I’ve never realized that float is the reason I like clipless pedals more than flats. It puts my foot in the place I like but allows me to twist a little as I move my body around. Way to start the channel off with an enlightening video!
@@BigBrainParty that was my first thought too. I really only ride flats in the winter so I don't freeze my feet off, but maybe those would change my mind.
Neat video! Longtime rider who switched from XT Trails to flats a couple years ago after a knee tear. (I’m keeping up on PT to stave off surgery.) I prefer the mobility I have on flats but this has me clip curious again. I have a fresh set of XT Trails and cleats on the wall… it’s an easy experiment… you have me convinced I should give ‘em a try again, then try some Mallet-E’s. On the Crank Bros front I wonder if you’ve tried the Synthesis carbon hoops. I see you’re using SC Reserves, a traditional double wall design...
Really like the way this guy (Steve) delivers his channel. He doesn t tell us what we need just tells us what works for him, why it works and gives us enough informative info to experiment ourselves. No apparant hidden agenda except to inform Comes across really genuine . Refreshing
Excellent video! Long time SPD user myself, got me wanting to try something different now. Great way to kick off the new channel, looking forward to seeing more!
Thanks Steve, this was a great discussion for your new channel. I started with crank bros egg beaters 12 years ago, and I have never looked back...or sideways for that matter. I just enjoy them so much, even in the gnarliest situations I can always get out of my pedals. I really like the low profile of the egg beaters, and I can tell it helps keep me from pedal strikes in technical terrain. One thing to add is that replacement cleats come with two lengths of screws. One time I didn't pay attention to that and started experiencing foot pain on long rides. It took me a long time to figure out that the long screws were too long for my shoe and created a pressure point that was only noticeable on long rides or long descents. Although brass, the cleats remain functional for a very long time, especially if you walk with some care in rocky terrain. I found it's best to replace the screws on the cleats before they become so worn you aren't able to get an allen key in for removal. Also, bearings on the pedals eventually dry out with lots of use and abuse, but they are easily serviceable. It's nice to see you looking healthy! This channel will be a great place for you to share your wealth of knowledge, looking forward to it!
I had been using Shimano forever and was contemplating trying clipped in again. The float factor is huge and I may try Crank Brothers now. Thanks Steve, keep it up!!
I’ve never been able to bring myself to try clipless. After watching this, I’m now thinking I should try the mallets on my bikepacking bike. At 42, and with over three decades of BMX freestyle and mountain biking on aggressive flats and tacky shoes under my belt, I’m still not ready to try them in a Highly dynamic riding environment, but I can now see the upside during a more relaxed, controlled ride. Thank you for the big brain explanation! The new channel is already providing me with value! It’s a solid pivot, and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us! Wishing you even more success than you had with Hardtail party! Cheers! 🤘
4:08 That's similar to how worn shoes feel I guess. With worn out Fiveten Freerider, I got similar thing, soles felt like jelly. So the sole was glued to the pedal but isle moved on it self not quite the same of course. Horrible feeling, once it got too bad feet could twist off. So remember to get new shoes or soles if they wear out. Not worn down any other shoes that far yet.
Nice Eskar shirt! I actually came because the video landed in my suggested videos, staying for crank brothers and Eskar! I switched out to Crank Brothers in...2002 or so, I had some issues with SPD then and never turned back.
My little brain switched back to flats 25 years ago and haven’t looked back (on my second pair of Ride Concept shoes) but your explanation of everything is so good 👌🏼 great start to the new channel.
Great break down. I'll have to try a setup like this to see if I'd go back to clipless. Just like you, I rode clipless for a long time, but then I went to flat pedals and have never looked back. I found out I like to move my feet around for climbing and descending, but the main reason for leaving clipless was not being able to unclip when I wanted to, especially for slow tech. Anyway, great break down. I'm so stoked on this channel!
Ineed the “Float”, as I have a bolt-on right knee, which I’m convinced the knee was not attached in straight or inline with my hip and other knee/leg. I use flats with 5.10 freerider, or Sam Hill shoes to MTB. So I can not only unclimbed as needed, but to clip back in especially as you come around a corner to a steep climb, where I would invariably miss clipping in, often stalling out and falling to the side. I use XT SPD on my road bikes, mostly to be able to not walk around like a duck on ice. I have my bolt-on knee cleats/clips positioned to point my foot out slightly, which is more comfortable, even though less efficient. This is a great vid. A lot of info.
I have SPDs and HT T2s. Really like the feel of the HTs. They have little float, adjustable tension, and pins. I've found it easier to unclip with a low float cleat, as it takes less rotation to get out of the mechanism. Good info as always Steve.
@@mybadvideos I love them. Similar to SPD, but a very positive engagement feel. Very secure with minimal float. A little harder to get out of though. The Loam Wolf has a review of them that's about spot on.
I switch from SPD to TIME then EggBeaters came out and haven't looked back. That was about 25years ago. Only down side with CrankBro pedals is pedal strike will unclip your feet.
Just found your new channel! I hope you find the same success as you did with the HTP channel any beyond. Thanks for the info. I am a big fan of the crankbro's mallet e's. I came from an XC side of things and had my cleats setup on the toes with my mallets. I then swapped to the ball of the foot ahead of the spindle and man, what a positive change! I look forward to following along with you. Great content per usual. Oh, also, I recently added the long spindle kit, for someone like me with bowed legs, it's a great addition.
I just started using crank bros as well. I'm still trying to get used to being clipped in since I used flat pedals for the past 5 years. Good luck with the channel.
Thanks for the insight! I recently bought a pair of Vans 114s in the hopes of increasing traction and reducing play. The waffle grips provide a wide possibility of foot position without sacrificing traction
I always cranked my spd pedal release because i hate float. I too love many things about flats but miss being clipped. I think im getting mallet e. Thanks for the deep dive on these.
