On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 18:07:28 -0700, wrote:

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 21:01:07 GMT, Mark Janeba
wrote:

wrote:
In any case, as I understand it, the only real value of
cleats is for extraordinary climbs and perhaps very brief
sprints, where the extra maximum effort made possible by
using both legs at once helps. Otherwise, your heart and
lungs fail you before your legs do.

Perhaps someone will explain other advantages. There must be
some, since most riders use cleats.

Hmmm... maybe to keep your feet properly positioned on the pedals at
high rpm without any effort or concentration required?

Mark Janeba, who doesn't ride w/o cleats.

Dear Mark,

Hmmm . . . at what rpm do the feet tend to fly off?

Is the idea something like floating valves, where the cam
slaps the valve up so rapidly against a feeble spring that
the valve floats instead of coming down and closing?

Something like that, sort of. If you're going to avoid making the down-going
foot push the other up then you'll either need to make very precise circles with
your feet or strap them in and make larger and less precise circles. It's easier
to make those circles at low speed.

Mostly, I just like being clipped. Same feeling as getting strapped into a car.
"Now we're connected, now we're ready." Besides, I've never been able to jump a
bike worth a damn without being strapped.

Carl Fogel, who may mash too slowly to notice

Try it, you'll like it.

Ron