Learning to pedal on flat pedals

/6 Comments/in /by

Lee-

In one of your recent blogs, you stated that you switched to flats to learn to pedal. Could you please expand on that in a future article? I am a downhiller bitten by the enduro bug and am trying to turn mashing into spinning. I was under the impression the first step was to clip in. No? Thanks and rubber side down!
Tobin

Hey Tobin,

Thanks for writing. I’ve been having a lot of fun switching between clips and flats.

NOTE: What follows are my opinions based on 20+ years of riding, 10 years of skills instruction and about two years focused on pedaling technique. I have used timers and power meters, and I have enlisted help from Lester Pardoe of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. This is not scientifically valid sample. Your results may vary.

OK, that’s done. Now:

I think clipping in can help you get more power out of whatever pedaling style you have.

If you have a terrible stroke, clips will help you stay attached to the pedals and possibly make more power (especially when you are tired).

However, clips will not necessarily make you a better pedaler.

When I think of pedaling skill, I think of:

• Learning to apply force in the direction the pedals are moving.

• Lengthening the power stroke.

• Becoming more engaged on the recovery stroke.

• Transitioning smoothly into and out of the power stroke.

• Kicking ass. (I’m always thinking about kicking ass.)

While you can learn to pedal well with clip-in pedals, I think flats might help you learn great habits more quickly. This is analogous to learning handling skills on flats; flat pedals teach you to move your feet with the pedals, rather than be statically fastened to them.

When I embraced pedaling as a skill, I switched to flat pedals. Over about a year, my top sprint power reached my clipped-in sprints, my sustained power got way better than with clips and my top cadence went from 120 to 180 rpm. When I clipped in a couple weeks ago, my sprinting and climbing power went up another big step. Pretty sweet.

When I’m climbing on clips, I can feel the tendency to go dead in my ankles and rely on the clips to keep my feet with the pedals. The stroke feels more clunky and less powerful. The more I pedal the clips like they’re flats (with the added bonus of attachment), the better it feels.

Bonus data: Chris, one of the elite XC/CX racers I work with, has been training on flats and focusing on the pedaling skills I showed him. When he does his intervals on his road bike (clipped in), he’s reporting an 8 percent power gain (at the same heart rate!).

Braaap!

Lee

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6 replies
  1. Guthrie says:

    Lee, I generally ride clipless, but recently decided to try flats after reading your site and bikejames.com. I used your link and got some of the cheaper pedals (zu-zu) on JensonUSA to give it a try before dropping a bunch of cash to see how I liked them again.

    The first ride was a 23 mile XC ride. I honestly did not notice much of a difference except when it got really steep, really rocky or when I tried to all out sprint. I did realized I was not as smooth as I thought and am looking forward to riding flats again and improving my handling skills.

    I took another 8 mile ride on more of an AM trail and tried to push myself as hard as I could the entire time (which probably was only slightly faster than a slow walking pace clipped or unclipped…) It was harder for me to get up some super steep sections, but coming down I already noticed a difference in how I handle the bike. I was already smoother on rough sections and my feet stayed on the pedals, but the biggest difference was cornering. I SUCK at cornering and it pisses me off. I generally come in too fast or even when I come in super slow, I tense up and “grab a shipload of shimano” as you put in your book and I just plain SUCK. I have read and re-read that chapter in your book probably a million times and do pretty much every day. Then I go to the park or parking lot and try it out around some nicely spaced trees in a figure 8. I’ve improved, but still SUCK. (Notice all CAPS…)

    Anyway, went to flats and decided to really try to see what my bike and I could do on the corners. To get past the stupid nerves of washing out in the corners or doing whatever it is I do, I decided to put my foot out in some corners. Not touch the ground, but out just in case I washed out or whatever. After some practice in the corners, I went faster, got my heavy feet light hands, got low, looked through the corner, leaned the bike, put the weight on my outside foot turned my hips, and simply put my inside foot out “just in case” and I railed it! Such an awesome feeling to do something I have sucked at for so long! Don’t get me wrong, I still SUCK, but was just excited to finally see some freaking improvement and had to tell someone.. I told my wife and all she said was, “oh good honey, the baby needs a diaper change.”

    I am excited for the potential improvements and confidence the flats gave me in the corners and am learning to improve my pedaling with them as well. I am planning on riding flats for most of my rides and clips for the limited # of super D races I do along with any rides over about 35 miles. I am happy to say I can already tell flats (and using your book A LOT) are going to help me be a better rider and am excited.

    Sorry for the novel… Thanks for your help!

  3. Judd says:

    I tried riding flats a few years back and just got frustrated because I could keep my feet on them. Didn’t understand how guys could ride and keep their feet in one place. Between Lee and James Wilson I decided last year it was time to figure them out. Minus a race and a couple rides I spent the entire year on flats. I haven’t done any power testing but I know I ride much smoother than I ever did before. Now I only clip in for racing. I love the freedom and fun flats give. Keep your heels down.

  4. chance says:

    over all +1

    “When I embraced pedaling as a skill, I switched to flat pedals. Over about a year, my top sprint power reached my clipped-in sprints, my sustained power got way better than with clips and my top cadence went from 120 to 180 rpm. When I clipped in a couple weeks ago, my sprinting and climbing power went up another big step. Pretty sweet.”

    Do you think you can continue to gain like this? Similar to working out where your muscles plateau and then you switch it up and gain more? Because that would be awesome and I might go back to clips for that purpose?

    “Bonus data: Chris, one of the elite XC/CX racers I work with, has been training on flats and focusing on the pedaling skills I showed him. When he does his intervals on his road bike (clipped in), he’s reporting an 8 percent power gain (at the same heart rate!). ”

    +1 this is awesome results
    flats = fun and great training and clips= race shoes!
    😉 great work lee keep it coming!

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