Clipless Pedals

[Co-opski]

What is the general EXPO consensus on clipless pedals for bike packing, general XC, or casual riding?
My story with bikes is a former BMX and MTB sport racer in the Midwest all just for fun never stood on a podium but have been in the top ten a few times. I road clipless Shimano SPD or Richey clipless pedals for XC riding and had the good old Odyssey Tripple Traps on my Robinson Pro bike back in the day.
Then I became a very casual rider running platforms on my ridged Gary Fisher single speed and cross bike. Now I run platforms on my Fatback. I understand the benefit of clipless but I also like to just grab the bike and ride even if there is some performance loss.
Now that my girlfriend is starting to ride more with me (she is on a mid-90s ridged Trek 950), her co-workers said she should get clipless pedals to make riding more enjoyable. I was thinking of adding a front shock and thudbuster to her bike plus wider tires (2.25-2.3) and an 8-speed cassette would make more of a difference, than clipless would. Her co-workers also told her I would try to talk her out of clipless pedals. What she rides mostly are gravel roads, some light single track and some paved bike paths. She also has no experience with running clipless pedals so she asked me what I thought. I told her I used to run them now I don't.

 

[BillTex]

I am a grab/go rider also. I ride pretty much every day to work (bike path) and ride some dub/single track weekends. I ride just about every day year-round. My compromise; rat traps.
Ride with any shoe, some push/pull advantages, and keeps your feet on the pedals when the going is "bumpy"...

Current ride; front susp, rigid tail, 27" wheels (29er next...)

My $0.02.

Bill

 

[libarata]

I see some awesome strap contraptions out there. I am a general KISS follower. One reason I will never go with clips, is that you need a special shoe, and what happens if your birdcage fails, or someone steals a shoe? I like my platforms. I have never tried clips though, so... No idea.

Those Pedaling Nowhere folks don't use clips, and they go thousands on miles!

 

[Christophe Noel]

This may be a dramatic overreaction to this question, but should you take away my clipless pedals, I'd probably stop riding...at least as much as I do. I think clip less pedals are essential to my riding enjoyment. I could count the ways why I think they're so awesome, but I'll just leave it at the fact I think they're a must have...for me.

 

[JPsLC]

For technical riding or long days on the saddle, clips are a must for me. If I'm just cruising the neighborhood or have several stops planned, then platforms so I can wear regular shoes.

 

[rkj__]

If I'm doing any significant distance or riding with any tenacity, I prefer my SPD pedals, and a proper cycling shoe with a nice stiff sole.

To me, the only noteworthy advantage of flats is that you can wear a shoe that is also good for walking.

I have three bikes.
1. MTB with SPD pedals
2. Cyclocross with SPD pedals
3. Rigid MTB with flats for running errands and such

If the rides are short, the pace is casual, and the terrain is not demanding, pedal choice will not make or break the riding experience.

Also, depending on the axle to crown height of the rigid fork, a suspension fork might be a lot longer, and throw the handling of the bike way off. I'm guessing a bike from the mid 90s might not have suspension corrected geometry.

 

[Co-opski]

Thanks for all the replies. ^^^^^And yes you are correct on adding the front shock and geo.
I've been trying to teach her basic trail moves (manuals, hops and bunny hops) to improve her ridding and I know clipless would help with these moves on a more technical trail. She is not clumsy but I could see her small dabs on the trail could turn into bigger endos. The goal for me is to continue to make this fun for her. So when is a good point in ones early riding to start riding clipless. Should I have her just jump in an go clipless or keep working on these riding skills and let her go clipless on her new bike. Trying to get her to buy a Mukluk for this winter but she keeps talking about a pack raft. BTW she loved ridding the Fatback.

 

[Plannerman]

As said above, I love my clueless for moderate to long rides.

Regarding when to change, I would let her decide. I road toe clips and platforms for a long time. At a certain point, I got tired of slipping off of my pedals and bought clueless. My first few rides were not pretty, but I stuck with them because it was my decision.


