Clipless or not for touring?
01-10-19, 09:07 PM
#76
aka Tom Reingold
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Thanks for that tip, @Tourist in MSN. I haven't had a bolt come loose, but I was on one of those big organized rides, and one guy lost a bolt. There was nothing anyone could do, and he had to end early.
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01-10-19, 09:36 PM
#77
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here is a reason I like being clipped in that I dont think others have brought up--I find being able to change up my pedal stroke--muscles wise--is a plus for changing up how your leg muscles work, and so gives a slightly diff muscle group use at times which feels nice.
I notice that I instinctively change up how I pedal during the day, and I think it helps with overall comfort during a long day.
I notice that I instinctively change up how I pedal during the day, and I think it helps with overall comfort during a long day.
but it has bailed me out many times.)Oh, that knee injury is my chronic issue of CP, chrondomalcia patellae that I've lived with the past 40 years. Sometimes I ride when I haven't done my homework and it surfaces. Having a tool to minimize it and keep riding is really useful.
Ben
01-11-19, 10:28 AM
#78
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Broad platform pedals here.
I rode 2,000 miles to NY in 30 days on platform pedals while wearing $12 Dollar Store slip-on sandals and cotton-blend dress socks.
I rode 1,500 miles in Europe in 40 days (more to see) on those same platform pedals, this time wearing Crocs Swiftwater Fishermen Sandals over ordinary dress socks.
Every day I commute with that same setup.
I have crooked broken toes on one foot, over time pedaling in any sort of enclosed shoe becomes painful. This doesn't happen while walking, must be the act of pedaling pushes my toes forward inside a shoe.
I cannot clip in because I get knee pain. With platform pedals I can move my feet around freely on the pedal to change the forces acting on my knees, thus far this has always alleviated any pain.
Works fer me, 365 days a year down here, rain or shine.
The only caveat is this setup requires flat-soled sandals or shoes otherwise the studs on the pedal engage the tread on the sandal so that its almost like being clipped in.
I rode 2,000 miles to NY in 30 days on platform pedals while wearing $12 Dollar Store slip-on sandals and cotton-blend dress socks.
I rode 1,500 miles in Europe in 40 days (more to see) on those same platform pedals, this time wearing Crocs Swiftwater Fishermen Sandals over ordinary dress socks.
Every day I commute with that same setup.
I have crooked broken toes on one foot, over time pedaling in any sort of enclosed shoe becomes painful. This doesn't happen while walking, must be the act of pedaling pushes my toes forward inside a shoe.
I cannot clip in because I get knee pain. With platform pedals I can move my feet around freely on the pedal to change the forces acting on my knees, thus far this has always alleviated any pain.
Works fer me, 365 days a year down here, rain or shine.
The only caveat is this setup requires flat-soled sandals or shoes otherwise the studs on the pedal engage the tread on the sandal so that its almost like being clipped in.
01-14-19, 12:42 PM
#79
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Personally, I went for standard 2 sided SPD's and a mtb shoe with fairly stiff sole, but rubber walking surface.
My goal (not sure if i achieved it) was to maximize riding efficiency (lighter weight, fairly stiff, clipless efficiency, prevent hotspot), while still having a shoe that wasn't a burden to walk around in. I had a lot of ground to cover each day, but still wanted to be able to run into the store or restaurant, and/or site see just a bit without clunking around in road shoes.
the shoes i have are similar to https://www.specialized.com/us/en/co...00#result-list
I'd also found that I struggle to quickly get into single sided clipless pedals in sticky situations, and i didn't want the weight (maybe silly) of platforms on the back side of spd.
I'm happy with my choice.
I also was carrying sandals for extended time off the bike.
My goal (not sure if i achieved it) was to maximize riding efficiency (lighter weight, fairly stiff, clipless efficiency, prevent hotspot), while still having a shoe that wasn't a burden to walk around in. I had a lot of ground to cover each day, but still wanted to be able to run into the store or restaurant, and/or site see just a bit without clunking around in road shoes.
the shoes i have are similar to https://www.specialized.com/us/en/co...00#result-list
I'd also found that I struggle to quickly get into single sided clipless pedals in sticky situations, and i didn't want the weight (maybe silly) of platforms on the back side of spd.
I'm happy with my choice.
I also was carrying sandals for extended time off the bike.
01-14-19, 02:48 PM
#80
aka Tom Reingold
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Personally, I went for standard 2 sided SPD's and a mtb shoe with fairly stiff sole, but rubber walking surface.
My goal (not sure if i achieved it) was to maximize riding efficiency (lighter weight, fairly stiff, clipless efficiency, prevent hotspot), while still having a shoe that wasn't a burden to walk around in. I had a lot of ground to cover each day, but still wanted to be able to run into the store or restaurant, and/or site see just a bit without clunking around in road shoes.
the shoes i have are similar to https://www.specialized.com/us/en/co...00#result-list
I'd also found that I struggle to quickly get into single sided clipless pedals in sticky situations, and i didn't want the weight (maybe silly) of platforms on the back side of spd.