Nice video, thanks for sharing your experience. Right now, I have SPD ME 700 pedals combined with GE500 shoes and so far I am happy. There is no rocking or vertical play. There is float, but I dont mind that. Have a nice day :)
Great Video. I just realized last fall that I prefer the floaty feeling when reading my DH bike again. Being struck to the flat pedals wasn't my thing anymore. Switch to HT components clips on all my bikes now
I ride Crank Brothers with 6 degree easy release cleats due to prior knee injuries. A little float allows me to adjust as i ride so my knees don't hurt. But maybe I'll try the 0 float version of the cleat and see how it feels. I've also found you need to experiment with the shims and the metal shield, depending on your bike shoe. I removed the shim and added the shield and it works great.
Did you say Cane Creek Mallet-E? :) This is actually a timely video for me because I'm actually looking at going back to clipless, specifically with these Crank Bros pedals. I'm getting sick of my feet slipping off my flats on fast chunky stuff, but I still want to be able to easily unclip. You've convinced me to try them out. Thank you sir!
Yup, the brain fog is real. I totally messed that up. I highly recommend their mallet shoes with them. Great combo. Make sure to experiment around with cleat height and pin height.
Wow awesome video, make me think I dont really like float. I want a flat pedal feeling with a fixed shoes riding point and the clipped feeling to be one with the bike. Thanks a lot for that.
Great video, really informative. I’ve clip less since ‘94 on Shimano and Time Attacks and with a new hardtail went with some Shimano M8120’s wish I’d seen this though. Actually wish I’d found the Hardtail Party channel before I got the new bike. YOU ROCK STEVE. Keep it coming!
Going to date my self here. Started with Shimano and traded with a buddy for his Onzas loved those pedals. Used some Ritcheys and Wellgos all SPD clones and now ride Crankbrothers. In my 30 yes of riding clipless Crankbrothers are my favorites then the Onza then the SPD. Love the geekout videos!! Love to see you do a live stream and talk about the evolution from the 90s to know. I think a lot of younger riders and the newer riders would love to hear the insight.
Good video, thanks! I wish you have a great success with this new channel! I started with SPDs in the late 90's and early 00´s. Then had various CB Mallets and Candys over a period of ~10 years. Then went back to SPD's. I can say I like both systems and I'd happily ride either. However, I tried flats about 2 years ago, just to try them out...and I haven't looked back. There are some things I still like about clipless pedals, but I just find flats to be just more fun to ride. I may get back to clipless from time to time, to mix things out, but overall I think I am a flat-pedal convert. :)
Been running Time Atac for 20 years. Much preferred over SPD, easier engage and disengage and cleaning. But they do float, and I'd assumed that was a good thing. Having a fixed cleat is an interesting take on it, I hadn't considered that. Now I wanna compare to the Mallet!
Same for me...Time ATAC. Ran some SPD on a commuter bike and they worked, but definitely prefer the ATAC. Never really thought about the float, they just work for me.
9 месяцев назад
I've been riding SPDs for 20 years, more or less XC/trail style. I plan to try a good pair of flat pedals, it will be interesting to see how it feels to have zero float after all these years.
I don't use flat pedals or clipless anymore. I use Hustle magnetic pedals. I get most of the advantages of clipless but I can get out of them much easier. I have never crashed with these pedals, even while learning how to use them.
I stripped a screw when servicing my SPDs. They're holding up well, but I figured I'd replace them soon because of that. Will take a look at the CBs first. Good luck with the new channel - I'll be doing my part with the watch-hours :)
Really good subject matter. I ride Deity Tmac on my MTB’s mainly for that solid no-float, planted, control feel just like you talked about. I also use Crank Brothers Candy pedals on my gravel bike BUT lately I’ve more aware that because of the float and smaller platform that it kind of bothers me. I recently rode a technical loop in Moab on the gravel bike with the Candys and noticed that I didn’t like all the foot movement. So anyway great video and the subject matter really hits home with me because I’ve been thinking about changing a few things up and trying the Mallet pedals.
I love my crank brothers exactly because the clear wear out and becomes super easy to unclip!! It gives me that locked in feeling with very little float but the boom at any moment I can unclip from the pedal and stick the feet out !! Plus you get the mud to clear off easy and I would also say that the spring of the retaining system holds up better over time than SPDS
Hi Steve ! Congratulations on the new channel ! I've been an HTP fan for years but your analysis is spon on. I personnally have been riding fs bikes for 2 years now and kept on watching HTP for fun but not as much as when I was riding hardtails exclusively. So I'm thrilled by the new horizons that channel opens :) I can't wait to watch you upcoming videos and above all, I wish you all the best ! 🤟
Thanks for posting this. I never knew what the crank brother pedals were different from Shimano SPDs. I enjoy the float on the SPDs and tried flat pedals before. I don't enjoy flat pedals on a hardtail riding rough terrain and now I think I know why. Flat pedals didn't give me any float and hurt my ankles more than SPDs. SPDs didn't give me any pain.
100% with you on this, but I found an SPD pedal that does it too - the DMR vtwin. I paired them with fiveten clipless shoes as well. I believe the more recent Hope clipless pedals can also be set up like this too.
I tried getting this feeling with SPD. It didn't work. But before the cleats wore out, I did really like the pin digging in feel, I'll probably try the e-mallets based on your review of them / getting some of the flat pedal feel in a clipless pedal.
Awesome 🔥nice work. I switched to flats from spd's back in 99 so i could play around on the bike more i like to be able to move my foot position around when fighting fatigue 🤘
Back in teh 90's you could get shimano compatible cleats from wellgo? with 0 deg, 2 deg , 4deg and 6 deg float. I accidentally bought zero degrees and used them on road bikes for a short while, but didn't like them...