Sent via fat thumb

 

[JugglingSuns120]

Speaking as a road cyclist who has started getting more involved in mountain biking, the transition to clipless should probably happen as early as possible. The reason why I say this is when I started mountain biking I started on platforms (at the time it was mostly a cost and getting comfortable on the trails my friends ride), but starting on platforms led to the formation of a lot of bad habits and a bit too much added insurance. When I did finally switch to clipless I feel as though I took a bunch of steps backwards in my riding, I fell a lot more and felt generally uncomfortable on the bike. There was a lot of re-learning that happens with that transition that can be a bit discouraging.

All of that said if you are keeping it casual and just for fun clipless might be a bit overboard. You can have a lot of fun without it.

 

[lzpup]

road for 12 years in clips on the mtb, just switched to flats. Took a bit to get used to , sometimes I feel like I would clear some stuff if i had the clips and did not get bounced off. Other times I think I make it because i can commit more with the flats. I can tell I am missing some power in a certain situation, there is one tricky spot on my daily ride that is a series of step like rocks on a very steep section with a big water bar to clear, with the clips I felt like I could pull up the rear wheel and clear it. I can still get it with the flats though , it just felt easier with clips. But downhill i like much better with the flats. Guess it depends on the riding you do, if i just did mostly cross country, then clips for sure. More all mountain stuff, the flats are nice.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Given that she's riding mostly gravel and mild singletrack, I'd place a greater importance on the pedals than the fork or even Thudbuster. I use a Thudbuster on my Ti Fargo and while it helps with the occasional washboard, or pothole I didn't see coming, it only attenuates the ride just slightly. Probably best benefiting all day rides on mixed terrain.

I would also caution against the temptation to get hybrid clipless pedals. The kind with SPD on one side and a platform on the other. That just makes the whole engagement process that much more complicated. And having managed three massive bike touring companies on two continents...I can tell you first hand, people adapt to SPDs way quicker than any other system.

 

[Jay H]

Given that she's riding mostly gravel and mild singletrack, I'd place a greater importance on the pedals than the fork or even Thudbuster. I use a Thudbuster on my Ti Fargo and while it helps with the occasional washboard, or pothole I didn't see coming, it only attenuates the ride just slightly. Probably best benefiting all day rides on mixed terrain.

I would also caution against the temptation to get hybrid clipless pedals. The kind with SPD on one side and a platform on the other. That just makes the whole engagement process that much more complicated. And having managed three massive bike touring companies on two continents...I can tell you first hand, people adapt to SPDs way quicker than any other system.

That last part about not getting double sided flat/clipless pedals is so true. Everyone thinks they will be great but its the worst of both worlds.

I was shocked to hear someone mention rat traps/straps. In my opinion they are an abomination and caused many and injury back when they were popular. But at least there are a million other uses for those high quality straps. Good flat pedals or shimano SPD for the win.

To the OP : the desire for clipless may very well have more to do with the shoe than the pedal. Good stiff comfy shoes are a very good thing.

ALso I am of the opinion that going clipless too soon will create bad habits, just pulling up on the pedals is not the right way to bring up a rear wheel - loft the front wheel then rotate the bike forward bringing up the rear.

I dont know why I even mention this as no one ever listens but its a nice thought - when making the switch go to somewhere with nice soft grass. When you can get both feet in at a dead standstill and then move forward you know how to get in. Same with stopping dead stand still then both feel out shows you have got it. - Dont be like a clumsy road cyclist who takes one foot out as they approach a stop and then proceeds to lean the bike the other way and fall over on the side with the free leg sticking up in the air. Be able to get a foot after you start to lean.

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I rode using only clipless from 1997 to 2013. Late in 2013 I was using flats and snow boots. I left the flats on, and I haven't looked back. I miss a few things about clipless, but it's the more painful things that I don't miss. As a bonus, I can ride my bike while wearing Chaco's.

I bought some Mallets thinking they would be great for clipless and flats. They sucked for both.

 

[libarata]

I think the main reason I never switched to "clipless", was I never saw an insulated boot that would work with em. I was not too keen on riding around in -40* weather in sporty shoes. Not sure they make them even now.

 

[GR8ADV]

I wont even ride in a spin class without them. On road, off road, everywhere but downhill.