Clipped in shoes banging on ground

Let 'em bang.  Battle scars!  Usually the heel will drop and that's what will drag.  Usually also they will sort of self-center due to equal weight on the crank arms.  Don't even worry about it.

That is, assuming you exit T1 barefoot and mount, or that you dismount and keep your shoes in the pedals.  I usually run in my shoes to the mount line, and I've only dismounted and kept shoes on the bike a handful of times.  I have cheap tri shoes that are not easy to slip on at the mount line/on the bike.  

Do you have road shoes or actual tri shoes? 

Road shoes normally have multiple straps and ratchet adjustments that can be hard to fiddle with while on the bike.  Tri shoes usually have one velcro strap that opens to the outside, making it easier to fasten/unfasten and less likely to get caught in the drive train.  Most also have a big heel strap to help pull them on and off.

Unless you are using tri shoes, I'd suggest not trying to leave your shoes clipped to your pedals,.

Regardless, to answer your original question, yes, I just let them bang on the ground going into T2.  They may getting scuffed up a bit, but no big deal.

Mark

If you let 'em bang, just be careful.  Maybe because I have big feet, but the ground has been able to unclip a shoe for me when running into T2.  The time saved by leaving the shoes on the bike gets completely lost if you have to stop and go pick up a fallen shoe. 

If you are going to exit T1 with shoes in the pedals, I suggest messing with the rubber bands.  The 'issues' heading out of T1 are very different than the issues heading back into T2.  If you don't want to mess with them, exit with your shoes on your feet.  90% of the time, I have done it this way and have had transition times better than probably 90% of the field.  Keeping them on the pedals can save time.  But for the majority of triathletes, it actually does not.

To this point.....don't get in a hurry to put your feet in.  I've seen experienced racers ride a mile and more before they put their feet in.....it's pretty common.  Get up to speed and pick your spot to get them in.

You can generally avoid the banging by just turning the pedals to 3:00 & 9:00 position (horizontal) before you start rolling the bike through T2. 

I know, it sounds like it'll just get out of whack and they'll drift to 6:00 again, but in my experience, if you level them before moving, they'll typically stay there no problemo. The main mistake people make is rushing and not getting the pedals to exactly horizontal - it makes a big difference if the pedal is 'almost' horizontal(where it will continue to drop) versus total horizontal where it should balance.

I actually take a second once I jump off the bike (I get my feet out of the shoes before the T2 dismount line) to push the pedals with my hands back to horizontal - it's not as fast/pretty as the full-tilt flying dismount since you do have to slow a bit for a second to get the pedals right, but it pays off in how fast you can cruise through T2 to your spot. 

Just practice it - you'll figure it out.

I was tearing up a couple of sets of SPD-SL cleats every year by running on them through asphalt or gravel transition areas.

To LB's earlier suggestion: really good advice to ride a bit before trying to slip your feet into your shoes.  For one thing you've cleared the scrum at the T1 exit, plus you're going to be more stable on the bike it you're riding faster.

I do the same thing coming into T2.  I'll slip my feet out maybe a half mile out before everyone starts slowing down and bunching up again at the entrance to T2.

One other suggestion is to tighten the release tension on your pedals to more than you normally use.  That will  help keep you from pulling the shoe off the pedal when you're trying to pull your foot out.

Above all, practice, and then practice some more. 

Mark

I'm a rubber banded shoes to bike in Transition kind of guy too.  I practice it several times before every race.  My main reason is that I think it is simply the fastest way out of T1.  I don't wear socks during races (HIM and shorter) so it really helps. 

I also slip my feet out of my shoes on the way into T2 and ride with my bare feet on top of my shoes to the dismount line. 

I have Speed Plays and I learned the hard way that if the Transition area is muddy, running in Speed Plays is not a good idea. 

1.  You can slip and fall on your a$$ (happened to me).

2.  Your Speed Plays can get jammed up with mud  (happened to me in the same race as #1).

3.  Mud jammed into Speed Plays prevents shoes from clipping in and you have to get off your bike and bang your shoes together or slam them against your pedal and almost wreck.  (all in the same g - da mn race).

Transition is the 4th segment of the triathlon.  Why not make it as fast as possible?