why clipless pedals

In very simple terms, it allow you to "pull up" on the pedal with the foot that is not pushing down on the opposite pedal.

Simultaneously, you are pulling up on the right pedal with the right foot, as you are pushing down on the left pedal with the left foot.

It makes it much easier to "pedal in circles" rather than the metaphorical "up and down" motion that many people seem to pedal with.

It is one thing that does make a significant difference (IMO).

I have toe clips that came on the road bike. I will at some point (when I can ride 13mi in ~30min) get shoes and pedal clips, to increase my efficiency and lower my times to a point where I am very competitive rather than just being "good".

In the simplest terms, it increases your pedaling efficiency (i.e. increases power, etc).

For a beginner or someone that is biking 13mi in 40+ minutes, this is likely not a real concern, but as you advance, every advantage increases in importance (as in all sports).

Edited by TripleThreat 2003-12-03 8:54 AM

Mate once you use clipless you wont go back. TT has more or less said it all. I have LOOK clipless pedals, and a pair of SIDI Tri shoes. They take a bit of getting used too, just a tip be careful comming up to a set of lights during training rides, if you dont unclip you end up on the deck !!!!! One thing to remember if you get them is to go to a bike shop and get fitted with your bike. I rearly makes a difference, and you get better results

Craig

I agree with all the that has been said, but it really made me feel as part of the bike. Once you get settled in, it is great!

Still Tri'n,
Michael

I agree with what everyone else have said. The only debate for me is whether or not the cycling shoes gain enough efficiency in short Tri's to justify wearing them. By only putting on one pair of shoes rather than switching twice, you actually gain time. I am sure the break even point depends on the individual and personal preference. My trainsitions aren't what they should be, so if I run a sprint I will probably wear my running shoes and clips. Anything further and I will wear cycling shoes.

Clipless pedals are just better in every way to platform pedals and toe clips. They are more comfortable because your foot is always positioned properly on the pedal. They are more efficient because there is no looseness in the contact between your foot and the pedal and power is transferred directly to the drive train. They are safer than platforms because you can slip off platforms when you hit a bump or when they are wet. They are safer than toe clips also because you do have to bend over to release the toe straps when you come to a stop. One word of warning: if you ever ride clipless, you will never ride platforms or toe clips again.

cadence is also super important when youre riding - and to create a smooth cadence with 90-100 rpms youd need to be able to push down and sweep your foot back through the bottom of the pedal rotation - ie - from about 5 o'clock to 8'oclock. clipless pedals will increase your speed and efficiency in a big way, preventing you from pulling your foot out on the smoothing portion of the pedal stroke. a high cadence is also significant for tri's bc youre using your cardio system to power you instead of your pushing big gears and relying on power ( ie - lance's cadence vs jan ullrich's), which is important when you get to the run. the rhythm from bike to run translates nicely from 90 rpms to your running stride. if youre pushing a bigger gear at 70 rpms you wont come off the bike and into the run as fast bc your muscles are used to the slower cadence and theyll feel much more drained from turning a heavier gear.

pushing a bigger gear builds power - which is good. most cycling coaches wld prob debate what a big gear wld be in relation to cadence. i dont like spinning less that 75 - 80 rpms bc after that point you notice a significant decay in your technique and rhythm. if you get a chance go out and ride a steady 1 mile climb at 100 rpms and then ride it at 80 rpms. big diff in how the legs feel at the top. i wld suggest 95+ as a standard cadence and 75 - 80 rpms as a good range for building power. hill repeat intervals are the easiest way to work on power. if you have wattage it makes this much easier but either way its very helpful. all you need is a 1 mile plus climb (at least 5 mins of riding). start with 3 reps of 5 mins and find a gear you can turn at about 80 rpms. building power is important and something that you can def work on during the off season in combination with strength training sessions in the gym. remember that when you arent doing these reps you want to be spinning 95+. some people dont like spinning bc they bounce around in the saddle - that just means you need a proper bike fit.

Thanks for the great info riggler. BTW, how are you measuring cadence? A special bike computer? If so, what do you recommend? Thanks again.

