To cleat or not to cleat?

[lph]

What they all said. While all elite riders use cleats, because they add a little more power to your pedal stroke, there are many many experienced, veteran, long-distance riders who don't, for various reasons. I commuted without cleats for many years. Everyone blathered on about how I should have them so I tried, and to tell you the truth I still don't think the added power is particularly noticeable. But I quickly got used to the ease of being attached and not being able to slide off, it's relaxing in a different way, believe it or not. So now I use them all the time, and feel very unsafe without, like I'm about to pop off my pedals any moment!

Once you want to try them you'll need a while to engrain the muscle memory, and once you do it's second nature. But there certainly are advantages to cycling without too, like wearing regular shoes.

[tealtreak]

Please never allow "the rules" (lol thinking velominati) about gear, expense of bike, clothes, speed or any other variable to keep you from loving to ride! (: Seeking advice/mentoring is wise and this forum is great for that......but it is easy to get sucked into thinking "I am not a "real" cyclist because.......

[Owlie]

I love my clipless pedals and stiff-soled cycling shoes, but I certainly would never recommend them to someone who is just (re)learning how to ride. I usually just tell people to leave the flat pedals on, or if it's a bike that doesn't come with pedals, to get a basic pair of platforms until you've got control of the bike down and can start and stop without issue. I'd also never put a pair of clipless pedals on a mountain or commuter bike, if I were doing a lot of riding in built-up areas. I'd stick a pair of BMX pedals on there and call it good...and learn to watch out for my shins!

[roo4]

I noticed a bigger difference in switching from running shoes to cycling shoes (both with toe clips) than I did switching from cycling shoes with toe clips to clipless. Get yourself a pair of mountain bike shoes with stiff soles that still allow you to walk around. Enjoy!

[BonnieS]

Wow, lots of great advice here, thank you. Over the weekend I did clip in and it felt great to be attached to the bike, but I was riding in a parking lot! Which is a great place to learn the basics, so I'm not putting myself down.

From what I read into these responses, I recognize I don't have the confidence yet on the bike to wear cleats safely out on the roads (YET). I think I'm going to try mountain bike shoes with stiff soles, as roo4 suggested, and make the switch when I'm confident about taking the bike out for a ride. My goal is to ride with clips, but I'm going to take it at my own pace.

Thank you to everyone, I appreciate the input so much.

[MelC]

When I got my first fancy bike for my largely imaginary triathlon competitions I got clipless pedals on it for the first time. It never occurred to me not too. All the cool kids did it. It was scary. I road it on the grass at my local park. I fell over trying to climb an awkward hill through cowgates (slowing slowing slowing stop tip). No serious damage but I realized I didn't ride the fancy bike enough to get used to the clipless pedals, they freaked me out. Since the bike was too good to bum around town on and was reserved for "serious" (hah!) training. I went out and bought a cheap set and installed them on my commuter. I road with them every day to and from work. At first I would start unclipping a half a block to a block before I thought I might have to come to a stop. Gradually the distance got shorter and shorter. Eventually it became second nature. The moral of the story is you will get used to them and the more you use them the easier it will be.

[BonnieS]

That's good to know, MelC. I definitely want to be one of the cool kids! But unlike you I don't commute by bike and my one bike is also reserved for serious (double hah!) rides on long country roads, which I hope I'll find one day, and by that time, I'll be a good enough rider to be not freaked out at being clipped in. I'll save my cleats for spinning class and hope that by (September?) I'll be ready for them on my real bike!

[ny biker]

That's good to know, MelC. I definitely want to be one of the cool kids! But unlike you I don't commute by bike and my one bike is also reserved for serious (double hah!) rides on long country roads, which I hope I'll find one day, and by that time, I'll be a good enough rider to be not freaked out at being clipped in. I'll save my cleats for spinning class and hope that by (September?) I'll be ready for them on my real bike!

Since you use cleats for spinning class, pay attention to which foot you instinctively clip out first. And on your real bike, pay attention to which foot you instinctively put down first when you come to a stop. I would think it's the same foot in each situation. When you do try clipless on your real bike, you'll want to always unclip that foot first.

[JasonM]

At first I've been using flat pedals. But most of my friends are shifting into clipless pedals. They suggest that i should change too since its more efficient especially on long rides and uphills. they i get used to it a couple of tries then im confident enough for long rides with clipless pedals.

[Trek420]

Thanks for the bump.

All 10 (yikes. How did that happen?) of our bikes are platform pedals, various and sundry brands and kinds. I had to give up on clipless because of a foot injury. My road bike shoe days are over.

I don't miss it. All of our platform pedals are grippy, steady, can even stand on a hill or to accelerate. The only time I miss clipless a teeny tiny bit is on descents. With clipless there's little to no risk of loss of contact with the pedal when you hit a bump. I really felt connected with the bike. That can happen with platform but has not yet.

OTOH or foot, OTOF with platforms I can just grab a bike and go. I never even have to change shoes though sometimes do for footwear that's a little stiffer and or more grippy.

[ny biker]

Hi Trek!

I put platform pedals on my mountain bike after I hurt my ankle so I could do short rides around my neighborhood without having to twist my foot to clip in and out. I found it very hard to get started, especially on a hill, after using clipless pedals for years. Did you have a similar problem when you switched back to platforms?

I don't ride the mountain bike much and since my ankle is better I'm back to riding my road bike which has clipless pedals. But I might be getting another bike and am considering putting platform pedals on that, for a few reasons.

The clipless pedals do help me when riding up steep hills, because that's when I am consciously pulling up through the pedal stroke. Other than that I really don't know how much difference they make. I'm an average-speed rider, not trying to race or anything.

I have had trouble finding road shoes that are comfortable, and in cold weather those cold metal cleats make my feet cold. Also I have to be careful when walking on unpaved surfaces in them to avoid getting dirt in the cleats. I've done a few century rides lately that required walking in grass, dirt and mud in my bike shoes, which was not fun.

[Crankin]

I absolutely hate riding on flat pedals! I can barely get started, let a lone on a hill! I wish I didn't get the dual sided pedals for the Ariel. It comes down to just not feeling safe on the flat pedals.

[north woods gal]

As most of you know, I converted over to quality flat pedals with pins for all my riding on all my bikes, some years back. Honestly, going back to clipless would be a huge step backward in performance for me. Going flat pedal has allowed me to do things when riding trails that would be impossible with clipless, not to mention my feet are far healthier, much warmer in the winter and injury free, thanks to flats. You could hold a gun to my head and I still wouldn't go back to locking my feet to the pedals.

[Trek420]

I absolutely hate riding on flat pedals! I can barely get started, let a lone on a hill! I wish I didn't get the dual sided pedals for the Ariel. It comes down to just not feeling safe on the flat pedals.

I had the dual sided pedals on my GT Outpost trail and never liked them. Always a struggle getting to the "right" side of the dual side. First 50 yards or so were flipping the pedal over over and over till I land on the flat side. Same thing if I happened to ride clipless, just getting it to the clip side on the other foot was a pain. Never again.

Just taking a look: I have Redline pedals on the Salsa and Motobecane. Lambda pedal on the Soma and Mondonico. https://www.treefortbikes.com/MKS-La...latform-Pedals

[Trek420]

Ooh, while I have the plain lo profile alloy platform, I just noticed the colors. Might have to change pedals on the bright green Salsa Vaya to this;

http://redlinebicycles.com/parts/mon...atform-pedals/