Who is not clipped in and why?

[Rob3rt]

any of the kids in our road, ages from about 3 up to teens, could explain to you how to pedal properly

*clever retort*

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I am still on flat pedals and I have no intention of going to clipping in, saying that I have had other stances that have subsequently been broken, padded shorts and going commando being one.

 

[Steve at Tern]

Each to his or her own as to whether to use cleats or not I guess, but personally I would never go back to toeclips with straps. Not after getting a velcro tab on trainers caught in the strap - clipless can easily be released with an easily-learned twist, but in my case trying to remove my foot in the second or two before I fell over proved impossible, and I ended up in the road. If there had been traffic, you wouldn't be reading this post...
I now use MTB SPDs on my road bike - the recessed cleats mean that you can walk into the cake shop without looking like a complete d*ck as well...

 

[theloafer]

hi ladytrucker
just use what you feel best with all 3 of my bikes have toeclips +straps tourer /boardman cx/even my carbon road bike the lads in the club keep telling me to switch them but as I have used them for over 35 years now and still had no spills .... tried clipless a few years ago and just was not comfy with them so I thought if it,s not broke why fix it ...I ride with what suits me not what others tell me

 

[subaqua]

If you don't want to wear them then don't. They are not for everyone. Don't worry what others think.
I see loads of cyclists on my commute who don't use cleats. They can cycle just as fast and as well as those who do use cleats.

yup , the only thing you need to be a proper cyclist is a bike !!

 

[Ladytrucker]

Changed my pedals tonight and went out and I just couldn't get into them. I don't like the feeling of being joined to the bike. Came home and took them off never to try again. It is not for me.

I like to stick my legs out when going down hill, weeeeee

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Changed my pedals tonight and went out and I just couldn't get into them. I don't like the feeling of being joined to the bike. Came home and took them off never to try again. It is not for me.

I like to stick my legs out when going down hill, weeeeee

Why don't you try different cleats ie multi-release?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

My knees are rather shot and I've gone back to flats. TBH not nearly the radical change I expected (feared?) it would be. Get a good set of flat pedals - I've gone old school metal touring type ones from bike jumbles, 2 pairs cost me a grand total of £5 and I'm getting on fine with them, albeit better with regular shoes where the soles have a bit of give to grab the pedals than my bike specific footwear - and a good smooth technique and theres not nearly the difference you might imagine.

It only takes a few weeks to stop kicking your heel out to unclip from the flats too

 

[Finnjävel]

I'm not clipped in.

I tend to unclip when posting on CC.

 

[Cyclist33]

[QUOTE 2495168, member: 30090"]Me thinks you're not pedalling right. I might be wrong of course.

Shoes allow a better power transfer and utilises the more powerful hamstring and glute muscles on the up stroke which generates way more power then a pair of non cycling shoes.[/quote]

Myth.

 

[Ladytrucker]

My knees are rather shot and I've gone back to flats. TBH not nearly the radical change I expected (feared?) it would be. Get a good set of flat pedals - I've gone old school metal touring type ones from bike jumbles, 2 pairs cost me a grand total of £5 and I'm getting on fine with them, albeit better with regular shoes where the soles have a bit of give to grab the pedals than my bike specific footwear - and a good smooth technique and theres not nearly the difference you might imagine.

It only takes a few weeks to stop kicking your heel out to unclip from the flats too

I have a pair or trail running shoes with grip and my steel cage pedals have good grip. I'm able to get a good smooth technique going for short periods. I have lots of hills to climb and I'm up and down the gears a fair bit. Being clipped in was just one more thing to worry about especially when my chain came off - pedling like mad and not going anywhere !!! Luckily I managed to get off in time.

Anyway the bike is due back to the LBS for it's check up as it's only 7 weeks old and I'm going to treat myself to some new waterproof walking trail shoes for out on the bike in the winter. The shoes can be used for the exercise bike and spin classes in the winter. The pedals are back on the garage shelf until I decide what to do with them. OH has SPDs so he might use them.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Each to his or her own as to whether to use cleats or not I guess, but personally I would never go back to toeclips with straps. Not after getting a velcro tab on trainers caught in the strap - clipless can easily be released with an easily-learned twist, but in my case trying to remove my foot in the second or two before I fell over proved impossible, and I ended up in the road. If there had been traffic, you wouldn't be reading this post...
I now use MTB SPDs on my road bike - the recessed cleats mean that you can walk into the cake shop without looking like a complete d*ck as well...

I used clips and straps until only 6 or 7 years ago, BUT I also used proper cycling shoes with them - stiff SMOOTH soles. Trainers are a very bad idea, and tend to be difficult to pull out from the clips. I also used to use cleats with clips and straps - a metal plate with a slot that engaged with the back edge of the pedal, nailed to the sole of the shoe. When your straps were tightened it really was difficult to 'clip out'! I really like being at one with the bike, and now use Look Keos.

 

[skudupnorth]

Not for me,i prefer the options that toe clips give me to wear what ever i need for that day,it could be hiking trainers or steel toe capped boots
If i'm out somewhere i prefer to be able to walk instead of hobbling like a lame duck

 

[Cyclist33]

I bought a pair of SPDs and some road shoes from Wiggle, which aren't the MTB style shoes so have a flat plastic sole. They're not especially comfy and although I've come off twice, and potentially hazardously so as I'm left-footed and tend to fall to the right (into traffic!), the most unappealing aspect is not being able to get back in. Even with practice and after getting better at it, there have been so many botched re-clippings that any pedalling performance gained is outweighed by the slowness and stress of that!

I haven't bothered to take them off my flatbar bike, mainly because I haven't got another set of pedals, but I just use a good pair of trail shoes by Merrell with a fairly tough sole and happily do 50-75 milers. Flat pedals by DMR are on the shopping list though!

The stock pedals from the hybrid are sitting on my new road bike until I either brave SPDs again or just get another set of DMRs. To be perfectly honest I will probably not return to SPDs as I too prefer flexibility and freedom of foot movement.

So if anyone wants a pair of SPD/SPDSL road shoes by DHB that are size 10/44, and are in pretty good nick, and two sets of SPD cleats and the SPD pedals, slip me £30 and they're yours!!

Stu

 

[Shortmember]

You only have to forget to unclip yourself once and you may fall into the path of a heavy, fast moving commutermobile, and that would ruin your whole day.I'd rather accept the slight loss of pedalling efficiency with flats rather than risk my neck with SPD's.