Clipless pedals – how much quicker than flats?

Why is this even a discussion
Why is this even a discussion
Stop swimming and running just cycle

Clipless pedals are designed

Clipless pedals are designed primarily to enable your pedal dynamics to be optimised, whilst reducing the bulk, and relative inefficiency of toe straps. Being able to actively pull through certain ‘dead spots’ in the pedal stroke, will improve efficiency, and flatten out any power spikes. The top dead centre position of the crank rotation is a good case in point. Without bindings, approaching, going through, and leaving this position is a markedly lower power phase of the rotation than with bindings. There were a few ( poor from a useful data perspective) videos, on line, where people tried to show that bindings made little or no difference. They pretty much just did a simulated ride, on rollers / a tread mill, and measured a few metrics, which wouldn’t be effected by having bindings / no bindings. None of them actually measured power vectoring though, which would have shown them what the system was designed for. The conclusions reached were done so with massive confirmation bias. 

Mb747 wrote:

Mb747 wrote:

Pulling up should generall be avoided

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/training/how-to-pedal-efficiently-173185

 

I don’t agree with that analysis. Just pressing down from 3pm to around 6pm wastes alot of potential to apply more to the power stroke. Pushing over the top of the pedal stroke and pulling back and up a little increase force over a wider arc. I personally found it reduces particular muscle stress whilst increasing cadence.

I spent a whole winter on the turbo learning to improve my pedal action and cadence.

I may not be more powerful in higher threshold, but I can sustain my power for longer

I was pretty decent at

I was pretty decent at Duathlon a couple of years back, not even a decent distance runner and not really doing any structured training.

Cycled 39km in an hour in trainers and flat pedals on a cheap used triathlon bike, friend of mine who represents GB at triathlon was only 30 seconds quicker than me in all of his expensive “proper” gear with all his training.

Transition benefits, less to think about, less faff and getting on/off the bike at speed are worth some time… and I’ve not been convinced that clipping in is any faster once moving anyway. I’d guess cycling shoes are a little more aero, but negligible time saving for duathlon of that distance.

I say flats and trainers. I’m often told I’m wrong by people who can’t keep up.

When I get around to swimming and triathlon next year I may try clipping in, I don’t expect it will change my mind but I’m open to any way I can gain time advantage.

Switching shoes twice over is

Switching shoes twice over is probably closer to 30 seconds total than 60 but do a trial run at home and time it to have a closer figure to work from rather than a guess. There is the loss starting the cycle section when clipping in and getting your feet in the cycling shoes properly which means you aren’t able to pedal as efficiently/effectively straight away but again this might only be a handful of seconds overall.

All the pros and many of not most top amateurs have their bike shoes already fitted to the bike, I don’t know how that works for you but it’s supposed to save time on the clipping into the pedals aspect that in a top end race could mean a break getting away from you and staying in the pack but also the transition part of running with the bike in hand to your changing point.

For amateur racing I don’t think this is necesary to have the shoes already fitted to the bike and for many it’s too much of a faff getting the feet in whilst on the bike itself and tightening up the shoes on the go, which also requires very good and often fairly costly cycling shoes to do it (readily) with.

All that said, as a compromise and to help you guage without a large investment, I would give double sided SPD pedals a go with a shoe that has a recessed clip within the sole. It will help with stability of the foot when pedalling hard and with a reasonably stiff soled cycling shoe it does help put more effort into the pedal as opposed to the flexing of the running shoe. It should also help distribute the load across the foot as opposed to focusing it in the small area which is what happens when you wear trainers or other soft/non stiff shoes on a pair of flat pedals, this may actually help your second run post the cycle effort.

I’ve got shoes similar to this for my every day commute bike (mine has one strap and laces but I just slip my feet in without undoing https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cycling-shoes-SPD-size-43/323962984703?hash=item4b6db2d8ff:g:7PwAAOSwsdtdndQO three straps would aid you having them loose to get on and fairly easy/quick to pull snug. These types are not recessed and the clip sits proud of the sole so is harder to walk never mind run in transition but with the three straps you would be able to get your feet out the shoes fairly easily before the transition area and run bare foot (if that’s doable) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Northwave-Spd-Shoes-New-Cycle-Spin-Road-EU45-UK11-Men-s/123961074525?hash=item1cdca7e35d:g:yLUAAOSwiS9dvYs0 Northwave are also a very good make and good VfM in my experience and the one in the link doesn’t have a Carbon fibre sole which IMO would be too stiff a cycle shoe for your needs and with no experience of riding with cycle shoes.

A second hand pair of lightly used shoes/pedals might be the way to go to see what you think, there’s usually loads on the likes of ebay were people have tried them and not go on with them.

HTH shave a few more seconds off

My mountainbike flats enable

My mountainbike flats enable me to make a quicker start away from the lights than some of those who have to clip in.  And who might have just shoaled me.

I have a feeling there may be

I have a feeling there may be a GCN video where they experimented and found, counter-intuitively perhaps, that on an indoor trainer they were faster on flats.

But I may be misremembering.