Is a roadbike worth it without clips

House_Martin · 12 June 2018 at 11:14AM

Just stick to normal flat pedals. Less chance of injuring yourself in emergency stops when you could topple over if you don t manage to twist your foot fast enough to release from the locked in pedal.
Personally I found zero benefit when I tried them but plenty of extra stress when stopping unexpectedly. It was lucky for me not to end up in A and E with a broken collarbone as I fell over locked into the bike.
Plenty of info online about "the myth of the upstroke " imparting any useful extra energy to make the commute faster/easier, and my feet ALWAYS remain firmly on the flat pedals even on the bumpiest of roads. Anyone who tries to imply that your feet jump around using flat pedals is nt making sense or has only ever used clips.https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/bike-fitting-the-myth-of-the-upstroke/
also very useful advice from he real expert Dr Jeff Broker who spent 10 years making sense of the pedal action
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/10840824/How-to-cycle-with-the-technique-of-a-pro.html

telemarks · 12 June 2018 at 11:20AM

I always found been clipped in was most useful on steep hills when out of the saddle, when you can really push and pull with the legs. Our when riding fixie.

However for everyday commuting on flattish roads with many traffic lights, I have to grant clipless might even be faster.

brat · 12 June 2018 at 11:40AM

telemarks wrote: »

However for everyday commuting on flattish roads with many traffic lights, I have to grant clipless might even be faster.

Here is a confusing example of the vagaries of cycling terminology. 'Clipless' pedals are actually pedals that you clip into. They are called clipless because they did away with toe-clips.

I use speedplays for commuting and SPD-SLs for sport/leisure cycling. I don't use flats any more, it's easy to unclip and clip in, especially to SPDs or speedplays, If I didn't use my commuter bike for wet weather/ winter cycling too I'd probably have flats for my short commute, because it would allow me to wear ordinary shoes,

As John says, there's no significant speed compromise with flats, especially for commuting, unless you want to push for Strava segments between the traffic lights!

andygb · 12 June 2018 at 11:44AM

When I first started cycling, it took me a month to go from flat pedals and trainers, to toeclips and straps with trainers. When I started racing, I bought a pair of cycling shoes with cleats on the bottom which fitted onto the pedals - this was a real step forward.
With the latest types of fittings - Look, SPD etc, I moved over to them quickly, and only ever had one incident where I toppled over. I never had any more knee problems with the latest fittings either.
As telemarks said, clipped pedals are great for climbing, and also for higher cadence where you have to have a good pedalling technique - Google "ankling".

https://cyclingtips.com/2009/11/ankling/

Nasqueron · 12 June 2018 at 12:21PM

House_Martin wrote: »

Just stick to normal flat pedals. Less chance of injuring yourself in emergency stops when you could topple over if you don t manage to twist your foot fast enough to release from the locked in pedal.
Personally I found zero benefit when I tried them but plenty of extra stress when stopping unexpectedly. It was lucky for me not to end up in A and E with a broken collarbone as I fell over locked into the bike.
Plenty of info online about "the myth of the upstroke " imparting any useful extra energy to make the commute faster/easier, and my feet ALWAYS remain firmly on the flat pedals even on the bumpiest of roads. Anyone who tries to imply that your feet jump around using flat pedals is nt making sense or has only ever used clips.https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/bike-fitting-the-myth-of-the-upstroke/
also very useful advice from he real expert Dr Jeff Broker who spent 10 years making sense of the pedal action
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/10840824/How-to-cycle-with-the-technique-of-a-pro.html

Jeebus are we back on this nonsense which was utterly debunked on the last topic when you brought it up? Basic physics proves your feet leave the pedals when you go over bumps and move around, it's a fact of science. They move around, you don't get the same position every time, as soon as you stop or move your feet for the line they go back in different places which is less efficient. Clipless take a few minutes to master, as long as you get used to unclipping before you get to the line, particularly with easy ones like speedplay SPD it's no issue.

I see you're still designating Jeff Broker as the world's leading scientist on pedals without any authority to make this claim - even the article doesn't say this, the author simply says he has the best literature because it supports his view - classic confirmation bias! AND you're still quoting the single telegraph article because it supports what you want to believe despite the fact the article states the opposite - it does not say not to use clipless, it simply states that for the very specific point of push/pull that this person doesn't agree with this single part of clipless - nowhere does he say clipless is bad!

http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/clipless-versus-flats-359866

Aren't you the guy who said that people should ride 50+ mile sportives in cotton shorts and t-shirt? :rotfl:

Johnmcl7 · 12 June 2018 at 1:22PM

wongataa wrote: »

As with any bike you can use any pedals you like. It is completely up to you what pedals you use. Who cares what anyone else says, just use what pedals you prefer using.

