Wrong about foot position. For most effective power transfer with clipless set up you are correct about ball of the foot placement. For trail riding where stability and need to stay on the pedals a just in front of mid foot position is the way to go. In steep or rough terrain heels down.
I would disagree on your foot placement argument. You'll never see Sam Hill ride with his feet that far back. The pedal should be pretty close to mid foot or slightly further back. That pic of Sam Hill is a mid foot placement. Putting the pedal under the arch or the heel as you show isnt great but still should never lead to the bad pedaling technique you've shown. If your feet are balanced on the pedal you still can and should dip your heels down but now you have way more support and control over your bike. Plus your risk of injuring your ankles is a lot lower. Great video, loving the discussion!
I should add that the center of you pedal will be closer to you toes than your heels and agree with much of what you are saying. I just disagree with how close to the toes youve recommended.
Ball of the foot should be on the center of the pedal when pedaling. That should be your power contact point, and give the foot the right amount of flex, as well as give the knee the appropriate amount of bend. With the heel on the pedal, the leg should be fully extended, then when you move to the correct ball of the foot position on the pedal, the knee will have around 97% bend, which is correct for preventing injury to the back of the leg (i.e. upper calf, lower hamstring and back of knee). I experienced this type of injury shortly after I started riding, and have avoided it since by positioning my feet correctly with the ball of the foot on the pedal when pedaling. If you're coming down a long technical decent, then you may want to move the foot a little further back to give more control when shifting weight forward and backward on the bike. Looking at many flat pedal shoes that have a specific pedal placement area in the tread pattern, this is generally the approach that they are designed for. The pedal contact point in the tread typically starts at the ball of the foot and runs back to just in front of the heel, allowing adjustment of the foot position depending on conditions.
"central foot placement on the pedal is bad - toe placement on the pedal is good". I used to agree with this, but after riding Catalysts for a while, I would never go back.
Hmmm... I think those pedals fall in a gray area Haha. And there are several times where central placement is more stable but this video was a generalization of most riding.
please correct me if I'm wrong because I didn't know these even existed before this comment, but those kind of flats are designed to support the middle section of your feet, whereas the classic pedal is meant to be used as of this video teaches right?
As a MTB racer for 30 years... TOE Clips lead to my plantar fasciitis!!!! I use flat pedals now on or POWER STRAPS. Young people use clips only if you are racing but use flats when not! Also your shoe advice is 100% correct, wear solid shoes! Foot placement I could argue with, most of the time I am on center of pedal but constantly changing when you get aggressive.. just don't ride with your heel, LOL!!!
I am going to look for new pedals and shoes . I have avoided riding because my foot was always slipping off . Learned so much from this video . I think bike shops should have this video for safer riding . Thanks Larry
I have the Shimano combo pedals on my gravel bike. Nice option to have depending how trail conditions are and how comfortable I am rolling over techy terrain.
Thankfully someone has said something about footwear. I started mtb’ing wearing hiking boots. The trail tore them to pieces. Wearing sneakers is just dangerous! I bought MTB shoes a couple of years ago and it was the best upgrade I made, hands down. Please don’t wear running shoes.
Great tutorial! Riding clipped in or flats are quite different. Don't expect to use the same position for both as they have different foot placement.For flats, the main joint that connects your pinky to the foot must be in between the front edge and axle of the pedal not above the pedal axle. this provide you better grip and weight distribution. Of course you need to make your heels down to prevent slipping.
Thanks for sharing. So you're saying the ball edge of the foot near the pinky should be just in front of the axle? I feel like that's about the sweet spot for me and hopefully the video connects those ideas..
@@YourOwnAdventure yes! exactly! That's the sweet spot for those who use flat pedals. If you are using clipless, the sweet spot for those riding aggresively is they need to position it nearest to the center while those who are more on cycle and pedal efficiency, they more lukely position it further to the center
I always rode clipless pedals on my road bike and now that I ride a MTB, I ride flats. I have to say that I miss clips a lot! I only keep the flats because I wanted to make sure my skills on the MTB were good before I went back to clips.
I like that philosophy a lot. Just like Fltrailrider said "it's good to be familiar with both styles". I am definitely going to switch over to them at some point but only when I get a better XC bike.
No, I have scars on my shins and that’s because the ball of my foot was above the axle. You’ll never be perfectly centered the ball of foot and the axle and when landing, if foot was a little more far back, the toes won’t support your entire weight and your toes will bend, the axle will turn and the pedal hits you hard on the shins when the crank spins upwards as the other foot Drives it, with the full weight. So I started to place the ball of foot a little in front of the axle (say centered between axle and front pedal edge) and stopped having those painful events. I don’t remember if the reverse happened (pedal hitting your calf), but that should be less painful, as theres muscle and can be avoided if you drive your heels more to the ground (snift your butt back and down), as you show (this foot “angle of attack”) in the video
Chester's every time in my book and a proper MTB shoe .I tend to position my feet near to the middle as I have big feet I drop them towards the front on technical rides.
just got some Chesters now to get some decent shoes. been riding the same bike since 2014 on the cheap factory pedals and went through 4 pairs of hikers.
Great info and instruction on this. Chesters are fullproof in my opinion. I've actually been riding my clipless the last couple weeks. I've been working on my cadence for longer rides. I like to switch back and forth to keep familiar with both syles.
