Deciding on whether to make the jump to clipless pedals (assuming you’ve started on flats, like most of us did) is an age-old mountain biking dilemma. There are benefits to both, but depending on your ability and the type of riding you do, there may be more reasons to choose one over the other.

In this article (and the video above), we’ll go into detail about what the different kinds of pedals are, when they’re most appropriate, and what kind of shoes you might think about using with each pedal.

The Five Ten Freerider Pro is an iconic flat pedal shoe and one of the most popular options among mountain bikers.

Clipless vs Flats – what’s the story?

The difference between clipless and flats lies in the way your feet attach, or don’t attach to the pedal. The term ‘clipless’ is a bit misleading, because you actually clip your feet into these pedals using cleats attached to the bottom of your shoes. These then clip into the pedals and keep you attached until you twist your foot and ‘unclip’.

Flat pedals as you can imagine are the opposite. There’s nothing keeping you attached to the pedals. You simply put your foot on there and grip!

Flat pedals do tend to have pins that stick out of the surface to help your riding shoes grip onto the pedal platform. And if you ride flat pedals, this is where you can find your edge – with your shoes. But we’ll get to that soon.

Clipless pedals are better for a more efficient pedal stroke, but do require a bit more confidence in your riding ability.

Pros and Cons

So why would you choose one format over the other? With flats, it’s simple. You don’t need special shoes or extra equipment, and if you’re just starting out or riding techy trails then being able to put a foot down quickly, or eject from the bike in a crash, will definitely aid your confidence.

They can also aid in developing the correct riding technique. Clipless pedals are certainly more efficient, but can end up with you pulling the bike up with your feet if you’re not already familiar with controlling the bike with your whole body.

Flat pedals and shoes are generally cheaper than clipless pedals too, and they’re more comfortable to walk in. So you can wear them for driving to the trails, riding to the shops, or hanging out in the pub after a ride.

But why try clipless? Although I said flats are easiest for getting out of trouble in a crash, you can set most clipless pedals to an easier spring tension so you can get your foot out with less force. Additionally, clipless pedals can help you develop an efficient pedal stroke. They can help you ride up technical climbs, as you can easily hop the back wheel up ledges and around tight hairpins, while getting instant acceleration when you need to get the power down.

The Five Ten Freerider Pro is one of the most popular flat pedal shoes out there thanks to its grippy Stealth rubber sole.

Which system suits you?

Flats are great for beginners, but they’re also beneficial to freestyle and slopestyle riders. The last thing you need to worry about when you’re performing a superman while 30ft in the air is if you will be able to clip back into your pedals when you land.

If you’re a XC rider, you’ll likely benefit from clipless pedals the most. Where speed is vital, you need to move in a more efficient way on the bike, and clipless pedals can help with that. Likewise, Enduro riders may also benefit from these pedals as they can help you control the bike on longer descents, rough sections, and climbing stages.

Downhill riders are more of a mixture, and running clipless or flat pedals tends to be personal preference. That being said, more and more riders on the World Cup circuit are using clipless systems. But what’s important is that you feel comfortable and confident on the bike with your chosen pedal system.

Flat pedals are great for beginners but also for freestyle riders.

What type of shoe should I use?

The type of shoe you use is determined by the pedal. If you run flat pedals, then you want flat-soled shoes. Likewise, if you run clipless pedals, then you need a pair of shoes that can fit cleats. They have a small section of the sole that’s recessed, with two holes for you to bolt your cleats into.

There’s a big market out there for shoes, but we’re going to look at some of the most popular mountain biking shoes from Five Ten, and which ones might work best for your riding.

Five Ten shoes use varying types of rubber on their soles, the technology which provides serious grip is called ‘Stealth’ rubber. There are three different compounds using the Stealth tech: Stealth S1, which is the brand’s stickiest rubber, Stealth Phantom, which has ever so slightly less grip but allows for colouring of the sole. And finally, the Stealth Marathon. This is a harder wearing compound and is more durable than the others, but slightly less grippy – which makes it ideal for clipless shoes where your sole is not in contact with the pedal.

You can also choose between your closure type – by this we mean laces, or something called a BOA dial. BOA dials are little plastic dials you turn to tighten or loosen your shoe – without the need for laces! They’re also pretty mud resistant, although generally more expensive than a laced shoe version.

The FiveTen Hellcat Pro uses Stealth Marathon rubber outsoles for more durability

The Five Ten range

Let’s take a closer look at some of the Five Ten riding shoes. The Freerider Pro is undoubtedly one of the most popular flat pedal mountain biking shoes around. You’ll likely see at least one person wearing them when you hit the local trails. And that’s because they’re incredibly grippy, thanks to the Stealth S1 rubber outsole, as well as being super comfortable.

They also utilise a reinforced toe box to protect your feet if you hit any rocks etc. And perhaps most relevantly for our UK audience, the upper is quick-drying, so if you find yourself riding through a poorly draining trail, your shoes will dry quickly. They’re such a staple of the FiveTen lineup that they now come in various colours and materials, retailing at £130. You can check out more details on the Five Ten Freerider Pro here.

That being said, the Freerider Pro isn’t the only flat pedal shoe worth mentioning. The SLEUTH range is specifically designed for the pump track or dirt jumps, and the Trailcross range is ideal for those who like a bit of hike-a-bike. And for the winter rider? Or let’s face it, the summer rider in the UK, the Trailcross GTX is fully waterproof.

For the Enduro or DH riders who want to ride clipped in, the FiveTen Hellcat Pro shoe is top of our list. It uses the Stealth Marathon rubber outsole, like all of FiveTen’s clipless shoes. This means it’s durable and designed to be ridden season after season. The stiff midsole allows for aggressive pedalling, and the synthetic upper has abrasion-resistant welding for durability. The Five Ten Hellcat Pro retails for £170 from Adidas and you can find out more details here.

The FiveTen Freerider Pro: a classic shoe to suit most riders

Finally, is the Five Ten Kestrel BOA. These are a down-country, clipless-compatible shoe that look pretty unlike the others we’ve already talked about. They take inspiration from Five Ten’s gravity shoes, but in a more XC/trail oriented format. And by that we’re talking about the shape of the shoe, and its performance focused design for clipless pedals. It features a stiff sole, with a Stealth Marathon rubber outsole for durability. And, you get BOA dials for precise on-the-go fitment. The Five Ten Kestrel BOA retails for £200 from Adidas, comes in a sleek black colourway with red outlining on the logo, and you can find out further details about them here.

Whatever pedal system or shoe you decide to run, the most important thing is that you’re comfortable and you feel confident. Don’t feel pressured to run clipless pedals just because your mates are – if you’re not ready or just don’t want to use them, find a decent pair of grippy flat shoes and pedals and enjoy your ride!