Originally Posted by
the sci guy
I disagree with this. If you can't get your foot out of the cage then you've got the straps too tight.
Well...I disagree with your response. :-)
I mean getting your foot out in an emergency.
With flats and pins you get out without thinking about it.
With clipless it takes a little practice but it's mostly the same movement - throw your foot to the side and it unclips. It's not perfect, some people don't unclip, but it's close to what you naturally do - throwing your foot to the side.
Straps are a lot worse. You get an emergency situation, and you have to remember to unweight the foot, pull it backwards out of the strap (where your instinct would naturally be to go to the side), and only then can you get your foot down.
If you're worried about being able to get your foot detached from the pedal quickly, I think that both flats with pins, and clipless, are going to be better and safer options.
Originally Posted by
the sci guy
They definitely provide a little extra performance because you can lift up with them - it's not nearly as dramatic as with clipless, but it is there.
Studies on professional racers with clipless have shown that they do not actually pull up with clipless. They unweight the foot, but the idea they're gaining power by pulling up is a myth.
Originally Posted by
the sci guy
Lastly, when you start off at at intersection just pedal on the flat side of the pedal, and then flip the pedal around and get in the cage after you've started going. I do it multiple times every day. plus you can do it by feel after like 15 tries, so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to look down.
That's cool, for someone not already using cages I just think going fully to clipless would make more sense - if they're going to invest time and skill into practicing that.