Frame size

Billsworld

Well, I bought a Bianchi Pista Concept with Corima carbon fiber wheels, and I am putting on my speedplays. I dont know where that falls on the production bike scale, but it seems like a straightforward mid range combo..

rooman

good basic frame...will serve you well (if it fits)...wheels are super...I'd toss speedplays and any clip-in cleats for track (other than older style SPDs), and prefer to use Superbe Pro pedals, Christophe toe clips and sprint double leather straps with buttons...a nice pair of leather Duegi wooden sole shoes and wedges and woohoo...crank out the power....

__________________


I think..that the greatest benefit to cyclists would ensue if government were to..gradually signify and produce society's view that cycling is a legitimate form of roadway transportation, open to all on an equal basis of proper skills and responsibilities that are easily attained and exercised.(John Forester)

Billsworld

Why not the speedplays. ? I havnt pulled out sprintg hard

rooman

then you are not sprinting hard enough...

its personal choice for you perhaps, but I will never use any cleats for track...there is no substitute to deliver power over firm strong toe clips and straps...nadda.

maybe its an Aussie thing, but my mentors ( world record holders on track and world champions and Olympic champions) all used toeclips and many tried different styles of cleats as they were released and all failed, with one exception, if you were going to use anything, the early SPD-R, only ones that can crank up tight...but good ones are hard to get and rare nowadays.

Toe clips & straps for track...only way to max your output safely.

__________________


I think..that the greatest benefit to cyclists would ensue if government were to..gradually signify and produce society's view that cycling is a legitimate form of roadway transportation, open to all on an equal basis of proper skills and responsibilities that are easily attained and exercised.(John Forester)

Billsworld

Well I am a sucker for anything that says more power

velomanct

The only time I pulled a foot out of my speedplay zeros is when I was doing tons of sprinting, and I believe I was loosing my form because of the excessive training load. I pulled my foot 3 or 4 times one day and then said I needed to take a break. This was all on the road training.

__________________
"friendship, family, religion. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business!" -Mr. Burns
The faster you go, the fewer passing cars

Billsworld

I believe the cleats do wear out over time from wear and tear.

rooman

we are talking speedplay use on track...pulling a foot on the road with a freewheel is a lot more forgiving, in fact it is a training method for some to ride with only one foot clipped in for some drills...especially hill training.

on the track, pulling a foot can be fatal ( and I mean fatal), both feet are in synch with the cranks, forceably, there is no room to relax and a loss of synch by one foot coming out at speed, under great load, is more than likely to have you kissing the boards, taking out the field and doing great injury to yourself, others and the track ( unless you ride outdoor tracks like Colorado Springs etc, where its concrete and you would love to slide there)...

anything to help minimise that happening is a plus...I am amazed at why many new riders and plenty of club riders continue insist on using cleats on track...is it because they don't have the confidence when stopping on a fixed gear and undo toe clips/straps?..., or is it that they just have never used toe cilips ...or think they are old hat?....

whatever reason they have....., and IMHO it is more likely an irrational fear........but, for maximum confidence and performance/output, use toe clips and straps....cleats cannot match the retention factor that clips and straps deliver.

__________________


I think..that the greatest benefit to cyclists would ensue if government were to..gradually signify and produce society's view that cycling is a legitimate form of roadway transportation, open to all on an equal basis of proper skills and responsibilities that are easily attained and exercised.(John Forester)

carmol

You sound quite reasonable, but on the other hand, most (all?) six days racers don't use straps and clips, but clipless pedals. Probably, clipless pedals are fool prove enough for anything but match sprint and the kilo...

Please forgive my bad english, I'm not a native speaker.

velomanct

I actually agree with you. If I were to do a standing start or any other sprint effort on the track, I want the absolute highest confidence in my pedal/shoe system. I want it to be impossible to pull a foot. Even on the road, I don't care for standing starts because of this. The shoe flexes on the upstroke and it doesn't feel secure/efficient. I'm even a little leary about my bars on my roadbike during standing starts. They creak and flex and it doesn't feel good. Someday I will get a real track bike and ride the track, I'm sure it will be a lot different than the road.

__________________
"friendship, family, religion. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business!" -Mr. Burns
The faster you go, the fewer passing cars

Billsworld

I use speedplays on all my bikes. The reason I got them was becuase I pulled out of a cheap pair of clips. They were on tight and I pulled out at over 30mph. (The other day I tossed a chain at tic under 40mph. I kept the bike upright.. barely) The other reason I have used the speed plays is because I like the freedom they give the foot. I will give the clips with double straps another try......Cha ching, there goes another $250 for shoes

WarrenG

How hard you sprint is not a factor in releasing from Speedplays. If it was Marty Nothstein would not have used them. Speedplays can release because of the angle of your foot to the pedal. You can reduce this possibility by increasing the amount of float (angle of rotation needed for release). On the track, you sometimes have to make hard accelerations while the bike is at odd angles due to the angles/banking of the track.

For sprints and standing starts I like the maximum security of double (not two individual) kierin-rated straps (about $75--$90) and clips. I have the black MKS double straps listed here... http://www.businesscycles.com/trcomp.htm#straps

For mass-start events I use Speedplays because the efforts are mostly different, they're more comfortable for longer races, and you don't want to make the rest of the riders wait for you to get your straps adjusted before each race.

Billsworld

Thanks Warren. You have done a couple of mass start races?