I'm happy with my choice.
I also was carrying sandals for extended time off the bike.
My goal (not sure if i achieved it) was to maximize riding efficiency (lighter weight, fairly stiff, clipless efficiency, prevent hotspot), while still having a shoe that wasn't a burden to walk around in. I had a lot of ground to cover each day, but still wanted to be able to run into the store or restaurant, and/or site see just a bit without clunking around in road shoes.
the shoes i have are similar to https://www.specialized.com/us/en/co...00#result-list
I'd also found that I struggle to quickly get into single sided clipless pedals in sticky situations, and i didn't want the weight (maybe silly) of platforms on the back side of spd.
I'm happy with my choice.
I also was carrying sandals for extended time off the bike.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-14-19, 05:14 PM
#81
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Same. I've even walked most of a marathon in Pearl Izumi carbon sole shoes.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
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Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
01-14-19, 06:23 PM
#82
Junior Member
I have used platform pedals with mini-clips, no straps, for many years. They position your foot correctly, allow you to pull up, allow the use of any shoes, and most of all, WON"T TRAP YER FEET!! Maybe I'm just a klutz, but being able to get your feet free when you might be going down is very reassuring. Been there, done that, got the road rash to prove it!
01-14-19, 07:05 PM
#83
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This topic keeps coming up, and the arguments are mostly all the same each time. Use what works for you I think is the best advice, but personally I like my SPD setup. I rode with regular pedals and straps ("rat traps") for a very long time before finally trying out SPD pedals and shoes, and now I wish I had changed a long time ago. Being clipped in makes sure my foot is properly positioned on the pedal, and clipping into the SPD pedals is much easier than it ever was with the straps (my Shimano pedals are 2-sided which is a big factor here). Getting out is also easier IMO, once I established the right muscle memory, but even in panic situations my clips are set loose enough that I can pull out if absolutely necessary (I use position #3 ). For the people complaining about "clicking" when walking, I found that depends on the shoe. I used to have some inexpensive Shimano shoes, and they did indeed click when walking on hard surfaces, but I now have some Gyro shoes (black with orange laces, I forget the name) that are quite comfortable to walk in and manage to avoid the clicking sound.
I like the recommendation for the Shimano XM9 SPD hiking boots; I'll have to think about those, though at $250 it's an investment. I thought my Oboz boots were expensive...
And I agree with the post about road vs MTB pedals and shoes: I don't see any advantage at all to road shoes, except possibly a tiny amount of weight that would be significant to a professional racer but not me since I value walkability more.
I like the recommendation for the Shimano XM9 SPD hiking boots; I'll have to think about those, though at $250 it's an investment. I thought my Oboz boots were expensive...
And I agree with the post about road vs MTB pedals and shoes: I don't see any advantage at all to road shoes, except possibly a tiny amount of weight that would be significant to a professional racer but not me since I value walkability more.
01-14-19, 08:31 PM
#84
Senior Member
I have used platform pedals with mini-clips, no straps, for many years. They position your foot correctly, allow you to pull up, allow the use of any shoes, and most of all, WON"T TRAP YER FEET!! Maybe I'm just a klutz, but being able to get your feet free when you might be going down is very reassuring. Been there, done that, got the road rash to prove it!
Worked well enough for with straps and without, that friend had me do up and fit a pair of spacers for his pedals.
I still have clips etc, and a utility bike (based on MTB frame, but wheelbase lengthened with framework from a rear-suspended MTB) is the prime candidate for fitting my old-style pedals again for shopping trips.
01-14-19, 10:09 PM
#85
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When touring I use toe-clips and shoes. I like the freedom to move my feet about or to very quickly get out of the pedal on an uphill dirt road with very loose surface and or large stones. I've had far too many times with clipless pedals where I stopped unexpectedly with a leg in the wrong position t o disengage my foot before falling over. Out in the boonies far from anyone and by myself is not the time I want scrapes/cuts that could so easily be avoided. Besides, with platform pedals and toe-clips I can use just about any shoe or lightweight hiking boot.
YMMV
Cheers
YMMV
Cheers
01-15-19, 10:25 AM
#86
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01-15-19, 12:09 PM
#87
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01-15-19, 03:56 PM
#88
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Clip style for touring
I think clipless pedals are too much trouble. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for me and the ease of getting in and out when I'm beyond tired. Getting off the bike for breakfast or lunch without clomping around or changing shoes and carrying less weight with one set of all purpose shoes is my reasoning.
