Downhill stops / dismounts with cleats

GG53

Hi

Ok, I'm a relative newbie to road bikes (six weeks) and a total newbie to road pedals and cleats (one week). I have ridden MTBs with MTB cleats with no issue.

I have done well over a hundred miles over the past few week using the road pedals / cleats and have felt secure enough (they are like anything else and need time to bed and loosen up fully).

Yesterday I went for a 40 miler which took me over a route I haven't done before. One particular stretch was a very long, steep downhill that came to a stop at the junction to a very busy and fast moving road. The road widened to two lanes and given that i was turning right, I moved over to the right hand lane. As I was approaching the junction I unclipped my left foot (as per usual). As the bike came to a stop, I moved forward off my seat and put my left foot down, but given that the bank was very steep, the cleat was bulky and protruding and the shoe sole was smooth and without grip, I did not feel fully planted or balanced and started to fall. I then tried to get my right foot out, couldn't immediately and began to tip forwards and to the right. Fortunately, my right foot di unclip as I was going down enabling me to steady and not fall.

It caught me by surprise and had a real impact later on in the journey when I was on a couple of steep downhill roads towards junctions in busy traffic. I had a 17 average that suddenly plunged to 14 because i was so cautious. I couldn't bring myself to go right to the bottom of the junction, and certainly not on the right hand side even when needing to turn right (I got off and crossed). The seating position and cleats of a MTB have never presented any downhill issues for me before.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a technique to these type of dismounts / stops?

Stupidly, I haven't gone out today and have even spent time looking at stiff MTB shoes (my old ones were a bit too flexible) so that I can go back to MTB pedals and shoes that feel planted and grip well on all surfaces.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

ollyridesfirst

never had this problem, but i can say that there's been some times where i've panicked when trying to release my cleats! They always come out in the end though.

My advise, maybe slacken off your tension on the pedals to allow your cleats to disengage more easily.....and use your brakes rather than your feet to stop

nferrar

Not had this issue before, I could maybe see it happening on a 1:1 type steepness but given it wouldn't be anything like that at a junction I can't say I really understand how it slipped out (unless you put your foot down on ice). Most shoes should have half-decent grip on the heels to so I'd at least make sure you were putting down your foot in a way that the heel grip and cleat both made contact.

sungod

i had a similar experience on a steep ramp into the company car park where i leave my bike in the daytime, i have to stop on the ramp and wait for the automatic security gate to rise

usually no problem, done it hundreds of times, but for some reason this time i had my pass in my right hand so i couldn't put the front brake on, and i put my foot a bit too far back to get purchase, the rear wheel didn't hold, started sliding, cleat gave no grip, way off balance, had a mad few seconds trying to move my foot and get the brake lever withoiut falling over

although what you describe is different, it still sounds as if, like me, you didn't have the front wheel locked

with the front brake on, you should be able to support yourself on the bike and just put a toe down for balance, rather than let the cleat touch the ground

i rarely get off the saddle at lights, just lean to the left and toe down, road shoes have a grippy bit at the front to allow this

EarlyGo

GG53,

First - Make sure you have your heel in contact with the ground. The heel of the shoe will be made from a softer grippier material.

Second - Practice trying to 'track stand'. Even if you can't achieve a perfect track stand it will still buy you plenty of time to get your foot out of the cleat, down on the ground and firmly planted without any panic!

Regards EarlyGo