Help with cleats

mh8782

I have just bought a road bike and I'm using Shimano SPD cleats. They're wide, and I think they're called SPD SL cleats, if that helps. The pedals are SPD SL sport pedals. I had a tourer before and used a different type of cleats.

I'm having no problem getting my feet out, and I'm quite good at remembering I only need to get one out so I can stop. The problem I'm having is that as I go away from the standing start, until I manage to get my feet out, my feet slip on the pedals, which unbalances me a little and I end up wobbling and looking like an idiot.

Can anyone give me some advice on how to get away and my feet in quickly and safely?

Thanks in advance

Mike39496

Try clipping in and out whilst leaning against the wall, then take your bike out for a spin round the park (basically anywhere but the road) and keep setting off, clipping in, stopping, clipping out etc. Are you trying to pedal with both feet when you are clipping in? It's easier just to pedal with the clipped in foot and concentrate on getting the other one clipped in.

Kingy911

mh, i cant help you one bit, only sympathise and wait for a logical answer. I had my first ride on spd=sl pedals yesterday and had the exact same problem. Just switched from plain old spd (which are 2 sided if you get my drift), probably just a case of practice makes perfect my friend

mh8782

Thanks, I'll see if anyone has a good trip, but I think the key may be in, as you say Mike, only ever taking one foot out, so when I set off I can pedal with one foot clipped in and gently try and get my other foot in. Does anyone have a favourite foot?

Cleat Eastwood

if I miss the click in first time i push the peddle with my heel till its at the bottom of its journey, its easier to clip in when its atthe 6 oclock position, then just toe the pedal round. One thing I found through experimenting was that if the seat was not at the right height it was harder to clip in. When it was within mm of the height fo rmy leg length i would clip in first time.

jim55

i would add if u dont get it clipped in right away just keep the pedals moving and dont look down at yr feet ,it usually slips in all by itself ,,hahahahahah

alihisgreat

Practice practice practice... and then the confidence will come and it will be 100 times easier

Mike39496

mh8782 wrote:

Thanks, I'll see if anyone has a good trip, but I think the key may be in, as you say Mike, only ever taking one foot out, so when I set off I can pedal with one foot clipped in and gently try and get my other foot in. Does anyone have a favourite foot?

I leave my right foot clipped in because i'm left footed and just find it easier to manoeuvre the pedal to clip in with my left. If you struggle to stand with one foot still clipped in either tilt your bike or just stand over the top tube with your clipped in foot at a 45 degree then you just push that pedal and lift yourself onto the saddle. Kind of like this guy but with the pedal at 45 degrees (I tried to find a better picture but couldn't!)

woozor

I can sympathise with you here. I got my first road bike last year and my first journey out clipless resulted in 2 falls. One because I forgot I was clipped in 8) and the other the chain came off and I couldnt unclip as I didnt want to snap the chain, So I sort of fell down in slow motion.


As others have said It becomes easier "second nature" the more your out and build up your confidence. If when setting off and you miss your clip in just continue pedalling dont panic and clip in on your next pedal stroke.

andrewjoseph

Unclip the one foot when you need to stop, keep your strongest foot clipped in (the one you can really put t he power down with), make sure you are not in too high a gear. Look down the road and not at your feet, power away with your best foot.

practice pedalling with one leg clipped in (somewhere quiet), try it with alternate legs.

mh8782

Thanks for your tips. I think practice is going to be the key, and keeping one foot in.

On my first ride on Saturday, I came out of my street and had to negotiate a fairly busy junction, and I was wobbling away. There's a very nice stretch where I live by a river which I can cycle along for around 10 miles, to practice getting in and out.

Thanks again

lakesluddite

woozor wrote:

I can sympathise with you here. I got my first road bike last year and my first journey out clipless resulted in 2 falls. One because I forgot I was clipped in 8) and the other the chain came off and I couldnt unclip as I didnt want to snap the chain, So I sort of fell down in slow motion.

Ha - that exact thing happened to me the first time I wore cleats/clipless, but I was going up hill at the time, so when the chain came off, I stopped going forward, found myself stock-still, unable to unclip in time and falling over in slow motion. What a buerk.
I think that's the thing about using them for the first time - if you do come off a couple of times due to not being unable to unclip, then don't worry, it's all part of the learning experience!