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should I get clipless pedals and shoes?

I'm doing some sprint races this year and possibly building up to an Olympic by the end of the season.

I did one pool based tri at the end of last year and did the cycle in my trainers. Over a 20km ride is
there a real advantage to using clipless pedals/cycle shoes or will the time saved be on the cycle be lost when swapping into running shoes in T2?

I've seen how you can save time in T1 by having your shoes already in the clips, but am not sure I'm ready for that yet, Is it as difficult as it looks?

My ethos so far has been to spend less than I want to until I finish at least 5 sprint races. My reasoning being I don't want to spend a fortune and then give up (not that I think this is going to happen), plus hopefully after 5 races I will know what I want a bit better.

So far I've spent;

£30 on a more miles trisuit which seems fine (although it's the only one I've tried)
£300 on a second hand 2006 trek 1500 which came with a computer
£100 On a Lomo wetsuit (made the classic mistake of buying online with no advice
and haven't even swum in it yet, but seems to fit ok).
£40 more miles compression top and tights
£0 rollers (Christmas present)

For a sport where you can easily spend thousands I think I'm doing ok but I can't decide if I need to by the
shoes/pedals as I'm not convinced it will save much time? The pedals I have at the moment have cages on them which offers some support. Any advice most welcome and if there are any other essentials you think I need that I haven't bought yet?

Thanks for your help

Comments

  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Clipless pedals will easily save the time you spend swapping shoes in transition.

    Don't stress about doing the shoes on the bike thing. That takes a bit of practice. Get it right and you can save some time, but it's not essential.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Yes!

    Practice on grass as you will fall over - it is the law.

    All that power you are putting down through your legs has a direct connection through your shoe via the cleats to the pedals, using cages you are able to transfer power on half the cycle whereas with clipless you can draw the pedal back and up through the whole cycle.

    Two things are are well worth spending on the bike are aero bars and clipless pedals.

    Good luck
  • QuitterQuitter Posts: 160
    Yes yes and YES! Without them you lose at least a third of your pedalling stroke no matter what your ability.

    My advice is to get a SPD type mountainbike shoe.
    E.G. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-mt33-spd-leisure-shoes/
    By going for more of a trainer type than the stiffer mtb race shoe they'll be easier to walk/run in.Fit elastic laces £1.50 off that there Ebay and you wont be much slower than the guy with all the gear who hasnt practiced!

    When your ready have the shoes clipped and practice the flying leap onto the bike.

    The cons with mtb shoes are heavier and they dont drain/dry as well as tri shoes.

    Did my first year this way....even did a couple of off road duathlons without changing shoes.
  • Hello,

    You sound like your doing tri on the cheap like me! it's the way forward- you can argue with your spouse that you need to train all those hours and not do the gardening/cleaning/sleeping/talking etc if you havnt ALSO spent all your money on carbon nonsense.

    Clipless pedals are the way forward- you can transfer the power from your legs so much more effectively and you feel more connected to the bike (i know that you actually are) in that you have more stability and better cornering. It is nerve wracking at first and you will need to fall off a few times to lose the fear. i practiced for a few hours on grass just starting, stopping, clipping in and out, braking, turning etc and fell off many many times before i let myself out on the road.

    Never mind about the jumping on/off having your shoes elastic banded to the pedals in transition it'll only end in tears. There's little time in it if you put your shoes on in T1 then run to the mount line in them. Then unclip safely, jump off and then trot into T2 to change into run shoes. If you've just started there are greater gains to be made in improving swim stroke or run speed than worrying about 3 or 4 seconds faffing with shoes.
  • AvoneerAvoneer Posts: 174
    Hi,

    I did my 1st sprints last year in trainers with toe clips & straps on the pedals and was only 2 minutes off the leader in the bike on my last tri and came 16th overall (the guy behind me was on an expensive Cervello with a pointy hat and couldn't catch me and the leader had won every race in the series so is no slouch).

