Can you race with flat pedals?

[vitellan]

After an off 10 months ago i am going to my first masters race next weekend.
I have only been riding on flats since the accident and don't feel confident with clipless yet.
Are there any uci rules that say i cannot use flat pedals?
I have not been able to find any but want to make sure.

[foo on patrol]

Don't see why you can't but I don't understand why you would want to, when you can wind the adjustment off, so that your feet will come out easy!

If you wind them off, you still have the ability to to drag back at the bottom of the stroke.

Foo

[nickobec]

AFAIK Yes, flats are common in under 13s and required by the UCI in under 13s BMX.

It is rare with older riders, particularly in road races.

I have raced once with a guy with BMX flat shoes and pedals because that what he was used to riding in (including racing BMX). The number of comments from other riders that he should ride in cleats even after he beat most of them was incredible.

So be prepared for the number of comments but race in whatever you are comfortable in.

[Howzat]

The number of comments from other riders that he should ride in cleats even after he beat most of them was incredible.

Perfect!

[trailgumby]

Buy Speedplay or MTB cross country pedals. They're so much easier to get in and out of. Not being clipped in scares me.

I understand why you might be nervous wiht SPD-SLs. To my mind they are just plain dangerous in traffic and it's a constant source of bemusement to me that long term riders still frequently take 2 or 3 swipes at clipping in, and still have to look down every single time they go to put their foot in, despite using them exclusively in some cases for more than 20 years. I thought it was just me having that problem with them, but when I saw more than half the experienced riders in the group taking off from the lights at the Bobbo a few years ago have to take a few dabs, or look down for an extended period of time, I realised there was more to it than my being a road bike noob.

If you miss hooking up the nose of the cleat, it's super easy for your foot to fly off and do a digger into the tarmac. Not ideal when you have a grumpy SUV or taxi driver up your quoit.

And when they're at slow speeds coming up to traffic lights, most of the guys in my group clip out super early just in case they get stuck and fall over. The final nail in the coffin was the excessive friction in the action making my knees sore.

I just don't get why people put up with it when there are such superior alternatives so readily available. Maybe someone can explain.

With Speedplay I'm in first time 90% of the time, without looking, even on steep slopes, and unclipping is pretty easy too. Unclipping just as I come to a stop is the norm. Yet they rarely come unclipped unintentionally. The only downside is you need to keep the lube up to them. And they're much better for my knees.

Does that provide some food for thought?

[ValleyForge]

Buy Speedplay or MTB cross country pedals. They're so much easier to get in and out of.

Yeah - I reckon Crank Bros have got the perfect balance when it comes to easy-to-use cleats. All my bikes use them except for the road bikes (Campy or old plastic cleats/toe clips and both are bastards).

[g-boaf]

The trick with SPD-SL is getting used to clipping in- after a while it becomes second nature and you just clip in pretty much immediately everytime. The only exceptions are with worn out cleats. They are a nuisance.

I usually don't take two or three swipes at clipping in.

[CycloVelo]

The trick with SPD-SL is getting used to clipping in- after a while it becomes second nature and you just clip in pretty much immediately everytime. The only exceptions are with worn out cleats. They are a nuisance.

I usually don't take two or three swipes at clipping in.

Sorry to go a bit off-topic but I think this just goes to illustrate the nature of life - some people are better at some things than others. I reckon people like you are clearly on the right hand side of the bell curve, whilst the 50% or so taking two or three swipes would populate the left hand side...

[g-boaf]

The trick with SPD-SL is getting used to clipping in- after a while it becomes second nature and you just clip in pretty much immediately everytime. The only exceptions are with worn out cleats. They are a nuisance.

I usually don't take two or three swipes at clipping in.

Sorry to go a bit off-topic but I think this just goes to illustrate the nature of life - some people are better at some things than others. I reckon people like you are clearly on the right hand side of the bell curve, whilst the 50% or so taking two or three swipes would populate the left hand side...

I’m not super skilled at it, I guess it’s just good fortune. I don’t like steep hill starts however.

[kb]

The trick with SPD-SL is getting used to clipping in- after a while it becomes second nature and you just clip in pretty much immediately everytime. The only exceptions are with worn out cleats. They are a nuisance.

I usually don't take two or three swipes at clipping in.

Sorry to go a bit off-topic but I think this just goes to illustrate the nature of life - some people are better at some things than others. I reckon people like you are clearly on the right hand side of the bell curve, whilst the 50% or so taking two or three swipes would populate the left hand side...

I’m not super skilled at it, I guess it’s just good fortune. I don’t like steep hill starts however.

