Any of you Tossers ride a pushbike?

[richie]

A 20% power increase is typical with clipless pedals, but it comes at the cost of tiring you out sooner, since both legs are constantly working. With flat pedals, one leg rests while the other leg works. The advantage of being able to generate 20% more power for short bursts is vital in a race, but isn't noticeable during normal riding.

Sorry but that is a load of bollix. But whatever

 

[richie]

The boys did good Chris

They sure did

 

[UturnTony]

When I got my road bike five months ago I started with trainers, flat pedals and toe clips. I never got on with the toe clips and found it difficult to apply power as the trainers didn't support my feet. I switched to a proper pair of cycle shoes and SPD's and for me they made a vast improvement to the enjoyment of my bike. I don't care what the science is but I feel much more part of the bike and have the confidence to stand on the pedals and go as hard as I can up the hills without my feet wanting to slide off the pedals all the time. Luckily a friend told me to practice using them before riding off and so far I haven't had any issues with stopping. Its like everything else - its what works for you. It is funny on a club ride to hear all the clipping in when we set off.

i have done one 25 mile ride with my new spd's and i completely agree with your comments.
i was worried about using them but in the event i had no probs. so far so good

 

[Ronno]

Sorry but that is a load of bollix. But whatever

As a complete novice can you explain why it's bollocks? I'm totally confused about SPDs albeit the consensus seems to be that they are worth persevering with

 

[richie]

As a complete novice can you explain why it's bollocks? I'm totally confused about SPDs albeit the consensus seems to be that they are worth persevering with

OK, in the old days pedals and toe clips, you had cycling shoes mostly with thick leather soles on to which were nailed metal plates with a groove in them that matched up to the pedal, when riding with these if you wanted the best efficiency you would do up the toe straps so that your foot would not come out of the pedal. There was no rotation of the foot in the pedal and no way of removing your foot unless you undid the strap first. Most days would see your foot going to sleep due to the strap cutting off circulation to the toes.

Now we have adjustable pedals where you control how much effort is needed to release the foot, most of these pedals have a built in angle of rotation so your foot can move a bit, and release is easy in one or both directions. On top of this your foot does not go to sleep as it is not binded to the pedal with a toes strap (alfredo binda were the best).

If anybody here new to spd is having trouble releasing their feet just adjust the spring load as explained earlier, in the end if you loosen them too much you want be able to stop your foot coming out and this would be almost a danger, especially out of the saddle.

Voila, and on top of that your sole is much closer to the level of the axle of the pedal so your COG is lower, better bike handling.

 

[y2blade]

As a complete novice can you explain why it's bollocks? I'm totally confused about SPDs albeit the consensus seems to be that they are worth persevering with

Ronnie I binned my SPDs (just didn't get on with them at all) and put elcheapo Halfords plastic pedals on....no problem at all.


My SPDs are in a carrier bag hanging up in the workshop, I may try them again I may not...at the moment there is no need for them

 

[Ronno]

OK, in the old days pedals and toe clips, you had cycling shoes mostly with thick leather soles on to which were nailed metal plates with a groove in them that matched up to the pedal, when riding with these if you wanted the best efficiency you would do up the toe straps so that your foot would not come out of the pedal. There was no rotation of the foot in the pedal and no way of removing your foot unless you undid the strap first. Most days would see your foot going to sleep due to the strap cutting off circulation to the toes.

Now we have adjustable pedals where you control how much effort is needed to release the foot, most of these pedals have a built in angle of rotation so your foot can move a bit, and release is easy in one or both directions. On top of this your foot does not go to sleep as it is not binded to the pedal with a toes strap (alfredo binda were the best).

If anybody here new to spd is having trouble releasing their feet just adjust the spring load as explained earlier, in the end if you loosen them too much you want be able to stop your foot coming out and this would be almost a danger, especially out of the saddle.

Voila, and on top of that your sole is much closer to the level of the axle of the pedal so your COG is lower, better bike handling.

Thanks for the info

Ronnie I binned my SPDs (just didn't get on with them at all) and put elcheapo Halfords plastic pedals on....no problem at all.


My SPDs are in a carrier bag hanging up in the workshop, I may try them again I may not...at the moment there is no need for them

FFS Chris, just when I'd made my mind up to persevere

 

[Devon]

Ronnie I binned my SPDs (just didn't get on with them at all) and put elcheapo Halfords plastic pedals on....no problem at all.


My SPDs are in a carrier bag hanging up in the workshop, I may try them again I may not...at the moment there is no need for them

I am considering taking the clips off my road bike. I am not comfortable worrying about getting my feet out every time I stop. Riding my other bike without the clips doesn't seem a lot harder work. I guess it might be important if you want to get the fastest time everywhere you go but I am just as happy bimbling along at a reasonable rate the majority of the time.