01-15-19, 06:24 PM
#89
Senior Member
Last summer I had a ride that went totally wrong, I misjudged something that day. About 85 miles in and only a few to go my legs were cramping up hardcore. When one would freeze I couldn't even twist to unclip to stretch it out. I had to coast for about 10 seconds in pain and then unclip. Obviously extreme case and probably not what you were referring to but your comment did remind me of that. I use combo pedals and did stop using the clip side and crawled to my destination.
01-15-19, 06:34 PM
#90
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135kms aint nothing to sneeze at, and so many factors to consider for cramping, including simply not being ready
01-15-19, 07:55 PM
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The most comfortable pedals I've used by far are the Dmr Vaults.
- Big pedals for big feet (size 12)
- Slight concave (curves slight) design is very comfortable and I can feel generally if my foot is well positioned on the pedal.
I own a few other pairs of not-cheap flat pedals and I've stopped using them in favor of the dmr vaults. I'm more comfortable in these pedals and five ten shoes than I am walking around in my regular shoes, they make biking really really comfortable (for me at least).
https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/P...lt-2/Vault-NEW
I use Five Ten Freerider shoes in black
https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-t...men-bike-shoes
I know they're coming out with new Slueth Dlx Five Ten's that would look really good if not for the gold logo:
https://www.bikemag.com/eurobike-201...two-new-shoes/
That's actually the same grip you get with Five Ten Shoes plus Flat Pedals...the grip is that good forward, down, and back (not up obviously).
- Big pedals for big feet (size 12)
- Slight concave (curves slight) design is very comfortable and I can feel generally if my foot is well positioned on the pedal.
I own a few other pairs of not-cheap flat pedals and I've stopped using them in favor of the dmr vaults. I'm more comfortable in these pedals and five ten shoes than I am walking around in my regular shoes, they make biking really really comfortable (for me at least).
https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/P...lt-2/Vault-NEW
I use Five Ten Freerider shoes in black
https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-t...men-bike-shoes
I know they're coming out with new Slueth Dlx Five Ten's that would look really good if not for the gold logo:
https://www.bikemag.com/eurobike-201...two-new-shoes/
I'd love to see an in-between solution. Like...a thin "platform" pedal with a standardized shape (I picture something like a squared-off figure eight), and firm shoes with the exact same shape cut into the bottom of the outsole. So the pedal rests in the notch in your shoe, which means you can kinda-sorta kick forward and pull back, but can't pull upwards. Your foot also won't slide off easily.
In the end, you'd get some engagement with the pedal, with no moving parts and without having to bring an extra pair of shoes. And if you don't have your bike shoes? It's still a platform pedal.
In the end, you'd get some engagement with the pedal, with no moving parts and without having to bring an extra pair of shoes. And if you don't have your bike shoes? It's still a platform pedal.
01-15-19, 11:06 PM
#92
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About 20 cyclists that I know were asked to shepherd wheelchair athletes on the inaugural Colfax Marathon about 10 years ago. My job was to ride with the wheelchair athlete and clear the path. The other 19 riders and their athletes took off like a shot...I never saw them again. My athlete was a mid60s woman with MS who wasn’t confined to the chair but needed it for mobility. We took off at a much more leisurely pace.
Soon we were passed by the elite runners. Then the good fitness runners. Then the not so good fitness runners. Then the walkers. Then the families with strollers. And, finally, the families with kids running...perhaps even a few with kids that didn’t want to be running.
Needless to say, the “pace” wasn’t all that conducive to actually pedaling. Think doing the world’s longest slow speed bicycle race. I can ride slow but after 5 miles or so, it was just easier to push the bike.
Colfax is the only east-west road in Denver that goes all the way through the city...from the eastern suburbs to the western suburbs....that isn’t an interstate. The marathon completely shut the road down and bisected the city. Of course, the city can’t be cut in half forever so there was a roll up end that started at eastern end and rolled west. All of the runners were supposed to be off the route by noon on the west end and they had buses to remove runners who couldn’t get off the route in time. We even ran up against the buses. We were nearly at the top of the last hill before a long downhill to the finish when the buses came up behind us. The cops refused to take my athlete on the bus because she was so close to the end. We got an escort for the next half hour that it took to top the hill, ride down it and up to the finish line. At least I got to actually ride the last mile.
I left the athlete for before the end...she had a phalanx of motorcycle cops around her...and rode on home. I was foot sore, had to walk about 20 miles of a 50 mile “ride” (I rode to the beginning and home from the end) but it was a great day, all things considered. Riding...well walking a lot of it...the entirety of Colfax within the Denver Metro area without traffic was one of the coolest things I’ve ever been able to do.
Soon we were passed by the elite runners. Then the good fitness runners. Then the not so good fitness runners. Then the walkers. Then the families with strollers. And, finally, the families with kids running...perhaps even a few with kids that didn’t want to be running.
