# Shoes Ruse?



## mvk20 (Sep 30, 2013)

I've been hearing from lots of sources that shoes and clipless pedals are one of the best things you can do to improve your riding experience. Today, however, I ran across this:

The Shoes Ruse - a Bike Culture article on Cyclorama

Any thoughts from more experienced riders?


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

_"Our mission is to make things that wouldn't be made if we weren't here, to offer an alternative to racing-centric bikes and parts, and to espouse a different approach to riding. And to resurrect and keep healthy many of the better ideas, designs, and styles of bicycles, clothing, and accessories that we personally like to use or wear. If you'd like to know more, just ask. It's not a secret business we have here, and nothing's too personal or private. -Grant"
_


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

> Then, once the racers got up to 18 miles per hour or so, they were spinning the pedals like human roadrunners, and if a foot came off the pedal, it was harder to slow the bike down and find the pedals again.


I'm not a racer. But I often pedal like a roadrunner. 



> As long as your pedals aren’t dinky - say, as long as they’re 2.5 x 3.5 inches, or about the size of a compact digital camera - any shoe does the job without flexing, because the shoe is supported by the pedal. If the pedal can’t flex, the shoe can’t - no matter how flexy it may be just out of the box. Besides, the part of your foot that’s behind the pedal can’t flex while you’re pedaling, because your foot mechanics won’t allow it.


Unless you have a 10" pedal, part of your foot will hang over the back of the pedal. A flexy shoe will cause stresses and pains in the arch's of your feet. 



> The only riders who benefit from clipless pedals are racers, and only because their pedals are so small and slippery. If you don’t ride tiny, slippery pedals, you don’t need stiff, cleated shoes.


I don't race. But I benefit from clipless. The author sure has a bug up his arse about racing.



> You can wear any casual shoe in your closet - whatever your mood, your outfit, and the weather calls for. You don’t have to go find your “cycling shoes” because you won’t have invested in techie two-hundred-dollar pedals that require them.


I don't ride for fashion. I don't care if my shoes coordinate with my outfit.
I've NEVER had to go "find" my cycling shoes. Do you have to go "find" your helmet? Keep them together. DUHHH!
$200 pedals? Really? Author is an idiot if he's paying $200. You can get decent pedals for $40-$60. 



> You reduce the chance of a repetitive stress injury, because your feet naturally move around more, changing your biomechanics.


Use pedals with float. Problem solved.



> You get off and on easier at stoplights; there’s no twisting to get out of your pedals, no fussing to get back in.


Not an issue for me... or anyone I've ever taught to use pedals.



> You can walk in stores without walking on your heels. You can run! You aren’t handicapped by expensive and weird-looking shoes.


MTB shoes. Problem solved.



> I know - of course - that it helps to be firmly attached to the pedal when you’re sprinting in the rain (your foot may slip off the pedals without a fixed connection), or hopping over a dead raccoon, or hiking the bike up over a curb without getting off. But giving up normal shoes for a few rare circumstances like these doesn’t make sense.


I'd say I hop over a hole, brach, debris, etc on average once a ride. I don't find it a rare circumstance.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

mvk20 said:


> I've been hearing from lots of sources that shoes and clipless pedals are one of the best things you can do to improve your riding experience. Today, however, I ran across this:
> 
> The Shoes Ruse - a Bike Culture article on Cyclorama
> 
> Any thoughts from more experienced riders?


In summary: The article is really stupid.

Sure platforms are fine for a lot of riding but I'd love to see the author show up for a group ride that has a few punchy climbs and town line sprints.

And why is he arguing against claims that are generally not being made:

"With clipless, there’s more power to the pedal because it’s not being absorbed by a soft and flexible shoe sole.

With clipless, it’s easier to apply power all around the circular pedal stroke.

Neither is true, though"

First, more power or not the point he overlooks is that after 6 hours of hard riding your feet would be hurting big time with soft flexible shoes. Arguing that soft flexible shoes are the same as shoes designed for cycling (stiff) is just plain stupid.

Second, very few people are making that claim. It actually is true that it's easier to apply power though the whole revolution. Saying it isn't is just plain dumb. But most riders realize that pedaling that way is not efficient so it's not why they want to be clipped in. The point of being clipped in is one of safety and confidence.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

mvk20 said:


> I've been hearing from lots of sources that shoes and clipless pedals are one of the best things you can do to improve your riding experience. Today, however, I ran across this:
> 
> The Shoes Ruse - a Bike Culture article on Cyclorama
> 
> Any thoughts from more experienced riders?