I was an early adopter of egg beaters, loving their simplicity and mud clearance…however, I started getting a bit of “hotfoot” occasionally due to no platform so I’ve been riding the “candy” model with small platform and no pins. I like a bit of float and think it helps avoid overuse injuries to knees, etc. Nice review!
Funn pedals are a flat pedal with spd compatible clipless. Get the same planted feeling you are talking about with the crank Brothers pedal. I have ridden with spd for 20ish years and swapped to Funn pedals a few months ago and love the planted controllable feel I get.
I love Mallet E LS pedals and Mallet clip shoes. For all the same reasons you've mentioned. Also from SPDs. I still ride flats from time to time, but when I'm shredding on the full suspension in the roughest stuff, Mallet clip system for me, every time.
Steve, thank you for this incredible in-depth look. Your work is an absolute gift to bike nerds like me! 🙃 Speaking of nerdy topics, I'd love to hear your take on how the combo of a high stack and long chainstays influence a bike's handling. I imagine that this combination would make for a bike that is insanely stable in the corners - but surely there would be tradeoffs! Thanks again, loving the new channel already!
@Big Brain Party. I’m curious, how do Time ATAC mountain pedals compare to shimano and Crank Brothers? I ran some SPDs for a few months back in the late 90’s til I had a bad crash and couldn’t unclip. Then I switched to Time ATAC and also run flats from time to time.
I started with mallets and put long spindles on. Then the mallet es when they x Came out. Now, the mallet trail is my favorite pedal along with easy release cleats.
Hi Steve, Raceface Chester und 510 shoes....that sticks together and works fine on my 29". But on my 26" bikes it's clipless, old shimano and look-pedals, both work fine and i never failed while gettin of the bike or in a crash. Bad xperience i had with onza clipless in the early years... fixed to hard and while stoppin at a traffic light, i fell in slowmo like turtle on may back.
Tried eggbeaters on my 05 Santa Cruz blur in 2006. Fell twice trying to unclip. Took them off and never tried any clipless pedal since. Yoshimura flat pedals are my pedal of choice right now. Great topic !
One of my Specialized bikes came with egg beaters. They work fine but always ended up bending the clip retention cage on pedal strikes. Went back to more durable Shimano Spd 520s.
I ride the FUNN ripper pedal which is an SPD and I love it. I’ve tried the crank brothers but felt the release was too soft for my liking and aggressive riding style and feel the same about the Shimano pedal offering too much float. I do still enjoy riding flats on occasion as well but like the extra security of clips when racing.
I ride SPD’s on the MTB and gravel/road, and flats on the fat bikes. I have been curious to try the Crankbros stuff for years but have also never tried them. I think I would be in the like float category, but I would have to try the locked in feel to know for sure.
I run doubleshot on my XC bike and eggbeater on my road bike, carbon soled shoes make it so that the pedal platform becomes irrelevant but I still like having a true platform with raised studs for when I forget that the xc bike isn't meant to do "fun" stuff. Can't believe no one noticed the Cane Creek thing at the start of the video:)
Nice wildcat , I got my frame last week , just waiting on brake hoses to come in . I bought a pair of old mallet dh (2012) that my lbs had laying around for cheap . I really like them on my fat bike in the summer time , I can climb much better , the problem I have is the Q factor of the mallet dh , on top of the Q factor of the fat bike , my stance feels too wide . So I’m thinking of getting the candy 1 or 2 . I personally like the float of the crank brother pedal , especially when cornering or going through tech sections .
I'm constantly swapping between flats and SPD. Mostly flats for huge jumps and any mission where there's a lot of bike pushing, especially on rocks. I like the float on SPD trail pedals for most riding. I only ride SPD DH pedals when I'm actually riding downhill, I find the pins to be a detriment for getting out during extra techy climbs if you have weight on them.
Still in the same set of egg beaters since the early 2000’s, but on the third bike! I love the float on them and the super quick release; maybe my cleats are worn out, but they’re still as predictable as the day I first fitted them. Agreed about cleat placement too; just behind the ball of my foot.
I had your epiphany over 20 years ago. SPD to crank brothers. Love zero float. One less thing to worry about. Crank Brothers Pedals are a standard that will never get old.
I gave SPDs a try and the float was definitely one of the things I really didn't like when compared to a "floatless"combo of 5Tens and flats. Ended up going the opposite direction and ordered the Catalyst Pedals which have a huge platform, they're by far one of my favourite bike components
I've run the Mallet DHs with the standard 15/6 cleats and those feel too mushy. The "easy" release 10/6 has a very positive pop in and out/ my favorite. Second favorite is the standard 15/0. I too run both clipless and flats and switch between them often.
I personally had the exact opposite shift of mind. When I started mountain biking (not so long ago), I opted for Funn Mamba SPD-compatible pedals with a wide platform and pins that would keep my foot in place. Exactly with the same idea in mind - more control. But when I bought a gravel bike and set it up with smaller SPD pedals (LOOK X-Track) I realized how much I actually like that float! Now I have these pedals on my FS, my SS HT and I have no plans whatsoever to change anything in that regard. I also played with eggbeaters for a few months, but I just got sick of trying to make them work for me, as opposed to SPD which I can just put on and forget about.
I have never ridden clipless pedals ever, but I have bought the Stamp 7 Seagrave edition after a few years being on Race face pedals, and the Crank brothers pedals did not disappoint.
9:59 this does not look that bad, un-clip an clip-in easily. But clips will be better in a crash when you lay on the ground in an awkward position. Thus I've never tried it. But if I had to ride with clipless I guess it would be this setup. But I like mid foot position which clipless don't really give.
