Should I go clipless?

wafflycat wrote:

"dgk" wrote in message
...

Another thread got me thinking about this again. I just have standard
pedals on my bike (commuter hybrid Trek 7100) but keep thinking about
going clipless. My feet never slip off the pedals so I guess that the
whole idea is just so that I can pull up as well as push down? That
involves a whole new set of muscles I would think.

Is this a good idea when much of my biking is in Manhattan? I suppose
I'll practice in a deserted parking lot for a while first.


I've never regretted going clipless, even though I had the obligatory
spill by forgetting to unclip before stoppng ;-)

Once I got used to clipping in and out, which happened quicker than I
thought it would, it beame second nature. I have no problem clipping in
and out as necessary in traffic. The advantages? Well I too never used
to slip off pedals when I used ordinary platform pedals, but clipless
gives the same speed for less effort - as you are effectively pulling on
the upstroke as well as pushing on the down stroke - and my knees were
much appreciative of the change to clipless. Aching knees disappeared
overnight for me.

I find clipless make it easier to cycle up any sort of incline - it's
just more efficient & effective pedalling.
I concur. In short, you can haul ass uphill and downhill ( I ride a
fixie) without worrying about your feet coming off.

And you WILL fall over the first time you try to clip out, so be sure to
do it in front of people you don't know to give them some comic relief.
But after a day or two of practice clipping out is easy.


I would not willingly go back to platform pedals.

I use Look pedals, by the way.

Cheers, helen s

psycholist wrote:
"dgk" wrote in message
...

Another thread got me thinking about this again. I just have standard
pedals on my bike (commuter hybrid Trek 7100) but keep thinking about
going clipless. My feet never slip off the pedals so I guess that the
whole idea is just so that I can pull up as well as push down? That
involves a whole new set of muscles I would think.

Is this a good idea when much of my biking is in Manhattan? I suppose
I'll practice in a deserted parking lot for a while first.


Just so you know ... it's not about pushing down and/or pulling up. It's
about spinning circles (or as close to it as possible). That's the most
efficient way to pedal. Remember the old locomotive engines that had a
large wheel turned by the steam engine and the large wheel was attached by
steel rods that drove smaller wheels out in front of it. Well, think of
your hip as the large driving wheel. A good, efficient spin comes from the
hip.

Pedaling through Manhattan. Hmmm. There are some strap devices that
mountain bikers who didn't want to be clipped in have used. You might
consider something like this that would attach to your existing pedal. That
way you could get a feel for being attached to the pedals without the larger
investment. I don't recall who made them, but they attached diagonally
across the pedal.
PowerGrips http://www.powergrips.com Never tried em tho.

On Wed, 25 May 2005 22:09:15 -0500, Collin wrote:


And you WILL fall over the first time you try to clip out, so be sure to
do it in front of people you don't know to give them some comic relief.
But after a day or two of practice clipping out is easy.

Correction, you might fall. Not everybody falls, I never have, because
I forgot to unclip.
Pay attention and unclip early, while learning. Eventually it becomes
second nature.


Life is Good!
Jeff

Go for it , but master a track stand first.
That way you have options if you hve to stop at a puddle or lights.
also only fit on for a few days, say the right pedal and toe down with the
left while you practice
real time clipping and unclippping of the right foot in trafic/ trail.
rob d



"dgk" wrote in message
...
Another thread got me thinking about this again. I just have standard
pedals on my bike (commuter hybrid Trek 7100) but keep thinking about
going clipless. My feet never slip off the pedals so I guess that the
whole idea is just so that I can pull up as well as push down? That
involves a whole new set of muscles I would think.

Is this a good idea when much of my biking is in Manhattan? I suppose
I'll practice in a deserted parking lot for a while first.

"Jeff Starr" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 May 2005 22:09:15 -0500, Collin wrote:


And you WILL fall over the first time you try to clip out, so be sure to
do it in front of people you don't know to give them some comic relief.
But after a day or two of practice clipping out is easy.

Correction, you might fall. Not everybody falls, I never have, because
I forgot to unclip.

Smart ass ;-)

Pay attention and unclip early, while learning. Eventually it becomes
second nature.


For a while, when I first went into clipless, I was followed by the sound of
husband & offspring yelling "Unclip!" every time I got near any situation
unclipping was likely to be required. Bit like a leper yelling "Unclean!"
;-)

Cheers, helen s



Life is Good!
Jeff

"RobD" wrote in message
...
Go for it , but master a track stand first.
That way you have options if you hve to stop at a puddle or lights.
also only fit on for a few days, say the right pedal and toe down with
the
left while you practice
real time clipping and unclippping of the right foot in trafic/ trail.
rob d



Have to say I cannot track stand and have never needed the ability to do so
in long, almost daily use of clipless pedals. Once I got the initial fall
(in private by home) out of the way, where I discovered the advantage of
having a large, well-padded rear end. Glad I did it then and not now, as my
rear is considerably smaller & less less padded ;-)

Cheers, helen s

psycholist wrote:
Just so you know ... it's not about pushing down and/or pulling up. It's
about spinning circles (or as close to it as possible). That's the most
efficient way to pedal. Remember the old locomotive engines that had a
large wheel turned by the steam engine and the large wheel was attached by
steel rods that drove smaller wheels out in front of it. Well, think of
your hip as the large driving wheel. A good, efficient spin comes from the
hip.

This seems a logical theory but it isn't supported by science.



Pedaling through Manhattan. Hmmm. There are some strap devices that
mountain bikers who didn't want to be clipped in have used. You might
consider something like this that would attach to your existing pedal. That
way you could get a feel for being attached to the pedals without the larger
investment. I don't recall who made them, but they attached diagonally
across the pedal.

Those are PowerGrips. I used them for a while. I think they are very
dangerous. I wouldn't recommend them.

"Peter Cole" wrote in message
...
psycholist wrote:
Just so you know ... it's not about pushing down and/or pulling up. It's
about spinning circles (or as close to it as possible). That's the most
efficient way to pedal. Remember the old locomotive engines that had a
large wheel turned by the steam engine and the large wheel was attached
by steel rods that drove smaller wheels out in front of it. Well, think
of your hip as the large driving wheel. A good, efficient spin comes
from the hip.

This seems a logical theory but it isn't supported by science.

It's not a theory. It's an analogy.

--
Bob C.

"Of course it hurts. The trick is not minding that it hurts."
T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia)

psycholist wrote:
"Peter Cole" wrote in message
...

psycholist wrote:

Just so you know ... it's not about pushing down and/or pulling up. It's
about spinning circles (or as close to it as possible). That's the most
efficient way to pedal. Remember the old locomotive engines that had a
large wheel turned by the steam engine and the large wheel was attached
by steel rods that drove smaller wheels out in front of it. Well, think
of your hip as the large driving wheel. A good, efficient spin comes
from the hip.

This seems a logical theory but it isn't supported by science.


It's not a theory. It's an analogy.


I was referring to "pedaling in circles", not locomotives. I didn't
follow the analogy, either.

if your gears are not low enough for some hills,
you will find that pulling up definitely
makes you able to go up hills that you just can;t go up just by
pushing down.

and if you like to pedal at low rpms, contrary to current spinning
religion,
you can pull and it helps.

wle.