daihard 

I can see how tricky the SH56 can be for people who do gravel and mountain biking. I ride on-road most of the time and am admittedly very clumsy, so being able to unclip quickly to avoid falling comes in handy.

I didn't know that. I suppose that's a safety feature.

big john

A friend has told me this is why some people are conspiracy theorists.

Eric F 

Unpredictable pedal release is not something I want for a bike I'm riding in rough terrain.

big john

When I was younger I would sprint hard and the rear wheel would hop off the ground. I also pull up when I bunny-hop something, like a pothole or a snake. I suppose people can bunny- hop with flat pedals but being clipped in makes it easier.

I don't know why some are so dogmatic about not being able to pull up. When I try to spin with power I try to concentrate on a smooth circle. This involves intentionally forcing a circle. Do I make any power when pulling up? I don't know but I wouldn't say it's not possible.

Besides, the question of power is moot. Foot retention is about more than power on the upstroke.

VegasJen

As some of you may recall, I'm decidedly in the flat pedal camp. While I may not agree with Beng entirely in his post, the fact remains that so far as efficiency and that mythical power on the up-stroke legend... well, there's plenty of evidence that is hyperbole. The real benefit, as I see it, are keeping the foot in constant contact with a specific location on the pedal. A lot of people feel more secure with this. If that's what you're looking for, then ya, try them out. If you are under the mistaken impression that you will magically cut your time on a given route by 10%, then save your money for something else.

I did try both the SPD and Look variations on my bikes for a couple months. I never got comfortable with them. In fact, I just did not like them at all. I'm pretty happy with regular flat pedals. But I know I'm in the minority here.

genejockey 

I wouldn't be a bit surprised.

genejockey 

ftfy.

SurferRosa

For me, it's about being in the bike, not merely on it. And I know I'm exponentially more safe. I feel faaarrrrrrrr more safe. So I can ride at a much greater speed with great confidence, pedaling or not.

​​​​

Trakhak

Avoidance of hopping the rear wheel in sprints is one of the first things track sprinters learn. And it definitely takes some learning, since sprint track bikes are designed to shift the rider's weight down and forward compared to road bikes.

daihard 

Definitely true, though speaking for myself, I've never unpredictably unclipped using the SH56 cleats. For those who experience that, SH51 will be the better option.

big john

I don't think I could do it now if I tried.

tomato coupe

It's like the right hemisphere doesn't know what the left hemisphere is posting.

3alarmer

...the only crash I have had, that earned me a ride to the ER, was caused by losing a pedal at speed.
I think people don't appreciate how quickly you end up on the asphalt, when your foot loses contact with a pedal.

phughes

I just love how everyone gets so easily sucked in to yet another thread by a newbie about something that has been hashed, and hashed, and hashed over and over, and just recently in fact. The user's name is even Connman... Con Man... Hmmm... Color me a skeptic. OP forgive me if you are completely sincere, but...

big john

I think this one is legit.

If you wait a bit and start another thread about the same thing, it will get responses. Or, better yet, disk vs rim brakes.

CliffordK

I've ridden with toeclips since I was 11 or 12. The converted to clipless a few years ago.

I do pull up. Not all the time, but from time to time when I want to add power to my pedaling. I find that I tend to pull up more when doing heavy resistance pedaling (hauling cargo). Also on the tail end of a long ride, it is easier to pull up when I want a little extra power than pushing down with exhausted legs.

79pmooney

It is pure coincidence that every Tour de France and every single professional road race ever ridden was won with either clipless pedals or toeclips, straps and cleats.

Actually the efficiency experts might have something, but .... races aren't won by the most efficient rider. They are won by the rider who crosses the line first and that rider may dip into highly inefficient realms to develop the power to pull that off.

79pmooney

+1 I proceeded you on that same timeline. Another benefit is being able to spare muscle injuries while still riding by "deleting" that portion of the stroke. I was coached to pedal circles by my veteran clubmates when I started racing. Thank you, thank you. It's a gift that keeps on giving. I don't always actually pull up on the pedals but I do often enough that if I forget to tighten my toestraps (more than half my year's mileage) it usually isn't long before I lift my cleat off the pedal. I feel handicapped if I cannot pull up for climbing, accelerating out of lights, etc.

Edit: I've had chondromalcia patellae for 45 years. It is the downstroke with pressure that does the damage. Being able to power the other 2/3s of the circle and spare my knees has been a real gift.

seypat

Well, if the OP does decide to get clipped in let's suggest ways to do it. Don't go out and invest in nice equipment starting out. Invest after you've decided it's for you. Find the cheapest SPD shoes you can. That could be used from someone in your area. I went to REI and found a returned pair with a broken lace hole for $30. Same for pedals. Find a pair of 2 sided pedals with SPD on one side and flat on the other. Ride with one foot clipped in and the other not. Switch feet. Repeat. Clip both in, or not. After a couple of weeks, you'll figure it out. Then go out and get some better equipment, or not.

nomadmax 

I wonder why they don't use flat pedals and Chuck Taylors at the Tour de France? I mean, I think those guys are concerned about performance. Maybe they haven't read the volumes of research material that says there's no difference between being clipped in and flat pedals.

Ready for the rants, and GO.

DonkeyShow

If somebody wants to go viral they should do the tdf with flat pedals.

nomadmax 

Agreed! And Chris Froome could have run up Mont Ventoux faster in gym shoes

beng1

Classic, a comment from someone with zero facts. I have had clipless pedals since the 1990s, and the review by cycling coach Dylan Johnson is from someone who used them to race with professionally and who is reviewing multiple scientific papers on the subject.

It is very common for the general population to follow traditions which have no merit, much more common than it is for the general population to act with independent or critical thought. And as far as people who think outside the box, that is every great intellectual in human history, Einstein, Orwell, DaVinci, Sagan etc.. So it is both sad and hilarious to see the masses complain when confronted with facts such as cycling coach Dylan Johnson's reviews of actual research debunking their follow-the-leader non-thinking.

As usual all I do is point out facts and research anyone could discover for themselves, and because they do not like facts they attack the messenger. Another tradition like clipless pedals that have no basis in reality.

indyfabz

You are such a rugged individualist. They must have broken the mold after they made you.

big john

Effects of pedal type and pull-up action during cycling - PubMed (nih.gov)
When compared to CLIP, CLIPFBACK resulted in a significant increase in pedalling effectiveness during upstroke (86 % for C and 57 % NC, respectively), as well as higher biceps femoris and tibialis anterior muscle activity (p < 0.001). However, NE was significantly reduced (p < 0.008) with 9 % and 3.3 % reduction for C and NC, respectively.