I got a Mallet DH for my e-gravel bike, for different reasons: Needed the widest platform, I can now wear winter and rain overshoes (I can't do that with flat pedals and pins all over) and it allows me to ride with both types of shoes, clipped in or flats for short commutes. SPD has that style too, but its cleat mechanism is too bulged up that's uncomfortable for flat shoes.
Racing bmx for 16 years I ran clipless pedals exclusively for about 12 years of those. I’ve run shimano spd, crank bros mallet e, and HT clips. Main issue I always had is I cannot get my natural foot position that I ride flat pedals with. It wasn’t till I found the pedaling innovations catalyst pedal that are to this day the most comfortable pedal I’ve ever ridden. I started racing only on those pedals and was just as competitive, the issue was that a lot of my competitors did not like getting beaten by someone on flats. I would love if you tried those pedals out and told us what you think of them. They look ridiculous but just work. I love that you explained the cleat placement and pedal and shoe interface. So many years of being uncomfortable on clipless pedals because I couldn’t get shoes with my cleats in the same position as I would ride my flats. As always Steve love the things you do.
@@BigBrainParty I think their benefit is most noticeable in situations where you are standing and that’s why in BMX and single speeding I really a noticed it.
I am flat and spd user including road bike. I starting to hate the float and it gave me knee pain on float no matter what. So i got the blue cleats on road bike and felt so much better unfortunately the SPD Shimano on MTB don't have little float or zero float until you shared this. I remember riding SPD on trail and i got sudden knee pain on climbs and had to cancel the ride. I switch back to flats and it's 100% better. Now i am looking at that crankbrother which have zero float. I wonder why Shimano not making zero float for mtb. I am basically opposite of more float no knee pain.
I've been riding flats forever both on mtb and road bikes. 5.10s and Ride Concepts shoes with DMRs are a solid combo for me. I want to get into clipless at some point, but I fear the learning curve and question if the benefits will outweigh the time it takes to learn.
I'm a hi-float guy. I use both Shimano SPDs and flats across my 4 bikes. I have SPDs on my more XC/DC bikes and flats on more enduro bikes where I just hammer down the trails. When I'm on my flats I find that I need to reposition my feet on the pedals it is very difficult to do because of the pins doing it job. Sometimes when I put my foot on a flat pedal it's not in the optimal location on the pedal but at that point I'm already bombing down the trail and I can't pick up my foot to reposition it. Even when it's a little bit off and I just need to make a super small adjustment to the position I can't do it. I can still ride, just not optimally and it feels a little bit off. With SPDs once I have it set my feet will always be in that exact same location of the pedal. But I can see the benefits of what you're staying. It's just different riding styles I guess. Oh, I like a little bit of float because I like to shift my weight around, especially on technical sections, and the float allows me to move my feet a bit while shifting without unclipping.
This whole statement is me exactly. I am going to try some crank brothers with 6 degrees of float just to see if their better mud shedding is worth the full time switch from SPD.
I like the float of Eggbeaters specially when standing on my Single Speed. I also like the ability to change foot position to deal with fatigue and joint discomfort.
i like the most stick aproach since i dont have to think about my feet. One downside is on flats if i position my feet wrong it throws me off so crankbrothers might be the saving grace for me. Most stick and same feet position every time
i recently tried to convert to the mallet e pedals … i am about to put them on fb marketplace after 2 rides. i found them way too hard to unclip. i was hoping that they would allow me to do more than my flats … but i ended up regressing
I've used both but Im back on SPD, I think it really depends on the style of riding, all mountain Mallet E, XC SPD. I think the biggest issue with the Crank Bros is wear over time I have a bucket of worn and broken Crank bros, but my original pair of 25 year old SPD are still usable.
I’ve never realized that float is the reason I like clipless pedals more than flats. It puts my foot in the place I like but allows me to twist a little as I move my body around. Way to start the channel off with an enlightening video!
I wonder if you'd like those flats with float in them.
@@BigBrainParty that was my first thought too. I really only ride flats in the winter so I don't freeze my feet off, but maybe those would change my mind.
I hurt my knees occasionally with flats because I am so used to the float on SPDs. I have to be very conscious of how I am twisting my knees.
Great distinction between the float vs non float. I ride flats but found this very interesting. Great job Steve!!!
Neat video! Longtime rider who switched from XT Trails to flats a couple years ago after a knee tear. (I’m keeping up on PT to stave off surgery.) I prefer the mobility I have on flats but this has me clip curious again. I have a fresh set of XT Trails and cleats on the wall… it’s an easy experiment… you have me convinced I should give ‘em a try again, then try some Mallet-E’s.
On the Crank Bros front I wonder if you’ve tried the Synthesis carbon hoops. I see you’re using SC Reserves, a traditional double wall design...
Really like the way this guy (Steve) delivers his channel. He doesn t tell us what we need just tells us what works for him, why it works and gives us enough informative info to experiment ourselves. No apparant hidden agenda except to inform Comes across really genuine . Refreshing
Thank you, I'm more interested in teaching than brainwashing/selling
I second your opinion. Steve is very informative
Agreed
Went from knee pain and Shimano SPD to Crankbrothers Candy pedals and have never had pain again! So much better...
Excellent video! Long time SPD user myself, got me wanting to try something different now. Great way to kick off the new channel, looking forward to seeing more!
