Clip on Shoes?

Badger_South wrote:
On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 17:26:58 GMT, maxo wrote:


You can utilize more muscle groups, adding efficiency and giving a better
workout.

They're safer, once you get used to them--no slipping off the pedal.

No more pressure points and sore feet, if you find shoes that fit well.


Folks will no-doubtedly post that you've got to spend so and so amount of
dollars for a set of pedals shoes, and I'll add my 2c: I've owned half a
dozen pairs of cyling shoes over the years, Diaddoras, Lakes, and [gasp]
Bata. Recently, I needed a pair of shoes/ pedals to tide me over while
looking for a fresh pair of vintage NOS shoes for my clip pedals. I got
the Nashbar housebrand road shoes and cheap mtb pedals. Total cost on sale
was 52 dollars. The pedals are made by wellgo, and the shoes by Lake,
which was lucky since I've owned two pairs of Lake cyclocross shoes in the
past and love the way they fit (they cost $120+ and feel exactly like the
Nashbar shoes). I gave up on my search and am sticking with clipless, the
cheap Nashbar shoes fit me that well. The pedals simply work, they're a
classic move-along-nothing-exciting-here design, and at under 20 bucks a
pop, I can afford to put them on my other two bikes.


Thanks a bunch for the specifics. I'm starting to contemplate the move from
toeclips.

Definitely try it. As long as your shoes fit (I found out the hard way
not to tighten my shoes too much -- yowch), clipless are really nice.

However I
still like the idea of MTB shoes, b/c of the recessed cleats. I need to be
able to walk without tripping when tired (leg injury).

I opted for SPD pedals; they've got nice flat recessed cleats. And I
can walk better on the new shoes I bought for them than I can on my
other pair of cycling shoes (the ones with NO heels that make me feel
like I'm walking like a duck).

On the pedals, I'd favor the type where you can ride regular pedals, then
flip them over and clip in.

I saw those on a touring bike the other day, but I didn't ask what kind
they were. Way cool. I'd be interested in seeing a link for those too.

-km

--
Only cowards fight kids -- unidentified Moscow protester
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 11:04:40 -0700, Dan Daniel
wrote:

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 08:31:30 -0700, "Bob Marley"
wrote:

I bike for exercise; nothing serious, maybe 25 miles per day. No racing and
very little off road stuff. I have a very early MTB which is sturdy enough.
I just want to get my miles in every day and am not interested in saving a
few grams on weight here and there or having a jersey to match my helmet and
frame.

I was wondering, however, about the shoe/ pedal clip things. Is there
really enough advantage for a casual rider like me to invest in them?


They allow you to pull up with force. On a fitness level, I would
think that this gives a somewhat more balanced workout to the calves
and other leg muscles.

I thought that whole 'pulling up' thing was passe as a way of pedalling. I
don't know many ppl who consciously do that. I might do a little ankling,
but mainly, the feeling I have is either mashing/stomping, or pointing my
toe to forcefully put on a cowboy boot.

The only motion I use from time-to-time on the backstroke is the 'scraping
mud off the pedal'. Even so, I only do that very occasionally, say if the
quads need a rest - I don't do it as part of the primary stroke.

Also, I'm finding now with a moderate amount of climbing, my calves and
legs get all the workout they need, and certainly, imo, more than any
amount of pedalling change up.

But I'm just askin'...iow, I'm willing to be proved wrong...

-B

"Bob Marley" wrote in message
...
I bike for exercise; nothing serious, maybe 25 miles per day. No racing and
very little off road stuff. I have a very early MTB which is sturdy enough.
I just want to get my miles in every day and am not interested in saving a
few grams on weight here and there or having a jersey to match my helmet and
frame.

I was wondering, however, about the shoe/ pedal clip things. Is there
really enough advantage for a casual rider like me to invest in them?

Any foot retention method has mostly safety advantages with a little added
efficiency in that you don't have to maintain pressure on the pedal just to
keep your foot from slipping. "Clipless" (like SPD) pedals have a bit
additional safety, convenience and comfort. It's really a matter of personal
preference. If you don't bike aggressively, or over rough surfaces, you
probably don't need any kind of foot retention system. Otherwise, clips work
very well, but don't offer the automatic release in a crash that clipless do.
Forget all the claims about "pulling up" and "using different muscles", those
practices don't add anything. I'd stay away from Power Grips, they're simple
and cheap, but are very prone to trapping your foot in a twisting fall.

SuperSlinky wrote:

(snip)

For your description of your riding, don't waste your money. Clipless
has a painful learning curve which will have you falling down and
cursing for a while until you get proficient with them.

I guess I have to disagree with the statement above. It took me all of
about 5 minutes on the grass to learn the ins and outs of clipless pedals.
I can't say that I've ever fallen over as a result of not getting my foot
out in time, and I ride exclusively off-road. I actually think they're
easier than clips/straps in that regard. I'm sure a lot has to do with the
type of pedal you choose. I read a lot before making the move to clipless
and went with the TIME ATAC. They'll work on any MTB or road bike. I also
hear similar good things about eggbeaters. I barely have to think about
getting my foot off the pedal -- a little twist of the heel and I'm out.
There's even enough of a platform that they can be ridden without the cleats
if you need to hit the local 7/11.

