Clipless Pedals (Noob Question Alert!)

doozer16

OK, have a new bike and don't have shoes yet,
I'm wearing running shoes on Shimano SPD style pedals at the moment
(not clipped in obviously).
Getting a pair of shoes during the week.
If I average about 28km/h on the flat at present, what would be your predictions on my average speed with cycling shoes?

I know there's alot of variables but just looking for a few estimations,
Cheers

TonyStark

doozer16 wrote: »

OK, have a new bike and don't have shoes yet,
I'm wearing running shoes on Shimano SPD style pedals at the moment
(not clipped in obviously).
Getting a pair of shoes during the week.
If I average about 28km/h on the flat at present, what would be your predictions on my average speed with cycling shoes?

I know there's alot of variables but just looking for a few estimations,
Cheers

Facetiously, At least 28kmph.. :-)

Seriously, about 30kmph ?.. just get them and go I say!

Mycroft H

Your not going to see a massive increase in speed I would think. Perhaps 0.5 of a km/h? You'd see a bigger increase by pedaling harder.

Surveyor11

You'll think you're going faster, that's all that matters

Zyzz

Basing your cycling and improvements on average speed is near enough useless..rarely you will go on a ride that will have the exact same conditions both with the weather and how your body feels (muscle fatigue etc), way too many variables.

Scuba_Scoper

Yesterday evening, wearing runners, on my hybrid, commuting with panniers, I averaged 41.2km/h on my favourite 1.2km flat sprint.

This morning on my 'racer', wearing clipless pedals, I averaged 24.8km/h on the same segment, going the other way.

The difference was wind direction.

The only way you are going to 'see' any difference is to use a power measuring device in a controlled environment. Clipless pedals should give you a more 'balanced' power output BUT that will depend your technique.

TLDR; Your question is impossible to answer,quantify or guesstimate due to variables.

doozer16

Zyzz wrote: »

Basing your cycling and improvements on average speed is near enough useless..rarely you will go on a ride that will have the exact same conditions both with the weather and how your body feels (muscle fatigue etc), way too many variables.

Well aware of the variables, just looking for estimations on what I should expect with them.

Zyzz

doozer16 wrote: »

Well aware of the variables, just looking for estimations on what I should expect with them.

Only one way to find out bro! Ive noticed a power increase (per pedal stroke) since I got mine many months ago, which of course has allowed for an increase in speed and climbing ability. Sounds odd but I feel a lot more in control of the bike when I have them on.

Everyone differs mind you

AltAccount

I'd expect the change will be virtually nil

doozer16

TLDR; Your question is impossible to answer,quantify or guesstimate due to variables.[/QUOTE]

Not being a knob but how is anything impossible to guesstimate!
I asked for an estimate, now give it to me

doozer16

AltAccount wrote: »

I'd expect the change will be virtually nil

:eek:
This is what I'm talking about, I've read conflicting reports on t'interweb about them, some say increased power output some say nowt. I understand both arguments but if your technique is decent and you can time the upstroke muscle pull well then there has to be an increased output..........surely.

AltAccount

doozer16 wrote: »

:eek:
This is what I'm talking about, I've read conflicting reports on t'interweb about them, some say increased power output some say nowt. I understand both arguments but if your technique is decent and you can time the upstroke muscle pull well then there has to be an increased output..........surely.

Possibly fewer losses, but my feeling would be that I'm not particularly faster with cycling shoes vs runners, although I'll have more confidence while climbing or sprinting and I'll probably have slightly better stamina due to fewer power losses.

There are too many variables to say.

If you put new shoes on someone with poor technique and fitness, you'll probably see no change.

If your new shoes allow you to develop a more efficient pedalling stroke and give you confidence while sprinting/climbing, is the improvement due to the shoes or just facilitated by them?

petethedrummer

doozer16 wrote: »

on Shimano SPD style pedals at the moment

SPD or SPD-SL???

It must be very difficult to cycle with runners on SPDs.

SPD-SL's would slightly easier.

pelevin

If you're getting the shoes in a few days what difference does it make what anyone estimates will be the improvement? "Marginal" is about as meaningful as anything else anyone could say. If at a guess you're not that long cycling 'seriously', it's probably as true to attribute improvement to increasing fitness rather than to new pedals. If you're looking for something more definite I'd say the pedals alone will cause an improvement of 0.13628 percent in performance.

Esroh

doozer16 wrote: »

:eek:
This is what I'm talking about, I've read conflicting reports on t'interweb about them, some say increased power output some say nowt. I understand both arguments but if your technique is decent and you can time the upstroke muscle pull well then there has to be an increased output..........surely.

.http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/05/how-to-pedal-like-a-pro/

doozer16

petethedrummer wrote: »

SPD or SPD-SL???

It must be very difficult to cycle with runners on SPDs.

SPD-SL's would slightly easier.