Thanks Steve, this was a great discussion for your new channel. I started with crank bros egg beaters 12 years ago, and I have never looked back...or sideways for that matter. I just enjoy them so much, even in the gnarliest situations I can always get out of my pedals. I really like the low profile of the egg beaters, and I can tell it helps keep me from pedal strikes in technical terrain. One thing to add is that replacement cleats come with two lengths of screws. One time I didn't pay attention to that and started experiencing foot pain on long rides. It took me a long time to figure out that the long screws were too long for my shoe and created a pressure point that was only noticeable on long rides or long descents. Although brass, the cleats remain functional for a very long time, especially if you walk with some care in rocky terrain. I found it's best to replace the screws on the cleats before they become so worn you aren't able to get an allen key in for removal. Also, bearings on the pedals eventually dry out with lots of use and abuse, but they are easily serviceable. It's nice to see you looking healthy! This channel will be a great place for you to share your wealth of knowledge, looking forward to it!
I had been using Shimano forever and was contemplating trying clipped in again. The float factor is huge and I may try Crank Brothers now. Thanks Steve, keep it up!!
I’ll have to try the zero float cleat. I’ve only tried the float cleat but your argument about control makes sense.
So many nuggets of info in here! Cool to hear about your foot position as well, I’ll have to experiment with that on my next ride!
It'll take a little getting used to, but I think you're going to like it
I’ve never been able to bring myself to try clipless. After watching this, I’m now thinking I should try the mallets on my bikepacking bike. At 42, and with over three decades of BMX freestyle and mountain biking on aggressive flats and tacky shoes under my belt, I’m still not ready to try them in a Highly dynamic riding environment, but I can now see the upside during a more relaxed, controlled ride. Thank you for the big brain explanation!
The new channel is already providing me with value! It’s a solid pivot, and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us! Wishing you even more success than you had with Hardtail party! Cheers! 🤘
4:08 That's similar to how worn shoes feel I guess. With worn out Fiveten Freerider, I got similar thing, soles felt like jelly. So the sole was glued to the pedal but isle moved on it self not quite the same of course. Horrible feeling, once it got too bad feet could twist off. So remember to get new shoes or soles if they wear out. Not worn down any other shoes that far yet.
Nice Eskar shirt! I actually came because the video landed in my suggested videos, staying for crank brothers and Eskar! I switched out to Crank Brothers in...2002 or so, I had some issues with SPD then and never turned back.
My little brain switched back to flats 25 years ago and haven’t looked back (on my second pair of Ride Concept shoes) but your explanation of everything is so good 👌🏼 great start to the new channel.
Great break down. I'll have to try a setup like this to see if I'd go back to clipless. Just like you, I rode clipless for a long time, but then I went to flat pedals and have never looked back. I found out I like to move my feet around for climbing and descending, but the main reason for leaving clipless was not being able to unclip when I wanted to, especially for slow tech. Anyway, great break down. I'm so stoked on this channel!
For what it's worth, i just gotta say it again . . . I think your insights and presentation are the best of the internet on mountain biking! Thanks.
Thank you so much. Im working on an upcoming course that i think youll love.
Ineed the “Float”, as I have a bolt-on right knee, which I’m convinced the knee was not attached in straight or inline with my hip and other knee/leg. I use flats with 5.10 freerider, or Sam Hill shoes to MTB. So I can not only unclimbed as needed, but to clip back in especially as you come around a corner to a steep climb, where I would invariably miss clipping in, often stalling out and falling to the side. I use XT SPD on my road bikes, mostly to be able to not walk around like a duck on ice. I have my bolt-on knee cleats/clips positioned to point my foot out slightly, which is more comfortable, even though less efficient.
This is a great vid. A lot of info.
I have SPDs and HT T2s. Really like the feel of the HTs. They have little float, adjustable tension, and pins. I've found it easier to unclip with a low float cleat, as it takes less rotation to get out of the mechanism. Good info as always Steve.
I've been curious about HT for at least a year now..
@@mybadvideos I love them. Similar to SPD, but a very positive engagement feel. Very secure with minimal float. A little harder to get out of though. The Loam Wolf has a review of them that's about spot on.
hey man thanks for this video you answered all questions I've been looking for. Bog props 👏🤙
I switch from SPD to TIME then EggBeaters came out and haven't looked back. That was about 25years ago. Only down side with CrankBro pedals is pedal strike will unclip your feet.
Love your videos and expertise. Congrats on new channel. SPDs forever though broke to many CBs in my time.
Just found your new channel! I hope you find the same success as you did with the HTP channel any beyond. Thanks for the info. I am a big fan of the crankbro's mallet e's. I came from an XC side of things and had my cleats setup on the toes with my mallets. I then swapped to the ball of the foot ahead of the spindle and man, what a positive change! I look forward to following along with you. Great content per usual. Oh, also, I recently added the long spindle kit, for someone like me with bowed legs, it's a great addition.
I just started using crank bros as well. I'm still trying to get used to being clipped in since I used flat pedals for the past 5 years. Good luck with the channel.
Oh, and I’m already loving the possibilities of this new platform for you. Good stuff!
Thanks for the insight! I recently bought a pair of Vans 114s in the hopes of increasing traction and reducing play. The waffle grips provide a wide possibility of foot position without sacrificing traction
I always cranked my spd pedal release because i hate float. I too love many things about flats but miss being clipped. I think im getting mallet e. Thanks for the deep dive on these.
Time Atac 28 yrs & lovin’em
Nice video, thanks for sharing your experience. Right now, I have SPD ME 700 pedals combined with GE500 shoes and so far I am happy. There is no rocking or vertical play. There is float, but I dont mind that. Have a nice day :)
Great Video. I just realized last fall that I prefer the floaty feeling when reading my DH bike again. Being struck to the flat pedals wasn't my thing anymore. Switch to HT components clips on all my bikes now
I ride Crank Brothers with 6 degree easy release cleats due to prior knee injuries. A little float allows me to adjust as i ride so my knees don't hurt. But maybe I'll try the 0 float version of the cleat and see how it feels. I've also found you need to experiment with the shims and the metal shield, depending on your bike shoe. I removed the shim and added the shield and it works great.