I think Grant Peterson should probably stick to the things he knows.


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## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

Like a lot of things, it all depends. My opinions: For a relatively short casual ride (20 mile or so) sneakers and platform pedals are just fine. For longer rides, the benefits of stiffer soled shoes become more readily apparent. Going back a few decades to toe clips I wore stiffer soled cycling shoes for the long rides, and could really tell the difference in foot fatigue. Modern cycling shoes are way stiffer than what I used to wear.

Those who ride a lot harder and farther than me might appreciate clipless more than I do. They are a PITA when I ride in town, as there are frequent and unexpected stops. Road cleats can make for hazardous walking on a lot of surfaces, which is why I have SPD cleats.

FWIW, my sister in law does Ironmans (full ones, in her 50’s!), and stopped using clipless. She didn’t find any benefits, only liabilities, as some of her friends were injured from falls due to clipless.

Give them a try, and use them if they make sense for you.


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## mvk20 (Sep 30, 2013)

Interesting. I am always immediately suspicious when there is one opinion different from all of what seems to be the prevailing wisdom. The article I linked to made some sense to me, but again, it just seems like way too many people find a benefit to the clipless pedals and dedicated shoes. I just switched to them (SPD-SL) a couple of weeks ago, and have had two of the 0 mph tip-overs. I caught a handlebar in the chest on one of them, so that was no fun. My rides typically have a fair number of clipouts - getting to the trails and then when the trails cross some intersections. I'm hoping it gets easier - everyone says it does, and I don't necessarily expect everything to be perfect right away; I know things take practice to get right. I'm just hoping I get good at it before I get a new bike - I'd hate to be toppling over a bunch on a new bike and getting it all ripped up. I've ridden them for about 45 mi., and hope to get in another 15 or so today, hope I can stay upright!


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## Red90 (Apr 2, 2013)

It does get easier. Before you know it you won't ever be tipping over. You'll get accustomed to unclipping one side and always leaning to that side so you don't tip over the other way. Only time I might fall now a days is if I had to make an emergency stop.

In terms of the article... everyone is a bit different and there are always compromises and benefits to each choice. Personally, I love clipless pedals. I feel more secure and smoother with the clipless. At the end of the day, its about how it feels to cycle. Many of what people upgrade with ( carbon this and that... high end groupsets... etc...) may not produce any significant performance gain, but the rider feels good on the bike and enjoys it... and that's all that matters.


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## SBard1985 (May 13, 2012)

My road bike and mountain bike both have clipless pedals. The other day my g/f and I went on a 50 mile ride together. Good pace for her, fairly relaxed for myself. I ended up riding her 93 Specialized Allez with platforms in an attempt to even the playing field while she rode her new Caad10. I wore vans and I did notice a considerable amount of flex directly under my foot, the pedals were some CroMo downhill pedals, mostly put on for just comfort while cruising around. Both my road and mtb shoes have carbon soles. 

I think the thing that scared me most was spinning while taking tight turns (I did clip a pedal on a tight switchback, granted the pedals are big to most people's standards) and faster descents. All the climbing was relatively gradual or short steep hills and didn't feel that much slower. I did enjoy riding something different, although I got some weird looks from some snobs since I was wearing my kit with Vans on a hot pink bike...oh well, not a bad date day, nice ride and a good lunch with a girl that can somewhat keep up. 

It was fun to mix it up with the platforms, something different, try it, see what you think.


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

nhluhr said:


> I think Grant Peterson should probably stick to the things he knows.


I love how he thinks that 18 mph is race speed, and that a pro would be spinning like a roadrunner at that level. :lol:


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

Fast, not fast, efficient, not efficient, comfortable, not comfortable...is there really a way to 100% test this from person to person? Really? Is there some super science that can encapsulate the person by person human element and sum everything up in one, one-size-fits-all rule?

Nope.

You can read reviews, or tests, or whatever and until you try it for yourself...you will not know for sure.

If this article is so true...then why do most serious riders chose to go clipless with designated riding shoes? 

Try it for yourself and experience what most do. 

Me personally? I've found designated road shoes and clipless pedals to give me the following:

-A more solid connection to the pedal

-Less slop and play concerning foot placement on hard effort

-Less foot movement and correct placement aids big time in working on pedal stroke form

-Less strain on my feet due to having no/low flex in my shoe

-Road shoes offer MUCH better upper support and air flow than conventional shoes.

