What flats are you using.....

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gregnash

gregnash

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10 Year
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So looking for some recommendations on flats and wondering what you guys are using.
I have been strictly clipless for the last 5yrs of riding and up until this summer I really had no intention of switching. Then as I started progressing more with a better suspension setup I decided that flats were going to be needed to perfect my bunny hop skills and other such techniques.

Literally the day after I purchased a set of 5.10 Freerider VXI on their site for cheap I busted my leg. So doc cleared me at the end of last month to start getting back to normal life but the snow as now shown up which means I am going to be driving some distance to trails. I want to start out on flats since I already have the shoes and need to get used to them.

Have been looking at the following...
- Xpedo Spry
- DMR Vault
- Spank Spike
- Shimano Saint

From everything I have read everyone votes either the Spikes/Vault as the number one pick with the Spry being second. The Saints are supposed to be good and people say that if you have not ridden flats before you really wont know the difference until you ride something else that is better. Don't really want to spend more than like $120 for them so whatcha all ridin????
 
Oh yeah I am all over MTBR (under same name) and have read all the threads and whatnot. I was wondering more on experience of those specifics I listed because it seemed those were really concensus of some of the best.
 
Sweet... newer post on that thread on MTBR with an article that I knew was around but couldn't seem to find. Vital MTBs newest shootout and the DMR Vaults are top dog again.. Looks like I am gonna have to pick a set up from Amazon as I can find them PRIME shipped for $115.
 
Check pinkbike, so many second hand pedals for sale, then again maybe the axles are bend in typical pink bike fashion..

I'm a 'pedaler'' and no way in hell I will ride with flats (I do have a bunch of 636 variants, but they are super heavy.) but if that was the case I will find the skiiiniest possible pedal (so the center of the axle is as close to the contact surface of the pedal)
 
I got a set of Shimano Saints off of Chain Reaction Cycle for $60 cad shipped and i love them. Bearings and pin design are much better than the Wellgos i had before. Pins are screwed through the pedal instead of into it, so i didn't lose a single one all season and stayed grippy. Nice and wide too, they feel real sturdy under foot.

I wear a pair of Five Ten Freeriders with them.
 
Or in typical over weight fashion you can always pay a ton of money for a vintage pair of brooklyn machine works ''meat tenderizer'' pedals

img_8892_copy0_blowup.jpg
 
LOL... that's funny s***!!!

Yeah I do quite a bit of pedaling but there is an equal amount of downhill as well (more of a trail rider now). Thing is that skills like bunny hopping, rear weighting, jumps to flat, etc. are supposed to be improved when using flats as you are not relying on the mechanism to keep you attached to the pedal, rather weighting yourself properly (or at least I am told). So part of it was to improve some skills, other is the wife doesn't want me riding clips for a bit.
 


One of the best mountain bike movies ever. Go to 3:30 to see Brooklyn Machine Works back in their hay day.

I've ridden Point One Podiums for the past 8 years. My faves. Also Chromag flats are nice too.
 
Well ended up getting a set of the (what I thought) Xpedo Spry. Looks like they came from their china factory as they were shipped direct and took about 2wks. Purchased on amazon and lots of people have stated they are counterfeits but they came in a Chinese xpedo box, with instructions, and extra pins. We will see if the $20 savings was worth it. First impression is they spin pretty well, are nice and light (love magnesium pedals) and the pins seem well done. Gonna try and get on the bike soon but with feet of snow it will just be road riding for test.
 
Ok so after a few months of using these fairly regularly I have to say they are meh. Corner pins didn't survive more than a couple rides and pedal strikes (was riding newer rocky terrain) and the drive side has one that completely stripped out the pin hole. They do come with plenty of replacement pins so that is all good. After the first hundred or so miles I developed a very loud squeak in the pedals, this was fixed with adding a bit of 3-in-1 oil to them but started to return after another hundred or so miles. Other than those two caveats they have performed fine, they are scarred like no tomorrow from random pedal strikes and whatnot but still spin freely and without any gritty feeling. I will run them for another season or so then toss them for something like the DMR Vault, I highly doubt they will last just more than two seasons.
 
Race face Chester pedals for me. They are "cheap". Come in lots of colors, and have a great pin layout. Not being full metal makes them light but not weak. Hit a rock doing about 35 at northstar and only bent a pin.
 
justintpryor said:
Race face Chester pedals for me. They are "cheap". Come in lots of colors, and have a great pin layout. Not being full metal makes them light but not weak. Hit a rock doing about 35 at northstar and only bent a pin.
Click to expand...
Yeah I noticed that when we were riding and meant to ask you how you liked them. Been riding my commuter lately which has an OLD pair of Wellgo MG-5s and damn do those things stick to my 5.10s like no tomorrow. Major MAJOR difference in traction between the grub style screws and the pins that my Xpedo Spry have.
 
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