Clipless Pedals: Are they really worth it?
Replies
-
-
Can we maybe bring this back around for the OP? Treat this kind of like a wiki... feel free to add/edit as necessary - I'm not claiming to be the end-all expert on this.
We have 3 options, right?
1) regular running/athletic sneakers and toe cages
2) purpose-specific flats and shoes, like chivalryder is recommending
3) clipless pedals and shoes, like others are recommending
Pros and cons to each, based on general, real world use. Let's try to keep very small studies out of it (because I'm sure we can find small studies to "prove" anything), keep freak accidents out of it (because I'm sure we can find accidents with all 3 setups), and keep our own personal biases otu of it as much as possible. Can we do that?
Regular athletic sneakers and toe cages
pros- no special equipment needed
- no additional cost
- least efficient use of energy
- toe cages can be clumsy
purpose specific flats
pros- increase efficiency/energy transfer
- increased stability on the pedal
- no worry about tipping over because you can't get unclipped while you are getting used to them
- promotes better technical riding
- increased learning curve while learning to spin with them
- ?? is availability an issue ?? I've never seen them in my town, and none of the LBSs I deal with stock the shoes.
- added cost
clipless
pros- increase efficiency/energy transfer
- increased stability on the pedal
- no worry about coming off the pedal while learning to spin with them
- can help lead to better technical riding/spinning
- increased learning curve while learning to clip in/out
- added cost
Anything else worth noting for the OP?0 -
I guess my best answer to, "Are you looking to improve?" Yes, I am looking to improve. I want to do this for a very long time and stay as healthy as I can doing so. I'm not looking to compete at all. I am just looking to go bike as far as I can for as long as I can without completely bonking (no - I am not looking for carb tips, gel tips, energy drink tips...I am covered in that area). I just know the way I am riding currently is comfortable for me because it's what I know. But just as a move from a MTB to a road bike was a HUGE change...so will moving from stock pedals to either clipless pedals or nice flat pedals and proper shoes.0
-
And THAT is what I was looking for Jacksonpt...input on the differences. Most everything I read is slanted to one way or another. I want to objectively look at all the options. I want to thank all of you for your opinions, advice, and knowledge. I know I need to do something other than what I am doing. I just want to make sure I am knowledgeable about why I am making a change before just going and making a change.0
-
And THAT is what I was looking for Jacksonpt...input on the differences. Most everything I read is slanted to one way or another. I want to objectively look at all the options. I want to thank all of you for your opinions, advice, and knowledge. I know I need to do something other than what I am doing. I just want to make sure I am knowledgeable about why I am making a change before just going and making a change.
Ultimately, either one is going to be a huge improvement over your current setup, and more than likely, personal preference will be the biggest factor as to why you should choose one over the other. Watts and aerodynamic drag and spin technique... the differences probably don't matter enough to you to be determining factors.
0 -
-
I have not read all 4 pages but I dont know what I would do without my bike shoes. IMO you lose a lot of power transfer due to the rubber flexible running shoes that you do not have in a shoe designed for efficient power transfer. And for me if I do a hard 40+ mile bike ride (semi-race to race pace) then the bottoms on my feet get sore because of the shoe flex. With my bike shoes I do not experience that.0
-
Danny_Boy13 wrote: »I have not read all 4 pages but I dont know what I would do without my bike shoes. IMO you lose a lot of power transfer due to the rubber flexible running shoes that you do not have in a shoe designed for efficient power transfer. And for me if I do a hard 40+ mile bike ride (semi-race to race pace) then the bottoms on my feet get sore because of the shoe flex. With my bike shoes I do not experience that.
Just watch your knees, bro.
Sometime soon they're gonna fly apart, and the tendons will snap up and put your eye out.0 -
Has he provided any proof for this yet? I lost track of the MTB contribution to the road bike discussion.chivalryder wrote: »The only thing it will do is mess up your legs.
0 -
Can we maybe bring this back around for the OP? Treat this kind of like a wiki... feel free to add/edit as necessary - I'm not claiming to be the end-all expert on this.
We have 3 options, right?
1) regular running/athletic sneakers and toe cages
2) purpose-specific flats and shoes, like chivalryder is recommending
3) clipless pedals and shoes, like others are recommending
Pros and cons to each, based on general, real world use. Let's try to keep very small studies out of it (because I'm sure we can find small studies to "prove" anything), keep freak accidents out of it (because I'm sure we can find accidents with all 3 setups), and keep our own personal biases otu of it as much as possible. Can we do that?