...and those are what I can think of off the top of my head, I'm sure if you give me time I could think of some more.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

First, the risk of tipping over due to difficulty in unclipping is way, way overstated. It has happened to me once, in more than 20 years of riding. How many times would I have fallen trying to fit my feet into toe clips, or because my foot slipped off of a platform pedal, in the same time frame? Probably about as many, if not more.

Second, the article may apply to people who are riding around the block a couple of times, pedaling at 50 rpm. It definitely does not apply to cyclists who are riding for hours at a time at 90 - 110 rpm. Try keeping your foot on a platform pedal while riding 4 hours at 90+ rpm. Perhaps to the author of the article, cycling of this type qualifies a rider as a "racer"?

Third, the flex comes from the sole of the shoe, not the pedal. Pedaling in sneakers causes the sole of the sneaker to flex. Not a problem if, again, you're riding around the block a couple of times, but over hours of cycling you end up wasting a lot of energy and possibly fatiguing your foot. 

Fourth, it is true that there is little truth the the contention that connecting your shoe to the pedal allows you to apply power throughout the pedaling cycle, but the connection does allow you to apply power during more of the pedaling cycle, which can increase efficiency. Try pushing over the top of the pedal rotation (11:00 to 1:00 or so on the pedaling circle), or lightening up on the pedal ("scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe", from 7:00 to 8:00 or so) while using a platform pedal. Your feet will be all over the place. Also, of course, with clip in pedals you aren't wasting energy trying to keep your foot on the pedal even if you're only pushing on the pedal between 2:00 and 6:00..

Fifth, there are few people who have a rigid connection to the pedal, there is almost always some play, so the argument about being able to shift the position of your foot on the pedal to use slightly different muscles and to avoid overuse injuries does not hold water.

Sixth, yes you can get your foot on slightly more easily after stopping, but have you ever had your foot slip off of a platform pedal when starting from a stop? Well I have, and it really hurts. At least with a cleated pedals you have a "click" to tell you when you're properly positioned on the pedal.

Etc.

In short, the article is garbage for high-mileage cyclists.





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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

D&MsDad said:


> In short, the article is garbage for high-mileage cyclists.


You mean... racers. :thumbsup:


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

D&MsDad said:


> In short, the article is garbage for high-mileage cyclists


Can't agree. Way back when, I rode a huge number of miles with sneakers on platforms. That includes cycling vacations taking me from Northern Germany over the Alps to Northern Italy in the company of others who (you guessed it) managed just fine with sneakers on platforms. We admired racers, but would have felt foolish (and would have been ridiculed) trying to imitate them.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

wim said:


> Can't agree. Way back when, I rode a huge number of miles with sneakers on platforms. That includes cycling vacations taking me from Northern Germany over the Alps to Northern Italy in the company of others who (you guessed it) managed just fine with sneakers on platforms. We admired racers, but would have felt foolish (and would have been ridiculed) trying to imitate them.


No one will claim you're feet will fall off riding on flats...I just feel few will condemn clipless or call it worth less/dangerous...


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

wim said:


> Can't agree. Way back when, I rode a huge number of miles with sneakers on platforms. That includes cycling vacations taking me from Northern Germany over the Alps to Northern Italy in the company of others who (you guessed it) managed just fine with sneakers on platforms. We admired racers, but would have felt foolish (and would have been ridiculed) trying to imitate them.


Did you read the article? D&M didn't say no one could do what you did with tennis shoes. He said the article is garbarge and I'm pretty sure you'd agree. 

If the author want to sing from the top of mountains his love for sneakers and platforms that's great. People can certainly enjoy riding that way.
But when he starts making false and just plain stupid claims about alternative choices in order to elevate his own preference then it becomes garbage. See tlg's post above for specifics.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Typetwelve said:


> No one will claim you're feet will fall off riding on flats...I just feel few will condemn clipless or call it worth less/dangerous...


Well yes, they're not worthless or dangerous. I loved them when I raced because they removed all fear of slipping off the pedal and allowed me divert energy used for stabilizing a non-attached foot on the pedal to better uses, like forward propulsion. 

I think the point Mr. Petersen makes is that you can enjoy bicycling immensely without using clipless pedals—something the sellers of expensive bicycle components and shoes really don't like to hear and will dispute to no end.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Grant is truly lost in his own (very) little world.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

cxwrench said:


> Grant is truly lost in his own (very) little world.