Needless to say, the “pace” wasn’t all that conducive to actually pedaling. Think doing the world’s longest slow speed bicycle race. I can ride slow but after 5 miles or so, it was just easier to push the bike.
Colfax is the only east-west road in Denver that goes all the way through the city...from the eastern suburbs to the western suburbs....that isn’t an interstate. The marathon completely shut the road down and bisected the city. Of course, the city can’t be cut in half forever so there was a roll up end that started at eastern end and rolled west. All of the runners were supposed to be off the route by noon on the west end and they had buses to remove runners who couldn’t get off the route in time. We even ran up against the buses. We were nearly at the top of the last hill before a long downhill to the finish when the buses came up behind us. The cops refused to take my athlete on the bus because she was so close to the end. We got an escort for the next half hour that it took to top the hill, ride down it and up to the finish line. At least I got to actually ride the last mile.
I left the athlete for before the end...she had a phalanx of motorcycle cops around her...and rode on home. I was foot sore, had to walk about 20 miles of a 50 mile “ride” (I rode to the beginning and home from the end) but it was a great day, all things considered. Riding...well walking a lot of it...the entirety of Colfax within the Denver Metro area without traffic was one of the coolest things I’ve ever been able to do.
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01-16-19, 06:24 PM
#93
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I ride clipped in because it's what my body is used to. I've been clipped in to every bike I've owned since '95 or-so, so it just feels wrong for me to not be.
My feeling on the subject, though, is that you simply can't get it wrong. Large platforms have the obvious advantage of day-to-day simplicity and many more low cost options are available. SPDs have advantages of, as was mentioned earlier, the option to recruit muscles that simply cannot be used if you're not clipped in. (Your tibialis anteriors will grow to the size turkey basters!). Also, although less of a concern touring, I actually feel safer clipped in. There's no chance of my foot slipping off a pedal and I like that feeling. I use SPD shoes that wear like regular sneakers when I'm touring, BTW.
But really, if you don't know for certain what's better for you, just choose one. You can't get it wrong.
My feeling on the subject, though, is that you simply can't get it wrong. Large platforms have the obvious advantage of day-to-day simplicity and many more low cost options are available. SPDs have advantages of, as was mentioned earlier, the option to recruit muscles that simply cannot be used if you're not clipped in. (Your tibialis anteriors will grow to the size turkey basters!). Also, although less of a concern touring, I actually feel safer clipped in. There's no chance of my foot slipping off a pedal and I like that feeling. I use SPD shoes that wear like regular sneakers when I'm touring, BTW.
But really, if you don't know for certain what's better for you, just choose one. You can't get it wrong.
01-16-19, 06:29 PM
#94
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I think clipless pedals are too much trouble. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for me and the ease of getting in and out when I'm beyond tired. Getting off the bike for breakfast or lunch without clomping around or changing shoes and carrying less weight with one set of all purpose shoes is my reasoning.
01-16-19, 07:15 PM
#95
Senior Member
You can get soft SPD shoes with recessed cleats so you can feel like you're wearing normal(-ish) shoes; ones that don't sound like tap shoes. And pedals can be adjusted so the release takes very little force. I'm not trying to convince you of anything here, just saying the issues you're pointing out are workable and not necessary to suffer. This is what I do. However, I did still carry a second pair of normal shoes on my last month-long and did enjoy wearing them off the bike.
01-16-19, 07:38 PM
#96
Senior Member
For platform, I've been using these for a few years on a couple of my bikes.
No problems at all. Some reviews on Amazon mention breaking. I was well into Clyde territory when I first started using them and none of mine broke.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N3PIKK6
No problems at all. Some reviews on Amazon mention breaking. I was well into Clyde territory when I first started using them and none of mine broke.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N3PIKK6
Last edited by u235; 01-16-19 at 07:41 PM.
01-16-19, 08:01 PM
#97
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Why are they called "clipless" when, in fact, you are clipped to them? 
01-17-19, 09:53 AM
#98
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
01-17-19, 10:34 AM
#100
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Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
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If you cleat one of your shoes into the pedal by hand (not wearing the shoe), you can look at how the shoe is attached to the pedal and can see where the shoe sole sits directly on the pedal.
This of course means that all SPD shoes have the cleats recessed about the same as other shoes, if the cleat is recessed too far it becomes harder to clip in and out. If not recessed enough, the shoe sole is not contacting the pedal.
Since then I have on ocasion built up the sole on some of my bike shoes with Shoe Goo but only after I put the shoe into each of the various pedals I use to make sure that I am not putting any Shoe Goo where I shouldn't.
Years later, when shoe cleats were created that allowed you to attach your foot to the pedal without using "toe clips", you were using a clipless pedal system.