Thanks buddy! They are really a great pedal! I see you puttin in miles down there!!! I'm really pulling the trigger on Wednesday or Thursday this week for either GFT or Bunker. Which would you rather ride if it were up to you?
Your Own Adventure I would say Bunker Hill just because there is so much more there. GFT has great double jumps but it is small. You can always hit it real quick on the way home. Let me know if you make it down and Andrew and I can take you through the trails.
@@FloridaTrailrider that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm just trying to avoid the unavoidable haha. I'll let you know. Mercury is in retrograde until Thursday so I may hold off until then.
I need some flats in my life. Gotta get back to my roots. Love the video Larry. I was told by a big time RUclipsr that I need to make instructional videos so be prepared. Something like this but with clipless.
Maybe get some crank bros double shots? Hahah. Racing like you do I can understand why youd stay on clipless though. I'll be over there soon enough! I'm just waiting for some tutorials. I know you'll make some great ones! Waiting til after work tonight to watch the new race footage.
Its funny because the most important part of using flat pedals with studs is wear a shin guard. You will rip your shin open on a simple slip when that crank comes back around and scrapes your shin. Soccer style shin guards are way easier than first aid in the woods.
Raceface Chesters will forever be my top pick, I'm a new rider so I don't have any proper shoes yet but i can sometimes barely unstick my Vans from them
I’ve ridden clip-less back in my touring days they are pretty nice. Super easy to move the rear wheel around. I ride an alloy wellgo pedal on my current bike and I’m pretty rowdy for having no suspension. I wear vans too and I feel they are one of the best riding shoes. They grip pedals like crazy. I would say I don’t ride with the pedal at the center of my foot under my arch. That just seems uncomfortable and inefficient. And I don’t ride with my toes in on top of the spindle like you show in your vid. Really imo the best place to have your foot on a flat pedal is with the ball of your foot centered on the spindle. To me this is best as the widest part of the shoe is making contact and it leaves you in an efficient place to pedal and gives you good control in technical stuff. Idk who else feels the same way but I feel like you could of just said this and the video would have been shorter. It seems that this where your foot seems to rest naturally as well in the clips you provided.
I would buy mountain bike specific shoes however at the rate my feet are growing in be able to use them for 2 months maximum before having to get another pair.
So what you are describing here is the classic bicycle foot placement that has been taught since the beginning of bicycle time. However, one man has questioned this advice and looked into the science of pedaling and foot placement. Please check out the flat pedal reveloution manifesto and let me know what you think. And contrary to popular opinion, this applys to any flat pedal, not just the catalyst pedal. pedalinginnovations.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Flat-Pedal-Revolution-Manifesto-v3.5.pdf
I ain't knockin' that. I ride clipless on certain days but I'm just not as confident hitting big features with them. Whatever works to get you out there 🤘
I can't hop my bike with flats. I've used clipless since 1995 and I just switched to flats. I'm no pro or anything but I can't hop fallen trees and branches anymore. Any suggestions?
Shoot.....thats just time on flats. Have to relearn the motion without clips. I ride both and it does take some readjustment time to go back and forth.
If you have Achilles Heel Tendonitis and are using flat pedals you have to place the pedal under the arch in your feet. Not doing so and you run the risk of tearing your tendon and face an operation and at least six months of rehab. Don't believe me?? Ask an Ortopedic Doctor, I did and it allowed me to continue riding until the tendonitis healed itself.
While I agree with this from a MTB point of view, don't you think that midfoot or almost-midfoot is perfectly fine for riding less aggressive stuff, like road /touring /gravel? (yes I ride road and gravel without clipless and it's cool)
I think it's a matter of preference at that point. Though, if you're riding MTB frequently and are focusing on toe placement you'll likely be practicing with this any chance you get. I'm kind of a firm believer that the mid foot placement is at a mechanical disadvantage... which is why you'll see few, if any pro cyclist/mtb with this foot position. Now, every body fits the bike differently and if mid foot placement works for you and you aren't slipping pedals or noticing back/hip pain..... keep riding however works for you!
I will for sure! It has been requested and I've been slacking on it. What I'll do is on Wednesday post a bike check and then the following week I'll make a single speed conversion video. Thanks for the interest :}
@@YourOwnAdventure I recently purchased a GT and I really like your setup I also purchased the stem you recommended from Amazon so kind of trying to mirror what you did with your bike thanks for all the good content
@@MrSilvervw Awesome! I will say that stripping the frame to aluminum is a little bit of work but most of the other stuff is pretty straight forward and can be had on a budget. I've been ripping the thing since I bought it and nothing has failed me yet. I love the bike!
@@YourOwnAdventure When I first got my bike with flat pedals, I used to always have nasty shin or calf cuts. However, I've since gotten quite used to them and I seem to have naturally learned how to avoid this. I haven't had a pedal pin cut in months now. I'm using proper flat pedal shoes, though (Five Tens), so maybe the grip of the shoe sole rubber is helping.
I would definitely if you are planning on doing anything advanced. You'll thank yourself.... Might not look the most stylish but whatever makes you more confident on the bike.
