anyone riding their "good" road bikes with flat pedals?

[Veloo]

I've got the A530 pedals. They seemed like a good idea on paper but I found the platform too small and not secure at all. If it happens to get wet then it was very slippery. I wouldn't even bother with it's spiked brother the EH500.

Originally Posted by Fat Cat

I tried riding flats after all the recent flap about them. Replaced the spd with pd-a530 spd/flat on the market bike. Was already using Pearl Izumi X-Alp Canyon shoes so it was a no risk pedal swap. Seemed like my feet were always trying to find the right place on the flat. Simple biz to just use the other spd side so I do.
In the 80's I often rode the toe clip strap pedals on the race bike with tennies. If I was going to forgo cleates then I'd probably do that again and be able to use any sort of shoes.
BTW the X-ALP are way comfy but the soles do not seem particularly durable so walking around is OK tho hiking would likely not be.

JMO of course

[Dired]

https://ride.shimano.com/products/pd...ekH0Gi86hSQzsb

Best of both worlds. I have set of these kicking around somewhere.

[Wunder]

Originally Posted by Dired

https://ride.shimano.com/products/pd...ekH0Gi86hSQzsb

Best of both worlds. I have set of these kicking around somewhere.

I have the older version of these (no pins) as well. They're a great option if you want to be able to ride clipped or flat. Excellent bearings and the built in reflectors are nice. You would need MTB, gravel, touring shoes with a two bolt pattern though.

Sometimes a true double sided flat is easier though and has a better/large platform. However, if you have a single bike that you want to work well clipped in or using regular shoes the XT level dual sided trekking pedals from Shimano are excellent.

[Tim Porter]

Most years in fall/winter/spring I put a set of Phil pedals and fenders on my Hampsten SB for around town:



Works great!

[SlowPokePete]

I've got these on my Waterford and I like riding in Bedrock clogs.

October 21, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop...g-next-pedals/

https://bedrocksandals.com/collectio...n-clog-leather

SPP

[benb]

I don't do this on any "nice bike" that I use for just going for rides but for at least a year I've had flats on my All City Space Horse for around town and for commuting.

It works fine, but there are definitely a bunch of annoyances and I don't think I could actually really use flats for long rides.

- My feet are big (Size 13, bike shoes are 47-48)
- Even the biggest pedals are annoyingly small
- A ton of street shoes have massive soles that are even bigger than your feet
- Makes it super easy to have rubbing
- Right foot likes to point out which makes it even worse
- So many street shoes are so soft they interfere with pedaling
- So many flats these days are so sharp they'll shred your pants or skin if you even look at them

I have Crank Brothers flats. They are big enough for my feet which is great but I wish the spindles were longer. It would be less of a problem on a mountain bike with the wider Q factor I think. They are razor razor sharp though. Last week I cut my hand on the stupid pins while working on my bike just barely brushing against the pedal. I have been filing the pins now to try and get them less sharp.

[KJMUNC]

Could always go the Velosamba shoe route with recessed SPD cleats.....classy and functional

[kiwisimon]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Just curious, is there something about Japanese culture that necessitates taking off cycling shoes before entering a business?

many of the businesses have an entrance where guests or visitor typically step out of their loafers or outside shoes (well over 90% of business shoes are slip ons) into slippers to progress into the office or reception room. It helps keep everything clean inside the buildings. Same at many smaller hospitals, schools, gyms and even some Japanese styled hospitality spots. Having to sit down to unlace shoes is a major FOTB flag.
shops, large hospitals, libraries, cafes and most non traditional restaurants are the main exception to this custom.

I wear Vans or similar style slip ons that are business on the top but sneaker soles on the bottom when not Velcroed and BOAed into cycling shoes.

[benadrian]

Due to market forces*, I have switched all my bikes to Crank Bros pedals. I ended up with a pair of the nice Doubleshot pedals; a flip flop cleat on one side and flat on the other style. These have been on my main, high performance bike for a while.

It doesn't happen much, but sometimes I do end up on my zippy bike for an errand. Maybe I'm going to a friend's party and know I'll be able to put the bike inside. It nice to just use the flat side and my regular shoes. For weekend warrior rides, I use the clip in side and it's fantastic.

