Clipless pedals

phil said:

*I have a video on my computer called
"clipless_pedal_guy_way_cool.mpg", of somebody doing some rather crazy
trials with clipless pedals. I can't remember who it is or where the
video came from (some event in the US, by the accents of the
onlookers) but if trials is possible with clipless pedals then
distance riding should be a breeze... 🙂

Phil *

I saw this guy at the NAUCC 2003, and he crashed hard. Not sure if it
was the pedals though, he was jumping to a spool, and held up. So even
without he may have had problems. I think his name was Chad something.

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phil said:

*I have a video on my computer called
"clipless_pedal_guy_way_cool.mpg", of somebody doing some rather crazy
trials with clipless pedals. I can't remember who it is or where the
video came from (some event in the US, by the accents of the
onlookers) but if trials is possible with clipless pedals then
distance riding should be a breeze... 🙂

Phil *

The video is in the unicyclist.com gallery

http://tinyurl.com/8jg7k

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Brian MacKenzie said:

they just offer no real advantage.

they do on bikes because you have your arms way out in front of you, and
they are the only real way to lift the back of the bike (if you can't
bunny hop)

That can't possibly be how clipless pedals give me an advantage on my
bike. My arms aren't way out in front of me, they're at my sides. And
the pedals, being at the front of the bike, would be of very limited use
in lifting the back of the bike.

:-P

They *do* offer a huge advantage in eliminating the need for me to waste
energy keeping my legs in the air and my feet correctly positioned on
the pedals. I would expect that the benefit of keeping the feet
correctly positioned on the pedals would also apply to unicycling. I
haven't yet got round to trying clipless pedals on a yike, though.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

I'm a committed convert to SPDs for road cycling. I use them on my
mountain bike as well (although I've hardly ridden it since I got the
muni), but I set them up VERY loose off road so they release easily in a
panic situation. On a bike it allows you to power round the whole pedal
stroke (more so than with toe clips and straps) and also has the
advantage of the few degrees of sideways float that is very good for the
knees.

I do keep lifting my feet off the back pedal when climbing steep hills
on a uni (because I'm so used to being able to pull up on the bike
pedals) and I'm sure the clips (clipless?) would help keep feet from
bouncing off the pedals on rocky downhills. The float would also no
doubt save my knees on hills. But I wouldn't dare use them on a
unicycle without a full suit of armour. Perhaps a superhuman rider, on
the road, could get away with it, but for lesser mortals or for muni I
reckon it would be suicide.

So I'm going to confirm John's prediction and say "Don't do it Mike". I
think you'll end up modifying your chin again.

Rob

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Brian MacKenzie said:

*Proper spinning will negate any advantage over being able to 'pull up
on the other pedal'

My experience is only from biking, so I could be wrong.

My unicycling experience, on the other hand, indicates that I ride
with my feet in several different positions on the pedal, fore/aft,
in/out.
*

I will once again have to disagree. Spinning perfectly may be able to
bring you to the same speed as using clipless pedals, but you are using
*more energy* trying to spin perfectly than you would be if you were
just clipped in.

Riding with your feet in different positions on the pedal is probably
indication that you are being inefficient and could benefit from using
clipless pedals.

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Tholub has a point. Having ridden the Mt. Diablo road, it would probably
be a perfect place for mere mortals to use clip-on pedals. The road is
pretty much uphill the whole way, with only a little bit of flat and
maybe a few small downhills. This means most of the ride you won't be
spinning per-se, but just cranking along.

Still, for any use of clip-ons (hope that name covers all forms of
foot-attaching pedals adequately), practicing first on a bike until you
develop the unclipping reflexes is very good advice.

bugman said:

*I watched him fall many times since most everyone was ahead of me
when we were riding, and he never had issues as a result of clipless
pedals staying "clipped". It really gave him an advantage when
hopping.

It is true that he was a proffesional clown for some time. I think it
was acually a 7 foot Giraffe! And the rope was heavy.*

I remember the guy posting. He's the only person I've ever heard of to
use clip-on pedals long-term. Everybody else tried them for a while and
stopped. For jumping rope they would be *very* useful. Also safer, as
you have more time when falling off a giraffe and I imagine it would
give you about the same amount of time you'd average on a bike.

But as for the trail riding, he's the only one I've heard of that
continues to do it. Obviously it works for him! As for me, I don't even
like snowboarding because my feet are locked onto it...

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When exiting clipless pedals on a normal bike, you get to stop your
pedal motion using the free hub. Having control over your pedal motion
makes unclipping quite easy.

On a uni, unclipping would be different than on a bike. With direct
drive, your pedals continue to move during UPD. I believe this would
make it harder to exit clipless pedals from a uni than it is on a
bike.

For me on a uni, the significant benefits of clipless pedals would not
pay enough to cover the substantial chance for a much harder splat.

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if u put clip pedals on ur uni Ill punch u in the face wut do u do when
u udp on a downhill triail ? u feets are stucked to ur pedals have fun
at the hospital...

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maxisbackintown - timmmyyy

yeah
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