SPD cleats?

MonkeyMonster

lms wrote:

my advice = get sh56 multi-directional release cleats. I've had a few toppling moments but I have always avoided actually falling because the panic yank releases the cleat .... I believe this would not be the case with the sh51s where they will only release if you make the correct movement.

I saw these so called multi directional ones and was rather astounded. I've never had an issue unclipping apart when i've been a berk and forgotten to unclip or when the cleat turned in the shoe - wasn't impressed with that one and any woah clucking bell moments i've unclipped. I had assumed 51's were multi due to the fact they unclip however I angle them... anyway back to work.

greg66_tri_v2.0

The ol' "should I unclip to the left or the right" never fails to divide opinion.

I always unclip to the right. Always. Why? because I wanted a "system" (haha) that would mean that if I were in danger of falling into oncoming or passing traffic, my instinct would have me unclipping quickly and preventing the fall.

As I see if, if you unclip to the left, then if you were to find yourself in the middle of a junction, waiting to turn right, leaning to the right and about to fall, your right foot isn't used to unclipping in a hurry. You go over, underneath the oncoming traffic.

I'm not sure it is easier to learn to unclip to the left or the the right; I suspect they are equally easy to get the hang of. I do think adopting a side and sticking to it is better though.

snooks

alfablue wrote:

Well, it works for you Snooks, thats fine, but it is far easier to learn lean left unclip left. And easier for newbies is what is relevant here as its newbies that fear (and have) clipless moments. Just common sense that this single sided approach will be reproduced more reliably and safely.

If you are used to leaning either way and unclipping either way you have more chance of leaning right, unclipping left or leaning left and unclipping right (i.e. 50% chance of getting it wrong) - and indeed there are 4 options, because add to these the other two when you get it right. If you never unclip right and never lean right then you never come a cropper (i.e. youget it wrong 0%)! After 15 years of all sorts of riding on and off road I never felt the need to unclip right, though as an experienced rider I probably do so intuitively sometimes.

What I was saying was in the detail...Unclip....Then lean

Not as you're written lean and then unclip

I don't think it's "common sense", there are times when you will have to unclip on either side, but if you are used to leaning left when you stop, the time you do have to unclip on the right, you might well find yourself leaning left as you've programmed yourself, que a clipless moment

Don't lean either way until you've unclipped one foot, once that foot is unclipped push your shoulder forward to that side. That's all I've been saying.

I've only be riding clipless for a few years, and if a numpty like me can grasp the ability to unclip on both sides anyone can

Just learning to drop your left foot could be dangerous as you could be leaning towards moving traffic when you are stationary....like at a traffic light controlled junction with two lanes one straight on, the other left turn only. You filter to the ASL at the front , there's a motor bike to your right. Left green arrow comes on, all the cars to your left are moving and your lane is stationary is one example.

Going back to when I started down the clipless path I put my pedals, on and it took a couple of hours to get the cleats lined up on my shoes to a position I was comfortable (sensitive knees). During those hours I got on the bike holding the wall, clip in, clip out, clip in, clip out with both feet etc etc. then went for a ride around the block, clipping in and un clipping on both sides while coasting.

Initially I would unclip well ahead of time, slow to a craw, then lean as I stopped, now it comes naturally

alfablue

I must correct myself, I have always unclipped before leaning! Thats what I meant to say :oops: Yes, I am always anticipating and unclipping in advance.

Peter88

1st impressions are it's a bit different, Felt a bit different being attatched the bike.

Took the usual route to work as a pratice run and felt that the uphill parts were a tad easier and had no problems unclipping at the stops. Did have a couple off goes at getting cliped back on two or three times but that will get better with pratice.

sc999cs

Peter88 wrote:

1st impressions are it's a bit different, Felt a bit different being attatched the bike.

Took the usual route to work as a pratice run and felt that the uphill parts were a tad easier and had no problems unclipping at the stops. Did have a couple off goes at getting cliped back on two or three times but that will get better with pratice.

You were probably concentrating on what you were doing. Clipless moments usually occur when you're comfortable using them and forget they're there. Even after being clipless for the best part of 13 years I still sometimes forget and it takes a panicky twist to unclip. What ever happens, just make sure you fall away from traffic and enjoy .

lms

some more advice - unclip with your leg straight ie. at the bottom of the pedal stroke, rather than at the top of the stroke when the knee is bent . This will mean you use your hip to twist out of the pedal, rather than twisting your knee. The hip joint is designed to rotate this way. I had tendinitis on the outside of my left knee for a year before I worked out that twisting while unclipping was the cause.

wheeled_warrior

Greg66 wrote:

As I see if, if you unclip to the left, then if you were to find yourself in the middle of a junction, waiting to turn right, leaning to the right and about to fall, your right foot isn't used to unclipping in a hurry. You go over, underneath the oncoming traffic.

Nearly happened to me today! Second day of riding clipless, so far no problems getting out (harder getting in, actually). Giving way to turn right onto busy road. The near side became clear because of the pelican, so I clipped in, and quickly scooted to the middle. It was a bit hairy with the traffic starting to move again, so I attempted my usual thing of quickly putting a foot down, and scooting the bike around so it's parallel to the road. But in my haste, I'd naively invoked the gods of the clipless moment. It was only because the SPDs are set on minimum tightness I got my foot free without a fuss.

Back on topic - I got some 520s and they came with cleats. I double-checked in the shop to be sure.