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Flats Question

1K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  Gemini2k05 
#1 ·
Hey Team -

After 20y on clipless I'm back to flats b/c I'm pushing myself on more aggressive terrain.

I'm riding 10-pin Forte Converts with Five One Freeriders (the original ones, they have sort of a honeycomb sole, see link).

Problem: I miss the free float I had with clipless. In my new setup, with weight on the pedal the Five-Tens are completely locked with absolutely no hope of rotation or fore-aft movement. When I get a little misaligned, how do I re-position without waiting for the next turn when you can bring that foot back up to the top and take the weight off?

In one case, I came off a drop, and my foot ended mostly on my heel with the toe hanging out. Then immediately after caught that toe on a root (narrow trail), comedy ensued, and I took a dive to prevent my knee from being completely bent back.

Should I:
A) Remove some pins? If so, which? I was thinking keep the whole front row and a couple in the back row

B) Go with a different sole? Like a freerider XVI?

C) Suck it up and get used to it and figure out how to quickly reposition all the time or just don't unweight it so it can get misaligned
 
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#2 ·
I had the same experience when I made the switch to 5.10's. I just got used to it, only took a few rides and I was able to make minor shifts without needing a long, open space to do so. It was pretty frustrating at first though...
 
#3 ·
I switched to flats this summer and you just have to relearn how to do things. I caught the toes on my right foot at least once per ride. You just have to learn foot position because they aren't firmly attached to the pedals anymore. It was frustrating, but after I got used to it, I'm happier with the flats.
 
#4 ·
C.

I still get frustrated at myself every once in a while. I'll be stopped and start pedaling and my foot will be in the wrong spot. So I lift my foot off on the upstroke to realign and every once in a while it'll take me four or five rotations to get it back on. Usually, I put it in the exact same spot or even worse.

I know that's all about my lack of skill...

And I stub my toes on sh|t ALL THE TIME! I've been trying to ride with the axle a little behind the ball of my foot and when pedaling hard this puts my toes pointed down. Damn rock magnets.

But, even with those issues I'm still more comfortable on flats that I was clipped.
 
#5 ·
C.

Ease of repositioning your foot can depend on a number of things, but technique is the most important. Try purposefully moving your foot around a lot while pedaling for a ride or two, when the trail type and conditions permit. The key to moving your feet around without them flying off is the correct amount of pressure on the pedal. It really just takes time, you'll get it.
 
#6 ·
i rode SPDs for 17 years, and that was an issue for me as well. i have deity decoy pedals, and teva links shoes, which are not as sticky as the 510 setup. i've learned to unweight the foot i want to shift briefly, reposition it, and then weight it back again (so that it sticks).

it took me a good 3-4 months of riding to get used to flats, but i wouldnt go back.
 
#7 ·
Clipless caused me broken bones when jumping my bike, and someone I know (a friend) died (some years ago) because of clipless. I will never go back. Pedals are deity decoy and 5/10 shoes
 
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