Extra power with Cleats?

[The Drongo]

Yes Edam, indeed, it is a massive conspiracy.

 

You buy clipless pedals, which go with special shoes, with shiny plastic bits and bells and buckles and sy!t, for which you must pay a royal price. Then they wear out, and you start again.

Or Spec, Sella and the like, release a new range of orgasmic slippers that require one to immediately rob your mother and the tax-man, because you must have them; carbon and all.

Then they are old, and you start again. Only this time with TITANIUM eggbeaters, lighter, stronger faster.

 

Why do you think a study has never been made public?. The esteemed Mr/Dr T N has done exhaustive tests, but has been muzzled by Shimano and Crank.

 

Stick with platforms, you can even ride with flipflops.

 

Just beware the 'roadside tall grass' !!!!!

[Minion]

Yes Edam, indeed, it is a massive conspiracy.

Why do I always attract the people in tinfoil hats?

Edited December 28, 2010 by Edam

[Zeps]

Before we know it someone's going to come and proove the increased power delivered by powerbalance bands or red bicycles (we all know they are proven to be faster)

 

That red bike thing is an undisputed fact

[Mojoman]

I just find my feet don't move around and slip off the pedals. I certainly felt a 'difference' after years of riding with toe clips.

[Climate]

I won't add to the cleat/no-cleat argument, but I've heard a figure published wrt the difference between cleats with float and those with no float. Apparently, the loss is in the region of 3% when using cleats that float.

[AndreZA]

Whiskers, here's the stats re Rotor Rings.

 

[scotty]

Why not use cleats on one pedal, and normal pedals on the other... at the end of the ride the leg that is more tired worked harder...

My coffees on my keyboard

['Dale]

I just find my feet don't move around and slip off the pedals. I certainly felt a 'difference' after years of riding with toe clips.

Laaik Williehond says, better transfer.

And more, what the cleat offers is great stability - on the up or down stroke.

Stability leads to less fatique and greater use of power.

[Willehond]

Whiskers, here's the stats re Rotor Rings.

 

 

Interesting stats Mampara. It looks good, but it seems he was grinding a bigger gear on the Rotors (hence the higher speed/lower cadence combo), which could explain the constant heart rate. Does he use his power better now or is he just able to grind more with the oval rings? Not sure, but it makes for interesting reading! Thanks

[Showtime]

Whiskers, here's the stats re Rotor Rings.

 

 

This is very confusing. Where does the power reading come from? If it is from the trainer how can the average speed be higher for lower power?

 

Surely the claim for the rotor rings would be more efficient transfer from your legs to the crank (and thus trainer). So if the idea works you would have higher power measured by the fluid trainer for the same effort, not less.

[Willehond]

This is very confusing. Where does the power reading come from? If it is from the trainer how can the average speed be higher for lower power?

 

Surely the claim for the rotor rings would be more efficient transfer from your legs to the crank (and thus trainer). So if the idea works you would have higher power measured by the fluid trainer for the same effort, not less.

 

I think you have inadvertently hit the nail on the head! You cannot "add" power to the system. The system is made up of your legs and the drivetrain. You can maximize efficient transfer of power from your legs to the pedals by fixing your feet to them (which the cliplesspedals do), but changing the ratio of your drive system cannot add power. All it can do is spread the load to the position in your pedal stroke where the the ratio is "lower" at the point in the cycle where you apply force and then "higher" at the points where you do not apply force so that, in theory, you move quicker through the 'deadspots' in your pedal stroke. It's a bit like changing gears constantly in one pedal revolution.

 

I guess this will work for stompers who don't have a smooth pedalstroke, but I still think a big part of it is psychological.