Struggling with clipless pedals rant

[S-Express]

Seven year-olds can do it with ease. Just keep that in mind...

 

[Racing roadkill]

Practice unclipping at random for a while till you get more used to them. I kept mine for about 3 years and then dumped them. One of my better decisions and I now use flats only.

Yeah, flat pedals, sooo much better than clipless, they are the future, definitely, or not. The best thing about clipless pedals are that you can maintain a smooth power output, given that your Cadence can be kept more consistent. This results in a relatively quicker avarage speed, for an optimal effort, which is far less fatiguing on a long ride, but hey, don't let a little thing like scientific facts and actual data sway any judgements.

 

[Drago]

Uh-oh, someone has mentioned the GCN boys.

 

[Mr Celine]

The Global Cycling Network channel did a video to test platforms v clipless.

They found no detectable benefit at their club roadie level, and one of them put out marginally more power on platforms - within the realm of measurement error.

I'll bear that in mind next time I ride on a treadmill, or on an equally smooth pot hole free surface, but I'm not likely to be doing either any time soon.

Back in the real world I now find riding on flats like driving a car without a seat belt. It just doesn't feel right.

 

[winjim]

Yeah, flat pedals, sooo much better than clipless, they are the future, definitely, or not. The best thing about clipless pedals are that you can maintain a smooth power output, given that your Cadence can be kept more consistent. This results in a relatively quicker avarage speed, for an optimal effort, which is far less fatiguing on a long ride, but hey, don't let a little thing like scientific facts and actual data sway any judgements.

That's very important when you're riding about town.

 

[Drago]

I'll bear that in mind next time I ride on a treadmill, or on an equally smooth pot hole free surface, but I'm not likely to be doing either any time soon.

Back in the real world I now find riding on flats like driving a car without a seat belt. It just doesn't feel right.

And the hissing rain especially.

 

[GuyBoden]

Flat pedals have always made my feet ache after about 50miles, but for shorts rides around town in traffic they're great...............

 

[tommaguzzi]

Welsh Wheels. Some questions you need to ask yourself.
What benefit are these pedals and shoes providing?
can i measure any benefits?
Is using them more dangerous?
Is any benefit they may provide outweighed by the disadvantages using them?
Am i just using them now to justify the purchace cost?

 

[Lonestar]

Four rides is nothing.You don't get used to them straight away and you've got to give them a chance...I found a pic of my Audax on my computer today and it was fitted with SPD's ten years ago when new...I've been using them longer than that though and now ride fixie with them fitted....and yes in the early days I had clipless moments and fell off....One of them being down Leyton High Street on a match day.Quite embarrassing..

I don't think you'd regret it if you persevered....I certainly don't but when I was using flats they kept ruining my trainers so I had to do something.

 

[S-Express]

Yeah, flat pedals, sooo much better than clipless, they are the future, definitely, or not. The best thing about clipless pedals are that you can maintain a smooth power output, given that your Cadence can be kept more consistent. This results in a relatively quicker avarage speed, for an optimal effort, which is far less fatiguing on a long ride, but hey, don't let a little thing like scientific facts and actual data sway any judgements.

Science, eh.... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18418807

Eight elite cyclists (C) and seven non-cyclists (NC) performed three different bouts at 90 rev . min (-1) and 60 % of their maximal aerobic power. They pedalled with single pedals (PED), with clipless pedals (CLIP) and with a pedal force feedback (CLIPFBACK) where subjects were asked to pull up on the pedal during the upstroke. There was no significant difference for pedalling effectiveness, net mechanical efficiency (NE) and muscular activity between PED and CLIP.

 

[Profpointy]

Science, eh.... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18418807

So are all the cycle racers wrong to have them then? That would be quite some claim

 

[S-Express]

So are all the cycle racers wrong to have them then? That would be quite some claim

Not at all. Foot retention is a key component of being able to pedal effectively. But there's demonstrably no speed advantage.

 

[Mr Celine]

Science, eh.... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18418807

And in other news, lab tests have shown that VW group diesel cars emit nothing more harmful than unicorn farts.

Back in the real world.....

 

[smokeysmoo]

I don't know what pedal system your using but if you can adjust the tension make sure they're not too tight.

 

[S-Express]

And in other news, lab tests have shown that VW group diesel cars emit nothing more harmful than unicorn farts.

Back in the real world.....

Manufacturer led research v independent science - hmm, that's a tough one. There are other studies which show the same/similar findings. How many will it take to overcome your cognitive dissonance? - http://iom3.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424280.2016.1140817?src=recsys&journalCode=tfws20