Same as these, quite comfortable but haven't tried in the wet yet.

http://www.exustar.com/2011/pr100pp.html

doozer16

Thanks for all the responses, I think Pelovin nailed it, an increase of about 0.168463937% seems the most logical assumption

Surveyor11

All joking aside, for me clip ins are a huge improvement over runners. You have a safety issue first and foremost - you're less likely to slip off the pedal once you get used to them (take a while learning how to clip in and out - I still find my Look Keo's difficult to use, SPD pedals easier for commuting). Some people say you're peddling more efficiently, in that you're getting a slight advantage from pulling on the pedal upstroke, not sure how measurable is this. But send me up a hill in a pair of runners versus clipped in pedals, I would prefer to have the latter. Also road shoes will have stiffer soles - less stress and fatigue on the feet, once set up properly they should get you through a lot more miles than a pair of runners.

petethedrummer

doozer16 wrote: »

Same as these, quite comfortable but haven't tried in the wet yet.

http://www.exustar.com/2011/pr100pp.html

OK Just so we're clear these are SPD-SL ( for Road).


And these are SPD (mainly for MTB/Touring).



I just want to make sure you are buying compatible shoes for your pedals. Shimano really should have differentiated the names more.

Surveyor11

And not to confuse it further, these SPD's offer a handy solution for using normal shoes / runners - have these on my commuter and they're handy for the short spins with the young lad where SPD's not required.

helimachoptor

I use SPDs on my road bike :eek:

Surveyor11

helimachoptor wrote: »

I use SPDs on my road bike :eek:

Me too, no shame in that. :pac:

paulgalway

Surveyor11 wrote: »

And not to confuse it further, these SPD's offer a handy solution for using normal shoes / runners - have these on my commuter and they're handy for the short spins with the young lad where SPD's not required.

Looking at pedals & shoes myself.

What type of pedals are they?

Son will be using road bike also with runners and I hope to find cycling shoes that are easy to walk in.

paulgalway

Have ordinary pedals at the moment.

What would be the best pedals to get for road bike that can be used with runners and cycling shoes. Needed for son who is starting to use the road bike. ?

Thanks.

doozer16

@petethedrummer, Thanks for that, SPD SL style is what I'm on. I linked them above,

http://www.exustar.com/2011/pr100pp.html

I'm prob gonna get a pair of Wiggle's dHb triathlon cycling shoe for about 55E.
To the best of my knowledge they are compatible with the cleats that came with the pedals.

doozer16

paulgalway wrote: »

Have ordinary pedals at the moment.

What would be the best pedals to get for road bike that can be used with runners and cycling shoes. Needed for son who is starting to use the road bike. ?

Thanks.

I'm no expert but if he is less than 12/13 I imagine starting with toe clips might be the best bet.
Easy in and out and can leave runners on so won't have the hassle of changing shoes everytime he needs a fast get away after emptying your wallet

Surveyor11

paulgalway wrote: »

Looking at pedals & shoes myself.

What type of pedals are they?

Son will be using road bike also with runners and I hope to find cycling shoes that are easy to walk in.

These are the pedals: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7808

IMHO, ideal if you're starting off. And flexible if you're using runners occasionally.

I use these pedals with these shoes on my commuting bike: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=91460

Eamonnator

helimachoptor wrote: »

I use SPDs on my road bike :eek:

Ah here. Rule 34 applies. Get with the programme.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

helimachoptor

Eamonnator wrote: »

Ah here. Rule 34 applies. Get with the programme.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

I break so many of those rules!

Ole Rodrigo

helimachoptor wrote: »

I break so many of those rules!

Rule #1 // Obey The Rules :pac:

petethedrummer

doozer16 wrote: »

I'm no expert but if he is less than 12/13 I imagine starting with toe clips might be the best bet.
Easy in and out and can leave runners on so won't have the hassle of changing shoes everytime he needs a fast get away after emptying your wallet

IMO toe clips aren't an intermediate step between flats and proper clipless pedals. They are an annoying distraction. Either stay on flats or go clipless.

Kids learn things quickly and don't have the same apprehension as adults do, so it's a good time to go clipless.

Mycroft H

helimachoptor wrote: »

I break so many of those rules!

My hairy legs and SPDs fly in the face of those rules

ghogie91

If you put racing stripes on them you go faster

Brian?

helimachoptor wrote: »

I break so many of those rules!

Do you not find the spd pedals terribly uncomfortable on long spins?

Brian?

petethedrummer wrote: »

IMO toe clips aren't an intermediate step between flats and proper clipless pedals. They are an annoying distraction. Either stay on flats or go clipless.

Kids learn things quickly and don't have the same apprehension as adults do, so it's a good time to go clipless.

I agree.

I recently invested in Speedplay pedals, the answer to every pedal question is Speedplay now. They really are fantastic.

cdaly_

Brian? wrote: »

Do you not find the spd pedals terribly uncomfortable on long spins?

Nope. The shoes have rigid soles so there's no localised pressure.