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After my latest mtn bike crash I'm re-evaluating clipping into the pedals. I used to race mtn bikes and considered clipping in to be a must do. But now I just ride for fun I was wondering what others do. Do you clip in? if not what do you do? what pedals do you use?
Thanks :cool2:
http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/...w-hell-naw.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
Platforms, even the cheap $20 ones. Never looked back.
NO NO NO NO!!!!!! I need my freedom.
I clip. I love the rock solid connection and efficiency. I tried to go back to platform but felt too 'detached', I feel there's a definite advantage to the leverage that can be applied when connected. I've had a few slow speed tipovers, though, none that resulted in more then my pride being hurt. I do however use a $13 bashguard so I don't have to worry about the chainring slicing me.
I started clipping in around '96 and have never looked back. Platforms are spooky to me coming down some trails, my shins got bashed too many times back in the day.
Nope. I clipped in for a couple years, but never really liked being "stuck" to the bike.
Clip in 100 percent of the time. I like the controll I get and it's second nature to unclip at this point.
Clip in 100% too. I echo the advantages that others have listed.
Also clipped in 100% of the time. When I first switched to clipless, way, way back when they first came out, I tipped over all the time. Now, I couldn't tell you the last time I tipped over or crashed because I couldn't un-clip. Clipless is definitely more efficient but, I am not a 'clipless snob'. Whatever works for you. I'm just happy to still be riding at my age!
When I was racing, back in the 80's (before electricity...) I used Power Grips. I got a lot of crap from people who thought it was insane to be that attached to your bike. Then clipless came out and everyone moved on without a thought to the potential risks (including me). I still like my old power grips and have them on my bikes original platforms - just not on the bike at this time! They do give you good grab to the pedal... but you have to flick your heel out just like with clipless. The advantage is that in technical terrain you just flip them over and are not attached.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...0345&pageView=
I only live a few blocks from you Axe if you would like to try them...
I have 2 pairs of shoes and clipless pedals. I like them on my roadbike and for mellow trails I can tolerate them. I use the shimano brand/style and have them adjusted at the most loose setting. For the majority of my biking and for more extreme riding and racing I prefer quality platform pedals. I ride with atomic laboritory trail pimps and kore pedals. Both of these styles have adjustable pins. The next crucial necessity is to have the right soled shoes. I have been riding 5.10 bike specific shoes. These shoes actually grip too much sometimes. Before these shoes, I liked using a tread pattern that was zig zag like on many basketball shoes or a vans style pattern. I move around a lot on my bike. Sometimes I will stretch my legs by riding with my foot in different pedal positions throughout a ride, not to mention a hike a bike routine that is sometimes required for my heavy bike. My personal perferance is platform pedals and with the right shoe/pedal combination, I have never slipped a pedal.
I first started with single release cleats and entry level shimano pedals. I always tipping over, especially in the slow, rocky, technical stuff. Then I upgraded to the multi-release cleats. World of difference. I also now run a fancier pedal with more of a cage which helps me to feel like there is more for me to stand on.
With the multi release cleats at the easiest levels they come un clipped in any direction and super easy. Easy enough that i was getting unclipped when bumped on rocks. When going into technical spots i would pre-unclip and stand on the pedals, just in case.
I ran those for months at the easy level of tension then gradually increased the tension so that there was no more accidentally un clipping. Now I don't think I could even ride without them.
Unclipped with 5.10 Freerider shoes and great platform pedals. I stay on the pedals all the time and come out easier when I don't want to be on them ;)
clipless, I had many more wrecks on my platforms when I got bounced off my pedals---but I have lots of friends that feel just the opposite, so its whatever floats your boat..my pedals, egg beater candy... they done gum up in the mud.
At the time of my accident I was using Tyme A.T.A.C. pedals similar to the picture below. Uncliping in a fal is not a major issue as you just kick your heel out.
Attachment 53440
The strange part is if I had not of unclipped my right foot (and fallen to the left) I would not have been injured as the sprocket would not have been able to reach my calf.
So my next question is... I know this pedal system is older as the bike is 12 years old. But this was state of the art at the time and the pedals were $100. Is this pedal system still a descent system? or should I replace them with something else?
For what it's worth, I run exclusively Time pedals on my mountain bike(s). They are my favorites that I have tried thus far. Shimano SPDs run a close-ish second and Crank Brothers are a very very very distant 3rd. Anyway, I have a set of older ATACs like those shown and a set of newer ones. I like them because they don't easily get gummed up with mud and trail debris and they have a very positive entry and release so you know for sure when you are in. The Shimanos and CBs can be a little bit vague in that regard sometimes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
When I first got into mountain biking I got me a set of SPD's for my bike. For the first couple weeks I constanly had scraped up knees. I fell over quite a bit. But as I got better at releasing my shoe, and knowing when to release, I no longer had these tip overs........until one day I tipped over and injured my knee pretty bad going up the really steep section in Beus Canyon of the BST. I was going uphill through a technical section and lost my momentum. To my left was a pretty steep drop with rocks and bushes in the bottom. I started to tip over to that downhill side and I just couldn't get my shoe to release. I ended up falling down that slope and smacking my knee right on a boulder. Full of adrenaline at that point, I quickly got back up and started to ride back down to the trailhead. As I was heading back down I looked down and saw that blood was pouring down my leg and soaking my sock and shoe. I had to get some stitches and my knee took a few months to get back to where I could enjoy biking again. So to make a long story short, after that I seriously considered getting rid of the clipless and getting platforms. But the advantages to being clipped in were too great. I loved having my feet secured, and being able to pull up on the pedal as well as push down. But to avoid another accident like I had, I loosened up my pedals considerably.
If you like them roll with em. I love my eggbeaters and as long as you like your time pedals go big and ride wih them. Sounds like a freak accident and very unfortunate.
I clip 100% of the time, love the control and attachment to the bike. Fell over Thursday on my way home from work stopped at a crosswalk with just one foot clipped in and somehow the front tire turned and I fell over right in front of an intersection full of people. Man that sucked...I use eggbeaters :crazy:
If the pedals are called "clipless", why do we "clip in"?