General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals? Rss Feed  
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2009-07-09 10:07 AM

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Subject: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
I've noticed a lot of races have their shoes already clipped to the pedals for quicker transitions but I'm not able to figure out how they keep them upright so they can easily get their feet in on the bike.
I'd like to practice this before my sprint in a few weeks so any input is appreciated


2009-07-09 10:19 AM
in reply to: #2272817

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
something about rubber bands, I think.

(I'm not coordinated enough to try this !)
2009-07-09 10:21 AM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Wow...I got in before Rick (Daremo). He'll tell you not to

I use a rubber band on the heel loop of the left shoe to keep it upright. The right shoe I catch as it comes to the top. Not hard at all, but do practice.
2009-07-09 10:23 AM
in reply to: #2272817

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
there is a good video on the site about transitions, and using ruber bands to hold your shoes in the right place. Once you begin to pedal, the bands break and off you go.....
2009-07-09 10:23 AM
in reply to: #2272817

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?

I just learned how to do this.  Feed a thin rubber band through the loop on the back of your shoe and then attach it to the quick release on the back tire. 

Its covered in this video.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1488

 

 

2009-07-09 10:25 AM
in reply to: #2272899

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?

Tongue outTongue out

In the extremely rare instances where I have, I just leave them dangling.  No need to create uneccessary problems by having them strapped in and you are supposed to be racing "green" which means no broken rubber bands strewn all over the mount line.  Gotta save the environment, even more of a reason NOT to keep your shoes clipped in!



2009-07-09 10:45 AM
in reply to: #2272817

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Unless you are really going for a blazing T time and you practice it a lot, it can be problematic for a lot of folks. However, in a race with a long run to the mount line, it can be much faster. I just leave them dangling in the pedals and flip them upright with my feet when I get on the bike. I clip in for 99% of my races.
2009-07-09 11:40 AM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Here is a question: do you ever worry about your shoes dangling after the DISMOUNT? I have just started doing this at races....at one point I was practicing and the shoes were just dragging across the ground...one caught on something and clipped out. I suppose there is no remedy for this...just bad luck. But any thoughts?
2009-07-09 1:54 PM
in reply to: #2273208

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
JohnAgs3 - 2009-07-09 11:40 AM

Here is a question: do you ever worry about your shoes dangling after the DISMOUNT? I have just started doing this at races....at one point I was practicing and the shoes were just dragging across the ground...one caught on something and clipped out. I suppose there is no remedy for this...just bad luck. But any thoughts?


Yes, they will bounce and spin and can fall off. If they are all spastic, I reach down and steady them.
2009-07-09 1:54 PM
in reply to: #2273208

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
JohnAgs3 - 2009-07-09 9:40 AM Here is a question: do you ever worry about your shoes dangling after the DISMOUNT? I have just started doing this at races....at one point I was practicing and the shoes were just dragging across the ground...one caught on something and clipped out. I suppose there is no remedy for this...just bad luck. But any thoughts?



In the process of practicing this for my last race I tried it several times on the road and found that my shoes came out of my clips EVERY time.  However,  I have Speedplay "frogs" and this is not a traditional road or TT type of pedal (I happened to have them and they are light weight and have worked so didn't see a need to pay for other pedals until now).  I am considering switching to a more traditional type of pedal so that this is an option for me.

So far I have cliped in at each race and I agree with Daremo that the difference is probably very small.  However, I have also noticed that I think I would find more benefit of leaving my shoes on the bike after riding and not necessarily having them on the bike before riding.  Also, I believe for long transitions having them on the bike would be helpful.

Does anyone else have these issues with other more traditional pedals and if so, what kind of pedals?

Michael
2009-07-09 1:57 PM
in reply to: #2273730

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
2xtreme - 2009-07-09 1:54 PM
So far I have cliped in at each race and I agree with Daremo that the difference is probably very small. 


Well, the difference is very much real, there's a reason all the ITU guys and pro's do this.


2009-07-09 2:06 PM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
I should be more clear with my comment    I think for "most" people the difference is small and there are many other things that could be of greater value to work on saving time.  I also believe that the choice to clip in or start with shoes on the bike is as much a race specific decision as a time savings decision.

Michael
2009-07-09 2:09 PM
in reply to: #2273738

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Actually, all the pros don't do it .......... and I've done races where the RD simply did not allow it.