I have the same Crank brothers set-up. It's great, feel totally in control all the time!
Did you say Cane Creek Mallet-E? :) This is actually a timely video for me because I'm actually looking at going back to clipless, specifically with these Crank Bros pedals. I'm getting sick of my feet slipping off my flats on fast chunky stuff, but I still want to be able to easily unclip. You've convinced me to try them out. Thank you sir!
Yup, the brain fog is real. I totally messed that up. I highly recommend their mallet shoes with them. Great combo. Make sure to experiment around with cleat height and pin height.
Went to flats from the Crankbrothers Mallets. So after this video I think I'll give them another shot. Thanks Steve for the info.
Wow awesome video, make me think I dont really like float. I want a flat pedal feeling with a fixed shoes riding point and the clipped feeling to be one with the bike. Thanks a lot for that.
Great video, really informative. I’ve clip less since ‘94 on Shimano and
Time Attacks and with a new hardtail went with some Shimano M8120’s wish I’d seen this though. Actually wish I’d found the Hardtail Party channel before I got the new bike. YOU ROCK STEVE. Keep it coming!
Going to date my self here. Started with Shimano and traded with a buddy for his Onzas loved those pedals. Used some Ritcheys and Wellgos all SPD clones and now ride Crankbrothers. In my 30 yes of riding clipless Crankbrothers are my favorites then the Onza then the SPD. Love the geekout videos!! Love to see you do a live stream and talk about the evolution from the 90s to know. I think a lot of younger riders and the newer riders would love to hear the insight.
Good video, thanks! I wish you have a great success with this new channel!
I started with SPDs in the late 90's and early 00´s. Then had various CB Mallets and Candys over a period of ~10 years. Then went back to SPD's. I can say I like both systems and I'd happily ride either. However, I tried flats about 2 years ago, just to try them out...and I haven't looked back. There are some things I still like about clipless pedals, but I just find flats to be just more fun to ride. I may get back to clipless from time to time, to mix things out, but overall I think I am a flat-pedal convert. :)
Have you tried the Hope Union TC pedals? They also have optional pins to dial in the amount of grip.
Been running Time Atac for 20 years. Much preferred over SPD, easier engage and disengage and cleaning.
But they do float, and I'd assumed that was a good thing.
Having a fixed cleat is an interesting take on it, I hadn't considered that.
Now I wanna compare to the Mallet!
Same for me...Time ATAC. Ran some SPD on a commuter bike and they worked, but definitely prefer the ATAC. Never really thought about the float, they just work for me.
I've been riding SPDs for 20 years, more or less XC/trail style. I plan to try a good pair of flat pedals, it will be interesting to see how it feels to have zero float after all these years.
Great video Steve. Look forward to the content you are going to provide us with this new channel.
I don't use flat pedals or clipless anymore. I use Hustle magnetic pedals. I get most of the advantages of clipless but I can get out of them much easier. I have never crashed with these pedals, even while learning how to use them.
I stripped a screw when servicing my SPDs. They're holding up well, but I figured I'd replace them soon because of that. Will take a look at the CBs first. Good luck with the new channel - I'll be doing my part with the watch-hours :)
Mindblowing. Thanks for another great video! Looking forward to the next one.
Really good subject matter. I ride Deity Tmac on my MTB’s mainly for that solid no-float, planted, control feel just like you talked about. I also use Crank Brothers Candy pedals on my gravel bike BUT lately I’ve more aware that because of the float and smaller platform that it kind of bothers me. I recently rode a technical loop in Moab on the gravel bike with the Candys and noticed that I didn’t like all the foot movement. So anyway great video and the subject matter really hits home with me because I’ve been thinking about changing a few things up and trying the Mallet pedals.
Steve, are you heading to Sea Otter this year? Love the video, and appreciate the pivot to this new channel.
Yes
Cool! Will keep an eye out for you!
Great video! I wear the same 5 10s with the high ankle protection. I love them and all MTB shoes should have some ankle protection.
I haven’t got back onto clip-less pedals since my road days. But I’m interested in trying them out again.
Great video and well explained concepts! Thanks
I love my crank brothers exactly because the clear wear out and becomes super easy to unclip!! It gives me that locked in feeling with very little float but the boom at any moment I can unclip from the pedal and stick the feet out !! Plus you get the mud to clear off easy and I would also say that the spring of the retaining system holds up better over time than SPDS
Hi Steve ! Congratulations on the new channel ! I've been an HTP fan for years but your analysis is spon on. I personnally have been riding fs bikes for 2 years now and kept on watching HTP for fun but not as much as when I was riding hardtails exclusively. So I'm thrilled by the new horizons that channel opens :) I can't wait to watch you upcoming videos and above all, I wish you all the best ! 🤟
Thanks for posting this. I never knew what the crank brother pedals were different from Shimano SPDs. I enjoy the float on the SPDs and tried flat pedals before. I don't enjoy flat pedals on a hardtail riding rough terrain and now I think I know why. Flat pedals didn't give me any float and hurt my ankles more than SPDs. SPDs didn't give me any pain.
It could also he the hardtail hurting your ankles. Suspension is definitely easier on the body.
100% with you on this, but I found an SPD pedal that does it too - the DMR vtwin. I paired them with fiveten clipless shoes as well. I believe the more recent Hope clipless pedals can also be set up like this too.
I tried getting this feeling with SPD. It didn't work. But before the cleats wore out, I did really like the pin digging in feel, I'll probably try the e-mallets based on your review of them / getting some of the flat pedal feel in a clipless pedal.