How do you feel about hiking boots as MTB footwear? I'm a new rider and quickly found out my Merrell Moab 2 Mid were preferable to New Balance 574 sneakers due to the stiffer sole and ankle support. I'm sure they are a bit heavier than Vans but I use to use Vans back in the day as everyday shoes and my arches just won't put up with them. As a 42 year old, overweight, and bad knee & back I need as much ankle support as possible. I can see the benefits, but I'm not married to the hiking boots as a MTB shoe. I'm open to opinions.
Hiking boots might be a bit big but if it's what you are comfortable in and they grip well than there is no reason not to ride them. Anything will be better than a runner shoe. If you are wanting a designated MTB shoe Five Ten makes a high top. Aside from that, theres a ton of other options out there that arent MTB branded and will work. For example, I picked up a pair of velcro strapped shoes at Walmart for about $15. Just made sure they had a decent rubber sole, heavy material on the toe cap and upper. They've been holding up just as well as any other shoe. Granted I don't ride in wet conditions.
For winter fatbiking I used Merrell hiking boots and flats. Then I switched to Wolvhammer fat bike boots and clips. Both worked well but the fat bike boots were expensive. The only issue I had with the hiking boots is the steel pins of the pedals chewed up the lugs on the sole after about a season. Having said that, a good pair of FiveTen bike shoes and flat pedals feels great. They have so much grip I switched from clipped to flats for good. For your bad back, knees and arches, have you tried orthodics or Superfeet (I'm 46 and suffer similar ailments)? I used to hurt so bad after work, I even tried old man velcro walking shoes, hoping they would make a difference. Orthodics can be pricy but you can also get cheeper generic ones like SUPERFEET (currently 25% off on their website). I use them in all my shoes for work, biking, hiking or skiing. The support made a world of difference for my knees, hips and lower back ... and they worked nearly as well as expensive custom orthotics.
They are just an Amazon basic shin pad. They have saved me soooo many times and they are very minimal in design. If you wear black socks they look really good. Heres a link. I've also found similar volleyball pads in Dicks sporting goods/Academy sports. www.amazon.com/Pro-Force-ProForce-Shin-Guards/dp/B0086OIL12/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=shin+pads&qid=1554417169&s=gateway&sr=8-10
Man super nice vid a GoPro hero 8 and you can compete with gmbn but for shoes pleas buy five-tens that are by far the best mtb shoes and not so expensive.
Thanks! I have the 8 now. Check out my new videos this is older. I'm a cheap bastard with certain things but I agree that 5tens are probably the best. I ride Wlmart velcro shoes right now 🥴🥴
Wow. I'm not really familiar with the ins and outs with bmx but it seems like an interesting strategy. Maybe making it more approachable or leveling the playing field?
@@YourOwnAdventure nah, everyone starts running them around five years old. The problem is that when you start by clipping in there are a lot of bike control skills that you don't learn such as shifting your weight on your toes like you showed in your video. At least that's my opinion on it, that and the lil guys tend to struggle to unclip because you have to run the pedals so tight so there are more injuries.
I just switched to flat pedals from clipless, so have been reading up and watching videos on the topic. This article I read somewhat contradicts your foot placement ideas. You may be interested to read this: www.bikejames.com/strength/do-you-really-need-to-push-through-the-ball-of-your-foot-when-you-pedal/. One of the GMBN videos I watched was suggesting the ideal placement is with the ball of the foot slightly in front of the pedal axis. Their explanation made sense to me.
Flats with good grips everytime. Nikes are 'fashion items' and have nothing for serious cyclists. Vans are cool but I keep mine for walking. Good advice re foot position.
I'm thinking about ordering flats on one side, clippless on the other. But I don't hear much about them, or if riders like them. Hey man, my daughter's want to learn to surf, in the spring could you make a vid on learning.
Like the Crankbrothers Doubleshot? I think that would be a cool pedal to have. I think you don't hear about it much because it lives in a strange world in between haha. If I had clipless i'd try them out! And yes I will make a video on how to surf! That would be fun. Give me a little time on it though as it's not in the normal rotation. A lot of people have been asking for more videos on other outdoors/sports stuff so I'm working on how to incorporate more videos like it.
@@YourOwnAdventure Thanks man, you make excellent vids, I surf a little but I'll give bad advice to them I'm afraid, I'm not good at it. I have extremely high arches, which I think affects pedal position also. I'm on the ball of the foot but now I'm going to try slight adjustments. I'm an old dog so my habits are to break. Again thanks for your time to reply !
@@dereksmith3632 Thanks dude. It definitely didn't happen overnight. Just like bad habbits! Where are you surfing? East Coast? Hope the adjustments work out, It's different for everyone so I hope the discussion at least brought some ideas up in your head about the pedal placement.