In the ITU, of course they are fighting for micro-seconds.  At that level every single one of them is competing for the win and they ride in a pack and missing the pack can be a disaster so they need to be as fast as possible.  If you get out in the pack, you can d-ck with your shoes all you want because you have the draft to pull you along.  Even after running 31 minute 10k splits these guys/gals are still falling over at the line two or three side by side to win sometimes.

No one here is racing ITU.  And very few here have even remotely enough experience to do what they do.  And I would bet money that any time someone THINKS they are making up getting out of transition 10 seconds faster than someone else that he other person will easily make that time up on the bike by getting up to speed faster.  For the average triathlete who doesn't do it on a daily basis, faster T1 one time, slower bike split.

Edited by Daremo 2009-07-09 2:11 PM
2009-07-09 2:15 PM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?

I don't use anything to secure mine either.  To me it's a waste of time and energy. I just let my shoes dangle down.  I have had farily fast T times on both ends.  The way I look at it when you come off the bike with your shoes still clipped in you don't have the rubber bands, so why would you do it on the way out of T1?  If they start bounding like crazy just pick up the back end of the bike a little and your fine.   Keep running and let them spin eventually they will stop.

I have never had a problem with ensecured shoes to my bike. 

2009-07-09 2:24 PM
in reply to: #2272817

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Appreciate all the feedback on this one.  I'm thinking it's worth practicing for races where maybe there's a lengthy run from T1 to the bike mount line.  I have nothing to compare to yet but I know in the CapTX this year it seemed to take forever to get to the mount line, especially since my bike was racked at the far end of the transition area, and running it in my bike shoes was awkward and a little painful.  WOuld have rather run it barefoot and worried about the shoes after I'd mounted which is what got me thinking about this.  I'll have to see where the transitions are relative to mount line for my sprint and the Longhorn
2009-07-09 2:44 PM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Daremo - 2009-07-09 2:09 PM

Actually, all the pros don't do it .......... and I've done races where the RD simply did not allow it.  For the average triathlete who doesn't do it on a daily basis, faster T1 one time, slower bike split.


MOST pro's do. And for sure and RD or even WTC often does not allow, and like I said, if you are not proficient at it, don't do it. But is IS faster when done right.


2009-07-09 3:44 PM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
bryancd - 2009-07-09 1:44 PM

Daremo - 2009-07-09 2:09 PM

Actually, all the pros don't do it .......... and I've done races where the RD simply did not allow it. For the average triathlete who doesn't do it on a daily basis, faster T1 one time, slower bike split.


MOST pro's do. And for sure and RD or even WTC often does not allow, and like I said, if you are not proficient at it, don't do it. But is IS faster when done right.



if done correctly, as said, it is faster.

my last sprint race, i had slower swim, slower run, and tied for 1st bike, and won the race by about 40 sec due to transitions being faster than the guy right behind me.

getting off the bike like this is pretty much always faster even if you are not great at it, getting on takes some serious practice and good bike handling to do well. you need to be able to get fully up to speed quickly, and be able to get your feet in on a the first try, no fumbling.

for me, i dont even use my hands to get the shoes on, simply stick my toes in and push my feet in that way.
2009-07-09 3:49 PM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Oh I always take them off before getting into T2.  That is super easy and I don't even break my cadence much.  I don't disagree with that at all.
2009-07-09 7:00 PM
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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?
Don't leave them dangling if you can help it.  I've seen far too many people loose their shoes in transition becasue the shoe gets caught on the ground and unclips.  They then have to stop, pick it up, put it on their foot and this just cloggs up transition.  It just so happens to occur most of the time at the mount line.   With that said, I use the rubber band for T1 and yes, leave them dangling for T2.  I figure, if the shoe pops off, I may or may not pick it up.  Depends on the traffic.  It will most likely just get kicked to the side where I can pick it up at the end of  the race.
2009-07-09 10:00 PM
in reply to: #2273208

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Subject: RE: How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals?

JohnAgs3 - 2009-07-09 12:40 PM Here is a question: do you ever worry about your shoes dangling after the DISMOUNT? I have just started doing this at races....at one point I was practicing and the shoes were just dragging across the ground...one caught on something and clipped out. I suppose there is no remedy for this...just bad luck. But any thoughts?

In my last race, one of my shoes just unclipped after dismounting... next time I'm planning on tightening the pedals for the race. A volunteer just threw me the shoe so I could go on, not that big of a deal!

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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How do you keep shoes upright clipped to pedals? Rss Feed