, they are pretty thin and reasonably priced. Most mid- to high end pedals are pretty durable, you mostly run into trouble at the budget end of the spectrum.

Hope this helps…

By: BillJ

BillJ — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:51:42 +0000

Hi James,
I’m an experienced xc now AM rider (clips for 25 years), tried flats for a season 5 years ago and about to swtich back again for a go (somewhat influenced by your manifesto – Thanks). I’m now on a Mojo HD (180/160) riding up and down, with the odd shuttle thrown in. Going to try the Freerider VXi (on order) or the Impact 2 (have pair nib) and trying to decide on a pedal to order(without being able to try first). I’d like to ask a couple questions please…
1. Any follow up to the Oct 15 VXi review (i.e. still using them or a production version)?
2. What are your thoughts on Canfield Crampons Ultimate vs something like the HT AE-o3? (i.e. specifically on the slight convex 5 – 10 – 5mm, vs flatish at 11 mm, and any comments on durability for AM riding – du/du vs du/bearing). Thanks – I enjoy your site and analytical objectiveness!

By: Luke Terry

Luke Terry — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:03:08 +0000

Whoops, left out the Joe Friel link:

http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/01/cleat-position.html

By: Luke Terry

Luke Terry — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:02:51 +0000

James,

My buddy Jeff is in your program, and he sent me some links to your articles. As a student of biomechanics and physiology, I have been intrigued by your concepts, so I picked up a set of flat pedals to play with pedal stroke & foot position. I’m an old BMX rider too, so I thought it would be cool, after almost 20 years of riding SPDs, to get back on flats.

It was OK. It turns out I can bunny hop just fine and do a lot of finesse work without the SPDs, but I do miss that “hooked in” feeling of the cleats & my form-fitting Sidis.

However I did notice that I could engage my posterior chain in a much more efficient fashion. Those muscles were not used to sustaining strength endurance like my quads are! It was a wakeup call for sure. So I do want to train into that, and see if I can get my posterior chain to have as much strength endurance as my anterior chain. My glutes and hams are plenty strong, they just don’t sustain the power like my quads can–but that’s 20 years in the making!

So I do want to have the advantages of a midfoot pedal axle position, but with the luxurious feeling of my Sidis and the great hooked in position of the SPD cleat/oedal.

I’ve been doing some research, and I hit upon the idea of a “midfoot” cleat, and it looks pretty promising, based on some initial ideas. There’s a roadie guy, a very eclectic German dude, who is making midfood cleat position shoes. Here’s an article describing it, which squares a lot with what you’ve said about foot position and engaging the posterior chain:
http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/04/power-to-the-pedal-cleat-position/

Also, here’s an old post from Joe Friel (!!) who talks about the benefits of a midfoot cleat.

So I’ve got an old set of Duegi shoes that I kept as spares, I”m going to Frankenstein them into a midfoot cleat shoe. I will keep you posted on how it works out for MTB riding.

Keep cranking & thanks for the great blog. I will be recommending it!

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:51:00 +0000

I am also a former BMXer who never got the clipless thang. I tried it for a month and I found myself riding scared. In that month I fell more than I did in a year. When I got back to flats it was like heaven, I felt free again. I could see some benefits to clipless but not enougth to justify the downside. I tried egg beaters and was told I shoulda tried SPD’s because I could adjust them. I would consider a pedal that was flat on one side and clipless on the other. I would clip in only on uphills or flat sections. I have seen a few sets but none of them seem to be of a high enough quality. Since I’m one of a few to ride flats, my friends are impressed with the results I get. They say how much better could I be clipped in and I say not much.