Barefoot bike pedals

As a (semi-)competetive cyclist, I'll be sticking with my stiff shoes and clipless pedals.

Over a ten-fifteen mile time trial I can accept less than ideal comfort as a trade off for speed (hell, I'm riding a racing bike, comfort is not top priority here;)) . The stiff shoes and cleats allow me to put all the pressure through the pedal with no flexing and also allow me to pull upwards from the base of the foot, not into the top of the foot as the strappy things would.

For longer rides on the road bike I'll relax the fit on the shoes to give the toes more wiggle room as performance is not so important.

By the way, I had a PB at yesterday's time trial :D
 
Congrats on your PB. Just out of curiousity, do you wear HR monitor when you ride, if so how does it compare to your HR when running for about the same length of time that you would be on your bike. Just trying to figure out if biking to and from work can be used for cardio base building for marathon training. If I go to biking then my weekly milage for running would drop about 25% due to the extra time (1 1/2 hrs per day) it would take out of my day.
 
Yes, I do wear an HR monitor on the bike. Yesterday was a bit low at AHR 163/MHR 173, on that course I should have been getting up to high 170s near the end.

Generally for similar percieved effort HR is much lower on the bike and it is an excellent way of building the base. You can even set it up on an indoor trainer to provide resistance and work inside over the winter when it's dark and crappy weather and you don't want to risk the roads or run.

It's hard to compare directly on output but I know that for, let's say 200W output on the turbo trainer, I can run with an HR less than 145. On the rower, I'm nearer 170W at the same HR as it's much less efficient. For running I don't know power output.
 
I ride for fun, not very fast, and mostly on rolling hills on rough pavement in the countryside. I've taken to wearing huaraches on bikerides not because I care about magical barefoot performance on a bike but because I can no longer stand stuff covering my toes and getting sweaty feet in shoes during such a hot summer, so what NickW said.
 
I'm kinda on the fence on whether to get these: http://www.bikemanforu.com/products/Barefoot-Pedals-for-Beach-Bikes-and-Cruisers.html

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Or get these to use with the SPD pedals I already have sitting on the shelf: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_169948_-1___
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I wish there were some out there that were as flat as the BF pedals on one side and with SPD clips on the other side. Unfortunately the duo SPD/platform pedals out there aren't very BF friendly on the platform side.
 
Be careful and make sure you get the right pedal, apparently there are two size of pedals, those are for a single piece crank and there is a different size for a three piece crank.
 
Well I got a set of those pedals I linked above last week, and let me tell you.... they suck.

The platforms are MUCH too small to make them comfortable at all when BF. And the bearings in the pedal axles feel terrible. Very gritty feeling. And they're so stiff that it almost makes it feel like I'm in a gear one or two notches higher than the gear I'm actually in. I tried them out on Friday and had to stop after only 1.5 miles or so and put my stiff-soled flip flops on to finish my 7 mile ride.
 
I have several pairs of them and have no trouble riding them barefoot at high heart rates for two hours, have been using them for at least four years now. They are pretty crappy as far as bearings and overall quality though, but worth the trade-off for me.
 
I have several pairs of them and have no trouble riding them barefoot at high heart rates for two hours, have been using them for at least four years now. They are pretty crappy as far as bearings and overall quality though, but worth the trade-off for me.

Really? I thought the small platform size was very uncomfortable for me. I kept having to shift back and forth between using the forefoot and using the midfoot arch area to pedal.

I don't know, maybe it was the fact that I was hauling 60+ extra pounds of kid + trailer when I first tried these out, but to me it seemed very much more difficult to pedal than with my old aluminum platform pedals.
 
Or get these to use with the SPD pedals I already have sitting on the shelf: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_169948_-1___

Patrick:
Somehow I missed your pics before I added the same link. I have had the Nashbar sandals for at least two or three years and like them a lot. I use them exclusively. Although, I think I am going to change to platform pedals and remove the cleats from the sandals even though the cleats are recessed. One drawback of the sandals (least for barefooters) is that they have a significant arch. They do run wide so wool socks in the winter work with the sandals. They are also quite rigid.
 
I ride mountain and road bikes and the thought of riding either of these barefoot sends a shiver down my spine no matter how much i love being bf.

On the mountain bike trails the times that i've had to dab my foot on the ground or clipped a rock/treeroot with the pedal (and foot) would just cause too much damage to a poor naked foot to bear thinking about.

And when it comes to being on a road bike the efficency benefits of shoes just outway the pleasure of being bf.

If you're competing in a triathlon and want to shave a few a few seconds of transition, you could try taking your feet out of the shoes while they are still attached to the pedal as you approach the transition area. Takes a bit of practice but does save time.
So I would go with the view of save energy and your feet for the run.
 
My rules for barefoot riding are: roads and rails to trails type trails only. Nothing skinnier than 700cX32 w/ at least SOME tread. Group riding ok, but NOBODY next to me. In effect, the rules I impose upon myself for barefoot recreational/fitness/X-training cycling make my cycling safer because of it.
It's like the way I longboard.....falling is not an option (I'll be 60 on my next birthday, have multiple arthritic joints, and have a cervical spine that will turn me into a quad if I crash).
I'm not racing bikes, and riding barefoot makes it more comfortable and enjoyable to me, and probably overall SAFER because of the limitations.
If anyone needs any justifications for anything else they want to do, I'm an EXPERT at stretching the facts. Just let me know what you need justified!
 
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Curious, why nobody next to you in a group ride if you're BF?
 
To easy to get hung up on others. Had someone swerve to dodge a rock and they caught my handlebars with theirs and we went down. Somehow our handlebars got "stuck" to each other. Hurt like hell at 20mph...
 
Exactly Nick, I've crashed as an adult twice, both times the rider next to me took me down. I learned from the experiences.
 
I don't like wrecking on bikes, and with your problems LB I can totally understand all the rules you have. I wrecked another time 40 miles into a century because a guy in front of me (we were in a big pack) slammed on his breaks and my front wheel got locked on his rear derailleur. That one really hurt and had to ride 10 miles to first aid station and then 50 more miles of pain to finish the race. I still have the shredded bibs actually.
 
Wow, are those actually quality pedals? If so they possibly might be a perfect alternative to the Pyramids.
 
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