Cycling shoes – getting in touch with my inner Fred.
In the bicycling world there is a derisive term for male cyclists who do not properly conform to cycling norms in regard to appearance and gear: they are called a “Fred” (women are called “Doris”, but this is apparently rarely used). A Fred can be somebody who spends a ton of money on cycling clothes and gear even though their skills and abilities come nowhere near needing such things.
Platform style bicycle pedals: clip in on one side, regular on the other (click for larger view).
I personally don’t give a shit what people think of me as a rider. But this past summer I finally gave in to my Fredness and purchased a pair of SIDI bicycling shoes and iSSi platform style pedals. Platform pedals have cleat clips on one side and a standard pedal on the other.
My primary reason up to now for not using bike shoes has been because I am prone to tendinitis and when you clip into a pedal there is a limited amount of “float”, or yaw motion of the foot. Prime conditions for overuse injuries.
The second reason for my hesitation was fear of falling while clipped in. I kept imagining myself coming to a stop and not being able to un-clip myself and going asshole over elbows.
Nevertheless, bought them I did and I now have a riding season behind me to judge the results. Here are the Pros and Cons I have found while using bicycle shoes and pedals.
PROS:
- Definitely improves cycling up hills. Cycling shoes are more efficient in regards to how much force you are able to apply consistently to the pedal during the pedal stroke. Without cleats/pedals you can apply force for approximately 160 degrees, where with the cleats/pedals you can apply approximately 30-40 degrees more force (there is an ongoing debate on just how much more force application you actually get during a pedal stroke). I didn’t see much improvement on flat terrain, but I was able to go up hills easier and faster.
- My feet never slipped off the pedals, which was nice.
- I looked very stylish and Fredish. Screw the snobs!
CONS:
- I fell. Several times. Even though I was aware that I was coming up to a stop, I either forgot to un-clip or didn’t give myself enough time to do so and would keel over in slow motion. Fortunately, the only thing I injured was my pride.
- They can be uncomfortable. I didn’t develop tendinitis, but not being able to move my feet into different positions tended to make my feet tired. I recently installed some cleat wedges to my shoes that seem to help some, and I’ve purchased arch sleeves to provide support for my flat feet.
- You’ve got to check the cleat screws from time to time, because they loosen up. I lost a screw on one of the cleats during a ride, which in itself is a big deal. But at some point I had to get off the bike and I couldn’t unclip because the shoe just kept rotating around the remaining screw, so I had to unshoe my foot. Try cramming your foot back into a shoe locked into place on the pedal. Unpossible. I finished the ride with my foot shoved partway into the shoe. Lesson learned; tighten them screws!
Conclusion:
Bicycling Fred’s of the early 20th century.
I have no regrets getting bicycling shoes and pedals, because hills are a bitch and anything that makes them easier is worth it. Nevertheless, I am glad I got the platform style pedals, because it is nice to be able to unclip the shoes and move my feet around.
The only question now is: will these shoes/pedals lead me further down the path of Fred-dom? Will I be spending beau coup bucks on professional grade clothes and accessories? Stay tuned to find out!
(Spoiler alert: probably not).
