“Since the power goes straight down the tibia and through the pedal, more force can be generated,” says Lennard Zinn, president of Zinn Cycles and senior technical writer for
VeloNews.com and VeloNews magazine, of midsole cleat positioning. “It takes the calves (always an inefficient means of propelling a bike) out of the equation, thus saving energy otherwise wasted on fueling the calves during riding and saving them for the run while producing more power.”
Not only will your power increase and your calves thank you, but this cleat position can result in an aerodynamic advantage too: “They also allow the rider to use a much lower saddle (like 3cm lower), which is a tremendous benefit aerodynamically, and also a benefit for cornering and stability by lowering the center of gravity; it also allows a smaller, lighter bike frame to be used,” Zinn adds.
“Sprinters and riders who climb out of the saddle won’t want them, because you have limited ability to get the fore-aft balance you need when out of the saddle if you’re standing on the balls of your feet, Otherwise, they are beneficial to any rider who wants to go faster.”
“Like a diesel engine, or when you perform push-ups on the palm of your hands instead of on fingertips, [with mid-sole cleats] fatigue is reduced and calves are saved for the running,” Heine says. “Apart from that, reduced saddle height (~35mm) and stem create a lower point of gravity, which not only allows for better cornering but improved aerodynamics. What Greg Lemond’s aero bars were for time trialing, midsole is for pedaling.”
“For road riders, midsole is even more effective than for time-trial riders. But neither triathletes nor [long-distance cyclists] have a shoe contract, that’s why they are free to give it a try. And 99% of those who tried don’t ever switch back due to the striking advantages they experience.”
Damn /n/, looks like its time to break out that drill and enter the world of the midfoot
