cages vs clip ons - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

04-25-2004, 07:31 PM

I have a Trek 7500 and have recently joined a local bike club.
We typically go on 30 mile road rides. The Trek has large
cages. If these are moderately tight to get good up motion do
I gain much from clip on pedals? And if I did change the pedals
what are some of the recommended types (and shoes) for my kind of riding?

04-25-2004, 08:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
sg <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> I have a Trek 7500 and have recently joined a local bike club.
> We typically go on 30 mile road rides. The Trek has large
> cages. If these are moderately tight to get good up motion do
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You really don't want to pull up; it's unnecessary strain, and can
lead to some nasty damage and loss of control. If you're into
spinning, there's an effect I like to call 'flywheeling' -- where
it /feels/ as though there's a constant, steady tension on the
drivetrain as though the crankset was a spinning flywheel, and
there's a steady balance between the forward thrust of the rear
wheel and coastable forward momentum, even on upgrades.

It doesn't involve pulling-up.

It's a smoothness in both twirling the cranks around,
balancing the weight on the wheels on grades, and
moving inexorably, steadily and comfortably forward.
I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly or if
I'm sounding tritely officious, but the approach I
use really does conserve a lot of glycogen for me, for
/really/ attacking the occasional hump or hill. Anyhow,
instead of pulling up, I recommend just trying thinking
'flywheel', and seeing how it works for you. Even if it
means shifting to a lower gear. I pass a lot of riders
on upgrades that way.

> I gain much from clip on pedals?

The main difference between toe-clip-equipped pedals and
clipless pedals is getting in & out of them. On the fly,
they both provide the same benefits.

And if I did change the pedals
> what are some of the recommended types (and shoes) for my kind of riding?

Now you're talking. The stiffer the shoe soles, the better
the power transfer from legs to cranks. The real Shimano
SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
enough). Some other mfgs like Sidi make SPD-compatible
'commuting' shoes with roughly the same compromise, and I
think that might be something for you to look into. A lot of
Sidi shoes are pretty narrow, though. Wide EEE feet like
mine have faired pretty good with Shimano shoes, which are
easily up to doing 30-milers -- in clips-&-straps, or clipless
pedals.

good ride,
Tom

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04-25-2004, 08:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
sg <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> I have a Trek 7500 and have recently joined a local bike club.
> We typically go on 30 mile road rides. The Trek has large
> cages. If these are moderately tight to get good up motion do
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You really don't want to pull up; it's unnecessary strain, and can
lead to some nasty damage and loss of control. If you're into
spinning, there's an effect I like to call 'flywheeling' -- where
it /feels/ as though there's a constant, steady tension on the
drivetrain as though the crankset was a spinning flywheel, and
there's a steady balance between the forward thrust of the rear
wheel and coastable forward momentum, even on upgrades.

It doesn't involve pulling-up.

It's a smoothness in both twirling the cranks around,
balancing the weight on the wheels on grades, and
moving inexorably, steadily and comfortably forward.
I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly or if
I'm sounding tritely officious, but the approach I
use really does conserve a lot of glycogen for me, for
/really/ attacking the occasional hump or hill. Anyhow,
instead of pulling up, I recommend just trying thinking
'flywheel', and seeing how it works for you. Even if it
means shifting to a lower gear. I pass a lot of riders
on upgrades that way.

> I gain much from clip on pedals?

The main difference between toe-clip-equipped pedals and
clipless pedals is getting in & out of them. On the fly,
they both provide the same benefits.

And if I did change the pedals
> what are some of the recommended types (and shoes) for my kind of riding?

Now you're talking. The stiffer the shoe soles, the better
the power transfer from legs to cranks. The real Shimano
SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
enough). Some other mfgs like Sidi make SPD-compatible
'commuting' shoes with roughly the same compromise, and I
think that might be something for you to look into. A lot of
Sidi shoes are pretty narrow, though. Wide EEE feet like
mine have faired pretty good with Shimano shoes, which are
easily up to doing 30-milers -- in clips-&-straps, or clipless
pedals.

good ride,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

04-25-2004, 08:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
sg <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> I have a Trek 7500 and have recently joined a local bike club.
> We typically go on 30 mile road rides. The Trek has large
> cages. If these are moderately tight to get good up motion do
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You really don't want to pull up; it's unnecessary strain, and can
lead to some nasty damage and loss of control. If you're into
spinning, there's an effect I like to call 'flywheeling' -- where
it /feels/ as though there's a constant, steady tension on the
drivetrain as though the crankset was a spinning flywheel, and
there's a steady balance between the forward thrust of the rear
wheel and coastable forward momentum, even on upgrades.

It doesn't involve pulling-up.

It's a smoothness in both twirling the cranks around,
balancing the weight on the wheels on grades, and
moving inexorably, steadily and comfortably forward.
I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly or if
I'm sounding tritely officious, but the approach I
use really does conserve a lot of glycogen for me, for
/really/ attacking the occasional hump or hill. Anyhow,
instead of pulling up, I recommend just trying thinking
'flywheel', and seeing how it works for you. Even if it
means shifting to a lower gear. I pass a lot of riders
on upgrades that way.

> I gain much from clip on pedals?

The main difference between toe-clip-equipped pedals and
clipless pedals is getting in & out of them. On the fly,
they both provide the same benefits.

And if I did change the pedals
> what are some of the recommended types (and shoes) for my kind of riding?

