Is it time???

Southfields climber

Hi all quick'ish question?

Used to do a lot of Kite Buggying, when i first started everybody used to say you need to get harnesed to your kite :x , There was no way i wanted to be strapped to a kite lifting me of the deck i thought, eventually i changed my mind and what a transformation to flying this made. 8)

My question is concerning clip in pedal's (i am new to this game ) will this make a dramatic difference to my off road fun? if so how quickly should i be changing to them? What type do i need to be looking at?

Many thanks in advance.

Big n Daft

All depends on the type of riding really,

Fire roads, mild-ish XC runs, yes, it's worth doing and you will feel a benefit simply because you will be applying pressure to the pedal all the way around the revolution rather than just half way. Also makes a difference on climbing hills for me.

Pedals, a huge choice, Shimano, Time or Crank Brothers are fave's. Shoes are a touch more personal, always best to try them on as the sizes are somewhat different and do make sure whichever shoe and pedal combo you get, they are compatible....otherwise :oops:

Once you do change to them, a bit of practice getting out of them on some soft grass will see you right, once your off and riding, forward planning and unclipping before you have to is generally the safest way.

Some Shimano pedals come with tension adjusters which can be slackened off until the easiest turn of your foot will get you out of them, once your used to them (and after a while, it becomes second nature to clip out) you can tighten them up.

redvee

When I first started using SPDs it took a while for my knees to recover from the first 2 weeks abuse the tarmac gave them but I soon learned to unclip in time, that was till early this month. Came shooting upto a set of lights and unclipped my right foot and fell to my left :oops:

Southfields climber

Thanks for the response people.

Bromski

Big n Daft wrote:

Fire roads, mild-ish XC runs, yes, it's worth doing and you will feel a benefit simply because you will be applying pressure to the pedal all the way around the revolution rather than just half way.

I, like several others on here, am currently waiting for mine to arrive from the WMB subscription offer, and I'm getting increasingly nervous about it.

After riding the Dalby red route yesterday, I have started wondering whether they are a good idea at all.

If I do fit them, will I need to put my flats back on for Dalby etc (Dalby red is hard for me - some of it is at my upper limit of skill)?

Big n Daft

I'd say until you get used to using SPD's, I would stay on flats somewhere like that. The confidence dabbing your foot brings will outweigh any benefit you get from the new pedals.

When you've rode with them for a few weeks on less harder terrain, it does become second nature, saying that I still wouldn't use them on a seriously technical section, perhaps a compromise would be double sided pedals? One side has an SPD fitting but the other has a flat cage.

Maybe the best of both worlds.

Bromski

You know, I'm really pleased you've said that because I thought I had seen people on the trails with double sided pedals, but 2 LBS's said they hadn't heard of them?

I might ebay my pedals if they ever arive and look into some of those...

Bromski

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=11515

Is this them?

Big n Daft

Yep, think they are the pop up ones,

There is also something like this:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=5937

Where one side is actually a platform pedal and the other one a SPD fitting.

Bromski

I'm a bit undecided now.

I haven't got a tool for fitting them.

I have a preferred LBS that doesn't stock the 1 sided - just the pop-up ones (not sure that's what I want

I have some cheap Shimano SPD compatible shoes (do the cleats come with the pedals?)

The M540's are coming already but sounds like I don't really want them for what I do...

:?

Big n Daft

All you need is a 15mm spanner or in some cases a 6mm allen key to fit them, bit of teflon grease on the threads, then its dead simple, the threads will only locate one way, then just tighten them up until they are tight. (Don't hang off them though....just a bit more than nipped)

Cleats come with the pedals I believe.

You can try the pop up ones, as long as you can change them quite quickly without tools, it's no problem.

The 540's are superb pedals, sometimes they come with a cage, sometimes not, I think it depends where you get them from, but once you are used to using SPD's you'll love those pedals. If you wind the tensioner right off, they are pretty damn easy to get out of too.

Bromski

OK - the plan is...

1. Ask LBS to fit pop-up type

2. Keep 540's in the cupboard

3. Learn to ride clipped in

4. Switch to 540's when I don't fall off at Dalby anymore

5. Torture my mates on the climbs

6. Learn to jump (can't do it on flats - hate it when my feet come off the pedals)

dawnophile

I've got clipless pedals on my hardtail, and flats on my rigid-commuter thing. Flats scared me on my decent bike, and I hated my feet coming off over jumps.
I'm now getting annoyed with not being able to clip in fast enough, especially in the mud. I've learned to jump a bit with flats, and i'm thinking about going back to them on my decent bike.
What I mean to say is trying some SPD's or similar is a great idea, but they're not for everyone. If I raced XC or did endurance racing, there's no way i'd be on flats. Riding for fun is down to personal preference.

pittpony

It's a tough one and very much down to personal preference. I switched recently and after several trips out i'm still having the occasional 'clipless moment' :oops: Fortunately they've all been on soft(ish) ground! To be honest i don't really like them, but from what i've heard i will get used to them so am going to stick at it. I know the theory is that you get more power out of clipless pedals, but i've not really noticed much difference. I think this is down to technique though...