But you could also say that people who tool around at max 23 mph on their race bikes with clipless pedals are lost in their own little world. Just because there are so many of those doesn't mean they're not. And there's nothing wrong with either world—they are what they are.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

wim said:


> But you could also say that people who tool around at max 23 mph on their race bikes with clipless pedals are lost in their own little world. Just because there are so many of those doesn't mean they're not. And there's nothing wrong with either world—they are what they are.


They definitely are what they are, but his 'opinion' is in the very minor minority for how inflexible he is. I'd have no problem if Grant said "this is what I like, toe clips/straps, twine instead of tape, big tires, steel frames...try it/them and see what you think." But his whole way of saying most bike riders are fashion slaves is a little over the top. Hell, it may be true for a lot of people, but it's their choice and he really has no place saying a lot of the stuff he does. Especially when so much of it isn't even fact.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

mpre53 said:


> I love how he thinks that 18 mph is race speed, and that a pro would be spinning like a roadrunner at that level. :lol:


Maybe they're using a 34x28 combo? Racing on old school BMX.......maybe an '84 Hutch Prostar?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

When I first bumped into GP and some of the other people saying the same things, I was actually a little offended. I like to push myself and ride fast, on, and off-road. Where would I get bikes and gear for me?

The thing is that the majors are most concerned with making bikes for me. Especially now that I have a "real job." I don't need an advocate.

Way too many people let themselves be convinced they need, for example, clipless pedals for utility cycling. I think GP overstates his positions, but I think it's good for the community to have a couple people saying, "Hey wait, you don't need a Cervelo and a heart rate monitor to go buy groceries." Even if his company is based on fashion bikes.

FWIW, I set up my commute bikes with clips and straps and ride in whatever shoes. The bikes I ride for fun get clipless.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Just noticed a synonym for an informal shoe underlined and linked to an ad in one of my previous posts (#14). Wasn't me—don't know how and why this happened. Not cool, IMO.


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## Social Climber (Jan 16, 2013)

You have to read this piece in the context of the book, Just Ride, from which it is excerpted. The book is worth a read. In it, the author questions a lot of the cultishness, ritual and fashion surrounding cycling in general, with the overall theme being that we all focus too much on the rituals and fashion and gear and stuff instead of just going out and riding for its own sake, like when we were kids. Moreover, all this misplaced focus on fashion and ritual scares some people away from riding to begin with because it appears to be too difficult to get into (or they think they will look ridiculous doing it). 

Of course, the author is also the founder of Rivendell Bikes. Take a look at some of their product offerings and you can see for yourself where he is coming from.


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## mvk20 (Sep 30, 2013)

Thanks to everyone for the replies. What everyone had to say pretty much agrees with what I was thinking, I just wanted to see if I could get some perspective from people who have a lot more experience than me.

I think sometimes there's a real disconnect between what is the absolute best thing for performance vs. what works for people within their budgets and what they want to do with/on their bikes. My usual ride is 15-20 miles, and I like to go a fair bit further than that when I actually have the time to do it (which is not often). I like to keep my cadence in the right range, and doing that for an hour or more, it really feels like the clipless pedals help. On the other hand, I can see where for a jaunt out with the family, stopping for all kinds of stuff, yeah, the shoes would be overkill. But that comes once every 20 rides for me at this point, so I think doing what is best for the overwhelming majority of your rides is best. Hopefully I'll be getting a road bike in the not too distant future, move the pedals to that, throw the platforms back on the hybrid and relegate it to the family rides, which should get more frequent as my daughter gets older.

I guess my (long-winded) point is, it seems like so much of what you read is along the lines of, "you're wrong if you don't go clipless", or "you're wrong if you do go clipless" in this case. Really, it seems like neither viewpoint is appropriate - that everybody should do what works best for the bulk of their riding based on the budget they have, and when more budget becomes available dedicate it to what would allow you to do something better or different, whatever is most pressing at that stage in your riding.

Thanks again for the feedback - it was really helpful in getting a grip on the advantages of going clipless in a more thoughtful way than just, "it's better."


