Name: Are Flat Pedals Actually Just As Fast As Clipless Pedals?
Uploaded: 2024-08-06T10:41:58.000Z
Duration: 17 min 16 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

To-infinitive

It seems as though anyone who wants to take cycling seriously and wants to go faster on their bike, they use clipless pedals.

It gives you a secure connection and in my mind, they just look better.

When you're clip-clapping your way on the cafe floor or sliding your way to your bike, do they actually make you look cool?

A little bit of inconvenience off the bike is worth it because they perform better.

Do you actually know the difference over a decent pair of flat pedals and shoes?

Not really, but in this video, we're going to find out.

For those of us that got into cycling in the last 30 years, it seems like clipless pedals and performance have always gone hand-in-hand.

They actually only caught on in the mid to late 80s.

Before that, pros always used toe clips and straps.

In fact, Stephen Roach won a 1987 Tour de France in such a setup.

Now, it has to be said, this is an experiment we have done a few times.

A few years back, Dan and Si did this experiment in a controlled environment at Bath University.

Then recently, Manon and I attempted to shed a bit more light over the difference.

It was under that video that you guys left us a whole heap of comments.

We felt it was only right to listen to the GCN audience and swap out a pair of rubbish flat pedals for these.

Yes, and a pair of running trainers for a pair of specific cycling flat shoes, which have a lot more stiffness to them.

As you can probably tell from the size of them, I'm going to be the guinea pig today.

Yes, I would actually be able to row a boat in them.

This is my normal setup, my Orbea road bike with clipless pedals.

It's what I'm going to be using for our experiments today.

They're going up against the flats on my specific flat-pedaled shoes.

A bit different to what Hank and Manon used during their experiments.

The shoes I've brought today, they've got a much stiffer sole, they've got ankle support, and they're designed for this purpose.

The pedal is made of metal rather than plastic, so super stiff.

They've also got these pins in which will keep my foot firmly in place when I'm applying the power.

You're probably wondering right now what experiments we've picked today.

Our first test is on the steep gradient of 12%.

He's heading off first in the clipless pedals and then on the flats.

Right then, I've got my heart rate strap on.

We've got my power meter fitted, so we're going to track a load of metrics, including things like my cadence, across all the different efforts.

Right now, there's only one thing for it.

Starting off on the clipless pedals, what I'm used to.

The reason I like clipless pedals so much is my position is the same every single time I'm on the bike.

In fact, I really do believe carbon shoulder shiking shoes, one of the biggest upgrades I ever made to my riding.

First time in a while I've gone hard like that.

While Connor's taking a breather so that we get a good test so he's well rested, I'm going to change his pedals onto the bike.

In the last video, we spoke to Brian of The Bike The Body.

He was saying that the efficiency in the pedaling technique isn't actually that different.

It's not as different as we first thought, I guess, because us cyclists don't actually use the upstroke of the pedal as much as I thought in the first instance.

Putting a pair of grippy and stiff pedals should mean that he actually has quite an efficient pedal stroke with good pedals or good flat pedals.

Let's see if I feel the same on the climb.

A little bit different finding my position.

A lot stiffer than running shoes, though.

I think this is where the flats will struggle.

It's a little burner of a hill, that one.

One of those ones you just don't notice on the way down, but you do on the way up.

Shoes felt remarkably better than I expected, actually.

I think it's time I caught my breath, though.

Let's just examine those two runs and see where the differences lie.

Connor's first two runs are complete and the results are in.

They make for a 3.5-kilometer run on clipless pedals.

You did it on a time of three minutes and nine seconds.

Interestingly, you did it on the flats in three minutes and seven seconds.

Two seconds faster, so negligible, but still faster.

We could go into a little bit more detail on that.

Your average power was 429 on clipless and it was 415 on the flats, so less power on the flats.

Your cadence was pretty much similar, 69, 68.

Then your average heart rate was 145 on the clipless and 150 on the flats, meaning you have to work that bit harder.

Your max heart rate was 158 on the clips and 165 on the flats.

It shows, I think, you are having to work that bit harder.

The interesting thing is you did less power, but yet you went faster.

I think the key takeaway from this, it was quite a short climb.

I think I got going a lot quicker on the flats because I was straight into it as soon as I set off.

I actually had a bit of a bad moment clipping in at the bottom of this one and it just wasted a bit of time.

I had to work hard and then get back on top of things.

Subtitles ListPlay Video

Are Flat Pedals Actually Just As Fast As Clipless Pedals?

specific

fatigue

effort

technique