new commuter lost nerve.

mrsmonkey

i have just started commuting a few times a week. Its only about 8.5 miles each way and quite a lot is off road on cycle paths.
I bought clipless pedals and shoes from the start as I intend to do tri's. I have had the usual few falls but off road so i wasn't bothered (once on the TT in the bedroom!!!)

last week a stopped at a junction, clipped out one foot fine, went to set off and my foot slipped and i fell into the road. Nothing coming but it put me off a bit.

Tried again today and nearly come off twice once because of a dog and once because of a pedestrian, just clipped out in time in both cases but I have now lost my nerve.

I cycled home wearing my trainers using my clipless pedals and i am so glad i did because i would definetly have come off due to pedestrains not looking.

I think clipless are brilliant for long rides but for city commutes they are a bit iffy. What do people recommend, i was thinking about pedals and strapless toe clips. would i struggle with clipless for my long rides if gave up now?

HELP!

desweller

It's all about anticipation; reading the road and other road users to avoid having to do things in a hurry. As soon as I find myself filtering I unclip one or both feet, and pedal on the arches of my feet so I don't have to unclip in a hurry. Similarly, when I start to apply the brakes, if I'm in traffic or approaching a junction, traffic lights etc., I have one foot already unclipped. If I'm pulling away, I do so fairly gently and usually ride on the arches of my feet until I have completed moving off, as you know you can risk sliding your foot off the pedal if you try to clip-in in a hurry.

If you're having trouble with your mount/dismount technique, this video may help.

Hope this helps.

unixnerd

Maybe go to normal pedals for a bit until you get more used to the commute. Then try clipless again.

What pedals are you using? Some are easier to clip out of than others.

mrsmonkey

i have time i click pedals because they are easy to get in and out of.

I am fine getting in and out normally its just if i were to slip at a junction and fall over into the path of a car.

unixnerd

I've only ever used Shimano SPDs and I find they're pretty easy to clip out of. From what I've heard other pedals are generally harder.

jonny_trousers

You do become used to them very quickly and they are well worth persevering with. You just need to get used to the twisting motion. Perhaps you have yours set up with too tight to begin with? You could always try those rather expensive, but neat magnetic ones.

HadronCyclist

Don't bother trying to clip out! Learn to trackstand for ages :P

rja

I'd go back to standard pedals for a bit - and try not to put your feet down. (as if they were clipped in) then when you're finding it easy to anticipate lights/pedestrians etc, give the clip-ins a go again. But not too tight!

mattsaw

I started off with road shoes and some Look Keo pedals which really put me off as it was so difficult to unclip at short notice.

I moved to gettig some Shimano MTB pedals with a multi-release cleat which I find really easy to get in and out of even in emergancies.

DaveHudson

DesWeller wrote:

It's all about anticipation; reading the road and other road users to avoid having to do things in a hurry. As soon as I find myself filtering I unclip one or both feet, and pedal on the arches of my feet so I don't have to unclip in a hurry. Similarly, when I start to apply the brakes, if I'm in traffic or approaching a junction, traffic lights etc., I have one foot already unclipped. If I'm pulling away, I do so fairly gently and usually ride on the arches of my feet until I have completed moving off, as you know you can risk sliding your foot off the pedal if you try to clip-in in a hurry.

If you're having trouble with your mount/dismount technique, this video may help.

Hope this helps.

This is exactly how I approach the situation. I do a 15 mile round trip and am totally comfortable with the SPDs now. I do use the SH56 multi release cleats with m520 pedals on both bikes, Saved me having an off on sunday when I very nearly got hit at 8am by a sleepy/hungover driver that overshot a junction by 18" and I only just stopped in time.
I panicked and was starting to topple as I managed to unclip with a sharp upwards jolt.

pastryboy

Road pedals aren't meant to be constantly clipped in and out of. SPDs are easy and that's what you'll find the majority of commuters using.

The Rookie

SPD's here, M520 on original cleats, I have the tension wound to the very minimum and they never unclip unless I want them to, I have had 2 comedy falls (usually when cycling with someone else who stops unexpectedly, you can never anticipate that!) but usually can unclip very quickly.
I agree that road clipless are much less commute friendly than SPD.

Simon

wizzlebanger

+1 to spd m520's.

Been using them for well over and year and apart from the initial few times when I was learning how to unclip they have been brilliant.

They are pretty cheap and as they are double sided so you don't have to worry about that either. Set the tension pretty low and your feet will unclip with the slightest of twists.

I think it's more about getting the right system for the kind of riding you do. As someone said earlier single sided road pedals aren't really designed for urban commuting. Although I expect a quite a few people have no problem with them.

Plus with the M520's you can wear clipped shoes you could walk around in should you leave your normal shoes at home.....not that I have ever done that!

