Clipless Pedals
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https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plu...ss-pedals.html
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If you go with mountain bike SPD pedals you should consider Shimano multi-release cleats. You virtually can't fall down on these because you can release them by pulling in any direction, unlike other clips and cleats that require you to release by twisting your shoe by a certain angle.. I never had any issues with them accidentally unclipping.
#28
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I did a 'search' for info on clipless pedals in 'Posts & Threads'. I was hoping to find a bunch of 'Pros and Cons', but I didn't find much. So,,, being tired of the daily hunt for the sweet spot on my pedals what are the thoughts for going clipless?
Sorry if I'm resurrecting a tired old subject. If so just point me to the thread.
Thanks
Sorry if I'm resurrecting a tired old subject. If so just point me to the thread.
Thanks
I've ridden clipless for years. Whenever I ride one of my bikes with platform pedals it just feels weird, less secure, I dunno. Like driving a car without a seat belt, just not quite right. I don't think there's a big advantage for power or efficiency for me at the level I ride at.
I ride and absolutely recommend Speedplay pedals. So easy to clip out of, and you don't really clip in at all, you just pedal and it locks in.
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Started off using clipless. Shimano mountain spd's, speedplay (road), crank brothers, time atac's. 2 bike fittings. 2 or 3 different pairs of shoes. Several different sole inserts.
I read about Five Ten shoes being regular flat shoes with a specific rubber compound that grips flat pedals with pins strongly and gave them a try. They've made biking so much more enjoyable I've stopped using clipless completely.
General Convenience
With clipless I had to change shoes before a ride, bring an extra pair or shoes with me if I was riding to a destination to change into, then change back at the end of the ride, and remember to bring the shoes (an extra thing to remember) with me. Slick floors were an issue, walking around a significant distance was an issue, etc.
With five tens all that goes away. I change into shoes once and don't think about it again.
Comfort/Fatigue
Hotspots and numb feet were both problems I had with clipless, despite as I mentioned numerous fittings, shoes, pedal systems, etc.
With five tens my feet just stopped having hotspots and numbness.
Grip
Clipless gripped the pedal well.
So do five tens.
I used chrome shoes before the five tens and they did not grip the pedal as well. But five tens grip the pedal as strongly as clipless did for me except for pulling straight up.
I can see how clipless could be a more secure attachment system for racing when you're exhausted but all out sprinting for the finish line trying to work every last ounce of power out of your legs. But it's not an issue for the riding I'm doing.
Stability
With practice and double sided clipless pedals, it become almost automatic to clip in and out.
But it's still just more natural feeling with five ten flats. I dunno, it just makes riding more relaxing for me.
Power
There is a claim that racers are "pulling up" with clipless and producing more power, but studies that measured muscle activation using medical tools have debunked this. Pro racers unweight the pedal but they don't pull up. You can choose to pull up, but you're not using the most optimal movement pattern pro racers are using.
There is a claim that clipless is faster but that has also been mostly debunked by studies. Those studies are not perfect and often involve measuring the rider on an indoor bike, or on the flats. But there's no proof clipless is faster just conjecture.
Even if it was, most of my riding is for fun or as transportation. I know I'd lose time changing shoes with clipless.
Overall
I think clipless is way oversold, and most people who aren't racing would be happier with flats.There's so much less hassle after I stopped using clipless, and riding is just less work and more enjoyable for me.
I read about Five Ten shoes being regular flat shoes with a specific rubber compound that grips flat pedals with pins strongly and gave them a try. They've made biking so much more enjoyable I've stopped using clipless completely.
General Convenience
With clipless I had to change shoes before a ride, bring an extra pair or shoes with me if I was riding to a destination to change into, then change back at the end of the ride, and remember to bring the shoes (an extra thing to remember) with me. Slick floors were an issue, walking around a significant distance was an issue, etc.
With five tens all that goes away. I change into shoes once and don't think about it again.
Comfort/Fatigue
Hotspots and numb feet were both problems I had with clipless, despite as I mentioned numerous fittings, shoes, pedal systems, etc.
With five tens my feet just stopped having hotspots and numbness.
Grip
Clipless gripped the pedal well.
So do five tens.
I used chrome shoes before the five tens and they did not grip the pedal as well. But five tens grip the pedal as strongly as clipless did for me except for pulling straight up.
