Just gone Clipless!

MarksMintness

Hi guys, just fitted my new Shimano R540 clipless pedals to my Trek 7.5 FX, so excited to use them on Friday!

Got some Shimano R087 shoes (look amazing) and bike is getting some new 28mm All Condition tyres fitted today.

Woop Woop!

wishitwasallflat

Why you waiting till Fri - get on it now!

MarksMintness

Lol, I just know I'm gonna fall off!

wishitwasallflat

Yes you will everyone does but its nearly always the slow motion more embarrassement than injury type. Practice clipping in and out a good few times while leaning against a wall before setting out and unclip early as you approach any junctions. I feel off a couple of time in the first weeks - once when I ran off the road by mistake and panicked a bit and once when out with my son (five years old) who cut me up something awful and I had to fall to not hit him!

Get out there and enjoy!

Hinzy9

Having a clipless moment is not compulsory you know! :shock: Almost every clipless thread on here seems to be made up of people saying that its inevitable that you'll fall during the first few weeks as you get used to them. It was threads like this that always put me off going clipless.

Eventually, I did pluck up the courage to go clipless and 12 months/5000 miles later I can say that I've never had any kind of incident. My only regret is that I didnt go clipless sooner, without scare mongering threads like this I may have done.

I do realise that now I've said all this I'll probably fall off tonight! :oops:

suffolk-commuter

I have just switched to R540's with DBH shoes because I had a fall using straps.
Never used them before but find them much easier to get out of (after a little practice).

Good luck Hinzy!

wishitwasallflat

Certainly didn't mean to scaremonger and of course its not inevitable. Before I took the plunge I read the threads on clipless and I was very reassurred to read that yes people do fall but its inevitably in slow mo, when you stop, only at the beggining and only pride and not the body suffers!

Apols to anyone who was put off - not the intention, quite the contrary in fact - go for it and don't worry please!

moonbucket

I did the slow motion fall over at a busy junction on my first week with spds. Bizarrely I remembered to unclip my right foot but due to a brain phart I then tried to put my left-foot down for balance, with inevitable slow tip onto the Tarmac.

Also managed to once tip myself onto the bars when my clip stuck. It never happens at speed though so it's only mild embarrassment that's at stake!

The positives of switching far outway the potential for a couple of prat-falls,

MarksMintness

Cheers for the encouragement guys! Picked up the bike tonight after a thorough service and a switch to 28 all condition tyres. Everything looks good but the ride on Friday should be very revealing! Got some awesome overshoes to protect my nice new shimanos, and have practiced getting in and out a few times, seems ok!
Really looking forward to the first ride already, wish me luck!

kentphil

make sure the tension is loosely set on the pedals. this will lessen the likely hood of a falling off incident. this was a mistake i made many years back.

biscuit959

Yeah, i did the same, read loads of posts and decicded it was worth it. So bought myself some Look pedals and Specialized shoes, fitted the pedals and went up and down my road a couple of times clipping and unclipping along the way and thought, ah wow this is pretty easy, whats all the fuss? Next day, went for a proper ride, first junction i got too, stopped and fell sideways. haha oh dear, thankfully no one was around and just got up and carried on and havent come off since! For me, this has been the best upgrade/purchase i've made since i started cycling and one little fall wouldn't put me off and hope no one else would think it was inevitable that it will happen. I think people like to say that it happens to everyone to make themselves feel a bit better.
So yh, just think ahead when you first start out and when you start braking think about your feet and i'd say after 1/2 rides it'll be second nature

Secteur

You'll be fine - I have never once fallen off since going clipless - to be honest I just dont know how anyone could forget they were clipped in!! (ranks near not looking before turning, to me!). Despite that, 99% of riders on this forum at least seem to have managed it!

Topaxci

Big thumbs up for clipless I've had them ever since moving to a road bike 4 years ago and hate riding flats now.
Never had a tumble on the road bike (touch wood), but used to ride toe clips on MTB so fairly used to the concept.

Only tumble I had was when I decided to put some bear traps on my MTB which were set way too tight. Pulled up at queue at a cash point and promptly fell over still desperately trying to twist my foot out. Actually took a good few minutes and some pulling with my hands whilst on the ground to get the things to let go :oops: . Got some funny looks though no-one actually offered to help. Injuries: none, Pride: severely dented.

Now I just have standard shimano SPD on both bikes. As long as they're set right you'll be fine. Just practice a bit clipping in and out to get a feel for them. IMO they are an essential piece of kit so enjoy.

MarksMintness

Well, after all was said and done, I got to the first junction at the bottom of our hill and fell in slow motion sideways! Couldn't believe it! In front of a bus stop of waiting people as well! Completed the 30 miles to matlock with no other clip related incidents, including stop start through derby as well! All in all a vast improvement, better feel, more efficient and powerful pedalling. Great stuff

wishitwasallflat

Nice one - well done you won't regret it ... ande probably will never do the slo mo fall again (fingers crossed for you and I!).

I wonder if there are non cyclists all over the place who have been waiting at bus stops, in cars waiting at lights, crossing junctions etc etc who wonder if most people who ride bikes are either drunk or are involved in some slow motion falling ritual?

MarksMintness

Lol! In my case I just lay there for a few seconds laughing my head off and soaking up the comedy value of my epic fail! Hurt my knee and feeling it today but at least it didn't spoil my ride. No regrets clipless is awesome.

graham.

MarksMintness wrote:

Lol! In my case I just lay there for a few seconds laughing my head off and soaking up the comedy value of my epic fail! Hurt my knee and feeling it today but at least it didn't spoil my ride. No regrets clipless is awesome.

Iv'e been using the same pedals as you for about 4 years now, and yes, it's the only way to go.
Still waiting for my first "Moment" though!
Keep it up. Graham.

PS I can't be far from you, I'm in Littleover.

MarksMintness

Ha, yes I rode through littleover! I live in Burton so frequently ride up to Derbyshire, avoiding the main roads of course. Yeah good pedal shoe combo, seemed little point in paying loads more for what level I'm at.

albothegreat

One of my colleagues recently changed to clipless and did the knobby fall at lights a couple of times!

MarksMintness

Cheers, good to know I'm in good company! Just need to block those holes in the bottom of the shimanos for winter now, my toes were feckin freezin!

LAW13

First few rides absolutely fine - had them set as loose as possible so really easy to get out of and had been spinning so used to the concept. Think ahead, unclip foot down.

Went out last night, panicked a bit getting off the main drag, unclip left foot, put down right...along with shoulder, elbow, knee and wrist.

More worried about the bike!

A nice man in a van pulled in and asked if I needed a lift to A&E - now that is slightly embarrassing.
I obviously made quite a fuss :oops:

Muffintop

Went out last night, panicked a bit getting off the main drag, unclip left foot, put down right...along with shoulder, elbow, knee and wrist.

More worried about the bike!

Tuck, tuck and then tuck some more! My mates have skinned all sorts of pointy boney bits by trying to break the fall on them. I have my falls off to old pat now, looks like I'm lying down. I try to break most of the fall on my thigh (especially when it's a stop fall).

What's strange is that I didn't fall until about 6 months after getting used to them, then I fell every time I went out for about three weeks solid.