Who is saying this can’t be learnt? Obviously it can lol.
as in learnted quickly, so getting a foot down off clips is just as fast/confident.
Who is saying this can’t be learnt? Obviously it can lol.
Y doe?
NICA had the big push for flats to learn and a bunch of the coaches jumped on the band wagon. Sure, great for teaching / learning /confidence building and I agree some skills should be learned before switching...
However, take a look at NICA HS and a huge percentage of the kids switched to clips. Personally, my son (7th grade) switched this year. There are just too many advantages to clips.
It's great that NICA had a big push to learn on flats, I didn't know that. Step in the right direction for kids riding mountain bikes.
Doesn't surprise me that most kids switch to clips though, because the focus of NICA is racing (which I think is a bit misguided, but that's another point entirely). Racers race in clips, I get it. If all you care about is the fastest time in an XC race, then go with clips.
Not everyone that rides mountain bikes cares about time on a clock. I understand I'm part of this minority that isn't into racing, "performing", and everything that goes along with it, and I'm OK with that.
My whole point is that riders should give flats a shot. If you're part of this thread and you don't have at least some experience riding both, then for the purposes of this discussion your opinion is meaningless.
If you've tried both and prefer clips then that's totally cool, do your thing. I ride with lots of guys that only ride clips.
I could go into detail and spend all day considering, organizing and listing all aspects of riding and why flats are better (in my opinion), but someone else has already done it for me. Very long, but very good read for those that care:
http://www.bikejames.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Flat-Pedal-Revolution-Manifesto-v3.pdf
Y doe?
NICA had the big push for flats to learn and a bunch of the coaches jumped on the band wagon. Sure, great for teaching / learning /confidence building and I agree some skills should be learned before switching...
However, take a look at NICA HS and a huge percentage of the kids switched to clips. Personally, my son (7th grade) switched this year. There are just too many advantages to clips.
You realize this proves the opposite of your intent right? the point of the thread is "should a beginner LEARN on flats." What you're saying proves exactly that.. the NICA kids are learning on flats and then switching to clips.
the focus of nica is not racing.
Because it is dictated, and they are kids...You realize this proves the opposite of your intent right? the point of the thread is "should a beginner LEARN on flats." What you're saying proves exactly that.. the NICA kids are learning on flats and then switching to clips.
If the focus is on falling while being clipped in then one will fall while clipped in.
It's pretty easy to see who learned on flats VS those that swapped to clips too early. Many of the oldskool MTBers have a biased opinion because we came straight from BMX onto a Mountain Bike and already had a huge skillset we forget folks starting now don't have. Nowadays a lot of the MTB folk are coming from the road and can barely keep a bike upright while they're smashing through the woods hunting for Strava Segments. Forcing them onto flats is good for all of us because the trails will be dumbed down less as these folks gain confidence.
Why not on the road then?Clipless schmipless. I'm sticking with flats
This could be a whole other debate but I'll throw this out there.... The brand of clipless pedals matters. I tried Crank Brothers clipless pedals first and they can be pretty difficult to get out of. Depending on how they are set up with/without shims under the cleats, contact pads on the pedals, pin contact with the shoes (Mallet/E), and the amount of float can just make it challenging. SPDs are much easier to learn, in my opinion.
Why not on the road then?
Since you have a mtb for every trail, clips for 6 mile, flats for sourlandsBecause road is smooth without obstacles. If trails were the same I'd use clipless
Since you have a mtb for every trail, clips for 6 mile, flats for sourlands
Clips because the stuff works. If you tip over you aren't adjusted right mentally or mechanically. On the fishing scene there is the same whole purity debate about form and technique and learned skill if I embrace it looooooong enough (with certain kinds of gear) and blah blah blah. I don't have time for that crap. When I bomb down chunky crap I want to know where my feet will be at all times because I gotta focus! Kudos to those that can go Jedi on the flats......I'm just not that guy.