I can see how clipless could be a more secure attachment system for racing when you're exhausted but all out sprinting for the finish line trying to work every last ounce of power out of your legs. But it's not an issue for the riding I'm doing.
Stability
With practice and double sided clipless pedals, it become almost automatic to clip in and out.
But it's still just more natural feeling with five ten flats. I dunno, it just makes riding more relaxing for me.
Power
There is a claim that racers are "pulling up" with clipless and producing more power, but studies that measured muscle activation using medical tools have debunked this. Pro racers unweight the pedal but they don't pull up. You can choose to pull up, but you're not using the most optimal movement pattern pro racers are using.
There is a claim that clipless is faster but that has also been mostly debunked by studies. Those studies are not perfect and often involve measuring the rider on an indoor bike, or on the flats. But there's no proof clipless is faster just conjecture.
Even if it was, most of my riding is for fun or as transportation. I know I'd lose time changing shoes with clipless.
Overall
I think clipless is way oversold, and most people who aren't racing would be happier with flats.There's so much less hassle after I stopped using clipless, and riding is just less work and more enjoyable for me.
Last edited by PaulRivers; 05-08-18 at 01:12 PM.
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OP has same issue I had when I got tired of platforms: hunting for the right spot on the pedals. It's even worse and more annoying with platform pedals that have pins. I switched to SPD with Shimano M530s and use SH-56 cleats. Tipped over a couple times the first week of commuting but never all the way down and never accidentally unclipped even at the lowest tension. It's true clipless pedals probably aren't more efficient, but because pulling up activates different muscles while resting the normal pedaling ones, having clipless means you can make difficult climbs easier and get some recovery to boot. The only downside is extra hassle of having specific equipment, so the decision to go clipless is going to be personally weighing whether the benefits are worth the hassle. For me it's a no-brainer because the pedals are the primary engagement point for me when biking, so even a short couple blocks of not feeling like my foot is in the right place is enough to drive me mad.
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Ok. So there seems to be pros and cons to both. I use cages on my bike. But what is the advantage of clipless over clips? (It's really annoying to me the the clipless pefals are the ones with clips)
You ever say a word too many times and it sorta looses it's meaning to you for a moment?
You ever say a word too many times and it sorta looses it's meaning to you for a moment?
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Toe clips:
A) they'll scuff up your nice shoes
B) to really work, clips need to be used with straps, to cinch your foot in good and tight
C) but to get your foot out at a light, you have to reach down, loosen the strap and wriggle your foot out, which is a pretty big PITA
That's why anyone old enough or retro enough to have ridden with actual clips and straps can't believe how easy clipless pedals are: Wow, all I have to do is kick my heel out a few degrees? What could be simpler?
A) they'll scuff up your nice shoes
B) to really work, clips need to be used with straps, to cinch your foot in good and tight
C) but to get your foot out at a light, you have to reach down, loosen the strap and wriggle your foot out, which is a pretty big PITA
That's why anyone old enough or retro enough to have ridden with actual clips and straps can't believe how easy clipless pedals are: Wow, all I have to do is kick my heel out a few degrees? What could be simpler?
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Pinned pedals are the bomb. I completely hated clipless, in particular the feeling of confinement and inability to walk normally with the shoes. VP VP-01's or Wellgo MG-1's are both fantastic options that I ride, and you get plenty of strength pulling on the back stroke. Feet are very securely planted on them.
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Taking the plunge. Ordered Shimano A530 pedals and some SPD sandals. My local bike co-op will install them for me for $5 - I don't have the right tools. If nothing else, I'll work different muscles. I'm also hoping to get just a little faster since I should produce a bit more power.
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2. Stability: My feet have slipped off platform pedals before, usually when its wet. That hasn't happened a lot, but when attached to the pedals, it never happens. Even if my legs go in some direction they aren't supposed to, they remain on the pedals.
3. Power: You can generate A LOT of power by pulling UP on the crank arms with one foot while you're pushing down with the other. There's a whole large muscle group just waiting to help you up those hills.
3. Power: You can generate A LOT of power by pulling UP on the crank arms with one foot while you're pushing down with the other. There's a whole large muscle group just waiting to help you up those hills.
