Are bike shoes really necessary?
05-01-22, 05:58 PM
#151
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I am an uncool rider, the only bike apparel I wear is a helmet and bike shorts if I am going out for a few hours or more. Some of the club riders just do not approve. I don't race, I don't time my rides and usually have no idea about the mileage, 2 hours is 2 hours I went from here the their, I ride for fun. I have a kick stand on my bike and some times my shoe hits it when I am peddling so I just peddle flat footed problem solved. I can ride this way for a long time so who cares. But that is me, you have to figure out what you are looking to achieve on your bike, if you are looking to ride fast, studying the numbers, want to improve your times then you do not need my advice you need to listen the the fast guys. For me it is a bike and all you have to do to ride a bike is get on it and start peddling, I will some times come home from work and go for a short ride around the neighborhood in my work boots, I would not wear work boots on a 25 mile ride. I wear tinny shoes, my feet never hurt I do not worry about pulling up and pushing down at the same time I am a masher. You may pass me but I don't care I am going to get there soon enough.
It is a bike, don't over thing every thing just do it.
It is a bike, don't over thing every thing just do it.
Grin. Nicely said Tom!
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05-01-22, 06:08 PM
#152
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05-02-22, 09:00 AM
#153
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I never get why these are either or debates..
There are times I want clipless like when its rainy and muddy, so I put my clipless pedals if I want to ride in flats them I put those on. It only takes a couple of minutes to swap pedals.
There are times I want clipless like when its rainy and muddy, so I put my clipless pedals if I want to ride in flats them I put those on. It only takes a couple of minutes to swap pedals.
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05-02-22, 09:11 AM
#154
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I think it's absurd they're any kind of debates. These are utilitarian objects, there either useful to you r they are not or, in your case, sometimes yes, sometimes no.
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05-02-22, 09:30 AM
#155
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It's a while ago, but I think the original question was asking about bike shoes vs ordinary shoes rather than clipless vs flat pedals.
05-02-22, 09:40 AM
#156
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05-02-22, 09:47 AM
#157
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Well it's a Zombie thread from 2004, exhumed by a guy complaining about his big toe wearing through his non-bike shoes. You don't have to go clipless to benefit from bike shoes. It's just a further option.
05-02-22, 10:36 AM
#159
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What I find hilarious is that there are all sorts of sport specific shoes out there. Sport specific shoes aren't a necessity.
You can sign up for a company softball team and wear Vans and have your feet slip every time you need to run to first base. I mean it is just fun, why spend the money.
You can play basketball in any shoe, but it might be prudent to wear a high top. That could be a work boot, if you've got the skills. If not, watching can be fun.
You can run in any shoe, kids run with or without shoes. Some people can run in any shoe their entire life, some can run in any shoe for only a part of their life. Unfortunately most have to wait years to find out which group they are in.
I've skateboarded barefoot, years ago, and my kids have also, and in flip-flops. But they didn't at a skate park.
My only take on cycling shoes is that they provide support because the soles are stiffer; generally that equates to more comfort. I'm not sure why it evolves into an us vs. them.
John
You can sign up for a company softball team and wear Vans and have your feet slip every time you need to run to first base. I mean it is just fun, why spend the money.
You can play basketball in any shoe, but it might be prudent to wear a high top. That could be a work boot, if you've got the skills. If not, watching can be fun.
You can run in any shoe, kids run with or without shoes. Some people can run in any shoe their entire life, some can run in any shoe for only a part of their life. Unfortunately most have to wait years to find out which group they are in.
I've skateboarded barefoot, years ago, and my kids have also, and in flip-flops. But they didn't at a skate park.
My only take on cycling shoes is that they provide support because the soles are stiffer; generally that equates to more comfort. I'm not sure why it evolves into an us vs. them.
John
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05-02-22, 11:04 AM
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its less than 1% more efficient on flat ground riding moderately hard, the efficiency probably spikes when going up a steep hill or when trying to rip your bike apart on sprint, but afaik most of the studies on the subject aren’t on these edge cases.
05-02-22, 11:06 AM
#161
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OK, but I don't think the post you were responding to went off-topic by saying he goes between clipless and flats. Pretty difficult to talk about the necessity or lack thereof of bike shoes without discussing attachment to and interaction with the pedals.