Now you're talking. The stiffer the shoe soles, the better
the power transfer from legs to cranks. The real Shimano
SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
enough). Some other mfgs like Sidi make SPD-compatible
'commuting' shoes with roughly the same compromise, and I
think that might be something for you to look into. A lot of
Sidi shoes are pretty narrow, though. Wide EEE feet like
mine have faired pretty good with Shimano shoes, which are
easily up to doing 30-milers -- in clips-&-straps, or clipless
pedals.

good ride,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

04-25-2004, 08:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
sg <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> I have a Trek 7500 and have recently joined a local bike club.
> We typically go on 30 mile road rides. The Trek has large
> cages. If these are moderately tight to get good up motion do
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You really don't want to pull up; it's unnecessary strain, and can
lead to some nasty damage and loss of control. If you're into
spinning, there's an effect I like to call 'flywheeling' -- where
it /feels/ as though there's a constant, steady tension on the
drivetrain as though the crankset was a spinning flywheel, and
there's a steady balance between the forward thrust of the rear
wheel and coastable forward momentum, even on upgrades.

It doesn't involve pulling-up.

It's a smoothness in both twirling the cranks around,
balancing the weight on the wheels on grades, and
moving inexorably, steadily and comfortably forward.
I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly or if
I'm sounding tritely officious, but the approach I
use really does conserve a lot of glycogen for me, for
/really/ attacking the occasional hump or hill. Anyhow,
instead of pulling up, I recommend just trying thinking
'flywheel', and seeing how it works for you. Even if it
means shifting to a lower gear. I pass a lot of riders
on upgrades that way.

> I gain much from clip on pedals?

The main difference between toe-clip-equipped pedals and
clipless pedals is getting in & out of them. On the fly,
they both provide the same benefits.

And if I did change the pedals
> what are some of the recommended types (and shoes) for my kind of riding?

Now you're talking. The stiffer the shoe soles, the better
the power transfer from legs to cranks. The real Shimano
SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
enough). Some other mfgs like Sidi make SPD-compatible
'commuting' shoes with roughly the same compromise, and I
think that might be something for you to look into. A lot of
Sidi shoes are pretty narrow, though. Wide EEE feet like
mine have faired pretty good with Shimano shoes, which are
easily up to doing 30-milers -- in clips-&-straps, or clipless
pedals.

good ride,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

04-25-2004, 08:39 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
sg <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> I have a Trek 7500 and have recently joined a local bike club.
> We typically go on 30 mile road rides. The Trek has large
> cages. If these are moderately tight to get good up motion do
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You really don't want to pull up; it's unnecessary strain, and can
lead to some nasty damage and loss of control. If you're into
spinning, there's an effect I like to call 'flywheeling' -- where
it /feels/ as though there's a constant, steady tension on the
drivetrain as though the crankset was a spinning flywheel, and
there's a steady balance between the forward thrust of the rear
wheel and coastable forward momentum, even on upgrades.

It doesn't involve pulling-up.

It's a smoothness in both twirling the cranks around,
balancing the weight on the wheels on grades, and
moving inexorably, steadily and comfortably forward.
I don't know if I'm explaining this correctly or if
I'm sounding tritely officious, but the approach I
use really does conserve a lot of glycogen for me, for
/really/ attacking the occasional hump or hill. Anyhow,
instead of pulling up, I recommend just trying thinking
'flywheel', and seeing how it works for you. Even if it
means shifting to a lower gear. I pass a lot of riders
on upgrades that way.

> I gain much from clip on pedals?

The main difference between toe-clip-equipped pedals and
clipless pedals is getting in & out of them. On the fly,
they both provide the same benefits.

And if I did change the pedals
> what are some of the recommended types (and shoes) for my kind of riding?

Now you're talking. The stiffer the shoe soles, the better
the power transfer from legs to cranks. The real Shimano
SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
enough). Some other mfgs like Sidi make SPD-compatible
'commuting' shoes with roughly the same compromise, and I
think that might be something for you to look into. A lot of
Sidi shoes are pretty narrow, though. Wide EEE feet like
mine have faired pretty good with Shimano shoes, which are
easily up to doing 30-milers -- in clips-&-straps, or clipless
pedals.

good ride,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

04-25-2004, 11:10 PM

Sun, 25 Apr 2004 20:39:24 -0700, <c90i6c.i18.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>The real Shimano
>SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
>walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
>enough).

Okay except they're brown or green.

Lake has a decent new cycling shoe at MEC. All black, it looked
something I'd wear. But, it wasn't made to take cleats. Cripes!
--
zk

04-25-2004, 11:10 PM

Sun, 25 Apr 2004 20:39:24 -0700, <c90i6c.i18.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>The real Shimano
>SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
>walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
>enough).

Okay except they're brown or green.

Lake has a decent new cycling shoe at MEC. All black, it looked
something I'd wear. But, it wasn't made to take cleats. Cripes!
--
zk

04-25-2004, 11:10 PM

Sun, 25 Apr 2004 20:39:24 -0700, <c90i6c.i18.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>The real Shimano
>SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
>walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
>enough).

Okay except they're brown or green.

Lake has a decent new cycling shoe at MEC. All black, it looked
something I'd wear. But, it wasn't made to take cleats. Cripes!
--
zk

04-25-2004, 11:10 PM

Sun, 25 Apr 2004 20:39:24 -0700, <c90i6c.i18.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>The real Shimano
>SPD mountain-bike shoes are mostly a good compromise between
>walkability (not too stiff-soled) and cyclability (stiff-soled
>enough).

Okay except they're brown or green.

Lake has a decent new cycling shoe at MEC. All black, it looked
something I'd wear. But, it wasn't made to take cleats. Cripes!
--
zk