3. Some people argue with this point, but I think they're mistaken. Lifting part or all of the weight of the leg coming up means more-to-all the power you put into the downward pedal stroke goes into propelling you forward. If you're into isometrics, you can push down on the upward-moving leg to keep your foot securely anchored, but that's not going to move you forward. It may not seem like much, but that little bit of relief on every pedal stroke over a long ride adds up.
But I'm using Look pedals and cleats with rigid shoes. Not great for walking off the bike. Sounds like wearing high heels with taps. Still, I prefer these to the more casual Shimano SPD type mountain bike shoes that are suitable for walking. Better support for my arches, which tend to go into painful spasms without the rigid soles.
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Ok. So there seems to be pros and cons to both. I use cages on my bike. But what is the advantage of clipless over clips? (It's really annoying to me the the clipless pefals are the ones with clips)
You ever say a word too many times and it sorta looses it's meaning to you for a moment?
You ever say a word too many times and it sorta looses it's meaning to you for a moment?
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I've used several different SPD pedals from a 2 or 3 manufacturers and I had no issues getting clipped in or out of SPD's I do feel that the Crank Brothers is just easier. I used SPD-SL on my road bike for a season, I think I fumbled getting clipped into those every single time. My road shoes are vented in the soles and sides so when cold weather started I switched to my mountain shoes and Crank Brothers pedals. When spring came around I just couldn't go back to the SPD-SL's and now use the Candies both the bikes I ride clippless on.
I have a big wide set of flats on my MTB and wear a pair of 510 Freeriders with them. It's unreal how planted that combo feels but it was a pricey combination.
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N.B. that can't happen with toeclips, as the strap takes the load from pulling up, rather than the shoe.
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I like SPDs. 520s are nice. Shoes with recessed cleat mounts are easy to walk in. I do desk jobs wearing SPDs all day. Walking/standing jobs, I'll change shoes when I get to work.
#40
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I currently use these on my road bike while I decide whether or not to go full clipless.
Wiggle Zefal Half Toe-Clips 45 Flat Pedals
There were a few times my foot had slipped off the pedals when using flats so bought these as they were cheap and have to say I can't fault them! Holds my feet in position and are easy to get in and out of, making it a little harder for me to justify clipless.....
Wiggle Zefal Half Toe-Clips 45 Flat Pedals
There were a few times my foot had slipped off the pedals when using flats so bought these as they were cheap and have to say I can't fault them! Holds my feet in position and are easy to get in and out of, making it a little harder for me to justify clipless.....
#41
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OP has same issue I had when I got tired of platforms: hunting for the right spot on the pedals. It's even worse and more annoying with platform pedals that have pins. I switched to SPD with Shimano M530s and use SH-56 cleats. For me it's a no-brainer because the pedals are the primary engagement point for me when biking, so even a short couple blocks of not feeling like my foot is in the right place is enough to drive me mad.
I guess that I'm to anal about where my feet are....... Thanks for the support.
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Toe clips are way more dangerous than clipless. First, they are designed to be worn with straps, and old fashioned cleated shoes, which are basically obsolete and hard if not impossible to find. So you have people riding using toe clips with tennis or running shoes, which is less than optimal. And, a lot easier to release with clipless than it is with toe clips.
#43
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Ok. So there seems to be pros and cons to both. I use cages on my bike. But what is the advantage of clipless over clips? (It's really annoying to me the the clipless pefals are the ones with clips)
You ever say a word too many times and it sorta looses it's meaning to you for a moment?
You ever say a word too many times and it sorta looses it's meaning to you for a moment?
On the other hand, why "toe clips" were so named, I have no idea. They really should have been called "toe cages" but I suspect that people would have been afraid of the implications of that term.
As for advantages, the cleat on the shoe engages the pedal without all that fussiness of trying to flip over a toe clip. This is probably more of an advantage in mountain biking then in road riding since mountain bike pedals tend to be double sided. If you've ever tried to flip up a toe clip on steep trail, you can see this advantage immediately.
There is a bit of an advantage to using toe clips and cleats as well as clipless and cleats when pedaling as well. You can pull up pedals with both to toe clips and clipless to get more power for climbing hills or for acceleration. Most of the "flat pedals are all you need" folks will even admit that. When you need to pull up on the pedals, it's nice to have something that is readily available rather so toe clips and clipless have that advantage.
