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Is foot retention safe in a crash?

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Is foot retention safe in a crash?

Old 07-28-08, 12:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Pretty.in.Pink
To parphrase Wikipedia: Citation?

Why do people post such inaccurate / incorrect stuff.
Having trouble finding anything to cite, but I know that clipless pedals were marketed by LOOK as a safety improvement.

It may not matter unless you're running cleats with clips and straps, but old school bike racers had some gnarly ankle injuries in crashes.
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Old 07-28-08, 01:20 AM
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+1 on giving clipless a try. you will have a bit more control, and the pedals are designed to disengage upon disaster. i've crashed a few times with my eggbeaters and emerged unharmed. that said, my only injuries came from zero mph wrecks while trying to trackstand, and engaging in general tarck jackassery.
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Old 07-28-08, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by stachemaster
^ if [talk about injuries due to trad. clip/strap pedals] is true, [these racers were] probably using slotted cleats and road shoes, not just toe clips and sneakers, right?
A system that would require releasing the straps to disengage is different than what the op is asking about, and what most on here use.
quoting myself since no one touched upon it besides maxwell above.
slotted cleats and road shoes, you need to loosen straps to get out.



typical BFSSFG sneaker and clips user (dont know the rider, its just a g.i.s.)


see how the sneakers and clips don't have rearward retention like the slotted cleats? That the reason why some of these old pros had injuries, and why you are not hearing about modern day torn ligaments and whatever other injuries people are citing. when you crash in sneakers and clips, you feet will come out.
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Old 07-28-08, 08:40 AM
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Thanks guys. I might be picking my bike up this afternoon depending on if they have it in or not. Not so worried about the foot retention anymore so I appreciate all the responses
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Old 07-28-08, 10:06 AM
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Having my feet attached to the bike is nowhere near my lists of concerns when crashing, though the only times I've had to do the unclip-on-ground thing are from 0-mph tipovers. I use SPD or eggbeater clipless on my bikes, I've never personally felt comfortable with clips and straps.
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Old 07-28-08, 10:21 AM
  #31  
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Sometimes, you will hurt yourself. Other times you will be glad your foot stayed in instead of doing the splits on asphalt. Sometimes you will do the splits on asphalt because you're strapped in. Keep them loose enough so when 'push comes to shove' you can still shove and push.
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Old 07-28-08, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by jpdesjar
keep the straps snug but not too snug and make sure you are riding with shoes that can easily slip in and out
it defeats most of the purpose of straps.
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Old 07-28-08, 10:47 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by dutret
it defeats most of the purpose of straps.
i disagree...i still benefit from having a cage to hold my feet in place
i think it just depends on the user

meh, maybe i don't need them at all
 
Old 07-28-08, 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by stachemaster
^ if this is true, she was probably using slotted cleats and road shoes, not just toe clips and sneakers, right?
She probably did.

I see what you're getting at, and you're right - there's much less potential for injury with sneakers/clips/straps than shoes with clips. Still, to get the same level of engagement as clipless, you'd have to get the tension pretty snug, which is still marginally more risky in a crash.

Originally Posted by Pretty.in.Pink
To parphrase Wikipedia: Citation?

Why do people post such inaccurate / incorrect stuff.
Here you go
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Old 07-28-08, 06:27 PM
  #35  
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you'll crash a lot more with straps..
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Old 07-28-08, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by stachemaster
So I got my first set of road cleats like the ones above a week after a broke my collar bone. I rode into my driveway without loosening the straps.....................................
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Old 07-28-08, 11:50 PM
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every crash i've had, i keep managing to fly away from the bike completely out of the straps.
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Old 07-29-08, 12:53 PM
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my buddy got his front wheel stuck in a grate and flew over the handlebars. his feet didn't come out of his clipless pedals and he flung the bike about 20 feet like a slingshot.

he also hit his nuts on the top tube.

he still rides with clipless pedals.
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Old 07-29-08, 02:50 PM
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Being clipped into my bike (eggbeaters) was what saved me from eating asphalt one time when I was riding up a driveway and my back wheel got caught in a crack. The back of the bike slid out and my feet somehow pulled it back under me. I think if I had platform pedals, I would have slipped off and ate top-tube.
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Old 07-29-08, 03:45 PM
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Have you crashed much? From racing, I have both been in, and witnessed seemingly horrific crashes resulting in maybe a scratched pedal, seat cover, and bar tape. Frames surprisingly seldom make any contact with the ground. Anything that bolts on can be easily replaced.
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Old 07-29-08, 03:50 PM
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No, I've only had one actual crash under my belt (ie moving at decent speed) which involved getting caught in street car tracks because I had to dodge a car that pulled out during my turn. I went right clear of the bike which seemed IMO to make hitting the ground alot more simple and straightforward than having to worry about having limbs caught or torqued around a bike frame.

Like I said, it seems I'm just overthinking things. The bike comes with toe clips but I'll be switching those out for clipless pedals in the near future.
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Old 07-29-08, 11:14 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by elTwitcho
No, I've only had one actual crash under my belt (ie moving at decent speed) which involved getting caught in street car tracks because I had to dodge a car that pulled out during my turn. I went right clear of the bike which seemed IMO to make hitting the ground alot more simple and straightforward than having to worry about having limbs caught or torqued around a bike frame.

Like I said, it seems I'm just overthinking things. The bike comes with toe clips but I'll be switching those out for clipless pedals in the near future.


Last year I was standing out the front of work when three guys on track bikes came tearing down the street. One guy drifted onto the street car tracks and when the tire went in he got launched over the handlebars like a monkey, and landed on his feet. Him, his friends, and me all burst into laughter. It was totally amazing! Yes, he was wearing toe clips. No, I can't guarantee that happens to everyone who drifts onto trolley tracks with toe clips.
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Old 07-29-08, 11:18 PM
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Originally Posted by DDYTDY
So I got my first set of road cleats like the ones above a week after a broke my collar bone. I rode into my driveway without loosening the straps.....................................


I've been riding some similar cleats daily for the past six months or so and love them! To me it's like having the benfits of clipless (stiff soled shoes) with the option to wear regular shoes if you're going somewhere where you don't want to carry a second pair of shoes.

My only incident was one time getting out of the strap and going for a fastish dismount. I, apparently, only placed the plastic cleat on the ground 'cos my foot slipped out from under me causing me and the bike to end up on the ground in a busy-ish shopping strip. No injuries, plenty of embarassment.
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