Why be efficient?

[onlyhuman]

Then you need to feel the difference you get when, as you go up a hill, you start to drive your knees towards the handlebars and get that extra spurt of pace. You become more economic because of the range of muscle groups involved and because you spread the work over the full pedal cycle and not just a "chop" stroke - not because you eliminate trainer sole compression.

To be honest though, if you want to maximise your benefit from being on a bike, then you need to think about what you are doing when you rde. Do you chuck in short bursts of really high effort? Research on High Intensity Training suggests this can work wonders (and it's easier clipless). If you do intervals, going clipless will probablu help the quality. Low intensity recovery rides or long slow rides to recruit muscle fibres? Efficient is better.

Hi Stig,

I found this very persuasive: http://www.rivbike.com/article/clothing/the_shoes_ruse

 

[byegad]

Welcome onlyhuman.

I suspect your name is inaccurate and quite a few posters will claim to be human too.


Not me you understand.

 

[onlyhuman]

Light fast bikes with clipless are more fun, fact.
They also generally have gears which you can use to magically make things harder, negating any extra workout you'd be getting from your tank and at the same time making you faster. Did I mention it's more fun?

It may be a fact that they are more fun for you Joe, but not everybody agrees.

I don't really see what you are getting at with the rest of your comment. Heavier bikes without clips also generally have gears which you can use to make things harder, mechanically rather than magically. And I am already going pretty much as fast as I can on the disused wagonways and tracks where I cycle, and if my bike was superlight I'd be worrying about damaging it.

 

[palinurus]

Interesting article there. I'd generally say there's no real need for clipless pedals outside of racing and training for same. I've toured on flats, it works fine. Used them on some of my commute bikes too (although now I've gone all clipless, but that's mainly because I train after work a couple of days per week). It's your bike, use the pedals you want.

 

[Plax]

Nobody has mentioned the rain - I found clipless pedals a revelation in the rain. No more did I have to endure the pedal slamming into my shin after my foot had slipped off!

 

[Crackle]

Hi Stig,

I found this very persuasive: http://www.rivbike.com/article/clothing/the_shoes_ruse

Assuming you are not on the wind-up and right now I suspect you are, then the article is a bit rubbish. I'm not a competitive cyclist and I find huge advantages in clipless, though strangely not much advantage over clipped pedals and some disadvantages but I'd take either over flats.

 

[fido]

I totally agree with the point about clipless in the rain - your contact with the bike is for more confidence-inspiring. I always ride clipless when off-roading for the same reason.I still prefer my flatties and trainers for commutes and semi-serious bimbles though, for many of the reasons stated in that article.

 

[palinurus]

I didn't enjoy riding my Brompton in the rain for that very reason, the right hand pedal was dead slippy. I found I adjusted my riding to suit however and never managed to slip my foot off unexpectedly.

 

[montage]

Clipless lets you go faster for a given effort or go for less effort at a given speed. Simple.

 

[onlyhuman]

Assuming you are not on the wind-up and right now I suspect you are, then the article is a bit rubbish. I'm not a competitive cyclist and I find huge advantages in clipless, though strangely not much advantage over clipped pedals and some disadvantages but I'd take either over flats.

Would you like to say what you thought was wrong with the article? It made a lot of sense to me. I don't think I need the advantages that clips offer. I found clipped pedals nothing but a nuisance for the kind of cycling I do. I don't see why I have a need for cycling shoes. His argument seems quite persuasive there. I don't experience problems cycling in trainers or sandals. My feet don't feel like they need more support. I like to be able to move the point of contact around like he says, to spread the load around.

 

[mickle]

'Clip-less' is a misnomer. Can we use 'clip-in' instead?

 

[Radius]

It means 'without clips and straps', as I'm sure you're aware; but yes, it is slightly confusing.

 

[mickle]

Innit.

 

[jimboalee]

'Clip-less' is a misnomer. Can we use 'clip-in' instead?

Call them 'Cleated pedals & shoes'.

The No. 1 reason for cleated shoes on to the pedals is as Plax implies - STABILITY.

The No. 1 reason for cycling shoes to be stiff is PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION.

The ruling for the X America jaunt was IMHO, to decrease the number of 'slipping' injuries, as mentioned by Plax.

The No. 2 reason for cleated shoes on to the pedals is 'They don't lift off when you agressively pull the shoe up on the upstroke'

The No. 3 reason for cleated shoes on to the pedals is 'you can operate a smoother action with a little bit of pulling on the upstroke'.


Rant over.

 

[jimboalee]

You can, if you wish, be very INEFFICIENT when using cleated shoes on the pedals.

What you have to do is not push the pedal down on the downstroke and not pull the pedal up on the upstroke.

If you practice this technique long enough, you'll fall over sideways.