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

mvk20 said:


> Thanks to everyone for the replies. What everyone had to say pretty much agrees with what I was thinking, I just wanted to see if I could get some perspective from people who have a lot more experience than me.
> 
> I think sometimes there's a real disconnect between what is the absolute best thing for performance vs. what works for people within their budgets and what they want to do with/on their bikes. My usual ride is 15-20 miles, and I like to go a fair bit further than that when I actually have the time to do it (which is not often). I like to keep my cadence in the right range, and doing that for an hour or more, it really feels like the clipless pedals help. On the other hand, I can see where for a jaunt out with the family, stopping for all kinds of stuff, yeah, the shoes would be overkill. But that comes once every 20 rides for me at this point, so I think doing what is best for the overwhelming majority of your rides is best. Hopefully I'll be getting a road bike in the not too distant future, move the pedals to that, throw the platforms back on the hybrid and relegate it to the family rides, which should get more frequent as my daughter gets older.
> 
> ...


The choice is individual and like you say, there is no right or wrong.

I will say this (unless I did earlier...too lazy to backtrack), of all of the riders I've seen go clipless...all have liked it. Off the top of my head, I've never heard of anyone trying it, disliking it and going back to flats. I think that for most...the deciding factor is fear. Fear of falling, fear of not being able to disengage in an emergency. Once you spend time on them you figure it out that it isnt a big deal...I've fallen in clipless 3 times and all three were coming to a stop. No high speeds, no crisis. Slow, silly topple over fall because I leaned to the wrong side. I walked away each time with a small scrape on my brake lever and a bruised ego. If that's all that happens due tot he switch, it's worth it for how I feel riding clipped in.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Social Climber said:


> You have to read this piece in the context of the book, Just Ride, from which it is excerpted.


True. Though really you have to read it in the context of Grant Petersen's decades of pushing these slightly off-center views. He overstates things often, and I don't know anyone who agrees with everything he says, but he's a useful counter to a lot of stuff that comes from style and marketing -- he makes you think about it.

FWIW, I ride with clipless pedals most of the time, and I think they are one of the two real qualitative advances (along with integrated brake/shift levers) in road bikes in the last 30 or 40 years. But sometimes I ride in sneakers, or dress shoes, or even flip-flops. It's all good.

Edit after reviewing the article: He does make some really disingenuous, bogus arguments in that piece. In particular, he makes zero mention of the safety advantage of being attached to the pedal when you stand up. That's not a "rare circumstance."


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Social Climber said:


> *You have to read this piece in the context of the book, Just Ride, from which it is excerpted*.


Unless the context is a parody or satire I totally disagree with that.

Incorrect information is incorrect in any context. Most of what he says about clipless is total BS and only serves to show he has never used them and the info. is a product of his imagination or he has a bone to pick with clipless pedals (which would be really odd) and has resorted to making stuff up to convert people to his fight against them. I can't think of any context other than a parody or satire in which the context would make that BS seem okay.


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## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Most of what he says about clipless is total BS


Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don't think you can argue with the facts that platform pedals are easier at stoplights, easier to walk in than clipless road pedals, and that most of the world uses platform pedals (just not RBR members!)


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

seacoaster said:


> Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don't think you can argue with the facts that platform pedals are easier at stoplights, easier to walk in than clipless road pedals, and that most of the world uses platform pedals (just not RBR members!)


No I wouldn't argue those points nor do I know what they have to do with the price of tea in the context of what has been said. I know I'm not and I don't think anyone else is arguing his "opinion" but is pointing out his "facts" are greatly exaggerated to just plain wrong.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

seacoaster said:


> Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I don't think you can argue with the facts that platform pedals are easier at stoplights.


Riding a trike is easier than riding a bike. Trikes don't fall over at stoplights, yet hardly anyone rides them. "Easier" is a relative term.



> easier to walk in than clipless road pedals


Not a valid argument since clipless pedals come in the mountain bike variety. I can run perfectly fine in mine. Ironically, the author doesn't mention them as a valid alternative. Obviously since it doesn't support his biased opinion. Heck, you can get MTB shoes that look like sneakers. Perfect for the commuter.



> and that most of the world uses platform pedals (just not RBR members!)


Poor argument. If we're talking about "most", I bet most of the world doesn't have gears on their bikes. Shall we argue against the use of gears since most don't use them? 

If you look at cyclists around the world who regularly ride over 20mi at a time, I bet you'll find "most" are using clipless pedals.