 

[Ronno]

I am considering taking the clips off my road bike. I am not comfortable worrying about getting my feet out every time I stop. Riding my other bike without the clips doesn't seem a lot harder work. I guess it might be important if you want to get the fastest time everywhere you go but I am just as happy bimbling along at a reasonable rate the majority of the time.

I think I might do that after watching folk timbering off bikes at traffic lights on youtube.

What pedals would you recommend?

 

[Aurelius]

OK, in the old days pedals and toe clips, you had cycling shoes mostly with thick leather soles on to which were nailed metal plates with a groove in them that matched up to the pedal, when riding with these if you wanted the best efficiency you would do up the toe straps so that your foot would not come out of the pedal. There was no rotation of the foot in the pedal and no way of removing your foot unless you undid the strap first. Most days would see your foot going to sleep due to the strap cutting off circulation to the toes.

Now we have adjustable pedals where you control how much effort is needed to release the foot, most of these pedals have a built in angle of rotation so your foot can move a bit, and release is easy in one or both directions. On top of this your foot does not go to sleep as it is not binded to the pedal with a toes strap (alfredo binda were the best).

If anybody here new to spd is having trouble releasing their feet just adjust the spring load as explained earlier, in the end if you loosen them too much you want be able to stop your foot coming out and this would be almost a danger, especially out of the saddle.

Not a word of that even begins to explain your "Sorry but that is a load of bollix" comment. Either you have severe difficulties with reading comprehension, or you're just trolling.

Voila, and on top of that your sole is much closer to the level of the axle of the pedal so your COG is lower, better bike handling.

Good grief.

 

[Aurelius]

I think I might do that after watching folk timbering off bikes at traffic lights on youtube.

Or seeing what can happen when your femur strikes pavement:

That's a 'best case scenario', by the way: this type of repair has only a 60% success rate. The more common fix is either a J-brace or a partial hip replacement. The worst case scenario is when the femur does not break, but punches right through the hip, destroying the entire socket in the process.

 

[Ronno]

Or seeing what can happen when your femur strikes pavement:

That's a 'best case scenario', by the way: this type of repair has only a 60% success rate. The more common fix is either a J-brace or a partial hip replacement. The worst case scenario is when the femur does not break, but punches right through the hip, destroying the entire socket in the process.

Are you not supposed to remove your adidas swiming trunks before you get X-rayed?

 

[richie]

Not a word of that even begins to explain your "Sorry but that is a load of bollix" comment. Either you have severe difficulties with reading comprehension, or you're just trolling.

20% increase in power is made I guess, by pulling up on the pedal too, exactly the same with pedals and clips, not really worth mentioning apart from maybe sprinters or whatever, any way I can't be bothered to discuss it, you are much closer to being a troll than me.

OK. Keep pedalling in any case

 

[Beemerman59]

So here we are, getting all worried about falling off a pedal cycle at near stationary speeds...... on a motorbike forum. Oh the irony

 

[Aurelius]

20% increase in power is made I guess, by pulling up on the pedal too, exactly the same with pedals and clips, not really worth mentioning apart from maybe sprinters or whatever, any way I can't be bothered to discuss it

'Discussing it' presupposes a level of understanding of the subject that you seem to lack. All you've shown yourself capable of is throwing out worthless comments like, "Sorry but that is a load of bollix", without even being able to articulate what exactly you think is bollix, much less offer anything by way of refutation.

The ~20% increase in power that clipless pedals are capable of delivering (615W vs. 510W in my tests) doesn't happen by magic. Something has to generate that power, and that something is the group of muscles responsible for hip flexion, which are only active during the return phase of the pedal stroke. Muscles require energy to work: recruiting more muscles during each pedal stroke burns more energy and therefore brings on fatigue sooner. Unless you forcefully pull up on each pedal stroke, the hip flexors will not be active, and you will produce exactly the same amount of power regardless of which type of pedal is used. Unless you're racing, and require maximum acceleration, clipless pedals confer no mechanical advantage over flat pedals.

 

[richie]

yawn.

 

[Aurelius]

yawn.

Go back to sleep richie.

 

[Devon]

I think I might do that after watching folk timbering off bikes at traffic lights on youtube.

What pedals would you recommend?

I still have the clips at the moment. I guess I will go for pedals that are reasonable quality and smallish with some grip. It's probably not that important because no matter how fast and light I make the bike it still has me on board pedalling

 

[Ronno]

I still have the clips at the moment. I guess I will go for pedals that are reasonable quality and smallish with some grip. It's probably not that important because no matter how fast and light I make the bike it still has me on board pedalling

I got new pedals from Halfords today

 

[Twotter]

My cheapo mountain bike has flat pedals and quite a few times my trainers have slipped off the pedal when I've been bimbling along the local lanes. Not life threatening nor any broken bones but certainly a few cuts and bruises.

Some weeks back I got my first road bike and it has Shimano SPD-SL pedals. Clipping in and out was initially a bit odd, but I've got used to it after a ride or two. I like the feeling of security when I'm pedalling