@@YourOwnAdventure I'm about an hour from the coast of N.C. It's calm and my board is for advanced surfers, I need a longer wider board. Mine is the Pro- Motion made by Berts Surf Shop but all my play money goes towards bikes
I rode with my toe placement and got really bad pedal spin, any tips for this? Btw I got pedal whilst doing a jump and landing to flat and then my foot slipped of the pedal because I landed with the front of my foot on the pedal, any tips to not get pedal spin? I hope that made sense
Thanks for you interest. I'm definitely not an pro but I think I know what you're talking about. Have you tried experimenting with moving forward on the pedal? The toe doesnt have to be exactly over the pedal. Especially when doing jumps and things that have a harsh landing. You kind of want to shift more central so your weight is evenly balanced. I have experienced the same issue of the pedals "rolling" on a heavy landing and my heels will drop and cause a crash or horrible impact on my ankles. As with anything In this sport, it's usually due to improper form so I think a good way for you to practice would be working on bunny hops or rolling off a curb to feel where your weight works best on the pedals. If this far below your skill level just use a small jump that you are 100% comfortable on! Hope it helps. I'll make sure to do a video on it. This one was meant to be all emcpassing for new riders.
@@norlansumile383 If so, check out thrift stores for vans skate shoes or any skate shoes for that matter. Or places like Ross, Marshalls, Outlet stores for skate shoes. They hold up nearly as well as Five10 mtb shoes and can be found at discounted prices
the old flat pedals are the best ones (the "cheap stock pedals"). New flat pedals are so large and you press with more surface of your feet, and thats not comfortable for me. Think on this: when you jump down ( without bike) you dont use a large surface. That surface is what you need in your pedal. Its exacly the same surface you use to climb an obstable (without bike) the natural surface. You dont need to talk about friction in a physic way, its something natural and obvious! and.. Toe piece 4ever!
www.deporvillage.com/calapies-zefal-christophe-sin-correa easy to fit, easy to unfit! it help full where to situate your feet on the pedal and it is very cheap and you can use any shoe, so best combination 4ever for me (ofc I grow with this combination) SHORT TOE WITH NO TIES if you want to try and enjoy the experience
"Correct" foot position... Yeah I was told to use the balls of my feet as well and used clipless pedals for years, but then there is this guy pedalinginnovations.com/ These pedals are designed for mid-foot placement, and I am buying two pairs tomorrow
How to ride flat pedals in 2 easy steps!!! STEP 1: Put feet on pedals STEP 2: Push down on pedals in an alternating pattern I just saved you more than 10 minutes. You're welcome.
Watching your video "MTB Flat Pedals - How to ride flat pedals" ( ruclips.net/video/YEeQjTr6bho/видео.html at 5:08 minutes). I just got flats and shoes, now I'm looking for shin protectors - I see a few people in this video have what look like light, shin only, pull-on, sock like shin covers. Haven't seen this in any stores. What brand are they???
the vans you recommend are just as bad as the nikes you said not to wear. Not stiff at all. YOU need better shoes too and you wont have as much trouble keeping your feet on your flat pedals
I always assumed this is natural to everyone
Wrong about foot position. For most effective power transfer with clipless set up you are correct about ball of the foot placement. For trail riding where stability and need to stay on the pedals a just in front of mid foot position is the way to go.
In steep or rough terrain heels down.
I would disagree on your foot placement argument. You'll never see Sam Hill ride with his feet that far back. The pedal should be pretty close to mid foot or slightly further back. That pic of Sam Hill is a mid foot placement. Putting the pedal under the arch or the heel as you show isnt great but still should never lead to the bad pedaling technique you've shown. If your feet are balanced on the pedal you still can and should dip your heels down but now you have way more support and control over your bike. Plus your risk of injuring your ankles is a lot lower. Great video, loving the discussion!
I should add that the center of you pedal will be closer to you toes than your heels and agree with much of what you are saying. I just disagree with how close to the toes youve recommended.
Ball of the foot should be on the center of the pedal when pedaling. That should be your power contact point, and give the foot the right amount of flex, as well as give the knee the appropriate amount of bend. With the heel on the pedal, the leg should be fully extended, then when you move to the correct ball of the foot position on the pedal, the knee will have around 97% bend, which is correct for preventing injury to the back of the leg (i.e. upper calf, lower hamstring and back of knee). I experienced this type of injury shortly after I started riding, and have avoided it since by positioning my feet correctly with the ball of the foot on the pedal when pedaling. If you're coming down a long technical decent, then you may want to move the foot a little further back to give more control when shifting weight forward and backward on the bike.
Looking at many flat pedal shoes that have a specific pedal placement area in the tread pattern, this is generally the approach that they are designed for. The pedal contact point in the tread typically starts at the ball of the foot and runs back to just in front of the heel, allowing adjustment of the foot position depending on conditions.
Cool video.. But why in the blue hell do you have your helmet on? 🤔😅
for protection, of course ^^
Jajajaja
maybe he is a narcoleptic
BLUE HELL
safety first.... duh!
I like how you have your helm on even when not riding and in at your home, very professional. nice vid!
"central foot
placement on the pedal is bad - toe placement on the pedal is good".
I used to agree with this, but after riding Catalysts for a while, I would never go back.
Hmmm... I think those pedals fall in a gray area Haha. And there are several times where central placement is more stable but this video was a generalization of most riding.
Catalysts rule. arch over axle works great. Ive got 1000's of miles on them the last 12 months,sold.
please correct me if I'm wrong because I didn't know these even existed before this comment, but those kind of flats are designed to support the middle section of your feet, whereas the classic pedal is meant to be used as of this video teaches right?