Regular athletic sneakers and toe cages
pros- no special equipment needed
- no additional cost
- least efficient use of energy
- toe cages can be clumsy
purpose specific flats
pros- increase efficiency/energy transfer
- increased stability on the pedal
- no worry about tipping over because you can't get unclipped while you are getting used to them
- promotes better technical riding
- increased learning curve while learning to spin with them
- ?? is availability an issue ?? I've never seen them in my town, and none of the LBSs I deal with stock the shoes.
- added cost
clipless
pros- increase efficiency/energy transfer
- increased stability on the pedal
- no worry about coming off the pedal while learning to spin with them
- can help lead to better technical riding/spinning
- increased learning curve while learning to clip in/out
- added cost
Anything else worth noting for the OP?
I'd just like to note that there is no solid evidence that clipless pedals indeed do increase the overall efficiency and pedal transfer over a proper flat pedal set up.
Also, if you have a good flat pedal/flat shoe setup, the stability is equal to that of a clipless pedal. Also, your foot CANNOT slip off of a flat pedal. The shoe will grip the pedal so much, it will feel like glue. You can, however, lift your foot and your foot can bounce off off the pedal if you hit rough terrain - which can be fixed through practicing good riding technique.
I will certainly agree with availability of good flat shoes and pedals. They are hard to find.
I'd also like to note that with clipless pedals, getting someone else to fit your bike is paramount. It's not as vital with flat pedals because your foot isn't locked into one position on your pedal. Improper cleat/saddle:pedal setup will lead to overuse injuries.0 -
Has he provided any proof for this yet? I lost track of the MTB contribution to the road bike discussion.chivalryder wrote: »The only thing it will do is mess up your legs.
as far as I know, only his individual circumstance.
0 -
Ultimately, either one is going to be a huge improvement over your current setup, and more than likely, personal preference will be the biggest factor as to why you should choose one over the other. Watts and aerodynamic drag and spin technique... the differences probably don't matter enough to you to be determining factors.
This is the smartest thing I've read all day!0 -
When I first got back into riding 7 years ago, I pulled my 10 year old (at the time) huffy mountain bike out of my mom's basement. I rode that to work a couple of days a week that summer (9 miles each way). I promised myself that if I stuck with it, I'd get a "real" bike.
I did, so I got myself a Marin Larkspur hybrid. I got a pair of Shimano A530 pedals - they are flat on one side and clipless (SPD) on the other (so I could ride either with regular shoes, or with my bike shoes). I commuted to work on my hybrid 4-5 days a week, and eventually started doing triathlons. Over the course of 5 years, I can count on one hand the number of times I rode on my hybrid with regular shoes on the flat side of the pedals.
Fast forward to this June, when I FINALLY upgraded to a full carbon road bike (Specialized Ruby Sport), because I was interested in doing century rides, and actually being somewhat competitive in my tris. There was no question about getting clipless pedals for her (again, SPDs, since I had already gotten new bike shoes that were SPD cleats for my hybrid).
The clipless pedals DID take a bit of getting used to at first, but SPDs are INCREDIBLY forgiving. I always unclip one shoe when I am approaching an intersection or a left hand turn, where I might need to come to a complete stop...and the handful of times I've had to "emergency unclip", I was able to pretty much yank my shoe free of the clip before I went over (I'd get a scraped up shin from the pedal, but I never fell).
The one and only time I've even actually FALLEN because I couldn't unclip actually happened on Saturday (after 6 years of riding with clipless pedals) - I was attempting to practice balancing at very slow speed (the idea being not having to unclip at stop lights)...I failed miserably, and went over like a tree...at home...in my driveway....I'm not sure what was bruised more - my elbow or my ego (bike was fine!). LOL!
So long story short, do you NEED clipless pedals? Nope...but they sure as heck will help you ride longer distances with less leg fatigue. You actually feel like you are PART of the bike. You are also more efficient (able to spin vs mash, which is your only option on a flat pedal). HTH!
0 -
chivalryder wrote: »I'd also like to note that with clipless pedals, getting someone else to fit your bike is paramount. It's not as vital with flat pedals because your foot isn't locked into one position on your pedal. Improper cleat/saddle:pedal setup will lead to overuse injuries.
