Clipless pedals

[dom_]

Who uses them?

I have just been converted! Oh the joy.
Went for a long ride today and it was brilliant, so much more effecient working different muscles too. Only fell over once without unclipping but
once i was used to it it soon became second nature.

I am using some generic shimano ones at the moment but i am eyeing up the lovely crank bros egg beaters

[BigPoppaJNutZ]

I might have to try those out...

You really like them? How easy is the disconnect?

[dom_]

Originally Posted by BigPoppaJNutZ

I might have to try those out...

You really like them? How easy is the disconnect?

Very easy, you just twist your foot 15degrees.
The hardest part is clipping in. People said i should try it without looking at my feet. after 4/5 times i was doing it without thinking about it.

[notatoad]

yeah, clipless are awesome. more power, more control, and easier to get in and out of than toeclips. if you bike in mud much you should ditch those shimano pedals asap. eggbeaters are pretty nice, they are good if you want something nice and light, but they are not the strongest things. i'm using time atac pedals, they are simply amazing. no matter how much mud gets jammed into my shoes they still work great, and they are incredibly easy to clip in and out of. incredibly durable, too. i wear out the metal on a pair of cleats every summer, and after 10yrs of riding i'm only on my second set of pedals.

[Matticus]

HAHAHA sorry when I read this all I could think was when my dads clips messed up on his road bike. Not exactly sure what happened but he got on clipped in, stopped and couldnt unclip and just fell over to one side. I was just like in the cartoons.

Anyway those peds look incredably cool.

[Cptn-Inafinus]

I LOVE MALLETS!!!

I have been running clip-less pedals since I was about 12, and I am never ever ever going back!

On Fort Bill, they stopped me just being killed. They are the most godly creation for cycling ever. Ever.

I also recommend anything from Crank-Brother's. Their clipping system is the most efficient and easy too use I have ever experienced. Plus, they look the dogs!

[ChromeX]

I really dont get it. Why would you want to use these? Whats wrong with normal pedals?

[Firehed]

I've had clipless for quite some time, though I don't get to biking a whole lot anymore. I definitely need a new pair of biking shoes for exactly that reason. They are awesome though.

[notatoad]

@chromex - your feet slip off them. and you can't get any power from pulling up on the back half of the cycle, only from pushing the pedal down toward the ground.

[johnnyboy700]

Another benifit from using clip in pedals is that if you buy the correct shoes to go with them then its not only more efficient use of your pedaling effort but they are considerably more comfortable as well. Proper shoes will have either a mid or full sole stiffener to stop your foot from flexing and provide support across the width of your foot plus if you set up the cleat postion correctly it helps keep your foot in the ideal position to transfer your effort in the most efficient direction.
Want an example? Look at the next dozen cyclists you see in your local town/city centre who don't use clips or straps on their pedals and its highly likely that they will have the pedal under their instep (i.e. just in front of their heel) where as the most efficient position is under the ball of your foot. Another benifit which you won't actually notice until you try to pedal with soft shoes and normal pedals after using the clips for a while. I tried it and it was like pedaling in your bare feet (give it a go if you've never tried, its not very nice) as I didn't really appreciate just how much support you get from the set up.

[RTT]

I use Time Atacs Although I quite fancy some egg beaters...

edit: i use these

Whats wrong with normal pedals?

Everything, as johnny said.

[Jipa]

I prefer my beefy flat pedals. I think there's still blood on the spikes after my foot decided to miss the pedal and I skilfully used my shin instead... I'm really worried about all sorts of lock pedals, I'm sure I would fail miserably and helplessly tip over all the time.

[gar]

Originally Posted by Matticus

HAHAHA sorry when I read this all I could think was when my dads clips messed up on his road bike. Not exactly sure what happened but he got on clipped in, stopped and couldnt unclip and just fell over to one side. I was just like in the cartoons.

Anyway those peds look incredably cool.

Sometimes this happens when the cleats are excessivly worn. Are they Shimano? What year are they?

[Lian Li Lover]

The only problem with eggbeaters is that because they have such a tiny surface area, they put quite a bit of stress on parts of the sole of the shoe and can damage them.
Really want some Candy C's though (in pink).

[Jamie]

RTT is always overtaking me on the steep hills because he's got twice the pedaling power with his clipless over my flats.

[will.]

I am mightily confusilated....

To me, those 'clipless' pedals look like one big clip!

Wikipedia explained.

I have a half'n'half pedal. I can clip in should I wish, but on the steep down bits I hate been clipped in. It makes the falling off bit more painful. But the pedal is still a proper pedal so I can still stand on it fine.

Funny story in fact! My dad was just getting used to clipping in and one day in the dales we were coming up to a gate, so I jumped off and started to open the gate, I turned round to see my dad upside down sliding - in a comically slow fashion - head first into a ditch full of muddy water. Not being able to unclip he had simply toppled over. I had to drag him out using the wheels of his bike because he was still attached! The rest of the ride he looked like a minstrel

[Matticus]

Originally Posted by gar

Sometimes this happens when the cleats are excessivly worn. Are they Shimano? What year are they?

I think they where shimano actually, but I also think the whole pedal/shoe arrangment was completly new.

I dont know what he is using now, but he hasn't had any problems since then.

I personally dont use them because I don't go out on my bike enough, and when I do its more of a leisurly ride around. Also I dont think they would go too well with my BMX, could be bloody good if I definatly wasn't going to come off, but I don't think I could unclip in mid air and kick my bike out of the way so I dont get impaled by it.

[Tomm]

Yeah, I always use (Shimano) spds for XC. I do like the look of the Egg Beaters but I give my pedals a battering and I'm not convinced they'd hold up. Shimano ones are just cheap and work brilliantly. I've been running the same ones (PD-M520 -0 the cheap ones) for 18 months with no problems at all.

For me, the biggest advantage of clipless pedals in general is that they put your foot in the right place on the pedal, all the time. Riding flats on DH, I always struggle to get a comfortable position and it bugs me. Obviously they're more efficient too. In fact there's loads of reasons to use them, and very few not to use them.

Originally Posted by Jamie

RTT is always overtaking me on the steep hills because he's got twice the pedaling power with his clipless over my flats.

That'll be it

[thecrownles]

Haha. I have clipless pedals, but my bike shoes have become too small for my feet, so I have been riding my bike around campus using small shimano clipless pedals as flats! I've actually gone for some rides as long as 8 miles like that. Not the best ever.

[Brett89]

I've got an old(87 or so) Peugeot bike with a light alu frame, and old school metal loops with leather straps for the pedals. I love that bike.