[QUOTE=flipflop563;6665043]
Originally Posted by
envane
Clips won't help you "work the hamstrings" since you never under normal circumstances pull with net upward force on the backstroke. Over time, you will develope a smoother, circular stroke.This has been proven by science.
Thanks, man. I guess I have to do some more research on this. A spinning instructor told me to engage the hamstring and lift on the backstroke. I'll search around for some more threads on this topic...
Its not that you don't engage your hamstring, its just that you don't engage it enough to lift it off the pedal - there will always be a little bit of downward pressure, even with an experiened cyclist wearing clips.
As other people have mentioned, clips do have a real function in keeping your foot fixed to the pedal, which some people find more useful than others.