[300hp]

So,
I ride flats on all my bikes right now. I always have. Usually, mtb rides are under 40 miles and my feet don't get too numb or anything. When I got my cross bike fit, I found out alot of the discomfort I've been having on longer rides (4+hr) is because one of my legs is a good bit longer than the other. With cleat position, a fitter can cut down on the effect by making one foot forward of center and the other a little back of center.

I like everything about flats. I like moving my feet around, I like putting a foot out. I want to know what combo of clipless shoes and pedals feels the most like flats. I want to run them on my cross bike for a consistent foot position to aid in fitting, and transition as seamlessly as possible to my mtb with flats on it. I want to be able to adjust my feet, mount the cleat far back so the foot position is similar, and set the release real low so I can blow a foot out without having to really learn a new technique. I switch between bikes all the time.

I'm thinking VP VX adventure with Giro chambers.

Thoughts? Again, I don't care much about efficiency, I pedal fine with flats, I just want more comfort on long multi hour rides, and its easier to fit my leg issue with clipless pedals on the cross bike.

Thanks all,
h.

 

[nauc]

just use flats and put your feet on them differently. move one back or whatever

i run flats and i find i like to climb with my feet centered over the pedals sometimes, but for everything else, i like the ball of my feet on the pedals

 

[kapusta]

So,
I ride flats on all my bikes right now. I always have. Usually, mtb rides are under 40 miles and my feet don't get too numb or anything. When I got my cross bike fit, I found out alot of the discomfort I've been having on longer rides (4+hr) is because one of my legs is a good bit longer than the other. With cleat position, a fitter can cut down on the effect by making one foot forward of center and the other a little back of center.

I like everything about flats. I like moving my feet around, I like putting a foot out. I want to know what combo of clipless shoes and pedals feels the most like flats. I want to run them on my cross bike for a consistent foot position to aid in fitting, and transition as seamlessly as possible to my mtb with flats on it. I want to be able to adjust my feet, mount the cleat far back so the foot position is similar, and set the release real low so I can blow a foot out without having to really learn a new technique. I switch between bikes all the time.

I'm thinking VP VX adventure with Giro chambers.

Thoughts? Again, I don't care much about efficiency, I pedal fine with flats, I just want more comfort on long multi hour rides, and its easier to fit my leg issue with clipless pedals on the cross bike.

Thanks all,
h.

Out of curiosity, how long is your leg length discrepancy? I've got a pretty significant one, and it is interesting dealing with it in regards to cycling.

Have you thought about getting your shoe lifted so you can just ride flats?

 

[300hp]

I have not thought about getting lifts, although that might be an option. Where can I find more info on it? I love the feel of riding flats. My style is totally based around flats. But, on the weeks I get to ride 100+ miles I start to feel tweaked.

Its about a 9mm difference on the conservative side. Not enough to be troublesome in daily whatever, or when riding the trail bike since I'm moving so much, but enough I would like to address it for long gravel sessions and the multi-day rides I would like to do this season.

Basically, I want a setup with lots of float and lots of pedal feel. I don't want to feel like I'm learning a new technique. I'm not trying to gain efficiency or power.

 

[kapusta]

I have not thought about getting lifts, although that might be an option. Where can I find more info on it? I love the feel of riding flats. My style is totally based around flats. But, on the weeks I get to ride 100+ miles I start to feel tweaked.

Its about a 9mm difference on the conservative side. Not enough to be troublesome in daily whatever, or when riding the trail bike since I'm moving so much, but enough I would like to address it for long gravel sessions and the multi-day rides I would like to do this season.

Basically, I want a setup with lots of float and lots of pedal feel. I don't want to feel like I'm learning a new technique. I'm not trying to gain efficiency or power.

I know this is not what you were asking about, but with a 9mm difference, you might want to look at getting a lift in your normal shoes. Not sure how old you are now, but that can lead to back or hip problems years down the road (read up on it). 9mm is a small difference, and you could probably take care of a lot of that just with a heel lift inside your shoe.

But a heel lift is not going to do you any good on the bike, as it is the ball of your foot that matters there.

I have a big leg length discrepancy (50mm) so all of my shoes are lifted. and I have a place local (in Roanoke VA) that does orthopedic lifts on shoes. Look for an place that does orthopedic work on shoes, this is something they probably do a lot. Some show-repair places do this as well.

I found this place on-line: Custom Orthopedic Lifts | Shoe and Heel Lifts on All Types of Shoes
never tried them, but it gives you an idea of what I am talking about.

Putting a 9mm lift on a regular shoe/sneaker/boot is really basic. Probably run you around $50.

Doing riding shoes for clipless with is a whole 'nuther story, though. There are a bunch or other considerations, there.

 

[300hp]

Kap,
Thanks for the good words. I really appreciate it. I'll look into a lift for my sh-am41 and see how that will go.

 

[Calhoun]

what about running two different flat pedals? One low profile like a Crampon and then a thicker pedal like a Mallet? Or maybe there are two pedals with similar pins but different thickness.

 

[Collins]

I go back-and-forth between flats and clipless all the time, except racing, and I like XT Trail clipless pedals with Lake MX185 shoes, which are stiff, but not *too stiff*, and they have Vibram soles.

Also, though you wouldn't want to try to shim up a cleat on an SPD shoe 9mm, you could probably find a similar remedy, along with altering the fore-aft position of the cleat on the shoe. One question I foresee with this: Does altering the fore-aft position of the cleat remedy your leg-length issue, even if it derives from having a longer lower leg, versus if it's your upper leg that's longer? Clearly I'm not up to date on my physiological geometry...