Who has been training Steve Smith?

[DaveM]

Darryl Bartlett October 14, 2007

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2204/1573701975_8c0b581ddb_b.jpg


Steve Smith Crankworx 2008

http://www.transcendmagazine.com/gallery/albums/crankworx08/T2A9531.jpg


The kid's coming along!

[Golden Boy]

This makes me think one thing.....flats or clipped? I for one have been racing dh clipped since 2002. After a few year break from dh'ing and racing I plan on racing as many events as I can again next year and have been wondering....flats or clipped? I am sure there are a million topics asking this question already in existence on the forum....and not to totally hijack this thread (two very cool photos) I am wondering what y'all think.

Cheers.

Nate

[Ninja]

Clipped in. For one reason, sprinting. Way faster, and better power transfer.

[Darryl]

That shot has really been making the rounds. That was my short 6 month stint on Flats. clipless all the way. ( I guess I could say I'm kinda old school, been riding clipless since 94.

Steve is Probably off the brakes and fully pinned, I'm just showboating for the camera. Sick shots though, I'm flattered to be in the same thread as Stevie.

Go Shocker Go!

[Johnie P]

The only reason I could see Clipping in for Dh is for getting back up to speed after you screw up. Flats all the way.

[Tom]

Is TLD using some sort of NFL colour scheme now? At Bromont, Steve looked like he was playing for the Chargers...now it's the Broncos.

[Timmigrant]

I'm a clips guy. I prefer clips because I don't like my feet moving around on the pedals. When I ride flats I spend more time worrying about where my feet are on the pedals than actually riding. I like the fact that my feet are always in the same place with clips, and I have some float on the pedal. Further more I like being able to pull up the pedals as well as push down on the pedals, especially when squashing jumps, and unweighting the bike.

[Golden Boy]

Very valid points.....I think it will be mallets again for next year....although some of the best results of my life were on flats....then again they were also on a super 8 with a 24"x3.0 gazzalodi rear, and I'm definitely not going back to that!

http://www.myresults.com/results/2002/panorama/Panorama-2002-dh_overall_men.pdf

Hey wayne, that you back in 9th haha. kidding.

nate

[Wayne P]

:lol: Sure was! That was my best ever result in elite - 4th and 2 seconds out of first. I also went over the bars once and washed out in one of the off camber turns near the bottom. I can't recall if I was happy or pissed after that result.

[skavenger00304]

check out the fist full of brake on the first rider....

[Darryl]

check out the fist full of brake on the first rider....

Hence the showboating for the camera! :rolleyes:

[DaveM]

Hence the showboating for the camera! :rolleyes:

or trying not to run the camera guy over!

there were a few nervous moments that day

[JCL]

Hasn't seemed to help the guy finish a race !

[billytalented]

Clipped in. For one reason, sprinting. Way faster, and better power transfer.

in a flat out sprint im going to agree...

but in DH though, I feel there is no clearcut winner. The top WC spots are being jockeyed for by a handfull of guys riding with flats and clips.

[Wayne P]

in a flat out sprint im going to agree...

but in DH though, I feel there is no clearcut winner. The top WC spots are being jockeyed for by a handfull of guys riding with flats and clips.

No pedaling involved = no real difference (unless you can't keep your feet on the pedals).

Lots of pedaling = clips have way more of an advantage. The non-clip crowd would possibly be faster using them.

[billytalented]

No pedaling involved = no real difference (unless you can't keep your feet on the pedals).

Lots of pedaling = clips have way more of an advantage. The non-clip crowd would possibly be faster using them.

you summed it up better than I. i cant remember if i was on the right track though.

[Mic]

Nice pics....

As for the Flat vs. Clips - I can remember a tiem when Dh racer said that no World Cup can be won on Flats. So it all comes down to personal preference: Clips on me ht and flats on me braaaaaper.

[Dantes Inferno]

5 10s. If youre bouncing off a pedal that as more than 4 spikes then you must rethink your suspension or style.

This choice should come down to personal preference.. if the course is geared to clipped riders, maybe it shouldnt be a downhill race but more of a super d.

[Timmigrant]

5 10s. If youre bouncing off a pedal that as more than 4 spikes then you must rethink your suspension or style.

This choice should come down to personal preference.. if the course is geared to clipped riders, maybe it shouldnt be a downhill race but more of a super d.

You should tell that to the numerous guys at the Canadian Open that were blowing their feet off the pedals. I'd say the Canadian Open course was a clip course too ... and thats about the furthest thing from a Super D.

[JCL]

How did Sam win ?

[big_perm]

How did Sam win ?
5.10s.


and a full on TLD kit

[JCL]

Ahhh....

[Dantes Inferno]

You should tell that to the numerous guys at the Canadian Open that were blowing their feet off the pedals. I'd say the Canadian Open course was a clip course too ... and thats about the furthest thing from a Super D.

5 10s... trendy addidas dont count.




cough haha,

sam hill

:lol:

[cam_biking]

hahha good stuff

[cam@nsmb.com]

No pedaling involved = no real difference (unless you can't keep your feet on the pedals).

Lots of pedaling = clips have way more of an advantage. The non-clip crowd would possibly be faster using them.

I know people who say the opposite - like Aussie National Coach Scott Sharples - because flats make you pedal more smoothly when the power is on. It was years ago when he said that but I think it may still be true.

