PowerCranks - do they make you faster?

Hoping to gather opinions from people who have used PowerCranks.

For those that have not heard of them you fit them to your bike like a set of regular cranks. The difference is that they have a clutch in them and can turn independently of each other. This forces you to pedal in circles - the claims are that the training benefits will help you to run and ride faster.

The theory sounds good (see www.powercranks.com) but I would like to hear from any one who has used them to verify that they really work.

Check out the power forum Link some of the older threads might be particularly useful.

Thanks 2LAP - but this link gives me a 404 error - maybe that page has been archived out. Best Regards

Fixed the link, but thought you were talking about SRM cranks.

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I've found an interesting comment on the benefit of training to spin circles on the Computrainer website. Anyone have opinions - experiences to add?

Here is the extract from their site...

" ... For example, by simply concentrating on "wiping gum off the bottom of your shoe" at bottom dead center will result in an increase in torque. Does this improvement in pedaling mechanics actually translate into improved performance on the road where it counts? Actually, the scientific literature that exists, although limited, suggests that this may not be the case. Dr. Ed Coyle and colleagues at the University of Texas found that it was maximal torque during the down stroke and not the "smoothness" or technique of the pedal stroke that was one factor which differentiated a group of elite cyclists from their sub-elite peers. Still, Dr. Jeff Broker, biomechanist at the Sport Science and Technology Lab at the US Olympic Training Center, has a contrary opinion. ... Broker believes that by distributing the force more evenly throughout the entire pedal stroke, and thus distributing the power demands to a greater muscle mass, a cyclist is able to conserve the major cycling muscles for the latter stages of a race when the demands are greatest. He goes on to explain that this even power distribution is especially important to off-road cyclists, as the more even torque distribution provides better traction and prevents tire slippage in loose terrain. This is certainly an area where more information is needed..."

hhmmm...... dont know untill you ride them I guess