I've ridden with foot retention since I was about 10. Occasionally I'll ride a borrowed bike or do a test ride with flats, but most of the riding has been with foot retention.
I had used casual shoes with toeclips for many years, and may go back to them sometime. However, I found the cage pedals were eating into my shoes, and the feet were twisting to the outside so I changed to SPDs, and couldn't be happier.
I can't say if I'd experience the same thing with casual shoes and flats. But, after 12 hours a day and still riding, I'm comfortable with the feet attached the pedals.
Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
Tests between clipping in and riding on platforms show the alleged/perceived difference just isnt there.
Even pros arent pulling up. They are simple exerting less downward pressure on the upstroke. So everyone exerts downward pressure, its just their great strokes are effectively lighter in downward pressure.
Just food for thought.
Originally Posted by
fietsbob
Pulling Up , really ? it is more like unweighting the other foot (bio-mechanical) studies have shown).
Yeah, I've read some of that. Some of the studies are just poorly designed, essentially taking away any advantage of pulling up by fixing cadence and power and asking the rider to start pulling up (necessarily creating lower power on the opposite side due to study design).
Even if you're just "unweighting" the foot to 0, it is nice for the foot to be attached to the pedals rather than pulling off.
I know I don't pull up all the time. But, I do pull up some of the time. I.E. hills, major accelerations, and even micro accelerations. Also pulling cargo. I also don't spin at 100 RPM "like a pro", so the riding of a casual rider and a pro rider may be quite different. Yet, whenever you see a pro rider stand up out of the saddle, they're likely pulling up, at least a little bit.
And, at least when standing, pulling up with one pedal also equates to pushing down with more force with the opposite pedal. It may not be a lot, but say you pull up with 5-10 lbs force, and push down with an equivalent 5-10 lbs more force, that may be an increase in instantaneous power of 10% or more. Not something to scoff about. Of course, you still have to breathe, and supply the muscles with oxygen which can be a limiting factor. So, it likely helps with short bursts of power, but doesn't lead to an overall increase in long-term efficiency.
It would be interesting to give a competitive Pro team flats, and see how they perform. I doubt the experiment would last long.
Anyway, I realize pedal choice is quite personal. And, there are people who do well with flats, and people who do well with foot retention. I was on a hill ride with a fellow BF member. I had cleats, he had flats. I was impressed by his riding. But, he also walked a few of the steep sections that I rode, although walking may have been more energy efficient, and one could make the argument that one is sometimes better off just getting off the bike and walking and getting to the top of the hill refreshed rather than completely energy drained.
Extra shoes can be a problem. If I'm mainly just riding then my riding shoes are fine. If I'm expecting to return to a destination (friend's house, or a regular long-distance destination), then I've been known to leave a pair of shoes there.