Five mountain biking myths that just aren’t true | Bike Flat Pedals

When I started doing longer distances in clipless pedals it really messed with my knee. Using just 2mm of shim fixed that instantly and stopped my knee veering towards the crossbar at the top of the pedal stroke.

If you’re the type who likes to kick a leg out in high-speed corners, or if you’re not yet confident on your clipless pedals, flats are certainly a good option.

So the dealer didn’t tell you cost of replacement parts was high? That info is at the consumer’s fingertips. If it is a deal breaker then perhaps the consumer really can’t afford electronic shifting and should avoid it. There is a hierarchy amongst groupsets – the top end ones cost more to buy and thus more to get replacement parts for. Shock horror.

Finally, FiveTen has done a good job with the cleat recess on the Hellcats. Walking across concrete in a pair of clipless mountain bike pedals tends to sound like a tap-dance routine, but I find the Hellcats to be quite stealthy. That’s because the cleats — at least the Crankbrothers ones I run — are at precisely the same level as the sole (or maybe just a hair lower).

The Hellcats underwent a major revamp last year to address durability issues with earlier versions. Looking at the 2018 shoe, it’s clear FiveTen is not messing around when it comes to durability and quality construction. Most of the shoe is covered in real and synthetic leather, and the rubber sole is thick and meaty. All of that adds up to some serious heft: my size 12 shoes weigh 571g each, without cleats. That’s more than a kilo for the pair, for those keeping score.

So what do we have here in total with the humble Shimano PD-A600 pedals? Good performance, sleek looks, outstanding durability and toughness, and a low price to boot. Sign me up.

Apparently, not all my fellow cyclists share my affinity for the ambient delights of the great outdoors. In fact, a fair number of them seem to feel that a mountain bike ride is not complete without some sort of musical accompaniment. To that end, they score their outings by means of a playlist and any one of the various Bluetooth handlebar-mounted speakers currently available on the market.

The traditional tyres for racing are tubulars. These hand-made tyres have the tube sewn (or vulcanised) inside the tyre body (hence their other names of sew-ups or singles). Punctures are difficult to repair. The tyre is glued to the rim with a liquid adhesive or a double-sided tape. So even replacing a tubular tyre is a lengthy exercise. Clinchers have lower rolling resistance than tubulars. This is primarily due to the energy absorbed by the glue in between the tubular tyre and rim. Clinchers, however, are unsafe to ride once punctured – the tyre almost always comes off the rim unless you ride very gently. Repairs can be done roadside in only a few moments, so there is little reason to continue riding a flattened clincher.

Right now, as I ponder the chalk and steeze aspects of both Oop North and the North Downs, it’s increasingly obvious that what the South lacks in Yorkshire Grit, it’s trying gamely to make up in terms of moisture. The following day’s ride may well prove to be interesting – and I for one am very glad I’ve brought my waterproof socks.

The interior side of the nylon sole is moulded in a gridded pattern, something that attempts to optimise stiffness while reducing weight. While I can’t say I actually noticed it, this type of design does increase the stack height.

Want to know more about all the other pedals on test? You can get your hands on the full feature from Issue #117 of Singletrack Magazine, which includes all reviews of the winning pedals along with a guide on what goes into making a high performance clip-in pedal. Head here to get a preview of the magazine, then get it shipped right to your door!

The only issues I’ve witnessed is with two owners of SRAM etape systems who didn’t charge their batteries, so were stuck with limited years in the Pyrenees, but they could swap the front and rear mech batteries round, so low gears for the climbs and then big gears for the descents. Didn’t seem ideal.