Babber Goo

+1 for the M520's here too - i've had a couple of comedy falls (to be expected) but i'm used to them now and wouldn't be without them, in fact normal pedals feel weird to me now - i can't seem to keep my feet on them with all the potholes round here

shouldbeinbed

+1 to everyons suggesting SPD's & +100 to Simon, wind the clip out tension right off and you'll be absolutely fine.

your current clips are wrong for the sort of riding you describe & I guess you've gotpretty smooth hard soled roady type shoes? With SPD's you can have a much wider variety and way better grip when you do have your foot down
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... highlight= plenty of shoe threads on here, this live one being the latest

I've got Shimano m324 and m424 on my bikes and have never had a fall or clip out problem in many years of commuting and riding around central Manchester.

The m324 are my pedals of choice, they're dual sided so you have one SPD side and one flat pedal side depending on whether you need a more walkable shoe for the day or not. they are rugged and bombproof, have bolt holes so you can put reflectors on (legal and a bit of a bugbear of mine) or can bolt a toe clip on for the flat side should you still want a bit of extra grip when not cleated in on the SPD's. You shouldn't need it thogh. I ride in trainers and normal shoes on the flats and have no worries about it.

Decathlon do a version which is a lot cheaper but looks a bit more clunky.

The m424 are SPD both sides but (are supposed to ) have a rockable plastic outer around the spd clip so that you can use normal shoes ands still get good pedal grip. they're ok and you can safely use them without cleats but you still feel the clip through a normal shoe. - I got them cheap and use them on a commute only bike so always with SPD's, I wouldn't recommend them particularly as an all purpose pedal.

flimflam_machine

+1 to Shimano m324s. It's useful to have the flat side if you want to unclip but keep pedalling at a dodgy looking junction, or practice your trackstand without being clipped in. They also allow you to dismount easily, scoot your bike if you need to and also just nip down to the shops in your everyday shoes if you can't be bothered putting your cycling shoes on.

+1 also to multi-release SPD cleats. These allow you to get your foot out not only by pushing your heel sidways (as with normal cleats) but also by rolling your foot outwards. This means that your natural panic response will always unclip you as long as the tension isn't ridiculously high.

I switched to this setup very early on in my commute and I've not had any issues (touch wood) except for an almost fall when I unclipped my left foot to put it on the kerb and then almost fell over to my right. Luckily I got my foot out in time but my heart rate stayed up for a minute or two.

Edit: I reckon that it's worth sticking with the clipless, they make you feel so much more connected to your bike, erm... because you are.

rolf_f

+ another for the Shimano M520s. They are almost as easy to get your feet on and off as flats!

jeremyrundle

Tried these shoes with clips, can't stand them, my bikes are HB MTB and fitted with truvativ pedals, more important I believe are good shoes, I have three pair of these and have found nothing better for walking or cycling.

http://www.snowandrock.com/pws/UniquePr ... n=products

In the wet and snow I will wear nothing but Meindl shoes

http://www.thegreenwellyshop.co.uk/Mein ... =shopzilla

But quality costs. However my Meindl shoes have lasted NINE years, that is £13 a year!

richk

There's nothing wrong with using flat pedals if you want to

rhext

Get SPDs and take up mountain-biking. I got all my 'clipless moments' out of the way offroad and can now reliably unclip and get my feet down in the time between overbalancing and hitting the deck.

But if you're still nervous, modern MTB flats have pins which help to stick your feet in the right place on the pedals. You can't pull up on them, but you don't find your feet sliding into the wrong place for efficient pedalling.

Twostage

Important point about making sure the pedals are adjusted to the easiest tension. You should be able to unclip even when taken by surprise. MTB style pedals and shoes are definitely easier to unclip in my experience.

richVSrich

what do people think of toe clips? i would be uneasy using clipless...plus a set of toe clips would be a lot cheaper!

ps, this is my first post! Hi everyone!

gbsahne001

I used toe clips for 15+ years and I still like them but wouldn't go back (unless like the winter i can find no other way of keeping my feet warm) as it's much easier to unclip in SPDs than it is to pull out, if you're strapped in tight.

rhext

gbsahne wrote:

I used toe clips for 15+ years and I still like them but wouldn't go back (unless like the winter i can find no other way of keeping my feet warm) as it's much easier to unclip in SPDs than it is to pull out, if you're strapped in tight.

+1. Once you're used to them SPDs are much easier!

richVSrich

uhm...what are SPDs again?? :P

richVSrich

oh nevermind! just wikipediad it!

rhext

Clipless pedals, like these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520 ... n=products

You also need to get cycling shoes and steel cleats which attach to the bottom of them. The cleats attach to the pedals, only coming loose if you rotate your feet sideways. Not only does the cleat then hold your foot in the right place, it also allows you to pull up on the pedal as well as push down, should you feel so inclined.

redjeepǃ

I fell over last Sunday in front of the cycling group. I unclipped my right foot, tipped the bike over, put my foot down and immediately fell onto my left arm. Trouble was I'd tipped the bike the wrong way.... :?

I've been cycling good few years and haven't fallen over in a couple of years, I blame it on having been riding my MTB for the past few weeks (which doesn't have cleats).

It's gonna take a while to live this one down....

gbsahne001

one of the unfathomable mysteries of life; why does the world have to be watching when you have a clipless moment?