The cheapest (and most basic) bike computer that I found that measures cadence is the Cateye Astrale. I bought last years model (Astrale 7) because it has rear wheel speed pickup which works nice for trainer rides. I think I paid close to $30 for a new one on ebay. I believe the Astrale 8 has a front wheel pickup. I know that the Sigma sport (BC 1400 buyit now new for $19.95) also has a pretty cheap computer with cadence, but I don't have experience with this one. The Astrale 7 doesn't keep the average or cadence, but displays instanteous. In roadbikereview.com some reported problems with the Astrale 7 having problems when it got wet, but I haven't had my bike outside in the weather. The 500 miles that I have used this computer it has worked fine.

Edited by clightle 2003-12-18 10:02 AM

Thanks once again Craig for the help. I will look into this once I get my new bike (supposed to be here tomorrow!)

I just count them myself randomly.

When you're on a ride, just look at your watch, when a new minute starts starting couting revolutions, when the minute ends stop counting and there's your cadence.

After a few times you can guess your cadence (like HR training).

You can also just use 6 seconds and then add a zero. Not quite as accurate as the whole minute but easier to keep track of where you are while riding.

the powertap has a cadence function which is cool. i think some of the new polars also have a cadence function. the astrale 7 wld prob work okay as well, anything that has a crank arm monitor - and as triple threat stated its fairly easy to count cadence in 6 or 10 second sets, when youre on a climb at least - prob not a great idea if youre going downhill after you get your bike set up you should just start counting cadence at a few points on a ride so you can an idea of what you avg. then you can focus on spinning a bit more which should be very helpful come tri time. cheers

Thanks for all the tips. Unfortunately I got a new Polar before I start biking. For $50 more I could have gotten the Polar (S710) with all bike functionality including cadence. I did a 30 sec count this morning to see. I will see what the price difference is to add cadence to computer when get new bike in. I used recumbent bike inside today (since cold for me today) and lowered the resistance to spin at a higher cadence. I usually go about 14mph at higher resistance and went 18mph today. It is a different feel than using leg strength to power.

Edited by cameronw 2003-12-19 6:39 AM

Got to ride my new bike (felt road bike) Sat with clipless pedals and what a difference! Hit 22mph for 15mins on US1 with just moderate effort before had to turn down to river road. The price diff for bike comp with and without cadence was $15 so got the cadence function (Cat's Eye brand).

BTW, how do you guys secure the sensors and wires for the comp to frame. It came with ties, but this seems less secure like it might slide over time?

cameron - the plastic ties that usually come with bike cpu's should work. i just put powertap on my tt bike and used 3 ties on my top tube and 2 to secure the device to the rear seat stay. just be careful when you route the wires around your break cables and leave a little bit of slack. if you use a few ties on the top tube or down tube you should be fine and the wires should stay in place. i usually check them before each ride to make sure nothing is hanging too much. congrats on the new bike - sounds like youve really got your groove on now - very nice.

Thanks Rob. I will just watch it and see. I did buy some white elec tape (bike is white) in case I need it. The cadence sensor wire sometimes hangs near crank and will have to tape that underneath.

cameron - if you want you can loosely use the plastic ties - ie - not tightened all the way but almost - the wire will be able to sit in the area where the tie buckle is w/o getting pinched. you can put these on your off side chain stay to keep the wire from hanging down too much and also on the down tube near the bottom bracket and above and below the water bottle cage. you really shouldnt have to use white tape on your new ride! hope youre enjoying the new bike. cheers - rob

Thanks Rob. I did this and just a little piece of tape where wire hanging near pedal.

Putting on socks for the cycling part of a tri is really up to the indvidual. Myself, I am a cyclist, therefore, my forte is cyclist. That being the case, I want my feet to feel as comfortable as possible and that means putting on socks prior to getting onto onto my bike. Whatever few seconds I may lose by putting on a pair of socks will be more than offset by the fact that I can ride at my optimum level. This may work for me; it may not not for you.

Edited by Machiavelo 2003-12-27 5:24 PM

I agree with Machiavelo about the socks. I would say this is especially true when you are talking about longer races. Of course I don't run without socks either. Considering roughly 3/4 of the time in a race is out of the water and about 1/2 of the is on the bike(for me), I always(2 tris so far) wear socks. This advice comes from someone with T1 times of 4:11(a little chatting and stripping of a wetsuit)(T1 time 10/11 in age group) and 2:32(no wetsuit, no clothes change(trisuit), chatting only when gearing up) (T1 time 9/12 in age group). Obviously I need to work some on the transitions...ehhehehe.