clipless pedals: fell off again!

oldwelshman

Can't believe some of these comments " concentrate and think about unclipping" "think ahead" . Bloody hell when riding if you see the light change colour it should be instinct to twist your foot straight away!!
I think if you have to think ahead all the time to unclip and have to concentrate that hard you should not be on the road as you will fall off
Go for the old fashioned flat pedals they may be safer for some

Rich Hcp

I went out on my other bike, an MTB yesterday and found myself twisting my right ankle to clip out.

The thing is, it doesn't have clipless pedals......

So it does become instinctive

rossbarney2003

I got my clipless pedals quite a while ago now, but I still haven't really found the courage to get back out on to the road (I really miss it.....). I'm really paranoid about falling, and it doesn't help when my family speak about falling off and being run down!

I live right next to a big car park which is empty at the weekend and after 5pm on weekdays and have been using it to practise quite often. I can now easily clip in, and can clip out (I still have to think about it though and still kinda find it awkward). I have the tension on the pedals at the minimum etc.

I'm now just trying to build up the courage to just go out on the road again.

daniel_b

Rich Hcp wrote:

I went out on my other bike, an MTB yesterday and found myself twisting my right ankle to clip out.

The thing is, it doesn't have clipless pedals......

So it does become instinctive

Good news!

NedKelly

Did one this morning on a untarmaced layby, & rolled off into a giant pothole full of muddy water.

Lovely.

Lycra Man

I too have had my share of clipless falls, and am used to them now (after 11 months). The [pedals, that is. Not the falls.

I recently bought a cheap bike to use where I stay during the week, which had platform pedals fitted. I took those off and fitted my old pedals with toe clips and straps. I could not believe how much time I spent (wasted) getting my foot back into the clips.

As for putting a favourite foot dowm, I firmly believe in being able to put down whichever foot feels natural according to whether there is a curb to lean on, a bus right beside you, or a puddle to avoid. So un-clip-wise, I am ambidextrous.

Lycra Man

benvickery

Had my 3rd clipless ride earlier and I love it. You can feel the power being transmitted to the bike. Not fallen over yet, but I came close when i was going round a car driven by some old lady at lights. I love being able to lift your legs to add some extra push. I chose to release my right foot only, as that leg is stronger and I have a delicate left knee after playing rugby years ago.

I have had a few slips off the pedals when trying to clip in while pulling away at lights though. I suppose this gets easier with practise.

redddraggon

benvickery wrote:

I chose to release my right foot only, as that leg is stronger and I have a delicate left knee after playing rugby years ago.

Exactly same with me (even the rugby bit).

Felix-da-house-mouse

Practice makes perfect, practice on the road you stay if its quite if not find one that is in a housing estate and practice moving the bike with your feet clipped in.

benvickery

I fell over for the first time today. At the end of my road there is T junction, my neighbour was waiting there to turn right so I thought I would just creep and turn right with her. Got to the car, she didn't pull out, I stopped and it was too late to pull my foot out, so I fell over. She was all worried and I was soooo embarrassed.

Still having fun sometimes trying to clip in, although it only seems happen now at really busy junctions. I'll keep practising!!

xhacker

Used twice, fell off twice.

I'm not sure how long I'll continue?

popette

xhacker wrote:

Used twice, fell off twice.

I'm not sure how long I'll continue?

That was my initial record. In fact, I think it was used once, fell off twice. You really do get the hang of it if you keep practising. I bought a MTB which had just normal pedals and took it out for a spin and it felt really weird not to have my feet clipped in.
FWIW, I always unclip the same foot (left) and I have to make sure that my right foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke. I always do it that way and have only had one more fall since*. You'll find your own way of doing it and it'll become automatic, just like changing gears in your car.

(*The fall I did have was when I was just standing still reading a map! durr!)

Harry B

After much thought (and a recent clip fall) I have finally made the decision to go clipless. I'll be getting pedals and shoes at the end of the month and then have a practice on the trainer before getting out there for real.

Any thoughts on what make to go for? Are the double sided pedals easier to use than the single sided ones?

xhacker

Like most things talked about bikes etc. Clipless pedals are ok but I don't think they make that much difference to me.

I go up a hill, Im still shagged at the top It doesn't matter if I've had clipless toe clips or bog standard pedals on. I'm still knackered.

