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Do clip pedals make riding harder or easier?

Old 05-16-23, 08:55 AM
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grantelmwood
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Do clip pedals make riding harder or easier?

For a given riding distance, Do clip pedals make riding harder or easier?
Clip allows you to pull the upstroke, which causes you to expend more energy,
but does it balance out with a lower riding duration (ride ends sooner)

For a given 5 mile loop, I assume the ride will be completed sooner with clip pedals.
But, the rider will have worked more during that shorter ride.

Yes, clip pedals are more efficient, but I am wondering which is the better workout…..
  1. Clip pedals which allow more work, but reduce total riding time for a given distance
  2. Flat pedals, which allow for half work, and therefore a longer ride, for a given distance.


Basically, it seems to come down to sprint a mile in X mins, or jog a mile in Y mins.

Last edited by grantelmwood; 05-16-23 at 12:20 PM.
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Old 05-16-23, 09:57 AM
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Whether you mean clipless or toe clips, I find that the make riding more efficient but not that you would notice the difference in five miles

for me the biggest benefit of either (and I use both) is that my foot is kept positioned on the pedal with no effort on my part, this make a big difference over distance

also you really don't pull up as much as it is easier to push forward
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Old 05-16-23, 10:09 AM
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I find being attached to the pedals allows me to climb faster and accelerate harder. For a relatively flat 5 mile ride it should not matter. With flat pedals I cannot backspin to get the pedals ready for an easier start when stopped.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:16 AM
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Being mechanically attached to your pedals allows the rider to apply force to the pedal all the way around the pedaling circle, recruiting multiple muscle groups to contribute to powering the bike. How well a rider is able to do that varies. How much difference it makes to your speed may also vary. Assuming all other factors are the same, more power applied to the pedals means the bike will go faster, and the time it takes to travel a specific distance will be lower.

Regardless of which bike I'm riding (road, gravel, or MTB), I prefer to be clipped in to the pedal with a rigid-soled shoe.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:16 AM
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Old 05-16-23, 10:17 AM
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There are several studies that the overall efficiency of clipless vs flat pedals is very similar for most ordinary riding. Also that people don't pull up very much.

However, the clipless may aid with max power output.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:18 AM
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To me, clipless pedals (not to be confused with toe clips and straps, or flat pedals) make riding slightly more cumbersome, but more enjoyable if I'm exerting high efforts, such as steep climbs or fast cadence. For casual riding, short distances, flat terrain, and especially for lots of starting and stopping, I prefer flat pedals. A big factor in my pedal choices is how much walking I plan to do in my bike shoes. Some are much more walkable than others.

Currently, I have bikes with each of the following:
SPD-SL clipless
Speedplay Zero clipless
Toe clips and straps
Flat pedals

I've also used two-sided SPD (mountain/touring style) in the past but currently don't have those installed on any bike.

Each of these systems is chosen according to the bike's character and its intended or typical use, and each has its pros and cons.

To respond more specifically to the OPs suggested scenario, I'll note this... last night I did my favorite interval workout ride, which involves repetitions of short, steep climbs at max effort. The whole ride is 13.8 miles and took me about 45 minutes. (My personal best, a few years ago, was 42:something). I always do this workout on a fixed gear track bike, which means spinning really fast on the short, steep descents. I absolutely get the workout done faster and more effectively with clipless pedals. On a five mile ride in the neighborhood, just for fun, especially if I want to get off at the park and walk around or if I'm towing my grandson in a bike trailer, having clipless pedals will not get me done faster. That's okay, because the point is not to finish soon.

Last edited by Broctoon; 05-16-23 at 10:31 AM.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:21 AM
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From what I have read, seen, heard, and experienced- very few pull on the upstroke. When one foot is going up, the other is going down and the downward motion is exponentially stronger.
Just let your foot go along for the ride with the pedal after it reaches 6oclock because the other leg will be pushing down.

For me, clips are nice because they place my foot over the spindle in the same way each time, and that is the spot I found is the most comfortable for distance and power. Clips are also nice for climbing, especially standing and climbing, and I stand to climb way more than I should.

If I were riding 5mi of flat road, I dont think it would matter much if I had platform pedals(flat pedal), or SPD pedals, or SPD-SL pedals(or any of the other road type pedals)
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Old 05-16-23, 10:24 AM
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On bike, I enjoy using clipless. The aspect of them I hate is when I have to walk around on the cleat. They are slick as can be and really hard to walk on with a prosthesis. I prefer using the MTB type that are recessed up into the sole of the shoe. I do note a pretty significant difference in regard to the stiffness of the sole. My SPD shoes seem to me to be more efficient and effective getting power to the cranks.
Something I have noted while riding without clips is that the arch of my foot tends to hurt a bit after riding a while. This does not happen in my cycling shoes/cleats.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Clips are also nice for climbing, especially standing and climbing, and I stand to climb way more than I should.
Same here.


