...because they wouldn't be able to lay down the same amount of power with flat pedals and running shoes. Yeah, maybe they'd be a touch faster on the run, but for the rest of it, they'd get blown away by riders wearing traditional shoes and MTB pedals. Plus, those pedals don't cost them any time. They are so good at the transition.
@@str8films1 I guess I am assuming that when the corse is that bumpy, that the riders aren’t exactly worried about putting just as much effort into their upstroke. In general, my understanding is that the efficiency gained by clipless vs flats on the road is negligible. But I have never tried cyclocross, so what do I know.
@@KevinAdams06 They are using the entire pedal stroke to gain power even when the terrain is uneven. It is amazing how much you use the whole pedal stroke in a 'cross race - climbing, rough stuff, and flat-out hammering on the "easy" sections. I'd argue that the gains on the road are incredible even when it's flat and they are putting the power down.
Your foot wouldn't be a as stable in the pedals in the pedals, limiting your ability to go all out. You can go harder more of the time and you don't need to spend energy keeping your feet in place. That last point is also why despite there not being much advantage in peak power, clipless ends up being a huge advantage (and much safer for the riders) over the course of a long, fast road ride.