This sums it up perfectly, one of my biggest mistakes with cycling was giving in to what people told me what pedals I should be using.

John

House_Martin · 12 June 2018 at 2:51PM

Nasqueron wrote: »

Jeebus are we back on this nonsense which was utterly debunked on the last topic when you brought it up? Basic physics proves your feet leave the pedals when you go over bumps and move around, it's a fact of science. They move around, you don't get the same position every time, as soon as you stop or move your feet for the line they go back in different places which is less efficient. Clipless take a few minutes to master, as long as you get used to unclipping before you get to the line, particularly with easy ones like speedplay SPD it's no issue.

I see you're still designating Jeff Broker as the world's leading scientist on pedals without any authority to make this claim - even the article doesn't say this, the author simply says he has the best literature because it supports his view - classic confirmation bias! AND you're still quoting the single telegraph article because it supports what you want to believe despite the fact the article states the opposite - it does not say not to use clipless, it simply states that for the very specific point of push/pull that this person doesn't agree with this single part of clipless - nowhere does he say clipless is bad!

http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/clipless-versus-flats-359866

Aren't you the guy who said that people should ride 50+ mile sportives in cotton shorts and t-shirt? :rotfl:

I m completely baffled by you saying my feet leave the pedals ( because its basic physics ) whenever I go over bumps..How come mine don t ? I always place the feet in basically the same spot too and it does nt matter if a foot is a millimetre or two different anyway.
I ride around on rock hard 23mm narrow tyres with virtually no cushioning effect at all. I have never noticed my shoes ever losing contact with the pedals, and some parts of my regular 20 mile route are extremely bumpy. They always stay in close contact..always . I can t vouch for a foot deep pothole but I tend to always steer clear of deep holes like we all do
Maybe you should dig a little deeper into Dr Jeff Brokers thorough scientific research debunking the upstroke theory completely adding that not only is it inefficient it will eventually lead to injury. He took over 10 years on his research and is not linked to selling clipless pedals and shoes unlike the Youtube vid I saw where a couple of poseurs on their bikes with garish tight nylon clothing ( and sunglasses on cloudy days of course lol ) trying to sell the idea, with links to sales of very expensive pedals and matching shoes. .That stupid link you added proves my point..more links to sales of expensive clipless pedals and matching shoes . Just sales talk and snake oil

House_Martin · 12 June 2018 at 4:02PM

peachyprice wrote: »

Do you have many sets of traffic lights on your commute? If yes, think about what you will do when you have to stop.

Many a cyclist can be seen falling over at traffic lights all over the country, it's a bit like cow tipping.

A vid here
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2014/may/14/clipless-pedals-why-you-dont-need-to-be-scared-of-switching

Absolutely hilarious, i saw one myself last week. I had to applaud him looking like a prize idiot crashing to the ground after failing to twist his foot out of the pedal . Utterly stupid to be clipped in on a commuter bike. They can wear their helmets and hi-viz but there is no protection for the collarbone which takes the brunt with a battle with concrete and easily breaks.Topple the wrong way into traffic and it could be a few months off work or ending up in a wheelchair.
Absolutely pointless using clipless in towns on commuting but I see it all the time
I wonder what the statistics for cyclists with broken collarbone are caused by these unsuitable pedals and shoes.
I could see another bike wobbling away trying not to stop on that youtube vid link, and not far off losing the battle with gravity
There should be a health and safety warning with clipless pedals issued by the makers for people commuting by cycle...don`t be fooled, don`t buy them , they re useless and dangerous.
The ski ing company Look invented these cleats for skiing. They must be laughing their heads off finding so many gullible new customers to use this product on dangerous public roads

Mids_Costcutter · 12 June 2018 at 10:17PM

What about trying dual pedals: SPD clipless on one side, flat on the other? Then you compare and contrast without having to change pedals and still have something you can wear with ordinary shoes when just popping down the shops

kinger101 · 12 June 2018 at 11:18PM

What tyres do you have on the hybrid? If the answer isn't slicks, there's an easy improvement for very little cost.

Is a roadbike worth it without clips

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