A perfect step, good grip and yet always flexible - many reasons speak for attaching flats to the mountain bike. If you wear the matching bike shoes, you create optimal conditions for breathtaking rides, sensational tricks and daring jumps in terms of power transmission and support.
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Especially in the action-heavy disciplines such as enduro, downhill or trail biking, mountain bike acrobats nevertheless prefer to rely on a loose connection, so they compete on flats. The same applies to dirt bikers and BMX riders. With the right bike shoes this is no problem, the combination of thick soles and biting pins ensures enough pedal contact. Nevertheless, you can jump off at any time, because you can always release the feet from the pedal without much fuss. We tell you here how that works and why on longer tours skate shoes or fashion sneakers have nothing to lose on the MTB.
Not rather Klickies?
A bike where you not only have the handlebars firmly in your hand, but also the bike shoes are directly connected to the pedals, sounds like a perfect flying machine?! Even if it sounds counter-intuitive at first glance - especially for the breathtaking tricks, it's better if you don't hang too tightly on the bike. If you quickly have at least one leg on the ground, you can prevent one or the other fall in case of doubt. And if airtime does turn into unplanned floortime, you won't have a fully weighing around 15 kilos clinging to you.
For all the undecideds, here's the rule of thumb:
You're in a hurry? Then Klickies and the corresponding bike shoes are probably more your case.
You have the sense of airtime? Then flexible flat pedals are your thing!
How flat pedal shoes work
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There are exactly three points that connect you to your bike. Yes, the phrase is a bit trite, plus it's more like four points, but by and large the info is true.
1. You hold the handlebar. 2. you're sitting on the saddle. Point three (or three and four) are your pedals. The pedals are not only important contact points, they are responsible for the overall power transmission. Reason enough to ensure optimum conditions here with special cycling shoes.
While the upper shoe is responsible for comfortable wearing properties, the shoe sole of the mountain bike shoes provides support and propulsion.
- This is how mountain bike shoes find a good grip on the pedals
Mountain bike shoes have a thick sole. They bring a little more weight, but the material is necessary because it provides enough lining for the pedal pins. MTB flats have several rows of pointed teeth, also called pins, that dig deep into the sole of the bike shoes, creating a firm, stable connection with the bike.
Unlike other bike shoes, you can also run very well on mountain bike shoes. The soles here are not made of stiff nylon or carbon, a grip mix of rubber allows the foot to roll, cushions every step and provides sufficient support. Modern, non-slip rubber compounds ensure that not only can the pedal pins bite firmly into the sole, you can also run safely on wet or loose ground.
You should expect, however, that you can roll a little worse in your bike shoes than you are used to from other shoes. Stiff soles transmit your pedaling motion without loss to the bicycle drive, so in some models the soles are specifically stiffened. This is especially the case with road bike shoes and also with MTB shoes with click system, but also with some flat pedal shoes there is a rigid sole.
Do sneakers or mountain shoes work on the MTB?
If you're really serious about mountain biking, be sure to wear the right shoes in addition to a biking helmet. Other sports shoes do not provide enough support for the foot, the risk of injury would simply be too great. The pins find on too hard soles no grip, worst case you could slip off the pedal. The pins are it, by the way, other sports shoes (so shoes that are not bicycle shoes) make row after row a case for the garbage can! Flat pedal shoes are made for contact with the nasty Piksern, other sneakers are gladly pierced directly. Berg shoes on the Mountainbike to wear but is also not a suitable solution. As a rule, Berschuhe are too heavy, too inflexible and too hard to be sensitive to the terrain and the movements of the bike in them.
The mountain bike shoe from top to bottom:
- On top of the bike shoe, you'll find various closure systems. Mountain bike shoes are often laced normally, but there are also cable systems. Many MTB shoes also have Velcro closures. A Velcro tab can be quickly closed and adjusted even with MTB gloves on. Many models have a flap or storage compartment for the ends of the laces, so they do not get into the crank.
- At first glance, some shoes look strangely "crooked" at the top edge, in the area of the inner ankle they are significantly higher than on the outer side. The shoe can thus protect your ankles from painful contact with the crank.
- The outer shoe is made of leather or synthetic leather, microfiber or other synthetic fibers. There are particularly lightweight and well-ventilated or particularly dense and water-repellent models. Depending on the season and weather, you can choose the appropriate features.
- The inner shoe is usually breathable and made of a soft, quick-drying fabric that ensures good wearing comfort.
- Foam pads make the flat pedal shoe nice and soft on the one hand, on the other hand they keep it firmly on the foot without exerting uncomfortable pressure.
- A insole cushions the footbed and makes the shoes comfortable
- A rubber cap at the front of the shoe protects the toes and the material of the shoe.
- There is also often a protective rubber layer on the heel.
- The sole of a MTB shoe is made of a grippy rubber compound. It is responsible for ensuring that the shoe provides good grip even on loose surfaces or in wet conditions. There is a flap that covers the cutout for the cleats. So you can always decide later to switch from flats to klickies.
- The bottom layer of the sole is a little softer here. So the pins of the pedals or the serrated metal band of cages can claw well in the material and thus ensure good contact, secure grip and efficient power transmission.
- The stiffer the shoe sole, the better it transmits muscle power to the crank.
Safety first!
Because the pins don't stop at the skin on your ankles and shins, it's also absolutely recommended to wear shin guards! Of course, the MTB shoes here in the store are made to be worn comfortably in combination with protectors. Robust bicycle socks close the gap between the shoe and the protectors, so you can get on the bike with a good feeling.
Flat pedal shoes are easy-peasy!
Mountain bike shoes for flat pedals have another unbeatable advantage: they are absolutely easy to clean. Release hardness, position of the cleats, which plates fit which pedals... everything a Klickis rider has to rack his brains over, you can be heartily indifferent!
And while your buddies are still cursing and scraping the dirt out of their cleats, you're already looking for the next challenge on Komoot!
MTB shoes for kids, women and men
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There are bike shoes, of course, in the shoe sizes you know, 40, 43, 44, and so on. However, many accessories for mountain bikes come from the USA, this also applies to pedals and bike shoes, the size specifications then correspond to the US sizes. Also UK sizes are to be found again and again. Here in the store you will then usually find a table that tells you the European shoe size.
In addition to numerous variants for men, you can also buy MTB shoes for women. Also some models for children are available. Today, many well-known manufacturers also produce unisex shoes, there is then a particularly large selection of shoe sizes and also different fits for wide or narrower feet.
A bicycle shoe with a good fit does not slip and wobble. The closures ensure that you can fix the shoes firmly to the foot, but it should still not press or even constrict. To find the right shoe, you may need to order several pairs, try them on and compare. Here in the BMO online store you can do this without any problems, as long as the shoes are new and all tags, labels and packaging are present, you can simply return cycling shoes that do not fit perfectly.