I’ve done a few > 20% starts on Look KEO. The main thing is muscle memory for where the centre of the pedal is. They’re a touch fussy if you’re too far in board or out board. Not an issue if you don’t change bike regularly and your fit is ok. I’ve also seen a couple of spectacular clip in fails on Speedplays. Probably because it happens so rarely people just aren’t cautious

[jules21]

you can race with flat pedals, but expect some comments from competitors. part of that is genuine concern by road racers about the competence of competitors to ride safely in a bunch. if I saw someone racing in flats, the first thing I'd wonder is if they are new to bikes/road riding/racing and whether I was going to end up in an ambulance. that may be unfair but how much do you want to risk 6 weeks off work for the sake of not appearing prejudiced?

[P!N20]

I just don't get why people put up with it when there are such superior alternatives so readily available. Maybe someone can explain.

They're cheap.

[vitellan]

Thanks all
I was racing B grade before the accident on spd's.
Planning to hang behind E grade to get some confidence back.
Just still feeling a bit nervous about locking the feet in after the big fall.
I know it makes no sense but i am working through it.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Thanks all
I was racing B grade before the accident on spd's.
Planning to hang behind E grade to get some confidence back.
Just still feeling a bit nervous about locking the feet in after the big fall.
I know it makes no sense but i am working through it.

Feeling confident after a bike injury comeback isn't always easy. Do what you like, there's no rule about pedals other than meeting general safety standards. Main thing is to get started again and enjoy it.

But once you do get back into it, I'm wondering what is it that concerns you? Are you expecting to have to stop during a race and clip out? What sort of racing is it where you are expecting to need to unclip?

As you progress back into the faster races you're more likely to have an accident by not being secured to the pedals. This is particularly the case during any hard accelerations. For cruising around on the back of E grade, well not so much of a concern.

[P!N20]

What about clips and straps as a middle ground between flats and clipless?

[Thoglette]

What about clips and straps as a middle ground between flats and clipless?

(sans cleat, I presume?)
Or Powergrips,

[P!N20]

(sans cleat, I presume?)

Yeah, although you can't go wrong with a pair of Detto Pietros.

[rkelsen]

I have raced once with a guy with BMX flat shoes and pedals because that what he was used to riding in (including racing BMX). The number of comments from other riders that he should ride in cleats even after he beat most of them was incredible.

you can race with flat pedals, but expect some comments from competitors.

Yeah.

[CKinnard]

After an off 10 months ago i am going to my first masters race next weekend.
I have only been riding on flats since the accident and don't feel confident with clipless yet.
Are there any uci rules that say i cannot use flat pedals?
I have not been able to find any but want to make sure.

Just a point on which clipless pedals might be best, when you feel confident.

It depends on your injury.
Not being able to move your heel laterally to unclip is reliant on foot and ankle joints, and very much the knee jt....in addition to muscle strength controlling all these.
If any of these are still compromised then I can understand your trepidation to clip in.

The easiest in/outs I've rehabbed patients with is well worn shimano MTB XTR pedals (though shoes are heavy).
Speedplays have been variable. Some are not as easy to get out of.

Further, it is usually just one side (usually the left) that one dismounts from even during accidents.

If you feel your pedals are too tight at the lightest setting, you could use a file to shave the corners off your cleats.

[trailgumby]

I’m not super skilled at it, I guess it’s just good fortune. I don’t like steep hill starts however.

Particularly risky with SPD-SLs. Much easier with double-sided pedals like Speedplay or MTB pedals.

[vitellan]

Well did my first "race" on flats in masters E grade.
A bit nervous at first but quickly got into the swing of things.
Stayed at the back and cruised along.
No one commented on the flats.
Had to stop once about 2/3's through to stretch the shoulder but caught up again and finished
I think i will continue with the flats a few more weeks and then go to the two sided spd's

[RobertL]

Well did my first "race" on flats in masters E grade.
A bit nervous at first but quickly got into the swing of things.
Stayed at the back and cruised along.
No one commented on the flats.
Had to stop once about 2/3's through to stretch the shoulder but caught up again and finished
I think i will continue with the flats a few more weeks and then go to the two sided spd's

I use SPD MTB pedals and shoes for everything - including road and crit races. I know that it is uncool and against the "rules" but I don't care. I understand the theory that SPD-SLs have a bigger surface and so are better for reducing hotspots, have less flex etc, but I think that having very stiff MTB shoes negates that.

I see no reason why I would "upgrade" to road shoes and pedals.

[steve-waters]

Ride what you like and are comfortable with.

I rode for a long time on my road bike breaking all sorts of rules - mid foot and flats just because I could and wanted to.

For the marginal gains of clipless don't even think about it just ride faster than them...I got heaps of comments at the lights after people caught up.

I would second the few comments I have seen about Speedplay pedals super easy to clip in and out plus true free float.

Other than that just rock the flats and have fun.

[athman]

Well did my first "race" on flats in masters E grade.

Hey i was in that race and i didn't even notice the pedals.