Mountain Biking - clipless pedals?

OK, dumb question here. Are clipless pedals really worth it? I have a new MTB and I am mostly just riding it to work and around some logging roads in the mountains near my home. I was going to get toe clips and keep seeing clipless pedals and thinking hmmmmm, maybe there is something to that. I don't want to have to change shoes when I get to work is the only thing. A backpack carrying shoes and all my other garbage would annoy me. What do you all think I should do?:confused:

Use toe clips.

you could always keep your work shoes in a locker at work and switch when you get there. assuming you have a locker or some place to store them. i went clipless 2 monthes ago and love them.

I think the whole Toe Clips/Clipless Pedals terminology is a little confusing. Whenever I hear the word toe clips, I think of clipless pedals because when I use the CPs, I think of clipping in to the pedals. Maybe its just me.

Ok, I am going to go to bed now... :o

Dave

I use toe clips. I can wear regular shoes and can react quicker when needed. They're cheaper too and may provide more stability since your foot has a solid platform to rest on. I don't think you'll get more speed out of a clipless vs. using toe clips.

Kathy

Use your present setup until you are comfortable with your bike then change to clipless. They are much more energy efficent as you can pull back on the pedal stroke. I use a spd type as it gives me a platform of sorts and I wear shoes that I can actually walk in.
Your comment about not wanting to change shoes is a bit odd as the staps will cause wear and damage to your shoe over time. Also you dont want to keep on shoes you sweat in during your commute...let em air out ...change shoes. Clipless is faster in an emergency once you are used to them. I have ridden both systems and its alot easier to get hung up with straps. When you change to clipless just be sure to do it at your local LBS as they should as mine did set you up right and put your bike in a stand to give you time to clip and up clip without falling over.

Ride safe...Dudley

Sweaty socks all day. Icky, yucky and bacterially disgusting. You'll want to change shoes and socks after your commute regardless. I'm not familiar with SPD clips but the toe clips I use are strapless. I'm not sure what they're called but they're open plastic jobs that curve over the toe. Pretty cheap at $12 and I haven't fallen over yet but then again I've only been using them (and the bike they're attached to) for a total of a couple of days.

You do get more speed with some type of clip system because as the last poster said, you get power from both legs at all times. Also, they're safer than nothing at all if you really spin or hammer. My foot has slipped off a non-clipped pedal many times. Luckily, not at a critical moment as an adult but once I went tumbling down a bridge as a kid that way. I hate bridges.

Kathy

I have been clipless for two years and will never, ever go back! I tell everyone I know to get the clipless pedals, for several reasons:

1. As previously stated in this thread, more power on each stroke

2. Safer. I've twisted my ankle trying to get out of toe clips, but never (once I got used to them) had trouble getting out of clipless.

3. You don't have to keep flipping them up with your feet if you're trying to get started, which, if you've ever experienced it, is so annoying! Plus, if you just leave them down they can get caught on rocks/branches etc.

4. Instant added technical skills!!! It's easy to cheat bunnyhopping, wheelie-ing, and throwing the back end up.

It also depends on how technical your ride is. If you never need to get out of the pedal quickly (and I know I do :eek: ) two and three don't matter so much.

Ride happy!

Clipless pedals are a must. I used straps for quite a while, the only way you can equal the performance of a good clipless pedal is to tighten the straps beyond your ability to remove your foot. Anybody who insists on using straps (aside from track riders) are blowing air out their butts. Sorry guys.

Hey... I would go with clipless.... I just got clipless for the first time this year. I love them so much better then the old school pedals. If you get them you won't be sorry :)

I use clipless. Takes a while to get the motion programmed in your brain, but after that it becomes natural.

Toe clips are quite OK is you use them properly. They are not for racing or for extreme riding, but for riding to work and easy trails, they are good enough.
Plastic models will be easier on your shoes. Dont cinch the straps tight. Most of the problems people have with toe clips happen when they tighten them.

The extra efficiency of clipless is of most benefit to hard riders. If you just cruise along the road, rather than sprint, the extra advantage of clipless is less pronounced.