I do notice the clipless have a slight advantage on the pulling aspect but IMHO not a major one.

The disadvantages are outweighing the advantages at the moment. One disadvantage being: if I'm in the wrong gear at the start of the climb and I do happen to come to a halt (it's happened before) there's a 99% chance I'll fall off. Not good on a busy road.

I haven't given up yet but I think I'll ignore the hype and as usual go with what I think is best.

daniel_b

A 38 mile ride yesterday, including some killer hills.

No mishaps this time, or p*nctures, and managed to unclip in time even when it wasn't a planned stop, ie I had to stop when I wasn't expecting to.

I hadn't thought about my method, but I analysed it yesterday, and it is just what feels natural.

I always unclip the left side, and then it is at the top of the stroke, ie 12 O'Clock, the right foot is at 6 O'Clock - is starting to feel pretty natural, and that's only after 2 rides.

I'm very relieved.

I have Diadora MTB shoes, with super cheap double sided M520's.

Dan

doyler78

Lycra Man wrote:

As for putting a favourite foot dowm, I firmly believe in being able to put down whichever foot feels natural according to whether there is a curb to lean on, a bus right beside you, or a puddle to avoid. So un-clip-wise, I am ambidextrous.

After only a couple of rides myself on clipless pedals (spd's) recently I think there is some merit in this as I immediately had a much stronger preference for clipping out on the right as I have much more flexibility in this foot than my left so it just felt natural to always use this side that way I wouldn't have to think about it.

However yesterday after my ride I was coming into my driveway and had to slip between two parked cars as I was leaning from the turn to the left and of course tired clipping out on the right only prob this really was the wrong foot to be unclipping on as I was leaning the wrong way. The only thing that saved my embarrassment was grabbing a hold of the fence which kept me upright until I got my right foot down.

I think now I will try consciously to unclip stop about on the left and right until I feel comfortable with both sides and then hopefully I will really be able just to use whatever foot is best in every circumstance (however no doubt I will still end up in a heap at some stage but that's nothing that hasn't happened before).

everogere

Look at my posting ' Toe Clips.. Making a Comeback?? dated 12-02-08

mark.astell

Hooray, I'm on my way to being a "proper" cyclist.

Rode to work today, 2 feet from the bikeshed, unclipped left, leaned right. Slow, effortless, graceful fall into nearby bush :oops:

I did get up rather quickly pretending nothing had happended

It amused the smokers stood outside anyway.

Mike59

Going to take the 'clipless' plunge now that I have bought an Enigma road/audax bike. I have a pair of Shimano A530 pedals (flat on one side), but would like a pair of shoes I can walk properly in. Any recommendations? (I don't race - just want to get back into longer road rides)

Also, given that people seem to fall off a lot - does it not damage the bike ?

xhacker

That's a very good point.

Yes, of course it damages the bike. At the very least it gets scratched.

You could cry when you've handed over a big fat wedge for your dream bike and then it's not quite perfect anymore

daniel_b

Mike59 wrote:

Going to take the 'clipless' plunge now that I have bought an Enigma road/audax bike. I have a pair of Shimano A530 pedals (flat on one side), but would like a pair of shoes I can walk properly in. Any recommendations? (I don't race - just want to get back into longer road rides)

Also, given that people seem to fall off a lot - does it not damage the bike ?

You probably want to go for some 'MTB' spd shoes, just like road shoes, but have some tread around the outside, though i was a little surprised that the cleat still stands proud, as seemed like a good opportunity to protect it completely when walking.

I have some Diadora Skorpion shoes, but I think Specialized BG shoes have good reviews.

My one fall, so far, didn't damage the bike that much, I ended up with scuffed bar tape, and a scuff on my lovely saddle

Remember your attached to the bike, and as most falls seem to happen at no speed at all, you protect the bike in the main, as you are then under the bike :roll:

Mike59

Thanks for that, Dan.

I wonder if there are any shoes (MTB or otherwise) that actually have recessed cleats :?:

daniel_b

I think you can get cleat covers, that you clip on for when/if you need to walk any distance.

Beauty with MTB shoes is that they do have some grip. where as dedicated road shoes is likened to being bambi on ice, as they are completely smooth, apart from the cleat - not my cup of tea at all.

huggy

There are plenty of MTB shoes with recessed cleats, just have a look on bike websites at their MTB section. However, I've never seen road shoes with recessed cleats.