Ohh new bike shop.

I think some retail therapy will help your aching back

I have had the same thought as to whether in a sprint tri I can really make up the changing shoe time by going from clips and running shoes to clipless. I'm gonna stay with the former for now and watch for end of the season sales later on!

I've read that, far and away, going to clipless pedals is the highest return in efficiency that you get for each dollar spent. Second place, but a long way behind, was aerobars.

Once you go clipless, you won't go back.

As a newbie...especially to road biking (used to be a bmx'er as a kid), what are the advantages of clipless pedals?

this is completely unscientific, of course and I would be interested in hearing the thoughts of the more experienced bikers and what they have to say but for me...

I find I get more power with clipless...don't have to worry about my feet slipping out and can just grind if I have to...I know my feet will stay on the pedals...

clipless with bike shoes...not as bulky either....and when climbing sometimes I tend to shift my foot forward so no chance of scraping or tripping on myself.

downside...you go clipless...you gonna fall off at least once, not being able clip out in time as you come to a stop, sitting on your bike, etc. It comes with the territory. If anyone tells you they ain't ever tipped in clips...they be lying, my friend....

It's a judgement call...takes a couple rides to get used to them but they're worth it for me.

Besides...and this is sooooooooo vain...there's something about having the clips, the bike shoes, the bike gear...I just feeeeeel fast!



Edited by crpadiem 2004-07-13 7:07 PM

Hey, I can get with that...you can't play good if you don't look good!

Pedals let you use a LOT more of your pedal stroke, a whole circle rather than just the downward stroke, especially at the top and bottom of the circle, and to a lesser degree, the back (upward) part of the stroke. Lot more efficiently than toe clips.

I've got Looks on my roadie and Speedplay on my tri-bike. The speedplay's are very cool and much easier to enter and exit.

I second Speedplay. They are great. Just hope you never have to walk in your shoes, The cleats are bigger than others.

I'm a total newbie, but I SWEAR that my first big ride was great due to my Look pedals. You can totally push through every stroke on the pedal. And really the T2 time wasn't that bad-mine was 2:21 which was for my first tri ever. And if you go really elite, you can start T1 with the shoes on the bike, and strap in once you are riding. go hard core!!!

Totally unscientific response here. I've only done one tri but I love my clipless system. I agree with the others but also I FEEL like, since I use more of my leg on the bike (being able to work with the upstroke as well as the downstroke) I saved my legs for the run. No burning quads!
Ginny

I bought new toe clips, but we just moved and they're in a box somewhere waiting to be found. I did my first run-bike-run with the local tri club last night on my hybrid bike with knobby tires and the pedals that it came with. By mile 3 on the bike I was really wishing I had at least the toe clips. By mile 5 I knew the knobbies were going by the weekend. But at least now I know I can do it.

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"Daddy go running, get all wet and stinky."

Well, bike shoes are much stiffer than running shoes.....which means that your foot isn't flexing during your pedal stroke. I don't like clips. My feet cramp up. The other part of that is what everyone else said about using the whole stroke.

I suspect you'll find a big difference in switching. I have Looks (actually, really old Shimano-branded Looks) and the new Shimanos. I really like them. The anti-skid pads on the new cleats are awesome. Just do it!!!!!!! ;-)