Originally Posted by mstateglfr
If I were riding 5mi of flat road, I dont think it would matter much if I had platform pedals(flat pedal), or SPD pedals, or SPD-SL pedals(or any of the other road type pedals)
Also same.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:42 AM
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Old 05-16-23, 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood
For a given riding distance, Do clip pedals make riding harder or easier?
Clip allows you to pull the upstroke, which causes you to expend more energy,
but does it balance out with a lower riding duration (ride ends sooner)

For a given 5 mile loop, I assume the ride will be completed sooner with clip pedals.
But, the rider will have worked more during that shorter ride.
Yes.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:53 AM
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Harder. A no-brainer. With positive foot retention there is no excuse for loafing and just letting the pedal pick your foot up. No, now you realize that you can actually lift that pedal so all of your downstroke is powering you, not simply pushing dead weight around. Fun! And the by-product - you go faster. More fun! And the result of all this fun? Well you did the same ride in less time, did more work with more muscles, burned more calories, are more spent and have more tired muscles. Yes, harder.

Now you can choose to simply let your fully restrained feet just get pushed up like before and change nothing except the need to twist your foot to dismount. Then, no: retention is not harder. And not more fun. For me, every level of more retention I graduated to meant going faster with a bigger grin on my face. First toeclips. Then pulling the straps tight. Wow! Then pulling those straps tight around cycling shoes with slotted cleats. Double wow! Clipless meant getting started was easier and I was allowed to forget to unbuckle but the wows stayed the same.
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Old 05-16-23, 10:54 AM
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Fundamental misunderstanding in the opening post. Clipless/clip-in pedals don't force you to work harder than flat pedals, just as wearing running shoes doesn't force you to run nonstop. You can walk in running shoes, and you can spin along lazily with SPD or Look pedals.

If you're going to be racing your bike or going on group rides with strong riders, you'll probably benefit from using clipless pedals. Otherwise, flats work just as well for many people.
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Old 05-16-23, 11:16 AM
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I am sure it is psychological but I can not imagine doing a long ride on flat pedals. I use mtb spd pedals and shoes and do not see any down side compared to flat pedals
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Old 05-16-23, 11:33 AM
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First, a no-brainer: having your feet attached to the pedals, whether via clipless pedals or clips and straps, means you don't have to worry about your foot coming off the pedal during a high-effort spin.

Second, the talk of "extra effort pulling up" is bogus. A kid learning to ride a bike with pedals quickly (or not so quickly...) figures out you can't push with both feet and expect to get anywhere. You need to lift the back foot to make the pedals go around, and that drives the bike forward. Don't lift the back foot too far, to fast, as then your foot comes off the pedal and you crash (unless the kid's learning with clips and straps, yikes!), but even a child can learn to un-weight the back pedal a bit. Another term for "un-weight" is "lift."
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Old 05-16-23, 12:20 PM
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Yes, clip pedals are more efficient, but I am wondering which is the better workout…..
  1. Clip pedals which allow more work, but reduce total riding time for a given distance
  2. Flat pedals, which allow for half work, and therefore a longer ride, for a given distance.


Basically, it seems to come down to sprint a mile in X mins, or jog a mile in Y mins.
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Old 05-16-23, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
you can't push with both feet and expect to get anywhere. "
Obviously!
You push with one foot, and simultaneously pull with the other.
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Old 05-16-23, 12:26 PM
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If most people don't even pull up, what is the point of having them?
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Old 05-16-23, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood

Yes, clip pedals are more efficient, but I am wondering which is the better workout…..
  1. Clip pedals which allow more work, but reduce total riding time for a given distance
  2. Flat pedals, which allow for half work, and therefore a longer ride, for a given distance.


Basically, it seems to come down to sprint a mile in X mins, or jog a mile in Y mins.
You're exaggerating the differences between pedal types.

Neither is the "better" workout. They are just different types of efforts.
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Old 05-16-23, 12:34 PM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood
If most people don't even pull up, what is the point of having them?
Read the thread you started. There have been multiple reasons listed.
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Old 05-16-23, 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood
If most people don't even pull up, what is the point of having them?
did you read all the posts above? apparently not

and pulling up better visualized as pushing your toe forward, not a vertical updown
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Old 05-16-23, 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood
Obviously!
You push with one foot, and simultaneously pull with the other.
Originally Posted by grantelmwood
If most people don't even pull up, what is the point of having them?
​​​​​​​Um, is there a disconnect here? How do you pull up without pulling up??
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Old 05-16-23, 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood
If most people don't even pull up, what is the point of having them?
No point, unless you're racing or riding under conditions (e.g., high-speed off-road single-track and descents) where you'd rather not have to devote effort or brain power to keep your feet from flying off the pedals.

That said, when I rode one of my bikes without clipless pedals for the first time in months, I kept almost kicking myself in the butt when jumping out of the saddle to climb a hill at speed. Clearly, climbing at speed with clipless pedals, I'd unconsciously gotten in the habit of pulling up at the bottom of the stroke.

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Old 05-16-23, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by grantelmwood
If most people don't even pull up, what is the point of having them?
Don't think push-pull. Think circles. A well-trained cyclist can apply force to the pedal for more of the circle. Sharing the workload among different muscle groups can leave the most powerful muscles fresher for longer/harder/more efforts.

For me (and as others have noted), having my foot and pedal at the same interface spot every time is important for optimizing my efficiency on the bike. Additionally, when riding rough terrain on my MTB or gravel bike, being connected to the bike allows me to handle the bike better, and prevents my feet from accidentally slipping off the pedals.
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