Wholistic Fitness

BICYCLE PEDALS?

“Coach, Warrior, Leader,

I recently purchased a new MTB (mountain bike). Havent ridden in MANY years, I had forgotten how much I love to ride. You inspired me to get off my A#$ and start riding to work! I currently am using toe clips (old fashioned) they are what I began and ended on. I was never honestly interested in ‘clipless’ pedals but I am starting to reevalute my thinking. Could you please, please, please, post a comparison on DL between toeclips and clipless pedals on MTB’s. Do they really make a difference?

Thanks so much. Scott A Richardson”

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Noble Cardio Commuter Richardson –

first and foremost, allow me to bow as deep as my padmasana will allow…THANK YOU

for DOING THE NOBLE WORK of getting the (*)&$# out of the car and using your

self-and-spirit to power yourself to work!

HA! another one saved from car addiction! THANK YOU! FATHER SKY THANKS YOU!

YOUR HEART AND LUNGS AND LEGS AND SPIRIT THANKS YOU!

the difference between toe clips and clipless (horribly confusing terms) pedals is this:

toe clips – keeps your bicycle as powerful as my 1995 Metro GL (not very)

clipless – keeps your bicycle as powerful as a 2005 Porsche (very)

the primary reason for this is that using toe clips underutilizes about 70% of the pedal stroke. relying on toe clips is like relying on doing half a Jumping Jack for fitness. it’s not very effective. when you make the switch to clipless pedals (the ‘click in’ or ‘ski binding like’ style) suddenly you call into play your hamstrings for the upstroke, the hip flexors for the 11:00 am – 1:00 pm range of the pedal circle, and the front and rear calves contribute to the lower sweep through…thus, the clipless cyclist enjoys learning the Art of Spinning Circles (Just watch Lance Armstrong ride a Time Trial…he’s pretty good at it.) Clipless pedals allows you a full command of the pedal stroke instead of just a small portion of it. Result? you go faster, further with more economy of energy. Result #2: you get to see more places, feel more fresh wind on your skin, and maximize your cardio/nadic fitness like nobody’s business.

Caution: a person’s first experience in clipless can be fraught with trauma! the ‘suffocating’ feeling of being ‘locked into’ the pedals will surely pass for the Warrior who is determined. Beginners may enjoy using a particular type of pedal called, “Egg Beater Pedals”…an example of one can be found here:

http://www.cambriabike.com/pedals/crank_bros_triple_ti_egg_beater_pedal.htm

Having introduced scores of beginners to clipless pedals, i TAF this product has the easiest entry and release mechanism. well worth the price and it can be used on both road and MTB’s with alarming ease.

beginners can also put their bike into a stationary trainer of some sort and just practice clipping into and out of the clippless affair hundreds of times before venturing out into the snarls of traffic and asphalt and rocks and things. practicing on a grassy field is smart too.

with time, like any outdoor sport, the joys of clipless pedals soon rise above the Fear and soon enough you will wonder why the hell you spend so much of your cycling life without them!

since my retirement from competitive cycling, i now enjoy Egg Beaters on Grunt (my Kona MTB) and use Speedplay pedals on Sudhamani (my Trek road bike.)

may this help…

keep the rubber side down, baby!

see you on the ‘cobbles’…

namaste,

coach ilg

United States Cycling Federation Expert Coach

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