Clipless vs Flat Pedals — My Experience, Mistakes, and Which You Should Choose
Not sure whether to ride clipless or flats? Here’s my honest take after years of switching back and forth — from racing clipped in to freeriding on flats. Learn the real pros, cons, and how to pick the best setup for your riding style.
GEAR
10/10/20256 min read
Clipless vs Flat Pedals — The Debate Every Mountain Biker Goes Through
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I stripped the crank threads on multiple bikes switching pedals back and forth so many times. Flats to clipless, clipless back to flats, repeat. If you've been riding long enough you've probably had your own version of this crisis and if you haven't yet, you will. Or maybe that's just my brain. Not everyone goes back and forth like this, some riders pick one and never look back.
My first real mountain bike was a Rocky Mountain Pipeline that came with those dual sided flat/clipless pedals. I rode it for a long time with regular shoes thinking that's just how MTB worked, not realizing the flat side of those pedals had basically no grip at all. When I finally got actual flat pedals with pins the difference was night and day. I couldn't believe I'd been riding on those things thinking it was normal.
Then I started racing and convinced myself I needed clipless to go fast. So I switched. Then I learned to jump and wanted the freedom to throw tricks, so I switched back to flats. Then another race season started and back to clipless. I probably stripped two sets of crank threads going back and forth.
Before every race I'd have the same debate in my head, do I want to feel fast today or do I want to throw tricks? Sometimes I'd unclip mid-run just to throw a heelclicker or no-footer off a jump. Probably not the smartest approach but it worked for me at the time.
What's the Actual Difference
Flat pedals are a wide platform with grip pins that hold your shoe in place. You can move your feet freely, bail instantly, and they're the best tool for learning real technique. The pins are what make them work, which is why proper flat pedal shoes matter so much. A shoe designed for flat pedals grips those pins in a way regular shoes simply don't.
Clipless pedals lock your shoe into the pedal with a small cleat on the sole. Despite the name they actually clip in, the "clipless" refers to the fact that they don't use the old toe clip cage style. They give better power transfer for pedaling and keep your feet locked in through rough terrain, but they take time to learn to unclip smoothly and there's an adjustment period where you'll fall over at least once forgetting to unclip at a stop.
The Case for Flat Pedals
Flats let you bail instantly if something goes wrong. Your foot can come off the pedal naturally which is a safety net when you're learning new skills or riding technical terrain. If you loop out on a wheelie or come up short on a jump your feet can hit the ground without anything holding them to the bike.
They're also the best tool for learning technique. Manuals, wheelies, jumps, drops — all of these skills develop more naturally on flats because you can't cheat with your feet. If you're learning jumps especially, flats will teach you proper body position and timing in a way that clipless won't.
For freeride, downhill, and general skill progression flats are hard to argue against. I still ride flats almost exclusively now and have no desire to go back.
If you're working on jumps and want shin protection while you learn, [check out my guide to shin guards and flat pedal setup] — pedal shinners are basically a rite of passage and worth being prepared for.
The Case for Clipless Pedals
Clipless pedals shine on long climbs and XC style riding where pedaling efficiency matters. Your foot stays connected through the full pedal stroke and you don't lose power when the trail gets rough and chattery. On a long endurance ride that adds up.
They also keep your feet in place on rough terrain in a way that flats can't match. You don't have to think about your foot position because the pedal handles it for you.
The learning curve is real though. You will forget to unclip and fall over at a stop, usually in front of other people. It happens to everyone. Once it's muscle memory it stops being an issue but plan on a few awkward moments.
Which One Should You Choose
It also doesn't have to be a permanent decision. A lot of riders own both and just switch depending on what they're doing. Heading to the dirt jumps or a freeride session, flats. Racing or a long XC day, clipless. Really muddy conditions where you might need to put a foot down unexpectedly, flats give you that option without thinking about it. Sometimes it's not which pedal is better, it's which pedal is right for today.
If you're new to mountain biking or focused on skill development, start with flats. They'll teach you balance and technique the right way and you won't build bad habits that need to be unlearned later.
If you're primarily doing XC riding, long distance, or racing, clipless makes sense once you're confident on the bike.
If you're like me and can never fully commit to one, you'll probably switch a few times. That's fine. Just try not to strip your cranks in the process lol.
Recommended Pedals
ROCKBROS Aluminum Flat Pedals — Best Budget Flat
Strong grip pins, wide platform, sealed bearings, around $26. A significant step up from stock or entry level pedals without spending much. 3.8K reviews and consistently rated well. Good starting point if you're new to proper flat pedals or want a spare set.
Crankbrothers Stamp — Best Mid Range Flat
One of the most popular flat pedals in MTB, the Stamp has a large platform, strong concave shape, and comes in multiple sizes to match your shoe size. 4.7 stars with over 10,000 reviews. Around $57-59. If you want to ride flats seriously this is where most riders land.
Shimano PDM520 — Best Budget Clipless
Shimano is the most trusted name in clipless pedals and the PDM520 is their reliable entry point. Compatible with standard SPD cleats, easy to clip in and out, and built to last. 4.7 stars, 2.5K reviews, 300+ bought per month. Around $60. The right choice if you're trying clipless for the first time.
Shimano PD-EH500 — Best Dual Sided Option
Clipless on one side, flat platform on the other. If you want to experiment with both without buying two sets of pedals this is the obvious choice. 4.7 stars, 2.5K reviews, 800+ bought per month, around $74. Shimano reliability with the flexibility to ride either style depending on the day.
Comparison Table
A Note on Flat Pedal Shoes
Whatever pedals you choose, if you're riding flats the shoes matter as much as the pedals themselves. Regular sneakers grip flat pedal pins poorly. A proper flat pedal MTB shoe with sticky rubber sole makes an immediate noticeable difference in how planted your foot feels. [Check out my flat pedal shoes guide] for what to look for and what I actually ride.
Final Thoughts
The clipless versus flats debate doesn't have a single right answer. It depends on what you ride, what you're working on, and honestly what mood you're in. Both have real advantages and real drawbacks.
What I can tell you is that if you're learning skills, especially jumping, start on flats. And if you do make the switch to clipless, make sure you're on an actual clipless pedal with proper shoes, not a dual sided pedal with flat shoes like I was for longer than I'd like to admit.
Want to get more confident on either setup? Check out my Balance Point ebook on wheelies, manuals and stoppies. The bike control you develop from those skills translates to everything else you ride.
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