Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

I say; Pedals and Shoes with CLEATS you 'CLIP' In are "CLIP-Ins"! {Not 'Clip-less'}

Tags
1stuntmonkey = goof
Jump to Latest
21 - 40 of 86 Posts
#22 ·
1StuntMonkey said:
@ LJSmith & @dam: I TOTALLY Agree!!!

For others;
I was one of the Earliest Adopters (1990) of Shimano SPD pedals and shoes... ( I still have them, although they are dilapidated and more just sentimental history, now...)
the Straps with Cages, which some of you still insist on calling 'Clips', were useful where one did not need to dab, and a 'PITA' when you had to try to get back into them while keeping the race flow going, or just maintaining SOME Momentum up a hill with rocks and roots snagging at the Traps...

I have been riding various bikes since 1970, so, I understand ALL the Correct AND Improper terms... Thank you...
{I admit, I do not know everything! But, it will be rare that someone will tell me something I do not already know, or I have know before...}

I also use Mountain Bike SHOES and Pedals on my road bikes...
BECAUSE; Walking around on the Road-Bike Specific Shoes IS STOOOPID!!!
(I am sorry, Many Smart people use road shoes and one sided pedals...
But, really, This FACT does not mean the Action Makes Sense, does it?!?)
Slippery on pavement, tile and many other surfaces encountered before/during/after a ride, and causing accelerated wear of the cleats, well, just never made sense to me!
So, I did not use road-bike specific shoes...
Trying to time the pedal flip, or pausing the power delivery to CLIP in does not make sense, either...
MTB Pedals are double (or 4 for CB-EB) sided and Clip In Quicker with less hassle and less time lost in a race...
So, no single-sided pedals for me, either... This just makes sense...
Click to expand...
Have you ever found out why others do use them?

Road pedals give you more cornering clearance; you can lean the bike over further before the pedal hits the ground at the bottom of the pedal stroke. You'll stuff an SPD pedaling through a corner before you'll stuff a road pedal. This means you can keep the power on through a corner instead of having to coast.

Road shoes are lighter. Road shoes are often stiffer. Road shoes are predicated around the idea that you're riding, not walking. With a bit of practice (a tiny bit), entry into a road pedal is very easy and fast. They are weighted to hang ready to engage.

The shoe-pedal interface is also larger. Spreads the force out on the bottom of the shoe better. More comfortable, especially on a long ride.

@ Eric1971 & Connie: Are you NOT going to make any positive influence in the world?!?
I also understand why some people call a 1.5" x 3.5" board a 2x4...
and others call motorcycles - 'bikes'...
This does not mean I will... I hope you do not mind...

But, if I use 'Velocipede', I Do NOT Expect everyone, or even other bikers, to know what I mean... I smile when some do...

@ ZebraHum: the topic comes up often because the terms used are not proper enough to avoid confusion...
I think someone using the term 'Clips' (ONLY for the early outdated Strap version) has stopped learning and has dumbed down that small portion of their brain...
There is still hope for them, unless that area occupies a large portion of their mental capacity...
The auto industry still uses horses, even though horses have not powered autos for some time...
Wait, I stand corrected!
Most Automobiles have a listed Horsepower Output... Hmmm...
We humans who cannot change, are destined to repeat the same mistakes of generations past...
Click to expand...
The English language is full of oddities and terms that don't seem to make sense, but if you do a little digging the term makes perfect sense. Example: "Balls to the wall" for going as fast as you can. Most people think it's a crude anatomical reference. It's not. It's an aviation term. Push the knobs on the throttle control all the way forward, to the firewall; full throttle.

Furthermore, to re-define the term based on what makes sense to you just creates more confusion. There would be MUCH less confusion, and I don't think anyone would object to what you're proposing, if there wasn't already an accepted, established meaning to the term that is the opposite of your new definition. If you think of a word that's not "taken" already, maybe we'd be more apt to consider it.

It's like if you decided that a printer isn't what ends up on the paper, so we should use that term for the ink and call the printer something else. It's way more confusing to go ask for printer at Staples and then explain that what you really need is ink, than to just ask for ink in the first place.

Also, I believe JaxAR was DISagreeing. Saying that even if calling clipless pedals "clip-ins" DID make more sense, it would be more confusing as there's already an established meaning that is the opposite of the meaning you're proposing.
 
#25 ·
Taken from Wiki:

Clipless pedals (also clip-in or step-in) require a special cycling shoe with a cleat fitted to the sole, which locks into a mechanism in the pedal and thus holds the shoe firmly to the pedal. Most clipless pedals lock onto the cleat when stepped on firmly and unlock when the heel is twisted outward, although in some cases the locking mechanism is built into the cleat instead of the pedal. Clipless refers to the toe clip (cage) having been replaced by a locking mechanism and not to platform pedals which would normally not have toe clips.

The clipless pedal was invented by Charles Hanson in 1895.[3] It allowed the rider to twist the shoe to lock and unlock and had rotational float (the freedom to rotate the shoe slightly to prevent joint strain).[4]

Looks like cleats were invented before clip pedals anyway.
 
#29 ·
jeffscott said:
Pretty bold statement...

The term cleats is used and may begin to supplant clipless...
Click to expand...
When I used toe clips my shoes had cleats that attached them to the pedal, held in place by the toe strap. When my feet were in the pedals I was "clipped in".

All industry reference of "step-in" pedal systems uses the "clipless" designation.
 