    Not sure what advantage clipless would have given me balanced against the time to change shoes after the bike, especially after considering my running is my weak part.

    Good call on the more mile gear though - it's excellent stuff for the money.

    Prefer my more mile tri shorts than my cycling shorts for anything less than 40 training miles on the bike.

    Pat...
  • Pointy hats. Ah ha ha ha ha ha.
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Avoneer wrote:
    I did my 1st sprints last year in trainers with toe clips & straps on the pedals and was only 2 minutes off the leader in the bike on my last tri and came 16th overall (the guy behind me was on an expensive Cervello with a pointy hat and couldn't catch me and the leader had won every race in the series so is no slouch).

    Not sure what advantage clipless would have given me balanced against the time to change shoes after the bike, especially after considering my running is my weak part.

    If you get clipless pedals (and a pointy hat), you might win!

    Seriously, it takes me about ten seconds to change from bike shoes to running shoes and I reckon you'd easily make up that time, even on a 20km sprint bike leg.
  • Yes.

    Riding with clipless pedals (stupid name by the way as you have to clip into them) is a much more enjoyable way to ride a bike. Once you get used to them you'll never go back.
  • GGBGGB Posts: 482
    As said above clipless is the way to go - doesnt have to be expensive either - I use use SPD's and MTB shoes - have done many 100 mile rides with them no problems at all.

    Ask anyone that uses clipless to go for a ride with just trainers and flat pedals and tell them to give you the speed difference .... it will be larger than you think.
  • Which cleats/pedals do you all recommend?
    I have Shimano SPD's on one bike & today put Look Deltas on a new pair of shoes as got given Look pedals. Briefly tried them out & so far I prefer the SPD's as easier to unclip....I nearly fell off turning a corner as couldnt unclip easy. I guess I need to get used to them!!!
  • QuitterQuitter Posts: 160
    cantdoitbutwilltri wrote:
    Which cleats/pedals do you all recommend?
    I have Shimano SPD's on one bike & today put Look Deltas on a new pair of shoes as got given Look pedals. Briefly tried them out & so far I prefer the SPD's as easier to unclip....I nearly fell off turning a corner as couldnt unclip easy. I guess I need to get used to them!!!
    Newer pedals wont be as worn so will be tighter. Also you may have them set tighter as well so will be harder to unclip.

    SPD for general riding Look Deltas for race IMHO
  • Um... I wouldn't go clipless yet.

    Stay with the cages & run shoes you have now (you won't be the only one and you won't feel out of place) and get into the swing of things of first. Not having to change shoes in T2 will help you focus/simplify things - having less to think/worry about will help you.

    If you're not a cyclist then going clipless isn't going to magically save you loads of time straight away, but WILL save cash you don't need to fork out yet!

    I would say it's more important to take in a few races - even a whole season, ENJOY YOURSELF, and when you find yourself over-taking cyclists with all the gear (feels good!) THEN move on up to clipless.

    Have fun!
  • JulesJules Posts: 987
    Conehead wrote:
    There's a lack of carbon in your portfolio, go buy something in carbon immediately
    Carbon pedals - solves both problems
  • Thanks all I think I'm going to get some.

    Now for the stupid question. When I bought the bike it had clipless pedals which I actually took
    off and replaced with an old pair with cages.

    Do all shoes fit into all clipless pedals or will I need to know what type of pedals I have?

    I'm guessing buying cycle shoes is something you have to do in store?

    My expenditure has already started creeping up though as I've just booked into the front crawl
    clinic on Sunday with Richard Stannard http://openwaterswim.co.uk/ and I'm planning to join
    High Wycombe triathlon club too http://www.highwycombetri.co.uk/ as I've been training on my own
    since last March and I need some buddies!

    I do have some old aero bars on the bike that I've picked up. Problem I'm having is the handlebars a profiled and the clip on bars slip down if I put to much pressure on my hands, still I definitely feel the difference having them.

    Is it worth getting better tyres or aero wheels or am I just getting carried away now?
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