Timtruro

I use cages, have considered cleats over the years but no need as far as I can see unless you are competitive in terms of speed etc I don't see the advantage.

Loose Chain

OP, what bike do you have? How do you use it?

Not being clipped in, cages or clips, reduces your efficiency significantly probably around 40%, maybe more for a performance rider with good pedaling technique and fitness.

Papa Tom

Curious where you got that info, cuz all the "studies" I read before going back to platforms insisted that the reduction in efficiency was nominal. Having ridden platforms (no cages) now for about two years, I honestly don't feel a difference in what I can do.

This is where your question comes into play. What kind of bike does the OP have and how does he/she use it? I'm not a performance guy, but I am fit, have good pedaling technique, and like to feel like my pedal strokes are getting me somewhere. However, I really, REALLY enjoy being able to just get on my bike on a whim and ride away, and this far outweighs any concerns about whether I am losing twenty or forty or seventy percent efficiency.

Has the OP replied to this question (which I also asked a few posts back) yet? Gotta go check...

FrontRanger

I'm a recent flat pedal convert (rode clipless exclusively for 25 years). Modern MTB flat pedals offer tons of support (and grip), and work with practically any shoe.

Machka 

I go with the best of both worlds, and have now been riding like this for 10 years ...

I use the dual-sided pedals I mention above.

I clip in with my left foot ... and ride the platform with my right foot.


Why do I do this?

It all started with climbing. I was a weak climber and I would reach a point on a climb where I couldn't turn the pedals anymore and would want to stop. But I was going so slowly, I couldn't unclip. I'd panic and a time or two I fell over. Then I started getting fearful of this happening on every hill so I started just walking them all from near the bottom. This made cycling a slow and tedious process. But I found that if I didn't clip in my right foot, it was very uncomfortable, but I had more confidence going up hills because I knew that I could put my foot down when it got too tough.

So in 2007, we got me one of those little platform inserts that goes into SPD pedals, and I started riding with that, and loved it! A year or so later, I got those dual-sided pedals and have been riding with them since.

One other benefit is when we're cycling through areas of heavy traffic or lots of pedestrians or something. I can come to a sudden stop and put my foot down without the whole falling over thing.

Loose Chain

Well Papa, it is like this. I do not need other people's studies that always need a follow on study, that is why I got a BE and a MS so I could use my own mind to come to conclusions. I attended, long ago, a week long tri school, back when the sport was fairly new and some professional coaching along the way. Now, it is true, if you have a low cadence, a stomper/masher at about 60 RPM, the difference is much less but for spinners who may spin upwards of 120 RPM and who use both their hamstrings and their quads, then the difference for a triathlete is considerable considering having completed a swim and still needing to complete a run. Using both sets of muscles is just much more efficient.

I do at least two weight workouts per week, full body, I can curl as much or more with my hamstrings than I can with my quads, why would I want to waste an entire muscle group? Why would you? As a performance cyclist, at least I used to be, I apply power with each leg for nearly a full 360 degrees (or nearly so). Thereby able to produce the same power output but split between the two groups of muscles.

So, take your watt meter equipped bike, run into the wind with it, with and without being cleated or strapped in. Yes, you could produce the same wattage and speed stomping and mashing away at the pedals using only your quads, but not for nearly as long as a cyclist using both his quads and hamstrings distributing the power produced between two large muscle sets instead of just one.

Pray tell, how, without being locked to the pedal, could you pull up on the pedal and pedal through a full circle? Surely, you are at least lifting the leg up so that the opposite is not having to lift the dead legs weight as well as drive the pedal downward?

Kind of like comparing a turbine engine to a piston engine, one makes power continuously in a circle as the power turbine spins, a spinner, the other is bang, bang, on a piston or stomp stomp on a pedal. You can quibble about the percentage, I could care less, but you will never keep pace with a spinner applying at least some power to nearly 100% of each revolution with both legs over any distance stomping away through less than 50% of each revolution, one leg at a time. And sitting bolt upright to top it.

deaninkl

I have a 2009 (very few miles of use till recently) Giant TCR Aluxx SL, very much a road bike. I knew little about modern bikes when I bought it, and is probably a little too focused for my fitness lever and age... also as the area i ride is very hilly I think the gears are too high, but I'm just learning this and will probably change that soon. I find myself using only the the bottom three gears of my 16.... (going uphill) but that has improved since I started... so maybe just need more time to get fit.

I am cycling to get fit, get into the countryside and lose weight, I was 103kg on January 1st I'm 96.5 now.. need to get to anout 80 eventually.. but slowly does it... I'm giving myself a year and thats about 1lb a week.

deaninkl

and by the way, I think I did already mention I have now ordered the Shimano M324's which will give me both possibilities. I can really see myself forgetting i locked in and not being able to put my feet down... so going to test the waters....

dabac

I like SPD for urban/city riding.
Makes it far easier to bring a pedal into the power zone to get going from a light or an intersection.

Papa Tom

Good information, LooseChain, but I think you totally missed my point. None of this matters if the OP bought a bike just to ride half a mile to the coffee shop. Anyway, I think he's already chosen his pedals, so no need for any more discussion.

NYMXer

When considering cycling shoes, get a good firm sole with a lightweight shoe that feels comfortable. I see many beginners buying flexible soled heavy shoes and then don't use them...

donheff

I like clipless and feel better attached using them but I didtinctly remember reading a study somewhere that concluded that they don't really improve performance. I couldn't find the article I remember reading but I did find reference to this one that concludes that the upstroke improves power but not net efficiency -- whatever that means:

Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of different shoe-pedal interfaces and of an active pulling-up action during the upstroke phase on the pedalling technique. Eight elite cyclists (C) and seven non-cyclists (NC) performed three different bouts at 90 rev•min–1 and 60% of their maximal aerobic power. They pedalled with single pedals (PED), with clipless pedals (CLIP) and with a pedal force feedback (CLIPFBACK) where subjects were asked to pull up on the pedal during the upstroke. There was no significant difference for pedalling effectiveness, net mechanical efficiency (NE) and muscular activity between PED and CLIP. 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. Consequently, shoe-pedal interface (PED vs. CLIP) did not significantly influence cycling technique during submaximal exercise. However, an active pulling-up action on the pedal during upstroke increased the pedalling effectiveness, while reducing net mechanical efficiency

dabac

So what methods do you think were used to determine the facts that one way or another were used in the studies that led to your degrees?

Wildwood 

The flat pedal vs clipless debate has sure died-off recently, or at least the emotions are tempered.


We have road disc brakes to debate these days.

Falchoon

OP be aware that with the Shimano MTB cleats there are actually two different types (that look almost identical to the eye), standard release (SH51) and multi release (SH56). I had the standard release but kept crashing because I couldn't release my foot from the pedal quick enough. So I suggest getting the multi release.

wiggle.com.au | Shimano SPD MTB Cleats | Pedal Cleats

philbob57

When I looked at the specs for the multi-release, IIRC, Shimano said no float, which means cleat placement has to be pretty da**ned precise.

That's why I went to flats. Looks a bit funny on my 1973 road bike, but the ability to move my feet around allows me to extend my rides. Besides, no hot spots and no need to buy special shoes.