Clipless pedals rule unless you are a dirtjumper. If you are not then they are perfect for most applications. Especially Time Z-control series has excellent performance since they have a large stable platform able to pedalling even unclipped. I usually go downhill unclipped without any problems.

I would not recommend toe clips unless you are really on budget. First you can break the strap (it happened to me 3 times - 10 years ago :) ) and they are not that safe. When you have a crash the leg does not easily get out of the toe clip (especially when tightened).

Clipless pedals are more expensive (but 505 are ok. and the prices is fine) and recquire special shoes.
But the pedaling is better and they are safer and will last much longer than toe clips.

If your riding technique is fair, and the terrain not that demanding you can always use normal pedals

Originally posted by math2p14
Clipless pedals rule unless you are a dirtjumper. If you are not then they are perfect for most applications. Especially Time Z-control series has excellent performance since they have a large stable platform able to pedalling even unclipped. I usually go downhill unclipped without any problems.

Or if you are a technical rider or if you do trials. I would never even fathom wearing clipless on skinnies...:eek:

Hey Trout,
Take a look at Shimano 324's. They are clipless on one side and platform on the other. Problem with the work shoes is solved.:) Clipless really does make a difference and doesn't take that long to get used to. One very important point...make sure you adjust the tension screws before you clip in for the first time!!! Mine were too tight, got my shoe stuck, had to go to the store to get a 3mm hex ect.

how tight should the settings be on clipless ? i have a set but havent used them yet.

I've kept quiet on this subject for a long time, but now you're going to hear my 2 cents:D

I went about 7 years using toe clips as a recreational MTB'er and they were fine. I used the kind that are molded plastic, curved around your shoe with a strap to regulate the tightness (Nashbar sells this kind). I set them somewhat loose so that I could get in an out quickly and easily. Never once had a crash related to not getting out of the clips in time. When I bought my NSR this year it came with Time pedals, so I bought a pair of Shimano shoes. Here are my thoughts:

1. The first 10 or so times you ride clipless on technical trails, you will be scared when you ride. You will crash more than you ever thought possible. You will have bruises after you ride. You will curse more than you thought you were capable of.

2. I immediately loved the pedaling efficiency of clipless. Toe clips are O.K. for power on the upstroke, but there's no comparison with clipless.

3. I don't agree that you can get out of clipless in a panic as quick as toe clips. Clipless forces you to be more prepared to get out, which means I give up sooner when tacking tough obstacles than I ever did with toe clips.

4. Crash-induced knee twisting has already happened a few times. Never twisted a knee with toe clips (although I didn't crash that much with toe clips).

5. Technical trails still scare me...the rocky Chubb trail here in St. Louis still leaves me with bruises, every time. I don't like being scared when I ride.

6. In wet, muddy conditions I sometimes have trouble getting locked in. A minor nuisance.

In summary, it's a trade-off. Serious bikers will always choose clipless because of the pedaling efficiency. Eventually, I'll probably be convinced that the pedaling efficiency of clipless more than offsets the injury risk (and fear), but right now I believe it's an even trade. If you're pretty much a recreational MTB'er, I'd recommend the toe clips.

Originally posted by KaTooMer

In summary, it's a trade-off. Serious bikers will always choose clipless because of the pedaling efficiency. Eventually, I'll probably be convinced that the pedaling efficiency of clipless more than offsets the injury risk (and fear), but right now I believe it's an even trade. If you're pretty much a recreational MTB'er, I'd recommend the toe clips.

Arg...that type of blanket summary always pisses me off. 'serious bikers' will always choose clipless. I don't think so. Many serious dhillers still don't ride clipless. MOST (I would say 90% and over) freeriders (not even the serious ones) WON'T wear clipless. Serious trials riders won't wear clipless and in fact refuse to acknowledge any bike handling skills of someone wearing clipless.

Now if you had said any serious xc riders uses clipless I would have agreed and kept my mouth shut. But I promise you clipless aren't making an impact on my kind of biking. (thank god, suicide by bike doesn't interest me)

Originally posted by KaTooMer
6. In wet, muddy conditions I sometimes have trouble getting locked in. A minor nuisance.


If you live in a rain forect thats not minor nuisance. That is the whole ride :)

Aren't eggbeaters supposed to solve the lock in issue in the wet?