Tom

Aside from being more comfortable (the hard soles spread out the pedal
pressure so it's not concentrated in one small spot), the "snap-in"
feature allows you to pull up and push forward an back as well as push
down on the pedals (called "ankling" or round-the-clock pedaling).

This not only increases efficiency, it allows you to use more muscle
groups during your ride. You did say you rode for the exercize?

- -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

"the black rose" wrote in message

Badger_South wrote:
On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 17:26:58 GMT, maxo wrote:


You can utilize more muscle groups, adding efficiency and giving a
better workout.

They're safer, once you get used to them--no slipping off the pedal.

No more pressure points and sore feet, if you find shoes that fit
well.


Folks will no-doubtedly post that you've got to spend so and so
amount of dollars for a set of pedals shoes, and I'll add my 2c:
I've owned half a dozen pairs of cyling shoes over the years,
Diaddoras, Lakes, and [gasp] Bata. Recently, I needed a pair of
shoes/ pedals to tide me over while looking for a fresh pair of
vintage NOS shoes for my clip pedals. I got the Nashbar housebrand
road shoes and cheap mtb pedals. Total cost on sale was 52 dollars.
The pedals are made by wellgo, and the shoes by Lake, which was
lucky since I've owned two pairs of Lake cyclocross shoes in the
past and love the way they fit (they cost $120+ and feel exactly
like the Nashbar shoes). I gave up on my search and am sticking
with clipless, the cheap Nashbar shoes fit me that well. The pedals
simply work, they're a classic move-along-nothing-exciting-here
design, and at under 20 bucks a pop, I can afford to put them on my
other two bikes.


Thanks a bunch for the specifics. I'm starting to contemplate the
move from toeclips.

Definitely try it. As long as your shoes fit (I found out the hard
way not to tighten my shoes too much -- yowch), clipless are really
nice.

However I
still like the idea of MTB shoes, b/c of the recessed cleats. I need
to be able to walk without tripping when tired (leg injury).

I opted for SPD pedals; they've got nice flat recessed cleats. And I
can walk better on the new shoes I bought for them than I can on my
other pair of cycling shoes (the ones with NO heels that make me feel
like I'm walking like a duck).

On the pedals, I'd favor the type where you can ride regular pedals,
then flip them over and clip in.

I saw those on a touring bike the other day, but I didn't ask what
kind they were. Way cool. I'd be interested in seeing a link for
those too.

"the black rose" wrote in message

Badger_South wrote:

[...]

On the pedals, I'd favor the type where you can ride regular pedals,
then flip them over and clip in.

I saw those on a touring bike the other day, but I didn't ask what
kind they were. Way cool. I'd be interested in seeing a link for
those too.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5240

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 19:27:44 GMT, the black rose
wrote:



On the pedals, I'd favor the type where you can ride regular pedals, then
flip them over and clip in.


One thing to remember with these type of pedals- you probably don't
want to put toe clips and straps on them. If you've ever ridden the
backside of pedals with clips on the other side, you've probably
experienced the clips hitting the ground. A strange feeling,
especially in corners.

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 16:29:58 -0400, Badger_South
wrote:

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 11:04:40 -0700, Dan Daniel
wrote:

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 08:31:30 -0700, "Bob Marley"
wrote:

I bike for exercise; nothing serious, maybe 25 miles per day. No racing and
very little off road stuff. I have a very early MTB which is sturdy enough.
I just want to get my miles in every day and am not interested in saving a
few grams on weight here and there or having a jersey to match my helmet and
frame.

I was wondering, however, about the shoe/ pedal clip things. Is there
really enough advantage for a casual rider like me to invest in them?


They allow you to pull up with force. On a fitness level, I would
think that this gives a somewhat more balanced workout to the calves
and other leg muscles.

I thought that whole 'pulling up' thing was passe as a way of pedalling. I
don't know many ppl who consciously do that. I might do a little ankling,
but mainly, the feeling I have is either mashing/stomping, or pointing my
toe to forcefully put on a cowboy boot.


I'm not talking about ankling. Maybe I pull up all the time and it is
simply a matter of attention. But given the way my legs feel, I don't
think that I use those muscles to the same extent when I am not
consciously pulling up.

The only motion I use from time-to-time on the backstroke is the 'scraping
mud off the pedal'. Even so, I only do that very occasionally, say if the
quads need a rest - I don't do it as part of the primary stroke.


Being able to pull up is one of the nicest things about clipless (or
clipped with cleat) for me. After all the years of cycling, I figure
pushing down is second nature. I find that I can accelerate much
faster if I focus on pulling up.

Also, I'm finding now with a moderate amount of climbing, my calves and
legs get all the workout they need, and certainly, imo, more than any
amount of pedalling change up.

But I'm just askin'...iow, I'm willing to be proved wrong...

-B


I certainly don't think it's a matter of being right or wrong. Maybe
different muscles in use, or maybe just different attention.

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 19:33:56 -0700, Dan Daniel
wrote:

On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 19:27:44 GMT, the black rose
wrote:



On the pedals, I'd favor the type where you can ride regular pedals, then
flip them over and clip in.


One thing to remember with these type of pedals- you probably don't
want to put toe clips and straps on them. If you've ever ridden the
backside of pedals with clips on the other side, you've probably
experienced the clips hitting the ground. A strange feeling,
especially in corners.

OK, you've mismatched the attribution.

I'd only want them like that for any brief hazardous stretches where I
would be a bit worried about clipping in right away.

-B