I'll leave this here: www.pinkbike.com/news/why-you-dont-want-to-push-through-the-ball-of-your-foot-when-you-pedal-2014.html
As a MTB racer for 30 years... TOE Clips lead to my plantar fasciitis!!!! I use flat pedals now on or POWER STRAPS. Young people use clips only if you are racing but use flats when not!
Also your shoe advice is 100% correct, wear solid shoes!
Foot placement I could argue with, most of the time I am on center of pedal but constantly changing when you get aggressive.. just don't ride with your heel, LOL!!!
Thanks for sharing!
I am going to look for new pedals and shoes . I have avoided riding because my foot was always slipping off .
Learned so much from this video . I think bike shops should have this video for safer riding .
Thanks Larry
I have the Shimano combo pedals on my gravel bike. Nice option to have depending how trail conditions are and how comfortable I am rolling over techy terrain.
This video was a big help finally managed to land this jump with out taking my feet of the pedals
Yo. That is awesome to hear!
4 years late but great video and this has helped a lot!
I rock the SK8 Hi Van's, great shoe that stick well and offer ankle stability for me.
Please keep it coming the information is very helpful especially for beginners
Will Do!
Thankfully someone has said something about footwear. I started mtb’ing wearing hiking boots. The trail tore them to pieces. Wearing sneakers is just dangerous! I bought MTB shoes a couple of years ago and it was the best upgrade I made, hands down. Please don’t wear running shoes.
Great tutorial! Riding clipped in or flats are quite different. Don't expect to use the same position for both as they have different foot placement.For flats, the main joint that connects your pinky to the foot must be in between the front edge and axle of the pedal not above the pedal axle. this provide you better grip and weight distribution. Of course you need to make your heels down to prevent slipping.
Thanks for sharing. So you're saying the ball edge of the foot near the pinky should be just in front of the axle? I feel like that's about the sweet spot for me and hopefully the video connects those ideas..
@@YourOwnAdventure yes! exactly! That's the sweet spot for those who use flat pedals. If you are using clipless, the sweet spot for those riding aggresively is they need to position it nearest to the center while those who are more on cycle and pedal efficiency, they more lukely position it further to the center
Keep up just turn down or leave out the music
I went trail riding earlier and I can’t count how many times my foot slipped. Hopefully I can unlearn these bad habits
I always rode clipless pedals on my road bike and now that I ride a MTB, I ride flats. I have to say that I miss clips a lot! I only keep the flats because I wanted to make sure my skills on the MTB were good before I went back to clips.
I like that philosophy a lot. Just like Fltrailrider said "it's good to be familiar with both styles". I am definitely going to switch over to them at some point but only when I get a better XC bike.
they are starting to release more combination pedals
Can i just say, I ride in vans and its the best decision I made
Thank you 🤘🤘
No, I have scars on my shins and that’s because the ball of my foot was above the axle. You’ll never be perfectly centered the ball of foot and the axle and when landing, if foot was a little more far back, the toes won’t support your entire weight and your toes will bend, the axle will turn and the pedal hits you hard on the shins when the crank spins upwards as the other foot Drives it, with the full weight.
So I started to place the ball of foot a little in front of the axle (say centered between axle and front pedal edge) and stopped having those painful events. I don’t remember if the reverse happened (pedal hitting your calf), but that should be less painful, as theres muscle and can be avoided if you drive your heels more to the ground (snift your butt back and down), as you show (this foot “angle of attack”) in the video
Wait, I don't have those pedals, I have some with a metal border around the center, attached via 4 "pillars" to the central spindle or cylinder
I have only been riding for less than two years and started on flats. Good video to watch!
Awesome man. Glad to hear you like the videos and even better, riding. What kind of flats do you ride?
@@YourOwnAdventure For sure, they are Specialized Bennies.. Got them when I got the bike.
Chester's every time in my book and a proper MTB shoe .I tend to position my feet near to the middle as I have big feet I drop them towards the front on technical rides.
just got some Chesters now to get some decent shoes. been riding the same bike since 2014 on the cheap factory pedals and went through 4 pairs of hikers.
Great info and instruction on this. Chesters are fullproof in my opinion. I've actually been riding my clipless the last couple weeks. I've been working on my cadence for longer rides. I like to switch back and forth to keep familiar with both syles.
Thanks buddy! They are really a great pedal! I see you puttin in miles down there!!! I'm really pulling the trigger on Wednesday or Thursday this week for either GFT or Bunker. Which would you rather ride if it were up to you?
Your Own Adventure I would say Bunker Hill just because there is so much more there. GFT has great double jumps but it is small. You can always hit it real quick on the way home. Let me know if you make it down and Andrew and I can take you through the trails.
@@FloridaTrailrider that's exactly what I was thinking. I'm just trying to avoid the unavoidable haha. I'll let you know. Mercury is in retrograde until Thursday so I may hold off until then.
Imo best foot placement is ball of the foot on the spindle. Allows you to drop your heel and stay balanced while offer efficient pedaling.
I need some flats in my life. Gotta get back to my roots. Love the video Larry. I was told by a big time RUclipsr that I need to make instructional videos so be prepared. Something like this but with clipless.
Maybe get some crank bros double shots? Hahah. Racing like you do I can understand why youd stay on clipless though. I'll be over there soon enough! I'm just waiting for some tutorials. I know you'll make some great ones! Waiting til after work tonight to watch the new race footage.
