Looking for advice regarding clip-in pedals...

[wafter]

I've tried a few different positions but I think I'm just not used to having the same consistent foot placement with flat pedals, or maybe I'm used to shifting foot position on the fly, often without conscious though.

Slightly related, I have size 12 feet and certain cleat positions make toe overlap much worse. I didn't use to experience toe overlap, probably as it was easier to just shift my foot temporarily.

Minor rant: why don't the bigger frames have a longer wheelbase?? It's silly having the damn wheel so close to your feet

Cool, if you're pretty new to it that might just be the case. I do wonder how much I move my feet about without thinking..

I'd have thought it unlikely that you're subconsciously pre-empting a toe strike - more likely you want the cleats a bit further forward to get the same position as you prevously had with normal shoes... although of course there are other factors - pedal stack height, toe length of shoe etc.

Bigger frames should have longer top tubes / more reach which should mitigate overlap issues; indeed it's usually small frames that suffer the most in this regard as the wheel size is usually fixed across the whole range so proportionally larger on small frames.

It's potentially not just a size thing, but also body proportion. You'll be more likely to suffer from overlap if your legs (especially femurs) are longer than average, or you feet larger than average..

 

[Dadam]

I don't have any issues with toe overlap with my shoes (size 13s) on any of my bikes - the wheelbase isn't huge either at ~1040mm. Which bike do you have biggest issues with?

It's the Felt VR40 (the one I posted about finding/fettling mudguards to fit)

So obviously the mudguards do add to it but there should be clearance even with mudguards.

 

[wafter]

Just to give an alternative point of view...

I like to keep things simple and am not interested in speed, so I ride my bike in normal clothes, normal shoes on flat pedals. I don't recall ever having slipped on the pedals.

Why would I risk even one clipless moment by changing?

Edit: I use large flat pedals that suit my large flat feet.

They can add some nice security off-road plus the ability to simply not have to think about foot placement when clipped in, but I think for most of us the gains are maginal at best and I only have them on my gravel bike - happy with flats on all the rest.

 

[Jameshow]

You need to get MTB shoes if you want to be able tp walk far in them, so that the spd cleats are recessed. My previous shoes were like that, and I have walked as much as 4 miles when I had an issue I couldn't fix at teh roadside. I wouldn't like to do in my current shoes, which are road shoes that had the option of SPD cleats. Smooth soles, with the cleats protruding.

I would say if you are doing any significant amount of cycling, then they are worth it. They just make your feet feel more secure on the pedals.

They won't make much actual difference to your performance, unless youare an elite level rider, they just feel better.

Or touring shoes....

 

[Webbo2]

Just to give an alternative point of view...

I like to keep things simple and am not interested in speed, so I ride my bike in normal clothes, normal shoes on flat pedals. I don't recall ever having slipped on the pedals.

Why would I risk even one clipless moment by changing?

Edit: I use large flat pedals that suit my large flat feet.

How far are you riding in normal clothes. I did 63 miles in the Alps yesterday and I would have been in right state wearing my normal clothes.

 

[13 rider]

If your going SPD pedals you can get multi directional cleats which unclip in multiple directions including an emergency yank up . For me clipless is all about the feeling of being connected to the bike do you need to clip no ,would I go back to not being clipped in no as I like the feeling , basically performance wise I think there's not enough in it to even consider the difference

 

[Dadam]

For me at the moment:
long rides on quiet road: SPD.
Battling through traffic jams: flats.
Offroad: currently, flats as I'm a wuss with any vaguely technical terrain and I'm forever putting my feet down

 

[All uphill]

How far are you riding in normal clothes. I did 63 miles in the Alps yesterday and I would have been in right state wearing my normal clothes.

I do choose some clothes with an eye to cycling; I avoid trousers with a seam in the crotch, for example, but I don't have, or need, two wardrobes - cycling and non-cycling.

 

[Baldy]

My peddles have clips on one side and flats the other. I clips in on the road except in heavy traffic, which I don't do very often. Off road I use the flats so I can get my foot down quickly. I'm not very good at technical stuff. My mountain bike just has flats. I ride in mountain biking shoes, the other benefit of having mixed clips/flats peddles is I can still ride in any shoes.

 

[ktmbiker58]

This is going to be unpopular with some (I am putting on my fireproof suit ready for flaming) but here goes: GCN proved by testing that there was only a performance advantage to clipless over about 750W - frankly unless you get paid to ride a bike or are competing in a race there is no performance advantage.

Riders of feet forward 'bents may be more comfortable having their feet clipped to the pedals.

