Clipless vs platform efficiency gain?



huhenio

New Member
Jul 19, 2005
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I know, it is obvious that clipless are the way to go and there is nothing to discuss about it.

Just for laugh and giggles, does anyone have a figure on how much more efficient is to pedal with clipless vs. platforms with straps?

I am just curious ... nothing really that will make me loose sleep, and a good opportunity for y'all to show off your bike knowledge:D
 
huhenio said:
Just for laugh and giggles, does anyone have a figure on how much more efficient is to pedal with clipless vs. platforms with straps?
Most likely none. The only advantage clipless have over straps is convenience, and perhaps a bit of safety.
 
artmichalek said:
Most likely none. The only advantage clipless have over straps is convenience, and perhaps a bit of safety.

Thank you ... you just saved me 100 bucks.:D
 
artmichalek said:
Most likely none. The only advantage clipless have over straps is convenience, and perhaps a bit of safety.
I have to completely disagree with you. Have you ever rode clipless before? I heard a figure once that clipless are 15% more efficient than platforms (I can't comment of the validity of it, but it sounds like it's in the right neighborhood). The biggest advantage of clipless vs. platforms is that you can do a complete pedal stroke, meaning you can pull the pedal upwards on the upstroke. I switched from platforms to clipless about 1000 miles ago, and I noticed my times on the flats dropped drastically (on the order of 5-6 minutes per hour of riding), and I found it much easier to climb.
 
I ride with both types. On my own I use clipless and with the wife I use platforms. Personally, I notice a huge difference. The bike seems to be alot easier to accelerate and keep at a certain speed and I can ride for longer without being knackered at the end. I use the platforms because she's forever stopping and walking up the 'hard bits'.:rolleyes:
 
badkarma said:
I have to completely disagree with you. Have you ever rode clipless before? I heard a figure once that clipless are 15% more efficient than platforms (I can't comment of the validity of it, but it sounds like it's in the right neighborhood). The biggest advantage of clipless vs. platforms is that you can do a complete pedal stroke, meaning you can pull the pedal upwards on the upstroke. I switched from platforms to clipless about 1000 miles ago, and I noticed my times on the flats dropped drastically (on the order of 5-6 minutes per hour of riding), and I found it much easier to climb.
Perhaps, but the original post was concerning platforms with straps. Going from platforms without straps, 15% is probably a reasonable upper limit.
 
I can't give a quantitative value as to the efficiency gain. But there is still a very big difference (maybe on the order of 5-10%?) between toeclips and clipless. The difference will surely be noticed on rides of 10+ miles
 
Now I need my 100$ back .... I mostly ride 40 plus miles or 20 on hills.
 
I think clipless pedals make cycling a totally different excercise. With them I'm using my abs to pull up on the upstroke. It's more of a circular motion rather than just pushing down on the pedals. The top bike racers have great abs and there is a reason why.

Especially climbing hills, paying attention to the full, circular pedal-stroke makes a huge difference.

If you ask to quantify it, you have to realy ask what kind of number are you putting on it. I'm sure that climbing steep hills a circular pedal stroke makes me go 1-2 mph faster, and since we're talking speeds at or under 10mph, that's a 10-20% more speed.

Since measuring human physical energy is a complex thing... How do you say that you are using more or less energy per mile? How do you measure that? That's why I'm doubtful of any figures thrown around about that claim that this or that is X% more or less efficient than something else.
 
5 to 10 percent ... I buy that ... good enough for me.

We are talking about straps vs clipless roight?
 
huhenio said:
5 to 10 percent ... I buy that ... good enough for me.

We are talking about straps vs clipless roight?
It's really tough to say, I don't want you coming back after you invest in shoes/pedals and tell me I'm full of ****. I've ridden clipless and I've ridden toeclips, and I MUCH prefer clipless. I find them easier to use and more efficient.

Maybe one way to look at it is, if toeclips allowed you to deliver the same efficiency, wouldn't a lot more people be using them?

You don't have to go with clipless, if you're happy with your performance with toeclips, then by all means, stick with that.
 
I take eveybody's word for it and stick with my very inexpensive cages that I already have.

Caged pedals = 20 bucks.

I can live with that ....
 
huhenio said:
I take eveybody's word for it and stick with my very inexpensive cages that I already have.

Caged pedals = 20 bucks.

I can live with that ....
NoooOOOOooooOOOO Huhenio!

There's been some debate about the figures I know, and you've been swung this way and that by the various arguments, but the difference between clipless and platforms (with straps) is immense.

I'm 34.6% happier riding clipless, 17% faster (in my mind) and have 22.8% more fun.

So that's 24.8% better. Go clipless - the figures speak for themselves. :rolleyes:
 
wheelist said:
NoooOOOOooooOOOO Huhenio!

There's been some debate about the figures I know, and you've been swung this way and that by the various arguments, but the difference between clipless and platforms (with straps) is immense.

I'm 34.6% happier riding clipless, 17% faster (in my mind) and have 22.8% more fun.

So that's 24.8% better. Go clipless - the figures speak for themselves. :rolleyes:
HA! I think you'll find you're unbelievably 100% wrong mister!!! It's actually 16.999999999% faster!!! And because clipless don't have stupid big clips and straps, they're 80.56789million times more aerodynamic! :D
 
shannons dad said:
HA! I think you'll find you're unbelievably 100% wrong mister!!! It's actually 16.999999999% faster!!! And because clipless don't have stupid big clips and straps, they're 80.56789million times more aerodynamic! :D
That bloody calculator. :mad:
 
HA!

Shaving my sideburns actually compensates the average gain on 19.252545235242E3 % and 1/4!!

I just went on and riveted a pair of sneakers to the pedals!! ... which in turn brings me to carry a bigger bag for first aid supplies.

It never ends!!!

BTW .... loosing all my teeth in the next accident will increase my VO2 max number thingy.
 
huhenio said:
I just went on and riveted a pair of sneakers to the pedals!!
You can tell it's late here: I actually spent a few minutes seriously considering whether this was do-able and/or practical.

Fortunately I couldn't decide on which sneakers. :D
 
wheelist said:
You can tell it's late here: I actually spent a few minutes seriously considering whether this was do-able and/or practical.

Fortunately I couldn't decide on which sneakers. :D
What about sandals?

I know that flat, sturdy ones would be short of ideal.

Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation ...:D
 
There definately is an advantage to clipless. Finding a pair of shoes designed for toe clips and straps in nearly impossible anymore and if you do have them, tighten those clips enough so that you can pull up as hard as clipless and you won't be able to get your feet out of the clips. You'd more likely pull your feet out of your shoes. For that reason alone, clipless is much safer since everyone who is used to them instinctively twists out and in an accident that tends to twist the leg you automatically pop out of the clips.