Struggling with clipless pedals rant

[FishFright]

This is all getting rather silly now. You're all wrong anyway.

 

[mjr]

And how do you know that?

From the published studies, at least as far as efficiency and so on.

Having used flats, clips with and without straps, SPDs and SPD-SLs I can state, from my own experience, that clipless is very different from clipped.

That's a nice assertion but how have you measured it? Or is this an attempt at proof by vigorous hand actions?

Anyway, never having tried a recumbent I'm off to their sub-forum to give them the benefit of my opinions on why I think they're doing it wrong.

Don't take it so personally! No one is saying you're doing it wrong - just that a load of unsupportable claptrap is being claimed about how you're doing it. As I think I wrote earlier, if you like the sugar pills, keep sucking on Minstrels.

 

[tommaguzzi]

Welsh wheels.

Ok so now do a timed ride say about 15 to 20 miles of mixed terrain with your new shoes and pedals.
Go as hard as you can.
Then repeat the exact course under similar conditions on another day using your old setup. Again be honest and go as hard as you can. Then you will have a some hard proof one way or the other (Strava would be good for this).

 

[Tim Hall]

Welsh wheels.

Ok so now do a timed ride say about 15 to 20 miles of mixed terrain with your new shoes and pedals.
Go as hard as you can.
Then repeat the exact course under similar conditions on another day using your old setup. Again be honest and go as hard as you can. Then you will have a some hard proof one way or the other (Strava would be good for this).

For a more meaningful experiment, use one flat pedal and one clipless. That'll rule out variations in traffic. Whichever foot arrives first is the better.

(I may have had a glass of red before typing this)

 

[Drago]

Why all the fuss? Let's just do what works best for each of us.

 

[screenman]

I wonder why somebody thought all those years ago that it would be a good idea to be clipped in. Mind you I am glad they did.

 

[Welsh wheels]

Welsh wheels.

Ok so now do a timed ride say about 15 to 20 miles of mixed terrain with your new shoes and pedals.
Go as hard as you can.
Then repeat the exact course under similar conditions on another day using your old setup. Again be honest and go as hard as you can. Then you will have a some hard proof one way or the other (Strava would be good for this).

Thanks for the suggestion

 

[Welsh wheels]

For a more meaningful experiment, use one flat pedal and one clipless. That'll rule out variations in traffic. Whichever foot arrives first is the better.

(I may have had a glass of red before typing this)

And if you have a mechanical you can hop home on your one normal shoe, wheeling your bike.

 

[Mr Celine]

Having used flats, clips with and without straps, SPDs and SPD-SLs I can state, from my own experience, that clipless is very different from clipped.

That's a nice assertion but how have you measured it?

Two ways. Firstly, safety. I can get my feet to the ground as quickly with clipless pedals as I can with flat pedals. Using toe clips takes longer, with straps considerably longer and the latter also requires the use of a hand to release the buckle.

Secondly a practical test which is sometimes necessary due to an arthritic hip leaving me only able to pedal with one leg. I can pedal up a hill with one leg from a standing start with clipless pedals. I couldn't do that with flats or with toe clips.

As for efficiency, I haven't a clue, I never mentioned efficiency and really don't care.

But don't take it so personally! No one is saying you're doing it wrong - just that a load of unsupportable claptrap is being claimed about clipless pedals being unsafe. You might enjoy sucking on Minstrels but you'll never know that you might prefer other sweeties if you don't try them.

 

[mjr]

Two ways. Firstly, safety. I can get my feet to the ground as quickly with clipless pedals as I can with flat pedals. Using toe clips takes longer, with straps considerably longer and the latter also requires the use of a hand to release the buckle.

If you had to use your hand to undo the strap, it was set up wrong, roughly equivalent to having the clipless release tension too tight or position somehow wrong. Probably straps too tight or possibly misplaced or possibly something else entirely. Here's an instruction manual and Trek's guide is even firmer: "Always adjust the toe strap lengths with the buckles (Figure 1) to allow quick removal of your feet from the pedals. ... When you stop the bicycle, your shoes must easily disengage from the pedals"

Secondly a practical test which is sometimes necessary due to an arthritic hip leaving me only able to pedal with one leg.

Ah well, there's always some unusual situations which make things like clipless worthwhile. Like I can totally understand why they're very useful for riding recumbents.

just that a load of unsupportable claptrap is being claimed about clipless pedals being unsafe.

Or what I actually wrote was "an unnecessary injury risk with little benefit for casual cycling". Not necessarily unsafe.

You might enjoy sucking on Minstrels but you'll never know that you might prefer other sweeties if you don't try them.

You're telling a guy with dodgy knees and ankles to try clipless and I'm not supposed to take it personally and feel you're trying to harm me?

 

[Profpointy]

I've learnt something from this thread. Apparenlty I only have clipless pedals because I want to emulate professional racing cyclists. Presumably the racers have mudguards, brooks saddles and pannier racks too.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

If you had to use your hand to undo the strap, it was set up wrong, roughly equivalent to having the clipless release tension too tight or position somehow wrong. Probably straps too tight or possibly misplaced or possibly something else entirely. Here's an instruction manual and Trek's guide is even firmer: "Always adjust the toe strap lengths with the buckles (Figure 1) to allow quick removal of your feet from the pedals. ... When you stop the bicycle, your shoes must easily disengage from the pedals"

I didn't ride toeclips with the straps that tight that I couldn't get a foot out without loosening the strap, I used to just do the strap up enough to hold the foot on the pedal but not that tight I couldn't get a foot out.

 

[J1888]

Since my bike got pinched, I've gone back from SPD-SL to SPD, can't believe I ever used to ride these tiny infernal things

EDIT: Note, I am using the pedals with a bike, before any smart Alec comments.

 

[mjr]

Why all the fuss? Let's just do what works best for each of us.

Amen! Each to their own - please just don't keep perpetuating legends about any system being more efficient or safer in normal use. It is of course possible to use anything unsafely.

I wonder why somebody thought all those years ago that it would be a good idea to be clipped in. Mind you I am glad they did.

If I remember/understand correctly, clips were invented in the 1890s as a solution to feet slipping off metal pedals. Some specific toe clip innovations were patented but not the whole concept.

Meanwhile, the better (IMO) alternative solution of rubber-grip pedals was invented in the 1880s but was more thoroughly patented which delayed their spread, with them only becoming mass-market in the 1930s, just in time for something else to want a lot of rubber 1939-1945 - apparently all adding up to a long enough delay that horribly slippy metal pedals persist in inappropriate non-racing applications to this day.

 

[tommaguzzi]

Keep going mjr.
My story
Ive been riding 50 years riding now, i rode flats for decades then clips and straps and then clippies.
After my Achilles snapped 4 years ago i started back on on flats because i didn't want any twisting in my ankle when releasing them and also didn't fancy any more injuries with a clippy moment.
I noticed that once my fitness returned i could ride at just the same pace as before but now i was on flats.
It was like the scales were removed from my eyes, a kings new clothing moment.
I am not a racer just a fairly average club standard rider who regularly does 50 mile rides at 13-18 mph depending on conditions. i don't need to put the power down for sprints and for me having my feet stuck the pedals by cleats makes no difference to my efforts.
I do however appreciate not having to waddle around like a penguin or carry spare shoes.