There are plenty of disadvantages to clipless for the non racer:

1. You will fall over at some point when something unexpected happens, especially when tired
2. Stopping and starting on hills is particularily hazardous
3. Because the cleats are relatively small the shoes need stiff soles which can result in 'hotspot' on your foot
4. Clipless limits foot movement - makes it difficult to change your foot position to relieve your knees,
5. Clipping in and out in stop/start traffic is not only a right PITA but dangerous - I have seen plenty of riders having to look down because of failing to clip in instead of concentrating on the traffic
6. Unclipping can involve a significant angular rotation of your foot which isn't ideal for longevity of joints

I am sure some folk can and will present rebuttals to all the above but just like wearing aero clothing, running gossamer thin tyres with ultra low rolling resistance, slamming the stem for a more aero position it's important to put these in context - a lot of this comes from racing.

50 years ago when I was a teenager we thought 'rat traps' were cool and fitted them to our Carltons and Claude Butlers, it didn't take long for all of us to ditch them - we all fell off at some point and the dam things always seemed to be in the wrong orientation after stopping !

 

[Drago]

GCN clearly never commuted all year round, all hours of the day, all weathers.

Performance wasn't of interest to me. Security of the foot-pedal interface was.

I used to teach this professionally, and have a few views of my own...

1. You will fall over at some point when something unexpected happens, especially when tired
2. Stopping and starting on hills is particularily hazardous

Most such "moments" are attributable to a rider with insufficiently developed skills and coordination. I have never fallen over while clipped in and I put my trousers on one leg at a time like everyone else.

3. Because the cleats are relatively small the shoes need stiff soles which can result in 'hotspot' on your foot

That can be true, but isn't universally so. For example, I have never suffered hotspot issues regardless of the shoe. In any event, stiff soled shoes are easily available so it's a non problem.

4. Clipless limits foot movement - makes it difficult to change your foot position to relieve your knees,

Not an issue if the bike has been set up in an orthopaedically correct manner to begin with.

5. Clipping in and out in stop/start traffic is not only a right PITA but dangerous - I have seen plenty of riders having to look down because of failing to clip in instead of concentrating on the traffic

See my answer to points 1 and 2 above. If yourre having to look at your feet your fundamental skills aren't there to begin with.

6. Unclipping can involve a significant angular rotation of your foot which isn't ideal for longevity of joints

There can be some truth in this. Careful pedal adjustment and cleat selection are crucial to avoid this, and most riders suffer zero issues after decades of spd use.

Some people simply dont like clipless, and I totally dig that. However, most of these "reasons" against are lame at best.

 

[si_c]

It's the Felt VR40 (the one I posted about finding/fettling mudguards to fit)

View attachment 780428

So obviously the mudguards do add to it but there should be clearance even with mudguards.

Ah yeah I remember that discussion!

I never had any issues with toe overlap on my Felt VR50 (size 61cm frame) whilst using SPDs and I did around 30k miles on it. Or at least I don't remember having issues.

It might just be something you have to live with if the bike otherwise fits well.

 

[Mike_P]

I find, size 10 shoes, it is perfectly possible with a shoe using recessed SPDs to cycle for some distance with one foot unclipped so no problems in stop start traffic. Having that foot being the one that is naturally.put down first having a shoe with a quick / multi release SPD also helps.

 

[Webbo2]

I do choose some clothes with an eye to cycling; I avoid trousers with a seam in the crotch, for example, but I don't have, or need, two wardrobes - cycling and non-cycling.

My preferred clothing is usually a three piece suit. I find it somewhat incredulous that you would think this would be appropriate for a 60 to 100 mile cycle ride. I presume you are just riding your bike to the shop.😉

 

[teeonethousand]

This is going to be unpopular with some (I am putting on my fireproof suit ready for flaming) but here goes: GCN proved by testing that there was only a performance advantage to clipless over about 750W - frankly unless you get paid to ride a bike or are competing in a race there is no performance advantage.

Riders of feet forward 'bents may be more comfortable having their feet clipped to the pedals.

There are plenty of disadvantages to clipless for the non racer:

1. You will fall over at some point when something unexpected happens, especially when tired
2. Stopping and starting on hills is particularily hazardous
3. Because the cleats are relatively small the shoes need stiff soles which can result in 'hotspot' on your foot
4. Clipless limits foot movement - makes it difficult to change your foot position to relieve your knees,
5. Clipping in and out in stop/start traffic is not only a right PITA but dangerous - I have seen plenty of riders having to look down because of failing to clip in instead of concentrating on the traffic
6. Unclipping can involve a significant angular rotation of your foot which isn't ideal for longevity of joints

I am sure some folk can and will present rebuttals to all the above but just like wearing aero clothing, running gossamer thin tyres with ultra low rolling resistance, slamming the stem for a more aero position it's important to put these in context - a lot of this comes from racing.

50 years ago when I was a teenager we thought 'rat traps' were cool and fitted them to our Carltons and Claude Butlers, it didn't take long for all of us to ditch them - we all fell off at some point and the dam things always seemed to be in the wrong orientation after stopping !

This was my conclusion too. I am too old to add risk of a fall for no benefit to my style/pace of riding. I use spiky pedals and Giro flats and it's fine. Just my opinion.