mountain bike vs road bike pedals

Comments

• fatmatt Posts: 145

  May 2006

  i'm not an expert on this and someone will probably put me right here, but the points i see are,
  
  mountain biking involves getting off the bike and running some sections therefore the shoes have to be suitable for this,
  
  road shoes tend to have stiffer soles for easier power transfer through the pedals, which is also why people don't generally use trainers in straps, they are just too soft, although you do see them in some of the draft legal races,
  
  there is no reason why you shouldn't wear your mountain bike shoes for tri, lots of people do
  
  good luck
  
  fatmatt

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• BonusB Posts: 279

  May 2006

  fatmatt has the main points:
  
  
  
  Mountain bike shoes only have part of the sole reinforced for stiffness meaning that the power transfer from the stroke of the pedal is not 100% transfered to the drive of the bike. Road shoes being stiffer (mine have a full crabon sole; same as most road shoes) transfer more of that energy; they also have a greater contact surface with the pedal again helping to transfer more power. Road pedals and the shoes are also lighter, and weight = time.

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• jazdog Posts: 223

  May 2006

  This is a really interesting point... I've been using trainers and those special toeclip pedals and am quite happy with them... makes T2 whole lot simpler..
  
  
  
  Does anyone have any time saving examples they can give us between toeclips and clipless (MTB or Road)????
  
  
  
  jaz

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• BonusB Posts: 279

  May 2006

  In T2 with a pair of triathlon specific road shoes, clipped into the pedals already and retained by elastic bands (I think 220 showed this that this month) I'll be out of T1 faster than you Jazdog as I'll just pick the bike up and run to the exit point whilst you put on trainers on wet feet. I can then cycle a while not losing any time before deciding to put the shoes on (feet will be dryer). Come T2 I'll have taken my shoes off before dismount, run to my trainers and slip them on (elastic laces) losing a little of the time I gained on you in T1 then I'm off. Ultimately I still think changing shoes is faster through T's not to mention the time saved by having the right kit.
  
  
  
  Hope that helps?

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• jazdog Posts: 223

  May 2006

  Hmmmm.... interesting.... The only reason i got the toeclips was cos I couldn't afford a pair of shoes and clipless pedals... bike needed some upgrading first... I'll save some cash and give it a go tho!
  
  
  
  Thanks
  
  
  
  jaz

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• BonusB Posts: 279

  May 2006

  Make sure if you get proper road shoes that they aer tri specfic. This means they'll have one strap instead of three+ fiddly ones, and perhaps more importantly a loop on the heel so you can grab it when trying to put your foot in.
  
  
  
  These look like a good deal http://www.wiggle.co.uk/Default.aspx?ReferID=googwig&
  
  
  
  Or I have these and they are excellent with loads of nice little features:
  
  http://www.wiggle.co.uk/Default.aspx?ReferID=googwig&
  
  

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• DOtriHarder Posts: 307

  May 2006

  The LUCK shoes look to be very good value, but i like the look of the Northwave Tribals as well.
  
  David

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• jazdog Posts: 223

  May 2006

  Thanks guys... I'd seen a pair of the Northwave ones on Ebay a while ago.. I bid but missed out and then changed my mind about getting bike shoes.. I'll keep an eye out when I get some spare cash...
  
  
  
  I got my results from sundays race and noticed that despite not changing shoes my T2 seemed a lot slower than some of those who were???? not sure why but I guess my theory's been blown out of the water!!
  
  
  
  Thanks for the advice guys!
  
  
  
  Jaz

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