#31 ·
eric1115 said:
The English language is full of oddities and terms that don't seem to make sense, but if you do a little digging the term makes perfect sense. Example: "Balls to the wall" for going as fast as you can. Most people think it's a crude anatomical reference. It's not. It's an aviation term. Push the knobs on the throttle control all the way forward, to the firewall; full throttle.
Click to expand...
I heard the meaning was something different alltogether. I heard that "balls to the wall" refered to the centrifugal governer used on old steam engines.

http://movies-adrianivordenton.blogspot.com/2011/03/steam-engine-governor.html

When the arms are straight out you are going the maximum speed or "balls to the wall".

Either way good stuff.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#32 ·
1StuntMonkey said:
@ Eric1971 & Connie: Are you NOT going to make any positive influence in the world?!?
I also understand why some people call a 1.5" x 3.5" board a 2x4...
and others call motorcycles - 'bikes'...
This does not mean I will... I hope you do not mind...
Click to expand...
Wait, so when you're referring to a two by four, you actually say "hey bud, can you hand me that one and a half inch by three and a half incher over there?" Just to prove how you're so much more logical than the rest of us unwashed masses? Say the word and I will personally ship you a copy of the book How to Win Friends and Influence People.

1StuntMonkey said:
I was just trying to post (something) to get my post count up so I can reply to some other things of much greater interest to me...
Click to expand...
And herein lies the problem. Whose bright idea was that anyway?
 
#33 ·
And herein lies the problem. Whose bright idea was that anyway?
Click to expand...
Probably comes from the same mind that thought the reputation system was a good idea when all it does it pit people against each other.

Speaking of things named funny why do we call cranksets by that name when there is only one part and not a set?
 
#34 ·
1StuntMonkey you should try to file a lawsuit against all the companies that "misused" the term as you see fit or leave it alone. It's a good term for the pedal we are using. I like clipless, there's a good history behind it. I explain that to every newbies I come across who ask that question and walk away feeling satisfy knowing about the history of the the term.

While you are doing a lawsuit you may want to try to include Golf shoes as well because there's no such thing as "Spikeless" shoes anymore.:)
 
#36 ·
shiggy said:
When I used toe clips my shoes had cleats that attached them to the pedal, held in place by the toe strap. When my feet were in the pedals I was "clipped in".

All industry reference of "step-in" pedal systems uses the "clipless" designation.
Click to expand...
This. I was wondering if I Was the only one to have used cleats with my wooden soled shoes back in the day! All these people talking about cages are just confusing the issue. You weren't really 'clipped in' unless you also had cleats. Sans cleats, it would make more sense to call spds etc 'strapless'.
 
#37 ·
1StuntMonkey said:
Many of us CLIP In to our Pedals, with Special Shoes and Cleats that actually sound like they 'CLIP' !!!
examples; Shimano SPD and compatibles, Crank Bros Egg-Beaters, Time Attack, et.al...

So... Why do some of us confuse newbies, as well as many young, old, and middle aged, 'seasoned' riders, with the silly 'Clip-less' description ?!? (Seriously, now!)

The old-style pedal with Cages with Straps, are not really 'clips'...
they do not sound like clips, and they are not all that common anymore, anyway...

So...

Let us call Cages -> CAGES... and call Straps -> STRAPS...

and Pedals WithOUT Cages and Straps --->>> Strap-Less!!!

Strap-less and Clip-less Pedals are also known as Flats...

and Pedals in which we CLIP In, shall be continually (and correctly) referred to as Clip-In Pedals...

Pass it on!!!
If the Followers will LEAD, eventually the misguided Leaders will follow, right?

Regulators!
Let's Clip-In and Ride!!!
Click to expand...
In the manner you propose, "Clip-In" or to "Clip-In" makes absolutely no sense and has no relevance with regard to cycling.

Given the definition of the word "Clip", there is no inference or relationship to either a audible sound or a bicycle pedal locking mechanism:

Clip: (Verb)

1. To cut, or cut off or out, as with shears: to clip a rose from a bush.
2. To trim by cutting: to clip a hedge.
3. To cut or trim the hair or fleece of; shear: to clip a poodle.

i.e.: Shimano SDP shoes, cleats, and pedals do not make the sound "CLIP" when engaged and locked-in.

To describe a Shimano SDP-type pedal as being "Clipless" is correct, easy to understand, not "silly", and is the proper term for many reasons.

Both bicycle Toe Clips and Clipless pedal systems have been in existence for more than 100 years.

By definition, a bicycle Toe Clip is a device attached to a bicycle pedal that grips the front part of the rider's shoe to keep the foot from slipping off the pedal.

The term "Clipless" simply describes to the action of a Toe Clip, being replaced by the action of a pedal locking mechanism.

"Clipless" makes perfect sense.
 
Discussion starter · #39 ·
JaxAR said:
Your paucity of comprehension is amusing.
Click to expand...
I could say the same about you... And I just did...
I would say that my amusing comprehension escaped your paucity of interpretations...
Kind of like a clip can only be a cage with straps... For you...
Yet others may understand those as strap-ins or cages or traps and they will not get trapped by limited uses of words that are not being as ideally used as they could be, if logic and pragmatism worked together...
I guess the logic of a differing perspective has not 'clicked' with you as positively as a mis-adjusted pedal would to a worn out cleat...
No worries, I can follow your logic... I just do not need to entirely agree with all of it...
And the thought of 'Click-In' pedals would be easily confused with 'Clip-In' pedals because they sound so similar... Kind of like the cleats engaging with the pedals...
I wouldn't want to add even more confusion to this highly sensitive subject...
I hope my sarcasm doesn't escape unnoticed...
 
21 - 40 of 86 Posts
About this Discussion
85 Replies
39 Participants
Last post:
matto6
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
posts
16M
members
534K
Since
1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion Downhill - Freeride California - Norcal Shocks and Suspension Passion