MTB shoes: What makes a flat pedal shoe perfect?

Mountain bikers ride clipless pedals, period! This credo is long outdated today. Bikers with racing ambitions in particular still rely on the fixed connection because it allows them to transfer the power from their legs to the pedals in the best possible way, always stand ergonomically correct and have full control over their bike in technical sections. For many others, however, the advantages of flat-pedal MTB shoes now outweigh the disadvantages.

For good reasons: The learning process for unclicking? No need with platform pedals. Quickly putting a foot down in a tricky situation before rolling into the vegetables? Possible at any time. Riding with flat pedals also trains your riding technique and the shoes are more comfortable - especially if you have to push or carry your bike for a longer distance. And with the motorised assistance of the e-bike, the need to put maximum leg power on the pedals is usually eliminated.

What makes a flat pedal shoe perfect?

What makes a good flat pedal shoe, how much grip should it have and can shoe soles that have been badly damaged by the pins still be repaired? We spoke to Maximilian Meinhardt. He is a product designer and developer at bike shoe label First Degree and has the answers to the most important questions.

BIKE: The grippier, the better - does this general statement apply to flat pedal shoes?

MAXIMILIAN MEINHARDT: For the most part, yes, but it always depends on the area of use. For example, you need different MTB shoes for slopestyle than for gravity. We always get feedback from our slopestyle team riders in particular that there can actually be too much grip.

That's why we designed the sole of our Arcade, for example, to offer the perfect mix of grip and manoeuvrability on the pedals. With the Flite, which is primarily designed for gravity and bike parks, we have deliberately focussed on maximum grip.

>> When it comes to bicycle pedals, mountain bikers have a choice: classic with clickies or easier to release with flat pedals. We tested twenty models from both categories.

What role does the profile of the MTB shoes play in terms of grip on the pedals?

A big one. To create the best grip, the pins from the pedal must hit the rubber in as many different places as possible. This means that some pins should penetrate the tread knobs vertically, while other pins should rest against the side of the tread knobs. This creates grip in all directions.

And what role do the shape and length of the pins play?

The pins allow you to customise the pedal to your own needs and your own MTB shoes. The thicker, the less grip and vice versa. The longer, the more grip and vice versa. Of course, both only apply up to a certain point, beyond which it no longer makes sense. The distribution and number of pins on the pedal is also important. Too many pins, too close together, also reduce grip, no matter how sharp and long they are.

How does the sole hardness of the MTB shoes affect the grip on the pedals? Is softer perhaps even better (more damping)?

This is a very complex issue, as the sole hardness is defined by different components. In most cases, cushioning is provided by an EVA foam midsole - after the insole - but this does not necessarily have a direct effect on the sole hardness.

The flexibility of the entire sole is largely defined by the inner insole, while the rubber outsole only accounts for a small part of the perceived sole hardness.

That's why you can use a very soft rubber compound but still have a hard sole and good cushioning at the same time. The rubber compound is therefore much more decisive for the grip than the generally felt sole hardness.

Are you looking for the perfect platform pedals, but are overwhelmed by the sheer endless choice? flat pedals don't just differ in colour. Size, shape and pins are decisive in determining whether a flat pedal suits your riding style or not. We explain how to find your perfect pedal here.

The grippier the sole of the MTB shoes, the greater the wear. Is that true?

In part, yes. In principle, grip and wear are always opposed to each other, but the quality of the rubber compound is also an important factor. We are in very close dialogue with our sole manufacturer in order to always find the perfect rubber compound for our respective soles.

Here, we rely on compounds that show relatively little wear with high grip. Nevertheless, you always have to make compromises in some direction with flat pedal soles. Feedback from our team riders is always a huge help here.

The sole is already partially rutted from the pins, while the upper shoe still looks like new. Can the sole be repaired?

In principle, yes, but unfortunately there is still too little capacity here for us to be able to do this sustainably. A good cobbler could sand down the rutted part of the sole and glue on a piece of sole rubber. However, this would severely impair the grip and feel of the sole.

That's why, as previously mentioned, we always try to find the perfect rubber compound to minimise wear on the sole without negatively affecting grip.

Is it also possible to have MTB shoes completely resoled?

In principle, yes, but then it's a completely different shoe. The geometry of our soles is very complex and precisely matched to the upper shoe. The overall performance that results from this interaction could not be replicated with a normal sole that a cobbler would have access to.

Shoe tip from Max Fuchs, BIKE test editor

You can hardly go wrong when buying flat pedals. As long as the footprint is large enough and the pins are nice and sharp-edged, most models for less than 100 euros are a hit.

The situation is different with shoes. If the sole is too hard or the tread is too coarse, you'll get a bit worn out even on the grippiest pedals. Similarly, the largest contact surface is of no use if the sole twists too much or the shoe itself provides too little stability.

Therefore my tip: the Impact models from Fiveten. The chunky classics may not be as stylish as the more modern sneaker-look models, but they sit firmly on the foot, offer a great deal of stability and the grip leaves nothing to be desired.