Sometimes I do a special event; gravel fondo, brevet, or just any other long ride. When that happens, I'll put on Candy or Eggbeater pedals, and optimize my bike for the specific ride. Barring that, it's flip flop pedals.


* "market forces". A friend ended up getting a discount on Crank Bro products through a club. I tried them out. They're fine and seem like an SPD equivalent with easier clip in/out performance. After I got my first set through my friend, I started seeing a LOT of them come up for sale used for phenomenal deals. I think other people tried them out and and the response of "yeah, fine, but not an improvement to switch everything over." I began scooping the up and not have them on 3 of my 4 bikes, with a pair or two worth of spare parts. I don't think I paid more than $40 per set.

[tuscanyswe]

Im guilty of even worse. Riding my good road bike with spds and regular shoes. Its not long till i will devolve nto monkey genetics and be able to grip the pedal

[Baron Blubba]

Haven't read through the thread, only the OP.

But yeah, I've ridden 20+ miles wearing running shoes on SPD or SPD SL pedals. It's not 'optimal' but once I get going I don't really think about it. Obviously I'm not setting records with this set up, but it's fine for riding in.

If you put actual flat pedals on your bike and rode with regular sneakers or cycling-intended flat sneakers, the only times you'd really think about it in a negative way would be when your foot occasionally finds itself too far forward and you have to readjust (after a bump or just after riding for a while), or if your sneaker heel rubs your chainstay.

The clipless shoe-pedal system is a wonderful experience enhancer for cycling, but it's also unnecessary.

[benb]

Originally Posted by benadrian

Due to market forces*, I have switched all my bikes to Crank Bros pedals. I ended up with a pair of the nice Doubleshot pedals; a flip flop cleat on one side and flat on the other style. These have been on my main, high performance bike for a while.

It doesn't happen much, but sometimes I do end up on my zippy bike for an errand. Maybe I'm going to a friend's party and know I'll be able to put the bike inside. It nice to just use the flat side and my regular shoes. For weekend warrior rides, I use the clip in side and it's fantastic.

Sometimes I do a special event; gravel fondo, brevet, or just any other long ride. When that happens, I'll put on Candy or Eggbeater pedals, and optimize my bike for the specific ride. Barring that, it's flip flop pedals.

Can you compare the Double shot versus the Shimano hybrid pedal?

The Shimano hybrid pedal when I had it just seemed to manage to be annoying when you rode it with regular shoes or your SPD shoes. The pedal was always in the wrong orientation for what you wanted in a way that was harder to use than even single sided road pedals.

I would be tempted to switch my bikes to the Crank Brothers setups if that hybrid pedal was really great.

It looks like you still have to flip it to your orientation?

[Ken Robb]

I have been happy with several different models of flat pedals from MKS as long as my shoes do not have soles with big deep lugs that limit my options for where I can have my feet lined up on the pedals. Classic "boat" shoes work well .

[benadrian]

Originally Posted by benb

The Shimano hybrid pedal when I had it just seemed to manage to be annoying when you rode it with regular shoes or your SPD shoes.

I would be tempted to switch my bikes to the Crank Brothers setups if that hybrid pedal was really great.

It looks like you still have to flip it to your orientation?

The flat pedal side really feels like a flat pedal. Yeah, sometimes you put your foot down and you're on the cleat side. I just take my foot off that the bottom of a pedal stroke and put it back on at the top. That usually works to flip the pedal.

SO yeah, I do like them a little more than my SPD / platform combo, but I didn't have that long.. and it may have been the version made by VP. I don't fully recall at the moment.

[NHAero]

My old Litespeed 26er has pinned flat Xpedo pedals and it's the grab n go bike, now wearing flat bars, but drops in the past. I have Campy track pedals with clips and straps on my Bob Jackson, and wear the same basic 510s on either flats or clips and straps. For the winter I convert the Habanero to clips and straps on MKS track pedals (track because the wide shoe doesn't have interference with the upturned outer edge of the cage as would occur on a vintage Campy Record road pedal).

If the shoe works with clips and straps then there's less fiddle farting with getting it positioned as there sometimes is with pinned flat pedals.

On my Big Dummy I have basic MKS pedals with shorty Zefal plastic clips that don't accept straps. They’re good at keeping the shoe positioned and let me use a boot in cold weather.