atkid wrote:
Back in the early-90's when Duathlons were more popular, I used the pyro platform pedals. They worked well but haven't used them in years and no longer have them.
Early this season I am racing the Fly-by-Night duathlon which is run-bike-run-bike-run so lots of transitions (4 if my math is correct). Are there platform pedals still available? Or just go with running shoes over the clipless? or install some flat pedals? or some other recommendation?
@Kid
I used platform pedals with the toe clips my first 2-3 years in Triathlons. All of those races were 70.3 and I general was fine on the bike, posting some of the top bike splits in my AG, but never ran well off the bike. I don’t know if cycling in running shoes had anything to do with my run leg off the bike though. When I crossed over to clipless pedals I said I might go back to platform pedals if I ever did a Duathlon because the T2 was fast at those triathlons with platform pedals. My T2 might be 20-25 seconds where everyone around me was 40-50 second. When I finally did do a Duathlon I was out of practice with the platform pedals and didn’t have time to practice with them since I first saw the race 6 days before the race. It was a super sprint so transitions were big. I practiced putting on and taking off the bike shoes and did it fast. The 5-6 seconds to change shoes wasn’t going to hurt me much. I did get off the bike in 3rd place about 20-25 seconds behind second place. I was out of T2 about 3-4 second behind second place. We traded places twice on the run and I finished 3-4 second behind 2nd for the 3rd place finish. I think having the bike shoes for the 12 mile bike ride was a bigger advantage than the 5-10 seconds I might have picked up in transition. Everyone else at the race used clipless pedals so we were all even.
I am signed up for two standard distance Duathlon this summer. I will be wearing bike shoes on the bike for both of them. I am considering adding a super sprint Duathlon and am wonder how my alpha flys shoes would perform on platform pedals with toe clips. The idea concerns me. I will likely do some testing in training over the next two months to see what the difference is in controlled Duathlon simulations. I am guessing this is one of those things like aero helmets and wet suits where the faster option for one person may be the slower option for someone else.