05-02-22, 11:19 AM
#162
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The biggest gain from being clipped in with proper bike shoes, on a road bike, is that you can pedal on the upstroke, not just the down stroke. I really like having this ability when sprinting or standing while climbing. Being clipped in also allows me to spin 100+ rpm if I’m sitting going uphills.
They aren’t cheap and you’ve got to learn how to unclip quickly when you suddenly come to a stop, but once you figure that out it’s a great improvement in pedal efficiency.
They aren’t cheap and you’ve got to learn how to unclip quickly when you suddenly come to a stop, but once you figure that out it’s a great improvement in pedal efficiency.
05-02-22, 11:37 AM
#163
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That doesn't work at all when it comes to feet. One person's comfort is another person's torture device.
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05-02-22, 11:39 AM
#164
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The biggest gain from being clipped in with proper bike shoes, on a road bike, is that you can pedal on the upstroke, not just the down stroke. I really like having this ability when sprinting or standing while climbing. Being clipped in also allows me to spin 100+ rpm if I’m sitting going uphills.
They aren’t cheap and you’ve got to learn how to unclip quickly when you suddenly come to a stop, but once you figure that out it’s a great improvement in pedal efficiency.
They aren’t cheap and you’ve got to learn how to unclip quickly when you suddenly come to a stop, but once you figure that out it’s a great improvement in pedal efficiency.
The upstroke is too weak to have any meaningful effect.
05-02-22, 11:44 AM
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05-02-22, 11:53 AM
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05-02-22, 11:58 AM
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05-02-22, 12:56 PM
#168
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You don’t have to be a sprinter to benefit from a good strong upstroke. Next time you’re riding, try only pulling up, don’t push down with the other foot, only apply power on the upstroke. Or unclip one foot and only pedal with the other leg, by both pulling up and pushing down. Do this for a minute per leg, you’ll feel how much more power you can generate by pulling back and up on the upstroke. You’ll feel it in your hamstrings but you’ll be faster for it.
05-02-22, 01:13 PM
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You don’t have to be a sprinter to benefit from a good strong upstroke. Next time you’re riding, try only pulling up, don’t push down with the other foot, only apply power on the upstroke. Or unclip one foot and only pedal with the other leg, by both pulling up and pushing down. Do this for a minute per leg, you’ll feel how much more power you can generate by pulling back and up on the upstroke. You’ll feel it in your hamstrings but you’ll be faster for it.
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05-02-22, 01:41 PM
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You don’t have to be a sprinter to benefit from a good strong upstroke. Next time you’re riding, try only pulling up, don’t push down with the other foot, only apply power on the upstroke. Or unclip one foot and only pedal with the other leg, by both pulling up and pushing down. Do this for a minute per leg, you’ll feel how much more power you can generate by pulling back and up on the upstroke. You’ll feel it in your hamstrings but you’ll be faster for it.
Nope, can't do any kind of binding, it's hell on my bad ankles.
I won't get into how I generate power, but I do fine, thanks!
05-02-22, 01:50 PM
#171
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This thread reminds me of the time I went golfing with my grandpa's cane.
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05-02-22, 01:51 PM
#172
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05-02-22, 01:54 PM
#173
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Hey if it works for you then great. But it's been shown in many studies that pro riders don't actually do this. Literally none of them. Single leg drills are pretty controversial too. Some coaches still seem to favour them, others not so much. Hamstrings are not really designed to "pull up" and have very little strength or efficiency in doing so. Like when you run (a more natural action), your hamstrings are actually unloaded when contracting as your leg is off the ground.
05-02-22, 01:54 PM
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05-02-22, 02:07 PM
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I was never interested in clipless shoes and pedals until I started riding a recumbent. Attaching your feet to the pedals gives you the ability to "spin" the cranks instead of pumping them. This gave me the ability to climb steeper hills without losing balance while reclined. I only still use them on the recumbent, but I still ride my standard position bikes with regular shoes. I can ride for hours on the recumbent, but I can only take a couple of hours per day on a standard bike as my body parts start to protest
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