Hi,
I just did my first duathlon and have a few questions:
On a 10 mile flat course, how much time would you estimate
that you gain by using clipless pedals as opposed to baskets w/straps and running shoes? (Ignoring the obvious uncoolness of this…)
How much time would you estimate you lose in transitions using clipless pedals compared to biking in your running shoes?
Is there an effect on your pace on the second run of using one or the other pedal systems?
My sense would be that the more power you generate on the bike the more of a difference it makes, but that on a short course you better be fast in the transitions to make it worthwhile.
The very first tri that I ever did was a sprint with a 33 km bike leg. Did it on an old 12 sp with baskets. The next year I took the same bike and added aero bars and clipless pedals. My bike time was 12 minutes faster. Part of that was training but adding aero bars and clipless pedals are the two most bang for the buck improvements that you can make to a bike.
clipless pedals allow you to engage your hamstrings in pedaling–with clips (“baskets”) this is pretty much out of the question. (well, actually it’s theoretically possible but the basket deforms so much when you pull up that any benefit essentially goes to nil. maybe if there were rigid, solid metal clips.) anyway, that’s the biggest benefit of clipless pedals. it’s also nice not to have to worry about your feet moving around when you’re climbing, but if you’re on a flat course like you mention this might not matter so much.
I suspect there is very little difference in power on the bike between clipless pedals and baskets with running shoes, at least as long as one is securely tied into the baskets. There is a difference, of course, in how “cool” you look. It would be interesting to see a study that looks at this but I have never seen one. If one actually knew what thedifference was then one could caclulate when it is better to go one way than another. Otherwise, one is just guessing.
I raced an F1 duathlon (2mi/10mi/2mi/10mi/2mi) last year and was able to compare the differences because there was a guy using pedal platforms that took time out of me each transition. I ran into T1 ahead of him and he left ahead of me. Over the course of four transitions I steadily left him behind, but you could see that he was picking up 10 seconds or so each time.
However, it was also apparent on the one short hill on the course that we did each lap-3 laps per 10 miles-that he was having a tough time. While I could sit and spin, he was hammering out of the seat to keep up the pace.
As other mentioned above, the platforms will work for shorter distances, but they don’t work as well in the hills. If you practice your transitions, you can really narrow any advantage someone will have over you on the shoe platforms.
I raced an F1 duathlon (2mi/10mi/2mi/10mi/2mi) last year and was able to compare the differences because there was a guy using pedal platforms that took time out of me each transition. I ran into T1 ahead of him and he left ahead of me. Over the course of four transitions I steadily left him behind, but you could see that he was picking up 10 seconds or so each time.
However, it was also apparent on the one short hill on the course that we did each lap-3 laps per 10 miles-that he was having a tough time. While I could sit and spin, he was hammering out of the seat to keep up the pace.
As other mentioned above, the platforms will work for shorter distances, but they don’t work as well in the hills. If you practice your transitions, you can really narrow any advantage someone will have over you on the shoe platforms.
Chad
I agree that if one practices transitions this loss can be minimized. But, the fact that you gained on the hills over someone else is not evidence that one system is better than the other as we don’t know that you are equal hlll climbers otherwise. I mean you are a PC trained guy and I doubt he was, and hills are where PC training make the biggest cycling difference. If his name was Lance and he was riding those as a method of disguise and had blown by you on the hills would you have concluded the platforms were better?
We don’t know how much faster he would have been on the bike if he had had clipless pedals but would they have improved his bike split 40 seconds over 20 miles?
I agree that clipless are probably “better” at transferring energy. I just think the difference is quite small. Until there is a study though, we are all just guessing.
The very first tri that I ever did was a sprint with a 33 km bike leg. Did it on an old 12 sp with baskets. The next year I took the same bike and added aero bars and clipless pedals. My bike time was 12 minutes faster. Part of that was training but adding aero bars and clipless pedals are the two most bang for the buck improvements that you can make to a bike.
It may be hard to believe but clipless pedals and aero bars as you know them with their arm rests could soon be part of cycling’s history, at least where time trials are concerned.
clipless pedals allow you to engage your hamstrings in pedaling–with clips (“baskets”) this is pretty much out of the question. (well, actually it’s theoretically possible but the basket deforms so much when you pull up that any benefit essentially goes to nil. maybe if there were rigid, solid metal clips.) anyway, that’s the biggest benefit of clipless pedals. it’s also nice not to have to worry about your feet moving around when you’re climbing, but if you’re on a flat course like you mention this might not matter so much.
So how did those pro cyclists ever manage to ride fast before the advent of clipless pedals? You know, guys like Eddy Mercxk?
I rode with running shoes and clips for awhile. I finally converted to clipless half way through the season since the people I rode with assured me I would be faster. I made the change but didn’t really notice a dramatic difference in speed or apparent effort. I still had trouble keeping up at the same points on the circuit and tended to drop back at roughly the same part of the hills we climbed. I was really surprised since I expected miracles.
Triathlons in shoes/clips were always fun: at T2 you just racked your bike and took off. Everyone around got this startled look as you took off so quickly.