I have a circuit I do in Scotch Creek near Shuswap Lake and a couple of summers ago I rode it one day clipped in and the next day with flats. I was actually significantly faster - on the climb - with my flats.

And then there's this article... (http://www.bmxnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1197&Itemid=109)

What isn't mentioned is whether the rider is normally flat pedal rider or a clipped in rider. There's no question that both clips and flats have a learning curve and that when you've been on one or the other for a time most of us need some time to adjust.

I'm not racer and I really like being able to move my feet around on the pedal some and when it comes time to walk for whatever reason I'm much happier. I also finally picked up some 5.10s and they rule.

[Wayne P]

I know people who say the opposite - like Aussie National Coach Scott Sharples - because flats make you pedal more smoothly when the power is on. It was years ago when he said that but I think it may still be true.

I could see that as being somewhat true for certain courses, as long as you are an efficient flat pedal user.

But...

you can still put that same smooth pedaling power down while riding clips, while taking advantage of the attributes of being clipped in. You can't be lazy about it though. Many people who ride clips don't "work" their bikes as they would riding flats, therefore they can actually be slower. That's what Mr. Sharples is not seeming to understand.

A person who can mash the pedals riding clips and can keep their feet from bouncing around most often will be faster.

Riding clipless doesn't instantly make you a faster rider. There still is a learning curve in knowing how to pedal efficiently, just like getting accustomed to flats.

That article was a little goofy. There's no denying that a good upstroke will be faster than none. Go out and do some sprints and get back to me...

Overall, if flats were as fast or faster off road, XC racers would be using them too no? Maybe even roadies? ;)

[V.I._WARRIOR]

I think the whole thing comes down to the fact that you have to ride flats differently than clips.
In order to stay on flat pedals your heels need to be down and weight needs to be applied downward the entire time. From what I have found with the help and insight from a few fellow racers is that this way of riding actually increases traction through corners and at all times the tires are on the ground.
When using clips this pressure on the pedals isn't always applied as it isn't nessicary- the body weight tends to be more forward in the cockpit.
As for the pedalling debate...different techniques for are required for each.
Flats require a BMX sprint approach pulling up on the opposite side of the bar when pushing on the pedal and getting into a piston type pedal stoke with two very powerful vertical movements generated thoughout the entire body.
Pedaling with clips is definatly a more circular motion and thus more focus on power coming from the legs.

For me right now I'm trying to adapt the heel down approach to clips with the help of a custom cleat position which mimics my foot position on flat pedals.

Maybe too indepth for most...but a friend and I have been trying to get to the bottom of it for the past year.

[Wayne P]

^ That's how I ride clips - the cleat is right under the ball of my foot so it feels like I'm on flats.

[V.I._WARRIOR]

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2236034/

[DaveM]

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2236034/

that shot is just screaming "holy crap I can't slow down!"

[V.I._WARRIOR]

that shot is just screaming "holy crap I can't slow down!"

I think that is going through everybodys head on Mt. Seven! not the best example but its a rider clipped in but riding like he's on flats.

[Johnie P]

out of the gate in bmx clipped in or not your focus is 99.9% on the downstroke. clipped in you can mash a little harder and start the downstroke a little sooner. with no or very little upstroke I can get to the first jump way quicker clipped in.

[Lady Gravity]

^ That's how I ride clips - the cleat is right under the ball of my foot so it feels like I'm on flats.

how do you do that when the cleat position on the shoe (the cutout) is under the ball of the foot - do you cut out a new spot?

[V.I._WARRIOR]

how do you do that when the cleat position on the shoe (the cutout) is under the ball of the foot - do you cut out a new spot?

yeah, just make sure you choose a shoe that can handle having longer channels routered out.

[Wayne P]

I've never had to alter my cleat position on shoes. I just slide 'em back all the way and it works great. I have strong calves so moving my cleats too far back would mean I couldn't get the most power out of a pedal stroke (at least that's the way I pedal).

[Dantes Inferno]

I always found it unconfortable standing on tiny pedals. I really like the feeling of a nice big flat pedal.

[JCL]

^ That's how I ride clips - the cleat is right under the ball of my foot so it feels like I'm on flats.

I think most people who run flats have their feet a fair bit forward of the pedal axle to reduce the leverage strain on their ankles.

I agree with comments that you have to ride differently with either clips or flats. For clips the difference being that you don't have to work the up-slope of things to get pop. Which IMO kinda makes the rider look rigid and not as fluid.

[Mic]

I always found it unconfortable standing on tiny pedals. I really like the feeling of a nice big flat pedal.

Ever tried the Crankbros. Mallet? Look good. On my HT (xc-ish use) I use clips from SHimano, which look a bit like the old-school BMX flats with a clip in the middle. Forgot the name. And they work great - climbing seems to be easier and not as hard on the front muscles in the legs.

[Dean W]

Different strokes for different folks really.

[Dude]

Totally different strokes for different folks.

Way back when I started DH racing, I was on clips full time. My first race at Sun Peaks down Insanity 1 had me swithing to flats, and have had flats on my DH bikes ever since.

Over the past two summers, I've been racing BMX clipped in, and rode ~110 XC rides this year clipped in. Now I feel naked on my DH bike w/ out clips, and will likely go back to them.