Have You Switched From Flat to Clipless Pedals, or Vice Versa?

Finding the right style of mountain bike pedals is a personal choice. But it's not a forever choice.

By Jeff Barber
February 6, 2022 Last Updated: November 17, 2023

14 comments

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Finding the right style of mountain bike pedals is a personal choice. But it’s not a forever choice. Plenty of riders start on flats and move on to clipless pedals later. And many of those same riders are transitioning back to flats because well, it’s a free country. We want to know where you are on your MTB pedal journey.

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14 Comments

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guggino88 2018
Feb 6, 2022

Where is the option for "started with rat traps plus toe clips"?

7 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Feb 8, 2022

Those and Bear Traps!

0 reply

kangru California // 2011
Feb 7, 2022

Started with flats on bmx, then toe clips for the first fiour years of mountain biking, then spds in the 90s, now flats for the last 15 years.

2 reply

Justin White 2015
Feb 8, 2022

I have a feeling this is the most common answer for folks of a certain age (35-50). Because everything and everyone in the 90s and early 2000s was telling us clips were the only way, the only way to be a "real MTBer" . But then we (mostly) smartened up and realized flats are way more fun and safer too (no relying on the clips only to have them blow off unexpectedly, subconsciously easier to put a foot out when needed, etc).

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Jun 10, 2024

Some of us are trials riders first and have no desire to end up in ICU over a set of road pedals and wingtip shoes.

Phonebem Utah // 2017
Feb 6, 2022

Started on toe clips waaaay back in the early 90’s. Went to clipless because toe clips sucked, good flats and good non-clipless shoes were virtually nonexistent. Switched from XC racing to DH and DS for a couple seasons around 2000 and switched to flats. Took about a decade off riding, then came back to clipless. Broke a pedal when I needed shoes anyway in 2020 and decided to try modern flats and modern flat shoes. Currently ride clipless on my HT, flats on my FS trail bike, and flats on my fat bike.

1 reply

scbiker South Carolina // 2013
Feb 7, 2022

Started with flats about 50 years ago, went clip in (toe clips) in the mid 1980's, then clipless in 1997. Went flats in 2021 with a new EX 9.8 but switch to clipless for racing.

Tried clipless and it was not a good experience since I want to move my feet where I chose and clipless isn't capable. My bikes find the use of the word flats to be repulsive so I call em platforms, which I have used since the late 60's without drama.
There is nothing I cannot do with platforms and much that I refuse to do with clipless.

Mark Obsniuk 2018
Feb 7, 2022

Toe clips, then clip-less.

remoore Missouri // 2012
Feb 7, 2022

Been riding flats for 10+ years, but buying shoes and pedals to do clip less for a 60 mile MTB race soon

IT_Juggler Georgia // 2007
Feb 10, 2022

I rode with feet belts on my road bike (doubled up on the cinch straps when racing) so of course I put toeclips on my first mountain bike in 1983. (Stumpjumper Sport, the 2nd mass-produced mountain bike.) I switched to SPDs in the mid 90s I think. Still riding clipless. SPD on the mountain and gravel bikes, speedplay on the road bikes.

Flyinlow 2018
Feb 6, 2022

I started with clipless. Was already a fan having gone clipless on road bike years ago. I just put flats on my mtb specifically for winter riding on trails with ice and wet ice: just so I can get a foot down faster when crashing. It's amazing how fast you go down when you lose it on wet ice.

Robert Dobbs New York // 2016
Feb 8, 2022

Started with flats in '98 but switched to clipless because that's what I had on my road bike. Rode clipless for three seasons on my mountain bike and switched back to flats - I never looked back.
For me, flats offer a safer, more responsive/agile ride. I never got the hang of clipless (even on my road bike they're a bit of a PITA or, more precisely, they seem to lack the advantages folks claim they have). Maybe if I were a pro racer and my livelihood depended on cycling I would try clipless again - but as an average joe, "serious but definitely recreational" mountain biker, flats work just fine, thank you.

Craig Banks Australia // 2017
Feb 15, 2022

It was an ugly transition from clipless to flats, kept loosing contact with pedals doing drops and jumps and ascending technical rock gardens. Front foot heel down greatly assisted reducing the level of blood loss and scar tissue !

-1 reply

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