But with flat pedals you could very easily be using the wrong part of your foot, thereby negating any possible muscular efficiency you might have gained. With a properly fitted cleat you will always use the right part of your foot.
0 -
Has he provided any proof for this yet? I lost track of the MTB contribution to the road bike discussion.chivalryder wrote: »The only thing it will do is mess up your legs.
as far as I know, only his individual circumstance.
Ah. Then while sad for him. It's not relevant.
Also just more FUD from him. Thread seems rife with it.-1 -
This is one of the best suggestions I can give. Read this:
http://www.bikejames.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/FPR-Manifesto-July-2014.pdf
Yes, it's biased one way, but there is ample scientific and real expert advice on it. Yes, it's geared towards mountain biking, but if you're not racing the difference between pedaling on a road bike and pedaling on a mountain bike are fundamentally the same. I have ridden both plenty.
The top suggestion I can give is: Do your research. Don't go in based on opinions from strangers. They are just that, opinions aren't worth a grain of salt. I've researched this for months and that's why I have the opinion I have. I have done clipless and I came out injured, so I am biased. I didn't know it was clipless that lead to the injury. I researched into the cause of my injury and came to the conclusion that clipless pedals were a factor in injuring my knees. I had read up many, many sources on proper bike fitment which that lead me to flat pedals. I spent a solid 6 months doing nothing but reading up on bicycle fitment and repetitive use injury in my free time, and that's why I'm now advocating flat pedals for anyone who isn't competing on a bicycle.
But all you see are words on a screen, and all you see are these opinions. Take it all with a grain of salt, hit of Google and if you don't trust the internet, your local library. Read up on it. Don't go in blind.0 -
irishman213 wrote: »
I do ride.0 -
holy sweet manifesto.
there is not "ample scientific" evidence.
Ample conjecture, religiosity, and marketing. yes.0 -
chivalryder wrote: »I'd also like to note that with clipless pedals, getting someone else to fit your bike is paramount. It's not as vital with flat pedals because your foot isn't locked into one position on your pedal. Improper cleat/saddle:pedal setup will lead to overuse injuries.
But with flat pedals you could very easily be using the wrong part of your foot, thereby negating any possible muscular efficiency you might have gained. With a properly fitted cleat you will always use the right part of your foot.
A good bike fit is ESSENTIAL for anyone riding long distances, regardless of what kind of pedal you use. Saddle width, saddle height saddle position and angle, handlebar height, handlebar position and angle....ALL of it is important. If you dropped the cash for a quality carbon road bike, spend the extra money for a bike fit (not a quickie one...the full 3+hr one where the entire first hour is spent taking measurements of you OFF the bike). 0 -
holy sweet manifesto.
there is not "ample scientific" evidence.
Ample conjecture, religiosity, and marketing. yes.
You read the entire thing in 1 minute?
Prejudice statement is prejudice.
Actually, I believe the quote "I didn't read it because I don't believe it" is more accurate.
Here's a quote that comes directly from the manifesto:
"Being pro-flats isn't the same as being anti-clipless and misapplying either
pedal system in the name of blind ideology isn't helping advance our sport as
a whole."
But clearly you must have already read it since you were able to come to such a wild conclusion on it.0 -
A good bike fit is ESSENTIAL for anyone riding long distances, regardless of what kind of pedal you use. Saddle width, saddle height saddle position and angle, handlebar height, handlebar position and angle....ALL of it is important. If you dropped the cash for a quality carbon road bike, spend the extra money for a bike fit (not a quickie one...the full 3+hr one where the entire first hour is spent taking measurements of you OFF the bike).
I kinda thought that was a given with what I said, but you are right, the full fit is essential.0 -
chivalryder wrote: »Can we maybe bring this back around for the OP? Treat this kind of like a wiki... feel free to add/edit as necessary - I'm not claiming to be the end-all expert on this.
We have 3 options, right?
1) regular running/athletic sneakers and toe cages
2) purpose-specific flats and shoes, like chivalryder is recommending
3) clipless pedals and shoes, like others are recommending
Pros and cons to each, based on general, real world use. Let's try to keep very small studies out of it (because I'm sure we can find small studies to "prove" anything), keep freak accidents out of it (because I'm sure we can find accidents with all 3 setups), and keep our own personal biases otu of it as much as possible. Can we do that?
