First ride with clipless pedals, you know what's coming..

Amoger

Did two rides on new bike with normal pedals, one where I pretended to unclip each time I stopped, but figured the sooner I got used to clipless the better. Set off, practiced clipping in/out - no idea on spring settings etc but was really easy.

Coming up to some lights, thinking ahead, unclip the right foot, slowing down.. Come to a stop, loads of people both sides of the road waiting to cross, try to put my foot down and.. it's my bloody left foot I've attempted to put down!

Probably didn't help I shouted "Whoa!" as I topled onto the curb - cue much amusement from onlookers. Fortunately the water bottle & attached pump took most of the fall, but managed to fairly seriously damage my pride.

It's pretty tricky pedaling with a foot unclipped (slipping off the pedal all the time) so not sure unclipping both is an option. Otherwise def like being clipped in - only had one further "moment" when coming to a fast stop down a hill behind a car - attempted to unclip, foot just wiggled around in the shoe, brief panic before it popped out in time.

Also no idea how I should position the cleats on the bottom of the shoe? Have put them as far forward as possible (though still got a lot of front toe overlap). Presumably tiny twists etc affect knees on longer rides.

That was only my 3rd ride & got to say I'm impressed with the friendliness of other cyclists, always get a nod from other side of road.

Phil_D

You'll get the hang of it. It'll be something you do without thinking after a few goes.

There's guidelines as to where the cleat should be. The centre of the pedal (fulcrum?) should be beneath the ball of your foot (the fat bit where the nuckles are).

ThatBikeGuy

Your standing foot is your right foot? Anyway, you will get the hang of it just takes practice and a bit of forethought when coming up to junctions.
As for cleat position it can be quite important to get it right so that you don't create a pressure point on your foot from incorrect positioning which can be uncomfortable. Best way is trial and error and to see what position is most comfortable for you. The middle of your foot as Phil described is about right as a benchmark.

deepblue

i suspect i will be adding to this thread later today after my first ride with clipless later today.
hopefully i wont hurt myself too much.
(i am really dreading it to be honest....)

Amoger

Thanks for the cleat-placement advice.

@deepblue - so far the best thing I was told is to unclip early, ie if coming up to lights & might have to stop. (And then remember which leg it is you can put down of course..)

Bobbinogs

Good stuff. Most of us have been there and taken the same dent to our pride. I also unclip on the RHS as my left ankle hasn't got good flexibility (football injury) so I do need to be careful about road camber...which was how I came off when I stopped unexpectedly behind a van in front of a big queue of traffic, unlcipped on the right, camber took me left, doh!

Definitely look at cleat positioning, there are a few good guides on the tinternet (I think BR also has a guide somewhere). I used a Shimano guide and managed to get it almost mm perfect when checked later as part of a dynamic fit. Going clipless does make a huge difference to your cycling so stick with it; it will soon be second nature but don't forget, when in doubt, unclip!

ddraver

We ve all done it!

Find a quiet road and ride around in circles clipping in and out, that ll help set it in your mind...

velohutts

practise --- took the future Mrs VH to the local park , footpath with grass either side of it 1/2 hour of clip unclip , stop start , cracked it then it is down to early anticipation of hazards and if in doubt get your foot out !

Good luck with it , it does get easier and is a vast improvement on pedal cages with straps !!!

Cliveyp

I've been lucky so far.....have had clipless pedals since christmas, and so far so good......i'm just hoping I dont ruin that train of luck tonight!!

rozzer32

All been there. Just practise and it will soon become second nature

paulo80

I've done this 3 times in my 1st dozen or so rides. 1st time at the end of my drive, 2nd in front of a high school at home time, 3rd at the top of my road with plenty of cars going past.

Not sure what is worst - the moment of sickening panic as you realise you've tried to put the wrong foot down, the actual pain of hitting the deck, or the shame.

Oh well, practice makes perfect...

MartinB2444

I still struggle to get clipped back in especially if starting off up a hill.

StorckSpeed

Been there too - I still couldn't get my foot unclipped and had to get lifted up by a couple of motorists. :-)
You'll soon get the hang of it then you'll be unclipping without even thinking about it.
On another note is the incidences of this increasing?
I've seen this a lot lately and put it down to the increased amount of beginners but is it that cleats are more difficult to get out of?

StorckSpeed

MartinB2444 wrote:

I still struggle to get clipped back in especially if starting off up a hill.

I think the secret is not to worry about clipping in right away, in which case you'll just fall over. Begin pedalling get up to speed and then spend a second concentrating on clipping in when your speed allows to keep going.

iPip

First of all, congratulations. After a long time lurking, yours was the post that finally made me register.

I've been riding seriously for a year or so, and having just got used to mtb style spd pedals, I've just plucked up the courage to go full road shoe/pedal and it's like starting all over again!

I already know the benefits of being clipped in and still use the spds for commuting, but the road shoe in particular has made me very wary about clipping in. Mostly because my practice runs around the block saw my slipping off the pedal more times than clipping in (pedal rash on my shin to prove it). I didn't realise how often I was using the tread on my mtb shoes to keep going even when not clipped in. That doesn't seem to be an option with the road shoes!

I'll persevere for a while, but if the current setup doesn't work I might give Speedplays a go, they seem to have a good reputation for more spd style clip-ins.

Regards
Pip

sub55

ddraver wrote:

We ve all done it!

Find a quiet road and ride around in circles clipping in and out, that ll help set it in your mind...

have we

Thebigbee

rozzer32 wrote:

All been there. Just practise and it will soon become second nature

Yeah - it becomes second nature.

Dunno where my anecdotes have gone - have I been banned for something?

Obviously not lol - took me a bloody age to write that too!

Best of luck - it is very easy when you get the hang of it and, to me anyway, feels more unnatural not being clipped in.

waynobfc

Learn to track stand, saves clipping out at all

In all seriousness, i have used SPD/SPD SL pedals for years & it does become second nature, if slightly embarrassing at forst when you have a tumble!

ddraver

sub55 wrote:

have we

Oh i'm sorry, all our penises are way way smaller than yours :roll:

sub55

ddraver wrote:

sub55 wrote:

have we

Oh i'm sorry, all our penises are way way smaller than yours :roll:

well that's a relief

sub55

in my younger days i rode with thees



complete with cleats and straps , believe you me , clipless is a dream dont find many riders these days with broken ankles.

velocestrapture

I had been congratulating myself on riding for about 9 months clipless without getting hit by the topple goblin (close relation of the p*ncture fairy), but then I took my tri-cross properly off the road for the first time and had to stop whilst taking a diagonal route up a hill. Suddenly, my lazy roadie habit of only unclipping my left foot was no use when the uphill side was on my left, and gravity was working against me! At least landing on the ground wasn't as painful as landing on tarmac.

daysofspeed

I always unclip my left foot and leave right clipped in, also drop to an easy gear for leaving a standing start.

Did 42 miles last week (my 6th ride since getting bike and 5th with SPD)... Tried staying clipped in at lights as it was a hill start... Fell off. Right next to a car with window open. Also shouted "here I go" as it was obvious I was about to fall. Massively embarrassed and bloke sat next to me in car said "easily done"....

I find clipping back in hard but lesson for me is unclip early, same foot each time and ride off when you want and clip in ASAP.