If you’re expecting another debate about which one is better — you won’t find it here.
There are plenty of articles discussing whether SPD pedals are better than flat pedals, which ones are more efficient, where you’ll be faster, and so on. But I haven’t found many articles talking about which option is simply healthier.
And no, I don’t mean that flat pedals are healthier because in an extreme situation you can put your foot down faster. Theoretically, yes. But if you’ve ridden SPD for eight years and suddenly switch to flat pedals with pins (good MTB pedals), in a situation that requires quick foot support your old habit will kick in — you’ll try to twist your foot to unclip. And then… good luck. Your shoe is locked into the pins and your foot won’t rotate. But that’s just a side note.
Back to the main point — why do I think platform pedals might be healthier?
There are studies claiming SPD pedals are healthier. But these days, you can find studies supporting almost any belief. Studies saying they are healthier, and studies saying they’re not. I prefer to focus on my own experience and observations.
With flat pedals, the only critical adjustment is saddle height. Yes, there’s also saddle tilt and fore-aft position, but compared to setting up SPD cleats, those feel simpler. Personally, I believe the most difficult adjustment of all is positioning SPD cleats correctly in the shoes.
And to be clear — I’m talking about MTB SPD pedals, not road ones. I’ve always ridden MTB SPD.
So what will the result of this change be?
I definitely need a few months and several longer rides to be sure. But from my first observations, I can already say it feels better than before. For the first time in I don’t even remember how long, after a 50 km Zone 2 ride, I had no knee joint pain and no discomfort around my Achilles.
I know — 50 km isn’t a huge distance or a hard session. But even after casual rides with my kids, I used to feel discomfort the next day. And that was frustrating
On March 21st, I’m riding 100 km — then I’ll be able to say more.
For shoes, I’m riding Five Ten — stiff enough for proper power transfer, but still comfortable.