The new Five Ten Sleuth seems pretty decent and it looks like something you could wear casually too.
Its funny because the most important part of using flat pedals with studs is wear a shin guard. You will rip your shin open on a simple slip when that crank comes back around and scrapes your shin. Soccer style shin guards are way easier than first aid in the woods.
I agree 👍
Raceface Chesters will forever be my top pick, I'm a new rider so I don't have any proper shoes yet but i can sometimes barely unstick my Vans from them
Van's all the way. They work just as well!
I’ve ridden clip-less back in my touring days they are pretty nice. Super easy to move the rear wheel around. I ride an alloy wellgo pedal on my current bike and I’m pretty rowdy for having no suspension. I wear vans too and I feel they are one of the best riding shoes. They grip pedals like crazy. I would say I don’t ride with the pedal at the center of my foot under my arch. That just seems uncomfortable and inefficient. And I don’t ride with my toes in on top of the spindle like you show in your vid. Really imo the best place to have your foot on a flat pedal is with the ball of your foot centered on the spindle. To me this is best as the widest part of the shoe is making contact and it leaves you in an efficient place to pedal and gives you good control in technical stuff. Idk who else feels the same way but I feel like you could of just said this and the video would have been shorter. It seems that this where your foot seems to rest naturally as well in the clips you provided.
I would buy mountain bike specific shoes however at the rate my feet are growing in be able to use them for 2 months maximum before having to get another pair.
So what you are describing here is the classic bicycle foot placement that has been taught since the beginning of bicycle time. However, one man has questioned this advice and looked into the science of pedaling and foot placement. Please check out the flat pedal reveloution manifesto and let me know what you think. And contrary to popular opinion, this applys to any flat pedal, not just the catalyst pedal. pedalinginnovations.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Flat-Pedal-Revolution-Manifesto-v3.5.pdf
great info! love the chesters! :)
Thanks friends!
1:45 - please look into the lens - not the display ;-)
Seems like a good video, but I have to go clipless to give my feet real support. Comes with being a grandfather who still likes to ride 😀
I ain't knockin' that. I ride clipless on certain days but I'm just not as confident hitting big features with them. Whatever works to get you out there 🤘
I can't hop my bike with flats. I've used clipless since 1995 and I just switched to flats. I'm no pro or anything but I can't hop fallen trees and branches anymore. Any suggestions?
Shoot.....thats just time on flats. Have to relearn the motion without clips. I ride both and it does take some readjustment time to go back and forth.
Excellent video, getting those shin guards. Don't need helmet & pumping fingers towards the camera, ehhh? Subbed.
Nike air force one + Race Face Chester for my casual rides
If you have Achilles Heel Tendonitis and are using flat pedals you have to place the pedal under the arch in your feet. Not doing so and you run the risk of tearing your tendon and face an operation and at least six months of rehab. Don't believe me?? Ask an Ortopedic Doctor, I did and it allowed me to continue riding until the tendonitis healed itself.
I’ve gashed my shins and calfs. What are you wearing for shins in this video?
While I agree with this from a MTB point of view, don't you think that midfoot or almost-midfoot is perfectly fine for riding less aggressive stuff, like road /touring /gravel? (yes I ride road and gravel without clipless and it's cool)
I think it's a matter of preference at that point. Though, if you're riding MTB frequently and are focusing on toe placement you'll likely be practicing with this any chance you get. I'm kind of a firm believer that the mid foot placement is at a mechanical disadvantage... which is why you'll see few, if any pro cyclist/mtb with this foot position. Now, every body fits the bike differently and if mid foot placement works for you and you aren't slipping pedals or noticing back/hip pain..... keep riding however works for you!
I race and no I disagree
good job :)
Place ball of foot just in front of pedal center spindle
sure
We should do a bike check on your GT. Or a how to do a single speed conversion video
I will for sure! It has been requested and I've been slacking on it. What I'll do is on Wednesday post a bike check and then the following week I'll make a single speed conversion video. Thanks for the interest :}
@@YourOwnAdventure
I recently purchased a GT and I really like your setup I also purchased the stem you recommended from Amazon so kind of trying to mirror what you did with your bike thanks for all the good content
@@MrSilvervw Awesome! I will say that stripping the frame to aluminum is a little bit of work but most of the other stuff is pretty straight forward and can be had on a budget. I've been ripping the thing since I bought it and nothing has failed me yet. I love the bike!
I think that you mean the ball of your foot (between your toes and arch) is best.
Which are better, steel vs composite mountain bike peddles?
Is this applicable to flat pedals on a road bike?
I have flat pedals but dang they hurt and if you mess up your foot placement it’s hard to recorrect it but other than that I love these
I actually switched due to this issue. Not so much the slipping and shin hits but foot placement. Clipless pedals has felt much better in my opinion
@@YourOwnAdventure When I first got my bike with flat pedals, I used to always have nasty shin or calf cuts. However, I've since gotten quite used to them and I seem to have naturally learned how to avoid this. I haven't had a pedal pin cut in months now. I'm using proper flat pedal shoes, though (Five Tens), so maybe the grip of the shoe sole rubber is helping.
