Why....

[Sambu]

..dont they use bottom of the shoe/road racing style shoe-pedal combo for track racing?

 

[Rob3rt]

They do.....................

They use road shoes (or track specific shoes) with cleats for all events and for sprint events they use a cleat with a road shoe, plus additional straps to stop them pulling out. They often wear over shoes on top of their shoes too for greater aerodynamics.

 

[Sambu]

oh right, i saw the strapps but not the cleats, i thought it was odd. silly me

 

[Rob3rt]

oh right, i saw the strapps but not the cleats, i thought it was odd. silly me

Sprinters accellerate so hard that they are liable to pull out of a road pedal even on the highest tension setting, the strap is just extra security

 

[fossyant]

Done that 4 or 5 times on one of the CC track meetings, pulled right out. Mainly due to worn/well used/light tension pedals on the stock bikes.... not my awesome power.............. Doesn't happen on my pedals !

 

[gary r]

once your foot is pulled out of the pedal on a track bike its almost a certain crash,no freewheeling with one foot in the pedal!!!!