Cycling Shoes

[JohnRedcoRn]

is there a significant difference in performance with clipless compared to, say , ordinary trainers....can this be explained scientifically ? someone said earlier that by pulling up as well as pushing the pedals your more energy efficient? does the action of pulling up the pedal with clipless itself not involve effort which counters any benefit ?

i'm inclined to beleive those with more experience than me. my main problem with the idea of clipless is that i'm a clumsy bastard so i'd almost certainly get myself into trouble if i had a dodgy traffic situation or something ?

 

[PaulB]

my main problem with the idea of clipless is that i'm a clumsy bastard so i'd almost certainly get myself into trouble if i had a dodgy traffic situation or something ?

You won't. I know you think you will because everybody does and I would stake money on me being clumsier than thee and it seems daft now to think I was ever worried about it. Do like the Nike ad says and "just do it".

 

[Downward]

You won't. I know you think you will because everybody does and I would stake money on me being clumsier than thee and it seems daft now to think I was ever worried about it. Do like the Nike ad says and "just do it".

As long as you can anticipate the traffic ahead you will be ok - Even now I will unclip left foot in plenty of time if theres heavy traffic or in light or no traffic when having to stop just slow right down so you don't have to stop completely.

 

[ASC1951]

is there a significant difference in performance with clipless compared to, say , ordinary trainers....can this be explained scientifically ?

OK. Until someone with more science explains it:-
- most benefit comes from having rigid-soled cycling shoes. Trainers are flexible and cushioning, so a lot of your energy goes into bending and squashing them instead of turning the pedals.
- second most benefit is that cleats keep your foot in the same position on the pedal. There is an optimum position for transferring power and if your feet wander about it is much less efficient. (You can do that less conveniently with toe-clips, too). Most people who ride in trainers have their feet loose on the pedals and usually too far forward, because if you push hard with it in the right position a loose foot slips backwards.
- least benefit for casual cycling is that the cleats hold the shoe in all directions, so as the pedal begins the upstroke you are pulling on it as well as pushing on the other one. Of course that uses more effort, but because it is more efficient you still get more forward movement for the same pedalling power. For performance cyclists this 'pedalling all round the stroke' is much more significant, which is why a lot of racing cleats have big flanges to make it easier to pull as well as push.

I don't ride as much in traffic as many people here, but I'm as clumsy as the next man and I've never had a problem even on a fixed wheel (which definitely are trickier to clip in). I'm not after the last ounce of performance, so I tend to have one cleat quite tight and my flick-out foot much looser.