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## SpeedNeeder (Aug 19, 2013)

As a cycling n00b I have read some about this subject!
FYI I'm currently still riding the plastic 'test pedals' that came with my road bike. 
I'm sure I will try clipless one day. 
As far as should you or shouldn't you? I keep coming back to this - everyone riding in races is using them. 
Does that mean you can only benefit from them if you are a racer? I can't say for sure, but I do know that the thing I like about riding is going fast, so maybe I am a racer, I just don't have any opponents! Lol.


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

SpeedNeeder said:


> As a cycling n00b I have read some about this subject!
> FYI I'm currently still riding the plastic 'test pedals' that came with my road bike.
> I'm sure I will try clipless one day.
> As far as should you or shouldn't you? I keep coming back to this - everyone riding in races is using them.
> Does that mean you can only benefit from them if you are a racer? I can't say for sure, but I do know that the thing I like about riding is going fast, so maybe I am a racer, I just don't have any opponents! Lol.


Do you ever ride in the rain/wet road conditions? Ever experience your feet slipping off those slick plastic pedals when you do? Do you pedal on the arch of your foot instead of where you should, the ball of your foot? Do you ever stand on your pedals to climb? Do you pedal faster than a 40-50 bpm cadence? What is "fast" to you?

Clipless pedals won't make you faster. Where most cyclists get their benefits from are foot retention in wet conditions and spinning a faster cadence, proper foot position on the pedals (once your cleats are set correctly), the ability to pull on the pedal when standing and climbing, and developing good pedaling form. Cages and straps can help, but unless you're using them the way they should be used (slotted pedals to accept a cleat, and straps cinched tight) they won't be as efficient in these areas as clipless. They may be marginally easier to get out of with loose strap tenson, but they are much harder to get into after a stop. I've tried all 3 ways. I stopped using platforms when my left foot slipped off the pedal while standing on a climb, and I gashed my leg. I used cages and straps for many years. Once I tried clipless, I was sold. By the way---I've also fallen using all 3 types of pedals, too.

Also, unlike cages and tight straps, clipless pedals are designed to release on impact in a fall or crash. And during the fall, your feet will be securely on the pedal, and not flying out to the side which could result in a broken ankle if you land the wrong way.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

SpeedNeeder said:


> As far as should you or shouldn't you? I keep coming back to this - everyone riding in races is using them.
> Does that mean you can only benefit from them if you are a racer? I can't say for sure, but I do know that the thing I like about riding is going fast, so maybe I am a racer, I just don't have any opponents! Lol.


Everyone riding in races has multiple gears on their bike. Surely you can ride a bike without all those gears (millions of people do). Does that mean you only benefit from gears if you are a racer?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

SpeedNeeder said:


> As a cycling n00b I have read some about this subject!
> FYI I'm currently still riding the plastic 'test pedals' that came with my road bike.
> I'm sure I will try clipless one day.
> As far as should you or shouldn't you? I keep coming back to this - everyone riding in races is using them.
> Does that mean you can only benefit from them if you are a racer? I can't say for sure, but I do know that the thing I like about riding is going fast, so maybe I am a racer, I just don't have any opponents! Lol.


Cycling fashion is usually driven by racers. Now and then some other group will make an impact, like messengers in the early 2000s. But most of the time, it's racers.

I agree with the idea that racing isn't the only kind of cycling. I also think people shouldn't confuse racing and events like Centuries. I think a lot of us stand to benefit by thinking about what it is we actually like about cycling. (Bear in mind that you go a lot faster in your car.)

Along with not using clipless pedals on my commuter, I typically have that bike set up with a rack and fenders, wider tires, and higher handlebars. If they weren't so expensive, I'd leave lights on my commute bikes full-time. I sometimes have bells on them. When I was in college, I insisted on riding with SPD shoes. It's true that there are casual MTB shoes available for commuting etc., but frankly I think they suck; toe clips and whatever shoes are really more practical for me, once I gave myself permission to be a little dowdier.

I think (for all his overstatements) there's something very positive to be gained from GP: he pushes us to ask ourselves why we're riding and whether or not we really need all the racer-driven bits and pieces of technology that almost the entire industry pushes on us. While my answer has typically been, "yes," my commute bikes have gotten less and less "race" over time and I think there's a big chunk of the bike riding population who are happier riding comfort bikes, cruisers, old crappy mountain bikes, etc., go on rides that start and end in different places, bring groceries home, etc. I also think that something is being lost with the increasingly tight clearances and lack of mounting points on most major manufacturers' road bikes. If only Rivendell's bikes weren't so expensive...


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