Rave Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Makes it all the more poignant IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Never tried them, or considered it really as an extra cost vs better tyres etc. 15% greater efficiency than toe clip/straps? I doubt that. Maybe over flat pedals, but I'd doubt that too because although they offer the opportunity for upwards pull that's just not how people cycle. Maybe more efficient in terms of muscle exercise benefit from consistent cadence and not slipping off though. But I'll happily stand corrected if that's proven wrong. Maybe I am mixing up the 15% with slick tyres instead. They definitely make a huge difference. Clip ins do make a difference - not sure how much compared to toe clips - but once you get used to them - you will never go back. Bloke told me this ages ago and I didn't really believe him - now ? I would lost without them !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest_northshore_* Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Maybe I am mixing up the 15% with slick tyres instead. They definitely make a huge difference. Clip ins do make a difference - not sure how much compared to toe clips - but once you get used to them - you will never go back. Bloke told me this ages ago and I didn't really believe him - now ? I would lost without them !! Agree with tyres. I use toe clips and straps so not sure about comparison with no clips at all. One study seems to find no difference in efficiency, in oxygen consumption terms: http://opus.bath.ac.uk/6212/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Someone mentioned Schwalbe Marathon tyres - I second that, they are a must for commuters. I am on my second set, since using them I have had no punctures in the last five years or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Still, better to live one day as a lion than a thousand years as a sheep etc. Here's hoping Stem Cells sort him out, and in the meantime good luck with his handcycle endeavours, Alex Zanardi has done O.K.! Tosh. I'd much rather be pedalling sensibly now, and still pedalling sensibly when I get my telegram from ... well, it'll no longer be the Queen or the opinionated halfwit, so that'll be William by then ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Agree with tyres. I use toe clips and straps so not sure about comparison with no clips at all. One study seems to find no difference in efficiency, in oxygen consumption terms: http://opus.bath.ac.uk/6212/ Surprised by that - the study wasn't using clip ins though. There must be a difference between nothing and clip ins - one means you can gain force in two directions rather than one !! Actually that study is re. Oxygen consumption - not efficiency or power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowflux Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Surprised by that - the study wasn't using clip ins though. There must be a difference between nothing and clip ins - one means you can gain force in two directions rather than one !! Actually that study is re. Oxygen consumption - not efficiency or power. Not necessarily. If the limiting factor for power output is the rate at which you can get oxygen to your muscles, rather than muscle strength, then any gains arising from upward force will be cancelled out by losses in downward force. Edit: Not that I'm at all concerned about efficiency. The main factors for me are convenience and low maintenance needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Yikes, didn't know about the tragic accident with the Road Bike Party rider- here's a documentary on the sequel, think the accident happened around the same time as this production. Re clipless pedals, not sure that study is particularly enlightening as ccc says. I've found the strappy pedals are good for keeping your foot secure on the pedal especially in the wet by comparison to flats but are well outclassed by clipless designs, especially in terms of efficient pedaling. It takes plenty of practice to keep your effort ~perpendicular to the cranks as they rotate, but practice soon improves it. You might surprise yourself! Looking at a big chain online retailer (others are available..): £15 for pedals (my wife uses the exact same) serviceable with a cheap socket, not that they'll need it for a good while: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-m520-clipless-spd-mtb-pedals/rp-prod3759?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom&gs=1&gclid=CMXxj8PO-cACFVDItAod5woAtA&gclsrc=aw.ds £28-30 men's shoes: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-mt33-mtb-spd-shoes/rp-prod55369 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/diadora-globe-mtb-shoes-2013/rp-prod55922 Ladies £38: (cheaper lines available in very limited size ranges from under £30). http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-wm43-womens-mtb-shoe/rp-prod122114 Around £50 or maybe even less for shoes and pedals is a bargain imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Not necessarily. If the limiting factor for power output is the rate at which you can get oxygen to your muscles, rather than muscle strength, then any gains arising from upward force will be cancelled out by losses in downward force. Edit: Not that I'm at all concerned about efficiency. The main factors for me are convenience and low maintenance needs. Yes fair point re. The overall effort. I did a Google and many were talking about the benefits of keeping your feet in one place - def a bonus and saves on foot fatigue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 ^ I found those pedals good but got pressure points on my feet as the pedals cover a really small area. I found these spread the load a little better. You can get chunkier versions too that I use on my mountain bike https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=spd+touring+pedals&client=ms-android-hms-tef-gb&espv=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sboxchip=Images&sa=X&ei=DqQiVOdIxYTuBsyugJAM&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=360&bih=511#facrc=_&imgrc=FQnlQhMkewCZbM%253A%3Btfi55PbTAiD57M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wigglestatic.com%252Fproduct-media%252F5360027292%252FShimano%252520A%252520520.jpg%253Fw%253D2000%2526h%253D2000%2526a%253D7%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wiggle.co.uk%252Fshimano-pd-a520-touring-pedals%252F%3B2000%3B2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Tosh. I'd much rather be pedalling sensibly now, and still pedalling sensibly when I get my telegram from ... well, it'll no longer be the Queen or the opinionated halfwit, so that'll be William by then ... Agreed obviously fantastic to watch - but too often gravity catches up with you in a bad way in the end. So many of the my climbing friends have had various accidents, and even the one fatality. Had a couple of bad crashes in my early days of mountain biking around 1990. Nothing broken thankfully - but a few scars, broken frame and concussion. Ride more sensibly nowadays - although the newer bikes definitely allow you to do the previously hard stuff more easily and quicker. When I moved back to North Wales after 20 years away I was surprised how tame previously scary stuff thanks to the mountain bike technology improvements in that time. Front suspension, more upright riding positions and disc brakes in particular have made a massive difference I reckon. That said, some of the newer trails look terrifying so happy to just bumble in the hills. I only ride flat pedals myself. Shimano DX ones are really good. The last set lasted more than a decade of commuting, touring and mountain biking. I used to ride clipped - but they just kept getting mangled/proving to be an inconvenience commuting in London. Clipless just give me the fear -I do not want to be attached to my bike if I need to do an emergency bail out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I need brake cables for a small kids bike. Any recommendations for a cheap parts site instead of Ebay/Amazon? Obviously I can use Google but wanted the HPC meta filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I need brake cables for a small kids bike. Any recommendations for a cheap parts site instead of Ebay/Amazon? Obviously I can use Google but wanted the HPC meta filter. I'm over-complicating things, I'll just go to Halford instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlylooking Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'm over-complicating things, I'll just go to Halford instead. Best option. They were the cheapest online comparison when I needed a couple two weeks ago for a child's bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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