Still waiting for my bike to arrive. Meantime got me Spank Spike pedals. I also got 5-10s. Question, in the beginning should I use shin guards?
I would definitely if you are planning on doing anything advanced. You'll thank yourself.... Might not look the most stylish but whatever makes you more confident on the bike.
Good sticky flat pedal shoes make a HUGE difference. But everyone knows that.
5:04 so nice! a normal bike
😀
How do you feel about hiking boots as MTB footwear?
I'm a new rider and quickly found out my Merrell Moab 2 Mid were preferable to New Balance 574 sneakers due to the stiffer sole and ankle support. I'm sure they are a bit heavier than Vans but I use to use Vans back in the day as everyday shoes and my arches just won't put up with them. As a 42 year old, overweight, and bad knee & back I need as much ankle support as possible. I can see the benefits, but I'm not married to the hiking boots as a MTB shoe. I'm open to opinions.
Hiking boots might be a bit big but if it's what you are comfortable in and they grip well than there is no reason not to ride them. Anything will be better than a runner shoe. If you are wanting a designated MTB shoe Five Ten makes a high top. Aside from that, theres a ton of other options out there that arent MTB branded and will work. For example, I picked up a pair of velcro strapped shoes at Walmart for about $15. Just made sure they had a decent rubber sole, heavy material on the toe cap and upper. They've been holding up just as well as any other shoe. Granted I don't ride in wet conditions.
Thank you for the reply. :)
For winter fatbiking I used Merrell hiking boots and flats. Then I switched to Wolvhammer fat bike boots and clips. Both worked well but the fat bike boots were expensive. The only issue I had with the hiking boots is the steel pins of the pedals chewed up the lugs on the sole after about a season. Having said that, a good pair of FiveTen bike shoes and flat pedals feels great. They have so much grip I switched from clipped to flats for good.
For your bad back, knees and arches, have you tried orthodics or Superfeet (I'm 46 and suffer similar ailments)? I used to hurt so bad after work, I even tried old man velcro walking shoes, hoping they would make a difference. Orthodics can be pricy but you can also get cheeper generic ones like SUPERFEET (currently 25% off on their website). I use them in all my shoes for work, biking, hiking or skiing. The support made a world of difference for my knees, hips and lower back ... and they worked nearly as well as expensive custom orthotics.
isn't there also a nerve or artery in your foot that you compress when you press with the center of your foot rather than the ball?
That is something new to me but I could see it being a possibility.
Is it hard for some people to keep their foot on some pedals I thought it was just natural
It is!
What are those shin guards your wearing I’ve been getting shiners a lot and I want to get some shin guards
They are just an Amazon basic shin pad. They have saved me soooo many times and they are very minimal in design. If you wear black socks they look really good. Heres a link. I've also found similar volleyball pads in Dicks sporting goods/Academy sports. www.amazon.com/Pro-Force-ProForce-Shin-Guards/dp/B0086OIL12/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=shin+pads&qid=1554417169&s=gateway&sr=8-10
Thanks👍👌
Man super nice vid a GoPro hero 8 and you can compete with gmbn but for shoes pleas buy five-tens that are by far the best mtb shoes and not so expensive.
Thanks! I have the 8 now. Check out my new videos this is older. I'm a cheap bastard with certain things but I agree that 5tens are probably the best. I ride Wlmart velcro shoes right now 🥴🥴
Pedals are the big hot topic that is ruining BMX. Starting next year 12 and under have to run flats and everyone is up in arms about it.
Wow. I'm not really familiar with the ins and outs with bmx but it seems like an interesting strategy. Maybe making it more approachable or leveling the playing field?
@@YourOwnAdventure nah, everyone starts running them around five years old. The problem is that when you start by clipping in there are a lot of bike control skills that you don't learn such as shifting your weight on your toes like you showed in your video. At least that's my opinion on it, that and the lil guys tend to struggle to unclip because you have to run the pedals so tight so there are more injuries.
why would you ever run clipless on BMX? aren't a majority of the tricks done accomplished by taking your feet off the pedal.....alot?
@@maximusgladi8or They are talking about racing. BMX racers use clipless at the top level
I just switched to flat pedals from clipless, so have been reading up and watching videos on the topic. This article I read somewhat contradicts your foot placement ideas. You may be interested to read this: www.bikejames.com/strength/do-you-really-need-to-push-through-the-ball-of-your-foot-when-you-pedal/. One of the GMBN videos I watched was suggesting the ideal placement is with the ball of the foot slightly in front of the pedal axis. Their explanation made sense to me.
I should have watched this before I rode my bike the first time
Flats with good grips everytime. Nikes are 'fashion items' and have nothing for serious cyclists. Vans are cool but I keep mine for walking. Good advice re foot position.
I love how he has his helmet on during the video!! sub to chain reaction brothers if you like jumps!
I'm thinking about ordering flats on one side, clippless on the other. But I don't hear much about them, or if riders like them. Hey man, my daughter's want to learn to surf, in the spring could you make a vid on learning.
Like the Crankbrothers Doubleshot? I think that would be a cool pedal to have. I think you don't hear about it much because it lives in a strange world in between haha. If I had clipless i'd try them out! And yes I will make a video on how to surf! That would be fun. Give me a little time on it though as it's not in the normal rotation. A lot of people have been asking for more videos on other outdoors/sports stuff so I'm working on how to incorporate more videos like it.
