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It's interesting because there is a widespread belief (questioned by many, but also still held by many) that pedal stroke at a fixed cadence can be made more ef
by dkarl 6y ago
It's interesting because there is a widespread belief (questioned by many, but also still held by many) that pedal stroke at a fixed cadence can be made more efficient by directing the force in more of a circle instead of just pushing down on each side as a beginner does. As you direct the force in a more circular manner, you are supposed to get more efficient. Being clipped in is supposed to allow you to complete the circle by pulling up on the back of the stroke. Conclusive evidence for this has been hard to come by, and I think people now tell commuters and casual cyclists not to worry about it, but many people still believe that the difference is significant for competitive cyclists.
- putnambr 6y agoLike you said there are questions of efficiency, but hardly any questions of effectiveness. By clipping in and being able to muscle around the full rotation might burn more calories, but it does allow you to push out more watts. Try climbing a 10%+ incline clipped in vs flats. You might be more tired at the top of the hill clipped in, but with flats you'll likely spin out and be forced to hike your bike. Regarding this study, I don't think form in cycling can be trained on the typical trainer. You'd need a rocker plate and something raises/lowers your fork to perform any of the movement that outdoor riding requires.
- mrob 6y ago>Try climbing a 10%+ incline clipped in vs flats. You might be more tired at the top of the hill clipped in, but with flats you'll likely spin out and be forced to hike your bike. Doesn't "spinning out" mean your power output is bottlenecked because you can't move your legs fast enough? It only happens when your gear is too low. I don't see how that's possible while climbing, regardless of what pedals you use. I ride with flats, and there's a 10% incline hill not far from where I live. I've climbed it several times (at about walking pace) and never had any problem.
- nradov 6y agoWhat sort of evidence is needed? Modern power meters can show the complete power phase and torque effectiveness on pedaling strokes. Regardless of efficiency, modern clipless pedals allow for delivering higher maximum power without your feet slipping off.
- mrcartmenez 6y agoOnly in a bunch sprint. Otherwise there is no benefit and a lot of downsides in terms of how likely you are to get injured by poor cleat placement or saddle position.
- nradov 6y agoNo there are other situations beyond a bunch sprint where you need to briefly put out more power than flat pedals safely allow.
- Tarrosion 6y agoAh I've often wondered about this when riding! I wear grippy shoes on spiky pedals, but not clipped in (or using a poorly-named clipless system). Alternating left-right pushes feels very different than trying to maintain a continuous circular motion with quasi-equal force throughout. But unscientifically I can't notice any difference.
- mrcartmenez 6y agoClip ins (“Clipless”) aren’t any more efficient than flats, but will allow a little more power in a sprint. Clipping in is mostly a cargo-cult among non-pro riders
- pdemporg 6y ago'Clipless' pedals are so called because the system that preceded them was composed of toe clips and straps. Remove the clips and replace with ski bindings, and voila - clipless pedals!
- mrcartmenez 6y agoThis is unfortunately a disproven theory. The evidence to the contrary came in the form of power-meter data from pro cyclists. It shows that professional cyclists instead use their power only in the down stroke of the peddle and have a far less “even” power through the cycle. Their technique is much more similar to a piston engine than a rotary.
- RHSman2 6y agoSam Hill. End of discussion