And, finally, there is something to be said for having a solid attachment (but not too solid) to the bike when riding at speed or over rough terrain. Bouncing off the pedals in the middle of a rock garden is probably going to hurt your dangly bits, your stickiouty bits (arms and legs) and your pride, in that order. Even if you do crash, you are less likely to break something important if you don't stick out the stickiouty in a vain effort "catch yourself". "Catching yourself" is about as useless as "bracing for impact". Neither is the correct approach to a crash.
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Edit: Found the video.
Last edited by ptempel; 05-09-18 at 12:15 PM.
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Ben
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Toe clips:
A) they'll scuff up your nice shoes
B) to really work, clips need to be used with straps, to cinch your foot in good and tight
C) but to get your foot out at a light, you have to reach down, loosen the strap and wriggle your foot out, which is a pretty big PITA
That's why anyone old enough or retro enough to have ridden with actual clips and straps can't believe how easy clipless pedals are: Wow, all I have to do is kick my heel out a few degrees? What could be simpler?
A) they'll scuff up your nice shoes
B) to really work, clips need to be used with straps, to cinch your foot in good and tight
C) but to get your foot out at a light, you have to reach down, loosen the strap and wriggle your foot out, which is a pretty big PITA
That's why anyone old enough or retro enough to have ridden with actual clips and straps can't believe how easy clipless pedals are: Wow, all I have to do is kick my heel out a few degrees? What could be simpler?
Ben
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Toe clips:
A) they'll scuff up your nice shoes
B) to really work, clips need to be used with straps, to cinch your foot in good and tight
C) but to get your foot out at a light, you have to reach down, loosen the strap and wriggle your foot out, which is a pretty big PITA
That's why anyone old enough or retro enough to have ridden with actual clips and straps can't believe how easy clipless pedals are: Wow, all I have to do is kick my heel out a few degrees? What could be simpler?
A) they'll scuff up your nice shoes
B) to really work, clips need to be used with straps, to cinch your foot in good and tight
C) but to get your foot out at a light, you have to reach down, loosen the strap and wriggle your foot out, which is a pretty big PITA
That's why anyone old enough or retro enough to have ridden with actual clips and straps can't believe how easy clipless pedals are: Wow, all I have to do is kick my heel out a few degrees? What could be simpler?
A) steel clips do scuff the shoes. Plastic clips are less damaging to shoes. Probably a bit, but minimal.
B) Yep, cinch them up to feel right. Although, if one just wants the feet positioned on the pedals, half clips might be ok.
C) Nope... Without cleats, pretty much one pushes the feet down and they come out. With cleats, one twists the foot very much like with clipless, and they come out.
The big reason for pre-loosening the straps is it is slightly easier to get the feet out, but MUCH easier to get them back in with the straps loosened.
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I've gone with SPD. I haven't tried Crank brothers, or other recessed clip brands, but do like the walkable shoes.
With SPD, both Shimano and Wellgo make good pedals.
I think the Wellgo pedals are slightly easier to adjust than Shimano. Shimano, however, are the easiest to disassemble and rebuild. Either work well.
XPEDO makes the lightest of the SPD compatable pedals, with the M-Force 8 pedals being a good double sided pedal, and the R-Force being a good single sided pedal. They do seem to be grippy, and sometimes I think they've grabbed the shoe in the wrong spot.
MKS EZY makes removable SPD pedals. It might be an option for some riders, and I think they've now migrated to full SPD compatible, although I haven't tried them myself. Wellgo may also have detachable pedals. In theory, with the MKS EZY, one could rapidly swap between pedal types, or even toeclips.
With SPD, both Shimano and Wellgo make good pedals.
I think the Wellgo pedals are slightly easier to adjust than Shimano. Shimano, however, are the easiest to disassemble and rebuild. Either work well.
XPEDO makes the lightest of the SPD compatable pedals, with the M-Force 8 pedals being a good double sided pedal, and the R-Force being a good single sided pedal. They do seem to be grippy, and sometimes I think they've grabbed the shoe in the wrong spot.
MKS EZY makes removable SPD pedals. It might be an option for some riders, and I think they've now migrated to full SPD compatible, although I haven't tried them myself. Wellgo may also have detachable pedals. In theory, with the MKS EZY, one could rapidly swap between pedal types, or even toeclips.
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