@@YourOwnAdventure Thanks man, you make excellent vids, I surf a little but I'll give bad advice to them I'm afraid, I'm not good at it. I have extremely high arches, which I think affects pedal position also. I'm on the ball of the foot but now I'm going to try slight adjustments. I'm an old dog so my habits are to break. Again thanks for your time to reply !
@@dereksmith3632 Thanks dude. It definitely didn't happen overnight. Just like bad habbits! Where are you surfing? East Coast? Hope the adjustments work out, It's different for everyone so I hope the discussion at least brought some ideas up in your head about the pedal placement.
@@YourOwnAdventure I'm about an hour from the coast of N.C. It's calm and my board is for advanced surfers, I need a longer wider board. Mine is the Pro- Motion made by Berts Surf Shop but all my play money goes towards bikes
Great 👍
I rode with my toe placement and got really bad pedal spin, any tips for this? Btw I got pedal whilst doing a jump and landing to flat and then my foot slipped of the pedal because I landed with the front of my foot on the pedal, any tips to not get pedal spin? I hope that made sense
Thanks for you interest. I'm definitely not an pro but I think I know what you're talking about. Have you tried experimenting with moving forward on the pedal? The toe doesnt have to be exactly over the pedal. Especially when doing jumps and things that have a harsh landing. You kind of want to shift more central so your weight is evenly balanced. I have experienced the same issue of the pedals "rolling" on a heavy landing and my heels will drop and cause a crash or horrible impact on my ankles. As with anything In this sport, it's usually due to improper form so I think a good way for you to practice would be working on bunny hops or rolling off a curb to feel where your weight works best on the pedals. If this far below your skill level just use a small jump that you are 100% comfortable on! Hope it helps. I'll make sure to do a video on it. This one was meant to be all emcpassing for new riders.
Have you got Instagram?
@@willgreen7160 I do but I haven't really kept up on it. Same name as here. I'll probably be revamping all this good stuff shortly!
i like flat pedal
Liked (Y) any recommend weightless shoes for pedals
As in MTB shoes?
Yes, cheap shoes would be better
@@norlansumile383 Are you in the US?
@@norlansumile383 If so, check out thrift stores for vans skate shoes or any skate shoes for that matter. Or places like Ross, Marshalls, Outlet stores for skate shoes. They hold up nearly as well as Five10 mtb shoes and can be found at discounted prices
200 bucks for shimano GR9 flat pedal shoe. Pricey but good,lighter then 5.10's.
you should use F through lenses
exposures easily get changed as you zooming when you use cheaplenses
I should do a lot of things
heel down. not toe down. watch sam hill
I use flats
the old flat pedals are the best ones (the "cheap stock pedals"). New flat pedals are so large and you press with more surface of your feet, and thats not comfortable for me. Think on this: when you jump down ( without bike) you dont use a large surface. That surface is what you need in your pedal. Its exacly the same surface you use to climb an obstable (without bike) the natural surface. You dont need to talk about friction in a physic way, its something natural and obvious! and.. Toe piece 4ever!
www.deporvillage.com/calapies-zefal-christophe-sin-correa easy to fit, easy to unfit! it help full where to situate your feet on the pedal and it is very cheap and you can use any shoe, so best combination 4ever for me (ofc I grow with this combination) SHORT TOE WITH NO TIES if you want to try and enjoy the experience
Do how to walk
Why is your helmet on? Billy Goat
Bananas!!!
Why tf you wear your helmet indoors billy?
For you
@@YourOwnAdventure very kind of you Billy, but helmets are for outdoors!
@@Liqweed1337 You're pretty smart
While watching this at 1:31, I was eating both meat and potatoes. What are the odds!
What a time to be alive!
Why are u wearing a helmet in the video it looks rly weird 😂
Why the heck not???
I don’t know you tell me 😂
A meteor could come through the roof and try to hit him! Who knows.
"Correct" foot position... Yeah I was told to use the balls of my feet as well and used clipless pedals for years, but then there is this guy pedalinginnovations.com/ These pedals are designed for mid-foot placement, and I am buying two pairs tomorrow
How to ride flat pedals in 2 easy steps!!!
STEP 1: Put feet on pedals
STEP 2: Push down on pedals in an alternating pattern
I just saved you more than 10 minutes. You're welcome.
It is necessary the use of the helmet during you aré filming?
Absolutely
Watching your video "MTB Flat Pedals - How to ride flat pedals" ( ruclips.net/video/YEeQjTr6bho/видео.html at 5:08 minutes). I just got flats and shoes, now I'm looking for shin protectors - I see a few people in this video have what look like light, shin only, pull-on, sock like shin covers. Haven't seen this in any stores. What brand are they???
holy crap.... wrong. all of this is wrong.
Let's hear your insight?
the vans you recommend are just as bad as the nikes you said not to wear. Not stiff at all. YOU need better shoes too and you wont have as much trouble keeping your feet on your flat pedals
Thanks... I'll try not to slip
Why the need for a helmet inside while making a RUclips video?
So you can comment about it
Audio sucks
Thanks John!
Good video... but loose the helmet.
I'll be sure to wear it in the next vid 🤘