Going clipless

bloghog

I rode clipless for 5 years, switched to flats around 4 years ago and much prefer flats. In my riding group it is about 50/50 clipless and flats I guess it is down to trying it and see what suits.

Dannyboy95

Iv used them and a friend of mine as used them personally the are an accident waiting to happen. Should you not be able to pull your foot out in time you risk breaking bones because your bike is going to fall with you and it is so easy to land awkwardly and really hurt your self.

njee20

And yet many many thousands of people manage just fine (including all bar one World Cup DH winners of the last 2 years), whilst flat pedals are responsible for gouges on the shin of virtually every rider who uses them. They sound dangerous, an accident waiting to happen. :roll:

angry_bird

Dannyboy95 wrote:

Iv used them and a friend of mine as used them personally the are an accident waiting to happen. Should you not be able to pull your foot out in time you risk breaking bones because your bike is going to fall with you and it is so easy to land awkwardly and really hurt your self.

Its easy to land awkwardly and "really hurt yourself" with flats too :roll:

I think the key to using clipless is having the confidence in yourself and not spend time faffing about wondering if you'll be able to unclip in time, just ride and it becomes second nature. Other week when I was out on some pretty hairy descents front went on a wet off camber root, the foot was out before I even had chance to think about it. Certainly didn't think it was noticeably slower than I'd have been with flats either.

anj132

nicklouse wrote:

cyd190468 wrote:

The best part about clipless pedals is you can ride up stuff that is impossible on flats. You get extra power in the stroke as you can pull up and this enables you to pedal more smoothly so you don't spin your rear tyre on slippery climbs. Flats are only good if you're riding the shuttle to the top.

and a lot of people with totally disagree with the above point of view.

I'm with Nick here.

I thought the pull up is more a myth as most of the power is created on the down stroke. By the time you are 'pulling' up your other leg is actually pushing down. I would have said that it really comes from your feet always being in the optimal place for cycling with clipless.

As for bouncing off the pedals on rough stuff with flats... dipped heels?

stubs

Dannyboy95 wrote:

Iv used them and a friend of mine as used them personally the are an accident waiting to happen. Should you not be able to pull your foot out in time you risk breaking bones because your bike is going to fall with you and it is so easy to land awkwardly and really hurt your self.

Crashed many many times and got the scars to prove it but never once in all the time I have been using clipless have I ever been still clipped in when I hit the deck.

MTBiking is dangerous and I think it should be banned because I can guarantee that every single person who rides a MTBike will DIE............................eventually, probably of old age.....................................in bed.

WindyG

Same for me, every time i've crashed my feet have never stayed clipped in, I have mine set quite loose but they never come out through just riding.

Chunkers1980

You know your shite, don't you.

njee20

You know you're shite, don't you.

Surely?

Being attached to your pedals produces a 10-15% improvement in maximum power

What is maximum power? 1 second? 5 second? FTP? I'd like to see this evidence please! To be honest I'm tempted to go and put flats on my road bike and disprove that!

There is a performance advantage, it's not that much!

Chunkers1980

Got it in one njee.

stubs

cyd190468 wrote:

For those lost in mtb land who doubt the power advantage of clipless pedals, in roadie land we have this magical thing called a power meter which directly measures the power being produced when you pedal. Being attached to your pedals produces a 10-15% improvement in maximum power, just ask the staff of any pro tour team and they will provide the stats. When your climbing something that's not techy but very steep the advantage is obvious. I guess it might be more obvious here in AUS as our trails are normally dry so your not limited by wheel spin so much as by whether you can keep your front wheel on the ground.

Have you got any links to scientific papers to prove this because that 10 to 15% sounds off to me. I dont mean you know some guy who once knew a guy who had a quick chat to the guy who once drove the lorry for a pro tour team, I mean proper University stuff.

If I asked any member of a Pro team to give me stats on there riders performance I imagine I would be told to fuck off because that info is a closely guarded secret and Pro teams dont talk to any gimp who rolls up and asks stupid questions.

I ride both types of pedals and if one gave me a 15% advantage over the other I would be breathing down njee20s neck at his next race. Well maybe for at least half a lap

njee20

Based on my current fitness after languishing in the Caribbean for 2 weeks I'd be needing that 15% to stay ahead I reckon

anj132

cyd190468 wrote:

For those lost in mtb land who doubt the power advantage of clipless pedals, in roadie land we have this magical thing called a power meter which directly measures the power being produced when you pedal. Being attached to your pedals produces a 10-15% improvement in maximum power, just ask the staff of any pro tour team and they will provide the stats.

Given 92% of statistics online are made up, I think those figures are doubtful.

I didn't say that clipless doesn't create more power (whatever power means) but doubted your reasons that the uplift made the difference and said it is more likely to be down to other reasons, such as the placement of the feet and what I didn't mention was the stiffness of the sole of the shoe as well.

cyd190468 wrote:

I guess it might be more obvious here in AUS as our trails are normally dry so your not limited by wheel spin so much as by whether you can keep your front wheel on the ground.

How does using clipless help keep the front wheel down? This is just weight distribution. In fact, I rather have the "extra 10-15% power" to create a quick and high cadence in the slush to get me out of it.

There are some definite pros to using clipless and for the OP even it's just from an atheistic view point I reckon should give them a go. But won't be for all.

nicklouse

cyd190468 wrote:

Every roadie and xc and bmx racer agrees. Your profile pic suggests you don't do a lot of riding up.

I was going to say something to this.

But you have just shown How little you know.

boristhespie

I only went clipless with my new bike. I have dodgy knees but the Crankbros allow them to wobble. I do notice the difference after 25 years of straps. Thing is I am building a muckabout bike and don't want clipped in but don't see benefit of flats so it will be back to the clips and straps. Benefit of clippless with easy to get out on falls.

nicklouse

boristhespie wrote:

I only went clipless with my new bike. I have dodgy knees but the Crankbros allow them to wobble. I do notice the difference after 25 years of straps. Thing is I am building a muckabout bike and don't want clipped in but don't see benefit of flats so it will be back to the clips and straps. Benefit of clippless with easy to get out on falls.

Mad mad mad.

Just my opinion. but after God knows how many years of clip and strap use before the advent of SPDs and then many Years of SPD use untill the re apearance of 5:10 MTB shoes in 2006ish there is no F*ing way I would ever consider clips and straps. (unless in a moment of madness I found myself in a Velodrome).

SPS on the XC and road bike Flats on every thing else.

njee20

It smooths out your power delivery so the same power can be delivered with lower torque peaks. This means you are less likely to spin the rear wheel so you can move your weight further forward. That's also where the majority of the extra peak power comes from

I want this evidence, with 15% power improvements! I'm very confident there's not that much difference! That's potentially a 200w difference for a pro-tour rider in a sprint.