Awesome 🔥nice work. I switched to flats from spd's back in 99 so i could play around on the bike more i like to be able to move my foot position around when fighting fatigue 🤘
Love flats with extra grip. Just bought SPDs to try this summer still 3 feet of in north of Sweden, so not able to try yet..😢
Back in teh 90's you could get shimano compatible cleats from wellgo? with 0 deg, 2 deg , 4deg and 6 deg float. I accidentally bought zero degrees and used them on road bikes for a short while, but didn't like them...
I was an early adopter of egg beaters, loving their simplicity and mud clearance…however, I started getting a bit of “hotfoot” occasionally due to no platform so I’ve been riding the “candy” model with small platform and no pins. I like a bit of float and think it helps avoid overuse injuries to knees, etc. Nice review!
Funn pedals are a flat pedal with spd compatible clipless. Get the same planted feeling you are talking about with the crank Brothers pedal. I have ridden with spd for 20ish years and swapped to Funn pedals a few months ago and love the planted controllable feel I get.
I ride crank brothers mallet trails. The trails in my area is geared to xc, light trail application. I normally use flats in the mountains.
I love Mallet E LS pedals and Mallet clip shoes. For all the same reasons you've mentioned. Also from SPDs. I still ride flats from time to time, but when I'm shredding on the full suspension in the roughest stuff, Mallet clip system for me, every time.
Steve, thank you for this incredible in-depth look. Your work is an absolute gift to bike nerds like me! 🙃
Speaking of nerdy topics, I'd love to hear your take on how the combo of a high stack and long chainstays influence a bike's handling. I imagine that this combination would make for a bike that is insanely stable in the corners - but surely there would be tradeoffs!
Thanks again, loving the new channel already!
I have plans for topics just like that.
@Big Brain Party. I’m curious, how do Time ATAC mountain pedals compare to shimano and Crank Brothers? I ran some SPDs for a few months back in the late 90’s til I had a bad crash and couldn’t unclip. Then I switched to Time ATAC and also run flats from time to time.
Are the mallet-E the same as the Mallet Enduro?
When I started clipping in I had SPDs and some badddd crashes in bad spots because i couldn't unclip. Switched to CB and it never happened again
I started with mallets and put long spindles on. Then the mallet es when they x
Came out. Now, the mallet trail is my favorite pedal along with easy release cleats.
Hi Steve, Raceface Chester und 510 shoes....that sticks together and works fine on my 29". But on my 26" bikes it's clipless, old shimano and look-pedals, both work fine and i never failed while gettin of the bike or in a crash. Bad xperience i had with onza clipless in the early years... fixed to hard and while stoppin at a traffic light, i fell in slowmo like turtle on may back.
Tried eggbeaters on my 05 Santa Cruz blur in 2006. Fell twice trying to unclip. Took them off and never tried any clipless pedal since. Yoshimura flat pedals are my pedal of choice right now. Great topic !
One of my Specialized bikes came with egg beaters. They work fine but always ended up bending the clip retention cage on pedal strikes. Went back to more durable Shimano Spd 520s.
First one and I’m already hooked on BBP👍
I ride the FUNN ripper pedal which is an SPD and I love it. I’ve tried the crank brothers but felt the release was too soft for my liking and aggressive riding style and feel the same about the Shimano pedal offering too much float. I do still enjoy riding flats on occasion as well but like the extra security of clips when racing.
I ride SPD’s on the MTB and gravel/road, and flats on the fat bikes. I have been curious to try the Crankbros stuff for years but have also never tried them. I think I would be in the like float category, but I would have to try the locked in feel to know for sure.
I run doubleshot on my XC bike and eggbeater on my road bike, carbon soled shoes make it so that the pedal platform becomes irrelevant but I still like having a true platform with raised studs for when I forget that the xc bike isn't meant to do "fun" stuff. Can't believe no one noticed the Cane Creek thing at the start of the video:)
I noticed!!
Nice wildcat , I got my frame last week , just waiting on brake hoses to come in . I bought a pair of old mallet dh (2012) that my lbs had laying around for cheap . I really like them on my fat bike in the summer time , I can climb much better , the problem I have is the Q factor of the mallet dh , on top of the Q factor of the fat bike , my stance feels too wide . So I’m thinking of getting the candy 1 or 2 . I personally like the float of the crank brother pedal , especially when cornering or going through tech sections .
I'm constantly swapping between flats and SPD. Mostly flats for huge jumps and any mission where there's a lot of bike pushing, especially on rocks. I like the float on SPD trail pedals for most riding. I only ride SPD DH pedals when I'm actually riding downhill, I find the pins to be a detriment for getting out during extra techy climbs if you have weight on them.
alright---Steve, did you say "Cane Creek" for "Crank Bros" in the openening? 😉
The brain fog is real
Great video - glad to be here 🤙
Still in the same set of egg beaters since the early 2000’s, but on the third bike!
I love the float on them and the super quick release; maybe my cleats are worn out, but they’re still as predictable as the day I first fitted them.
Agreed about cleat placement too; just behind the ball of my foot.
I prefer crankbrothers as well, but I have a hard time getting out when standing. I'm new to clipless, maybe I'm doing something wrong...
I had your epiphany over 20 years ago. SPD to crank brothers. Love zero float. One less thing to worry about. Crank Brothers Pedals are a standard that will never get old.
I gave SPDs a try and the float was definitely one of the things I really didn't like when compared to a "floatless"combo of 5Tens and flats.
Ended up going the opposite direction and ordered the Catalyst Pedals which have a huge platform, they're by far one of my favourite bike components
Hello again on the new channel!