Originally posted by Zahnster
Aren't eggbeaters supposed to solve the lock in issue in the wet?

Yes and I have heard they do in fact work quite well.

Originally posted by Maelstrom
Now if you had said any serious xc riders uses clipless I would have agreed and kept my mouth shut.

That's exactly what I meant.

Clipless are more efficient in the fact that you can pull the pedal backwards and up, and in my opinion are easier to get out of than toe clips.

I just went clipless last week and I gotta say that the pedaling power is night and day different. I got the Time Z controls and they are sweeeeeet. Unclip to a platform for hairy descents or log bridges, clip in to power up the hills. Best of both worlds.

ok now the voice of reason!!! if you are a serious mnt biker you would have clippless?? ok i will translate that for the "real mountain bikers" if you ride on the road and on fire roads or nice flat hiking trails with no stunts jumps or fun get clipless!! it doesnt matter what kind you get, you will notice the power/stroke difference right away (i think thats cause after you spend 200-300 bucks on pedals and shoes you tell yourself that) now thats great if you never want any adventure!! or if you always ride like a *****!(im kidding) clipless pedals are fantastic but a pain, I rode clipless for 3 years, shimmano m747s (red platform click in either side team lake carbon sole shoes) and they were a great investment when i rode with the girls around the lake or to work/store but as soon as some good trail riding was involved it was to much of a pain to justify the increase in power/stroke improvment. Some things that have been stated like " improve your skill" what a crock if you cant bunnyhopp your bike without clips or straps well you aint ever gonna do it right! and for the simple fact, ride a bridge or a skinny go do some technical riding with your clipy pedals, good luck! you spend alot of time tring to clip in/out to "dab" when you need to, even if it is a split second its too long most of the time "crash" oops you couldnt clip out and you fell 4 feet off the skinny that hurt....oh wait it hurt even more cause your bike was attached to you! now after you crashed, and your hurt, you will probably second guess that section of trail....wow thats efficency less trail maint. I cant belive that two years of riding my bmx platforms (they have some serious spikes on them) i have swung the other way..... clipless is old school and not good! 6 years ago i would have said the opposite and its not cause im riding less it is because my skills have improved to the point where I take more risks, why worry about clipping in/out when you can get on hammer! As for pedaling well i still use the same stroke i used with my clippless, and it is just as efficient! but i have high end bmx peddals with some crazy spikes that prevent my feet from slipping and give me good upstroke. So dont buy in to the "if your serious you got to have clippy pedals" or straps for that matter, if your serious you will ride your bike and beat the guy with the clippy crap because your better, not your pedal stroke, id go against any clippy guy up here in whistler!! (my choice of trail)

darn profanity filter bit*h

ya, i have noticed a lot of people strugle (and get in my way) durring a race with clipless in technical sections or the trail. but they do help for rides that dont demand you to have your feet free.

I'll never forget the endless irritation with spinning my pedals around (one then the other), while looking down at them, trying to get my feet in the cages, all the while not concentrating on the trail and hoping that I won't have to take one or the other foot out again anytime soon. I used to actually prop myself up againts a tree to get both feet in before starting. Never again! Since switching to clipless all I do is slam my feet down on the pedals and I'm locked in and rolling. Clipping out is an unusual feeling at first but you get used to it, in fact it never caused me to crash, and when I do my feet just unclip by themselves. Also, I believe, that any kind of riding you do will benefit from the much improved power and efficiancy. Go clipless.

Thank you all for the replies. I was noticing a pattern here...

1. The disparity between "serious" riders and their choice of pedals.

2. The type of riding you do will help decide what to get.

Here's the deal, if I was a "serious rider" don't you think I would know enough to make this decision on my own? I think the mere fact that I asked such a question indicates that I am pretty new to the game.

Now to update you all on how the last year has gone. I bought some toe clips because that is what I could afford and love them. I have been riding for a year now and my skills are improving. I am getting into better shape and enjoying the hell out of this. I don't think I will change a thing for now.

Thanks again for all the comments.

Thetroutguy,

congrats on the riding and keep it up. The sport is a beautiful thing even though the technology offered creates a lot of infighting in between the disciplines :)