Trackstands, Are Flats Bad For Your Knees and My Favorite Riding Shoes

In this podcast I cover...

Skills

Trackstands: The most under-rated skill in mountain biking.

• At its core this is the skill of balancing without any momentum.
• The slower you are going the more you need your slow speed balance.
• Skills like switchbacks, technical climbs and rock gardens all require this skill.
• Allows you to use skill instead of momentum and luck.
• Easy to improve/ One of the best uses of your “off trail” training time.
• Make sure you work both feet forward.

Rider Q&A

Are flat pedals bad for your knees/ role of float in clipless pedals.

• Your leg and foot don’t create energy in a straight line, they use a spiral motion where the foot “screws” into and off what it is on.
• This movement is in relation to the ground/ what you foot is on.
• When you strap the foot to the pedal and restrict its movement in relation to the pedal then your knees will blow up from this lack of rotation.
• Putting float in clipless pedals allows a little rotation before you unclip, allowing the foot to rotate a little and taking stress of the knee.
• On a flat pedal your feet aren't restricted in relation to the pedal and so it can create that screwing motion into the pedal.
• This is the more natural way for your foot to function and captures the rotational energy the foot and leg produces.
• This is why people with knee problems often see improvement when switching to flats despite the lack of “float”.
• Float is a solution to strapping your foot to the pedal, which is a product of the unstable forces going into the pedal. 
• Your foot doesn’t need or want “float” as you find it in no other sport or situation. 
• If you fix the problem of the unstable energy through a pedal like the Catalyst Pedal then you don’t need to strap your foot on the pedal in the first place.

Gear Review

Sense Of Motion Shoes

• Small operation making shoes in Montrose CO.
• Foot healthy shoes.
• Light and breathable.
• Dry quickly.
• Just enough sticky rubber to do the job, especially on Catalyst Pedals.
• www.SOMfootwear.com 

Until next time...

Ride Strong,

James Wilson