I've run the Mallet DHs with the standard 15/6 cleats and those feel too mushy. The "easy" release 10/6 has a very positive pop in and out/ my favorite. Second favorite is the standard 15/0. I too run both clipless and flats and switch between them often.
I personally had the exact opposite shift of mind. When I started mountain biking (not so long ago), I opted for Funn Mamba SPD-compatible pedals with a wide platform and pins that would keep my foot in place. Exactly with the same idea in mind - more control. But when I bought a gravel bike and set it up with smaller SPD pedals (LOOK X-Track) I realized how much I actually like that float! Now I have these pedals on my FS, my SS HT and I have no plans whatsoever to change anything in that regard.
I also played with eggbeaters for a few months, but I just got sick of trying to make them work for me, as opposed to SPD which I can just put on and forget about.
I have never ridden clipless pedals ever, but I have bought the Stamp 7 Seagrave edition after a few years being on Race face pedals, and the Crank brothers pedals did not disappoint.
9:59 this does not look that bad, un-clip an clip-in easily. But clips will be better in a crash when you lay on the ground in an awkward position. Thus I've never tried it. But if I had to ride with clipless I guess it would be this setup. But I like mid foot position which clipless don't really give.
Excellent job explaining. I'm like you. I like to be "locked" in. And, it is all about control for me too.
I got a Mallet DH for my e-gravel bike, for different reasons: Needed the widest platform, I can now wear winter and rain overshoes (I can't do that with flat pedals and pins all over) and it allows me to ride with both types of shoes, clipped in or flats for short commutes. SPD has that style too, but its cleat mechanism is too bulged up that's uncomfortable for flat shoes.
I love my Mallet Es!
Great video!
Great information! Thank you Steve!
Racing bmx for 16 years I ran clipless pedals exclusively for about 12 years of those. I’ve run shimano spd, crank bros mallet e, and HT clips. Main issue I always had is I cannot get my natural foot position that I ride flat pedals with. It wasn’t till I found the pedaling innovations catalyst pedal that are to this day the most comfortable pedal I’ve ever ridden. I started racing only on those pedals and was just as competitive, the issue was that a lot of my competitors did not like getting beaten by someone on flats. I would love if you tried those pedals out and told us what you think of them. They look ridiculous but just work.
I love that you explained the cleat placement and pedal and shoe interface. So many years of being uncomfortable on clipless pedals because I couldn’t get shoes with my cleats in the same position as I would ride my flats.
As always Steve love the things you do.
I've tried them. I have small feet, so i didnt feel like they were a huge benefit to me, but i know lots of people who swear by them
@@BigBrainParty I think their benefit is most noticeable in situations where you are standing and that’s why in BMX and single speeding I really a noticed it.
Cool that you started another mountain bike channel🤘🤘
I am flat and spd user including road bike. I starting to hate the float and it gave me knee pain on float no matter what. So i got the blue cleats on road bike and felt so much better unfortunately the SPD Shimano on MTB don't have little float or zero float until you shared this. I remember riding SPD on trail and i got sudden knee pain on climbs and had to cancel the ride. I switch back to flats and it's 100% better. Now i am looking at that crankbrother which have zero float. I wonder why Shimano not making zero float for mtb. I am basically opposite of more float no knee pain.
I think cleat setup (angle, position) is crucial for eliminating knee pain. Perhaps float allows people to be less precise with cleat placement .
I've been riding flats forever both on mtb and road bikes.
5.10s and Ride Concepts shoes with DMRs are a solid combo for me.
I want to get into clipless at some point, but I fear the learning curve and question if the benefits will outweigh the time it takes to learn.
Just started usingclipless spds at my 50s…, still too scaeed of them. Will try those crankbros
Bruh, I love my 510s on flats! Closest thing to clips out there
510s used to have different compounds. They're not as tacky now.
I'm a hi-float guy. I use both Shimano SPDs and flats across my 4 bikes. I have SPDs on my more XC/DC bikes and flats on more enduro bikes where I just hammer down the trails. When I'm on my flats I find that I need to reposition my feet on the pedals it is very difficult to do because of the pins doing it job. Sometimes when I put my foot on a flat pedal it's not in the optimal location on the pedal but at that point I'm already bombing down the trail and I can't pick up my foot to reposition it. Even when it's a little bit off and I just need to make a super small adjustment to the position I can't do it. I can still ride, just not optimally and it feels a little bit off. With SPDs once I have it set my feet will always be in that exact same location of the pedal. But I can see the benefits of what you're staying. It's just different riding styles I guess. Oh, I like a little bit of float because I like to shift my weight around, especially on technical sections, and the float allows me to move my feet a bit while shifting without unclipping.
This whole statement is me exactly. I am going to try some crank brothers with 6 degrees of float just to see if their better mud shedding is worth the full time switch from SPD.
I like the float of Eggbeaters specially when standing on my Single Speed. I also like the ability to change foot position to deal with fatigue and joint discomfort.
i like the most stick aproach since i dont have to think about my feet. One downside is on flats if i position my feet wrong it throws me off so crankbrothers might be the saving grace for me. Most stick and same feet position every time
i recently tried to convert to the mallet e pedals … i am about to put them on fb marketplace after 2 rides. i found them way too hard to unclip. i was hoping that they would allow me to do more than my flats … but i ended up regressing
Make sure your cleat height is correct. Certain shoes will need spacers under the cleat
I've used both but Im back on SPD, I think it really depends on the style of riding, all mountain Mallet E, XC SPD. I think the biggest issue with the Crank Bros is wear over time I have a bucket of worn and broken Crank bros, but my original pair of 25 year old SPD are still usable.
Shimano has excellent durability, that's for sure. It's amazing that their pedals remain mostly unchanged decades later.
Loving it. Go Steve!