You Need a Bike with Flat Pedals | Bike Flat Pedals

I used Shimano SPD 520 clipless for years, but the hot spots on the ball of your foot they can create permanently damaged the nerves in my feet, causing a complete loss of feeling.  I switched to 100 x 100 mm platform pedals and I now vastly prefer them  for urban riding.  Besides all the advantages of platfroms and avoiding hot spots and nerve damage, there is no more clipity-clop walking around in cafes and shops or on the train or the ferry.  I can now ride in my Converse’s if I want to.  

However, in more recent years it’s been Crank Brothers that has dominated the platform pedal market. And so when the current Saint 820 groupset was launched with the first Saint MX80 flat pedal back in 2013, the Japanese brand began development on a dedicated Saint SPD pedal. Being a brand that takes its time with R&D, it is only now – five years later – that Shimano is ready to unleash the Saint SPD pedal.

With Di2, the upshift and the downshift buttons sit just behind the brake lever, one beside the other. It’s possible to hit the wrong one in big gloves, or to hit both together.

It’s no great revelation that electronic shift systems are more expensive than mechanical equivalents but don’t forget that as well as the initial outlay you need to consider the cost of replacement parts.

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With its hybrid mechanism, the X2 combines the snappiness of an SPD pedal with the smoothness of Time’s ATAC system. The high tension level can be intimidating to begin with, but get your cleats and pins dialled in and you’ll be rewarded with confidence-boosting grip and speed-friendly stability.

Off road though I just want to throw a foot out or down every so often, so flats all the way for MTB.

A slightly more affordable version of the TIME Xpresso 15 pedals (which retail at a jaw dropping £400), the Xpresso 6’s are a little heavier (213g) but considerably more affordable.

Five Ten Impact Pro The Impact pro is a fast-drying shoe with a synthetic upper and thick, shock-absorbent sole. Claimed weight 439g. $160 USD.

The Fizik Infinito X1 shoes are incredibly stiff for maximum power transfer, ideal for racers and pedal thrashers that don’t want to give away precious power to a flexy sole, and the highly adjustable Boa dial arrangement and fit provides great comfort. Not so impressive is the high price, but if you can afford them they are a good choice. 

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