Cycling w/ toe clips, good? bad?

I like to participate in the 'spinning' stationary cycle classes at my gym. As I am new to running, I am wondering how this would affect my legs. Originally, I though it would be a good alternate exercise, letting me build aerobic endurance/capacity without the pounding on my legs & torso. Then I got to thinking about my shins. So far, I have avoided any problems with shin splints (through no particular reason I can think of, other than not overdoing it).

These cycles have toe clips, and I can put in a fair amount of effort on the 'up-stroke', which exercizes the shin. Do you suppose this is a good thing for running (getting in some exercize for this area) or a bad thing (too much stress)?

Me, I won't use toe clips anymore. I hear that if they are adjusted wrong they can really screw-up your knees. However, there are people that can help you get a bike adjusted right. You just have to find them.

You might want to cross post this to a cycling news group too.

I'm a rabid, er, uh, avid cyclist and can shed some light on this for you.

Serious cyclists who participate in spinning classes often bring their own shoes and pedals with them. The foot retention system you choose is a matter of personal perference.

Some systems, such as traditional slotted cleats and toe straps, lock your foot into one place on the pedals and if that place isn't right for you, you can get sore knees pretty quickly and damage if you persist.

Toe clips and straps, combined with plain old flat pedals and sneakers of some sort will allow a little bit of movement but placement is still important.

Many modern pedal systems, knowns as 'clipless' systems because they don't use toe clips, attach the shoe to the pedal with some built in float, almost like a single point was attaching the bottom of your foot to the pedal but it wasn't tightened. These range anywhere from a few degrees of float to 20 or more with Speedplay and a few other systems. Some even allow the amount of float to be adjusted.

I suggest you try the clips and straps at your spinning class and see how they work for you. Most cyclists find that keeping their foot relatively far forward on the pedal, with the ball of the foot directly above or a little in front of the pedal spindle (its 'axle' provides the most comfort, while bringing the foot a little further back can be more efficient, albeit sometimes at the expense of comfort. (Be aware that your fore-aft foot position on the pedal is important and that moving your foot forward on the pedal effectively shortens your reach to the pedals and thus affects what your saddle height should be.)

One final tip. Experienced cyclists usually think about pulling across the bottom of the pedal stroke, as if scraping mud from the bottom of the shoe, rather than pulling up on the back stroke. For whatever reason, this seems to work better.

Hope this is of some help.

I appreciate the responses - I spare the customary quoting.

Maybe I should have phrased it differently. I was not questioning the use of toe clips. I have been spinning (occasional) for a couple of years, and have always used them. I wouldn't consider spinning without 'em, and I suppose it's just a matter of time until I get my own cycling shoes. The classes I go to are led by an instructor whom I respect, so adjustments, technique and such are no problem.

I was concerned about the effect of spinning on my running, and particularly thinking about the effect of the clips on my shins. I'm hearing that everything's okay in that department. Thanks.

Kelly (happy with my Memorial Day 10k in 57 minutes)

I was a little vague there. I didn't want to get into too elaborate of a discussion, just point out that spinning and shin splints wasn't an issue.

Nah, I didn't see it as questioning, but elaborating.

But go for a ride, anyway. <g>

Mike Tennent 'IronPenguin' Operating Traffic Lights Crossbucks HO and N Scale

<sigh>

To 'increase the range at which power is applied over a great part of the circle', you are, indeed pulling up on the pedal at some point. Otherwise you are just mashing. To just carry the 'scrape' through the bottom you must at least continue through to a point where you are pulling up. (Back and up, technically.)

The desired outcome, of course, is to achieve a smooth spin with power applied evenly over a long range. But that does require an upward pull on the pedals, which engages the larger leg muscles effectively.

Mike Tennent 'IronPenguin' Ironman Canada '98 Great Floridian '99, '00

The boys at the USOC have 2000 cyclists and triathletes in their database to disprove the 'pulling up' idea. The force is still applied downward (you can measure this on special equipment). The goal is to be as light as possible, but when the vectors of force come out, they are pointing down. There are some extreme cases such as low cadence, high power riding (such as an MTB going up a dirt hill) where for very short time periods, there can be a little force applied, but it does not last long or show up often even in them. Personally, Ned Overend had the most beautiful and classic pedal cycle anyone I know has ever measured.

This is detailed in one of Burke's books that has a chapter on pedal mechanics by Broker or Cavanaugh. They (particularly Broker) are the experts in this area.