Regular athletic sneakers and toe cages
pros- no special equipment needed
- no additional cost
- least efficient use of energy
- toe cages can be clumsy
purpose specific flats
pros- increase efficiency/energy transfer
- increased stability on the pedal
- no worry about tipping over because you can't get unclipped while you are getting used to them
- promotes better technical riding
- increased learning curve while learning to spin with them
- ?? is availability an issue ?? I've never seen them in my town, and none of the LBSs I deal with stock the shoes.
- added cost
clipless
pros- increase efficiency/energy transfer
- increased stability on the pedal
- no worry about coming off the pedal while learning to spin with them
- can help lead to better technical riding/spinning
- increased learning curve while learning to clip in/out
- added cost
Anything else worth noting for the OP?
I'd just like to note that there is no solid evidence that clipless pedals indeed do increase the overall efficiency and pedal transfer over a proper flat pedal set up.
Also, if you have a good flat pedal/flat shoe setup, the stability is equal to that of a clipless pedal. Also, your foot CANNOT slip off of a flat pedal. The shoe will grip the pedal so much, it will feel like glue. You can, however, lift your foot and your foot can bounce off off the pedal if you hit rough terrain - which can be fixed through practicing good riding technique.
I will certainly agree with availability of good flat shoes and pedals. They are hard to find.
I'd also like to note that with clipless pedals, getting someone else to fit your bike is paramount. It's not as vital with flat pedals because your foot isn't locked into one position on your pedal. Improper cleat/saddle:pedal setup will lead to overuse injuries.
I did not mean to imply that clipless were more efficient than good flats, only that both were more efficient than athletic shoes and toe cages.
and I disagree with the requirement to have a shoe / bike fitting for people using clipless pedals. can it help? Yes. Is it a necessary requirement? No.0 -
Next up, is shaving your body hair really worth the aerodynamic advantage?0
-
Next up, is shaving your body hair really worth the aerodynamic advantage?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZnrE17Jg3I 0 -
Next up, is shaving your body hair really worth the aerodynamic advantage?
Aerodynamics is not why professional cyclists shave their legs. They shave because they get a hard massage once or twice every single day, and body hairs make it a lot less comfortable.
The second reason is because sweat beads at the base of the hairs, so if you crash, the wound is more likely to get infected.
The first statement I got from an actual maseusse for a professional team. The second is just something I've heard.0 -
and I disagree with the requirement to have a shoe / bike fitting for people using clipless pedals. can it help? Yes. Is it a necessary requirement? No.
If the goal is to ride long (50+ miles at a time lets say) then I would say it is definitely a requirement. Without a proper fit you could be all over the place on that bike and never realize you are being inefficient. Or blame the bike for why your back hurts when really you need to be properly fit on it.0 -
chivalryder wrote: »Next up, is shaving your body hair really worth the aerodynamic advantage?
Aerodynamics is not why professional cyclists shave their legs. They shave because they get a hard massage once or twice every single day, and body hairs make it a lot less comfortable.
The second reason is because sweat beads at the base of the hairs, so if you crash, the wound is more likely to get infected.
The first statement I got from an actual maseusse for a professional team. The second is just something I've heard.
That wasn't the question. I asked if it's worth the aerodynamic advantage.
0 -
I second this by simply adding, if you have a lot of hair, a good massage will hurt like a b.chivalryder wrote: »They shave because they get a hard massage once or twice every single day, and body hairs make it a lot less comfortable.
It's one of the risks of not being a hipster.
0 -
chivalryder wrote: »Next up, is shaving your body hair really worth the aerodynamic advantage?
Aerodynamics is not why professional cyclists shave their legs. They shave because they get a hard massage once or twice every single day, and body hairs make it a lot less comfortable.
The second reason is because sweat beads at the base of the hairs, so if you crash, the wound is more likely to get infected.
The first statement I got from an actual maseusse for a professional team. The second is just something I've heard.
All of the above really.
1) Massages are easier
2) Post-crash cleanup is less painful
3) There is a documented aero benefit (small, but it's there)
4) Sunblock and embrocation applies better (really only if you are otherwise a gorilla)
5) Probably the most important reason at this point: it's cultural
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.8K Introduce Yourself
- 43.9K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 430 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions