Originally Posted by
FunkyStickman
In all seriousness, the study I cited was for a professional racer, and was designed to increase his efficiency at 90+ RPM cadences.
90RPM is not fast. Maybe for comfort bike riders on the MUP, but not for anyone who refers to themselves as a cyclist.
Originally Posted by
FunkyStickman
So, taking that into account, you don't really have time to pull or lift a foot when spinning that fast or faster.
Bollocks. If you really believe that then your technique isn't as good as you think it is. Whether you call it "lifting up" or "unweighting" makes no difference. You absolutely can reduce downward pressure on the upstroke at high cadences.
Originally Posted by
FunkyStickman
This whole thing is about efficiency, not foot retention.
Thread title: How much difference do clipless pedals make?
It's about both. They're related.
Originally Posted by
FunkyStickman
I would imagine most people would see just as much gains in efficiency with toe clips if they learned proper technique. Nobody is going to argue clipless pedals retain your feet better than anything else, but saying they make you more efficient is marketing hype. Better technique makes you more efficient.
Without foot retention, you're using muscle groups just to keep your foot on the pedal. I don't care if the pedal has gigantic metal spikes in it to keep your foot from slipping, you're still exerting energy to keep your feet down on the pedals.
With foot retention, those muscles can be focused on propelling the pedals.
Switching from platforms to clipless you notice immediately that if you push too hard some of your muscles get sore, because you're using muscle groups that weren't active before in the pedal stroke. How does that not equate to a noticeable improvement in efficiency? It's not going to make you 10mph faster on average, but to claim that clipless pedals aren't more efficient is bogus.
Yes, better technique does make you more efficient, but better foot retention allows you to better use the muscle groups responsible for a smooth pedal stroke.