I thought it was interesting that all my friend's cars that are manual have their seats way back. I would pull it forward because the way I drive manual I press the clutch ALL the way down to the floor. I hadn't even realized some people drive by just depressing it half way or to the friction point.
Just a random thought but I was recently getting so tired of driving manual esp in Los Angeles traffic. The difference between manual and automatic is reflected in my day to day energy level esp on a really really long commute or something.
Do you guys depress the clutch all the way to the floor or just enough to catch?

I feel like I dont have enough control when i do the latter method because if I go all the way to the floor, I can hold it there and pivot at my ankles to slowly release the clutch. But it seems some people pivot or "give" at the knees and not the ankles which seems to be less controlled? Does that make sense?

 

You're supposed to push all the way down, to make sure the clutch engages fully. If you don't you will put unneeded wear on your clutch, synchros, etc. You can "rev match" at least some transmissions and shift without the clutch, but I have never tried that, and you need to use the clutch to get moving regardless, so why bother?

Sounds like you drive with lazy people...push it in all the way like a normal person. The only time you hold it out somewhat is when you need it to catch when you take off, or on a hill, or feather it as you're backing up. Otherwise...gas off, clutch all the way in, shift, clutch off, gas on.

 

Unless you're pushing it all the way to the floor, you're not doing it right. You'll tear up gears, bearings, syncros, and the clutch.

Are you sure they're not pushing it all the way down? I'm only 6' tall and can easily push the clutch all the way to the floor with the seat all the way back. I'm not ghetto-riding it or anything like that, so the seat back isn't at a very steep angle either.

 

Yep, all the way down. Only hold it out near the take up/friction point when about to take off on a hill or when backing. I do a lot of 2-3 and 3-4 up shifts clutchless but that is usually just because I'm bored and want to do something different. Clutchless down shifting usually attracts unwanted attention if you have a loud exhaust. Rev matching for a 4-2 downshift while passing a hidden cop is hard to explain your way out of.

 

my seat is all the way back, leaned back, and i still push the clutch all the way down...just so happens i'm kinda tall

 

Ditto here. 6' and seat all the way back. Clutch always all the way down with no problem.

 

hmm interesting maybe its because i pivot at the ankles to find the friction point i cant pull the seat back all the way. feels weird. i do recline it but lately ive been experimenting with just going down past the friction point, not all the way down. I dont see the point of going WAY past the point of engagement

 

I didn't even know you could shift without depressing the clutch. I've done it on a motorcycle but that's a little different I think?

 

I have the seat somewhere in the middle with a very slight recline. Pedal to the floor when I shift. Works and is comfortable for me.

 

My dad and his motorcycle riding friends would do clutches upshifts, but not downshifts. The wet clutch on a bike usually makes it less of an ordeal on the internals for doing it often.

To depress the clutch, I use my entire leg, to move off from a standstill, I'll have my heel on the floor and slowly pivot my toes up.

Clutchless changes in a road car just don't feel worth the extra wear on the gearbox to me (unless I had a 6 speed box waiting to be installed and didn't care as much about the current T5...).