Are clip in pedals inherently dangerous?

nternal1

I just got my first bike in 35 years (a Defy 1) and, wanting to use the bike for training, decided on Look Keo clip in pedals. I didn't realize what I was getting into and that I needed some experience before using them in a crowded city environment (I have to navigate some city streets to get to a good cycling route). Naturally I fell off my bike a couple of times the first time out. Luckily I only damaged my knees and ego :oops: . I'm getting the hang of these now and and do a bit of practice clipping in and out before heading out for each ride. I know that eventually the process of anticipating a stop and unclipping will become second nature but I'm very concerned about what one does in a emergency where you aren't able to anticipate the stop. Does the fact you are locked in mean greater potential for injury? I shudder at the thought of somebody opening a car door in front of me and tumbling head over heals with a bike attached to my feet. Should I maybe reconsider the clip in option if I'm going to have to spend some time on city streets?

markhewitt1978

I've crashed / fallen over 4 times since using SPD. None of which would have been helped by using flats but each time my shoes managed to get unclipped.

simon_masterson

No more dangerous than riding the bike. It just takes practice. People have these falls because what they are used to is 'free' rather than 'restrained' feet; forget they're clipped in, stop, panic, fall over. Once you've reversed your thinking and the default state for your feet to be in is clipped in, clipping in and out will become natural. You know that this has happened when you get on a bike with flats and try to clip in!

But there is no cycling environment (that I would ride a road bike in) in which I'd feel the need to change the pedals that I use. Once it's natural it is very easy to get out of them in a hurry, even when you have the springs tight, as I do.

Mikey23

Think of driving and having to do an emergency stop and remembering to push the clutch pedal as you brake. After a very short space of time it becomes so automatic that you won't even think about it. Like everyone else, I've been there!

Initialised

Yes, mine broke my face. The nurse at A&E did a fine job of sewing it back up, hardly notice the scar now.

markos1963

I've had a few crashes over the years. When I was a junior(a long time ago) I had a big crash in a sprint during a crit. In those days we used clips and straps, so I was attached to the bike in a very firm way. The result was big injuries to my a chillies tendons and me giving up cycling for nearly thirty years. Step forward to a couple of sundays ago and during a 50m TT I decide to test out my ability to ride through rather than around a pot hole. Result a massive crash that didn't involve the bike at all as it had separated from me at the first point of impact. Unfortunately the pedals couldn't do anything for my collarbone!

alihisgreat

I've never had a crash as a result of using clipless pedals.. and fail to see how so many people manage to have accidents?!

Just dial back the release tension and engage your brain! Then after a few months of use you develop the muscle memory and you'll never even think about it again.

Anonymous

Not realising what you are getting into and inexperience are both inherently dangerous, as is people opening car doors on you, but clipless pedals are just a normal thing and no more dangerous an aspect of riding a bike than many others.

There are different types of clipless pedals. Maybe your choice of pedal was not the right one but being clipped in is not really a problem.

If you do not like being attached to your bike just put some BMX pedals on.
I have seen people riding without holding the handlebars too, and some types of bike do not even have a seat

markhewitt1978

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

I've never had a crash as a result of using clipless pedals.. and fail to see how so many people manage to have accidents?!

Just dial back the release tension and engage your brain! Then after a few months of use you develop the muscle memory and you'll never even think about it again.

This. However different people have different skill sets, witness how many people have difficulty with the simple concepts involved in driving a car to pass their test. It can be difficult, having to put a thought process in that wasn't there before, "am I going to stop", "I need to clip out". Similar issues when going from a hybrid to a road bike; e.g. on a hybrid the brakes are always just right there, on a road bike you spend considerable periods of time away from the brakes, so you have to think "Am I going to need to brake here", if you are slogging up a 15% incline, probably not

jgsi

nternal1 wrote:

I just got my first bike in 35 years (a Defy 1) and, wanting to use the bike for training, decided on Look Keo clip in pedals. I didn't realize what I was getting into and that I needed some experience before using them in a crowded city environment (I have to navigate some city streets to get to a good cycling route). Naturally I fell off my bike a couple of times the first time out. Luckily I only damaged my knees and ego :oops: . I'm getting the hang of these now and and do a bit of practice clipping in and out before heading out for each ride. I know that eventually the process of anticipating a stop and unclipping will become second nature but I'm very concerned about what one does in a emergency where you aren't able to anticipate the stop. Does the fact you are locked in mean greater potential for injury? I shudder at the thought of somebody opening a car door in front of me and tumbling head over heals with a bike attached to my feet. Should I maybe reconsider the clip in option if I'm going to have to spend some time on city streets?

They aint dangerous mate full stop... but if you just riding city streets, just use flats and trainers.. endless clip in and clip out would do my head in.

markhewitt1978

JGSI wrote:

They aint dangerous mate full stop... but if you just riding city streets, just use flats and trainers.. endless clip in and clip out would do my head in.

That really depends how far you are riding and at what speed etc. If it's like 3 miles through stop start traffic, then yeah you might want flats. But normal double sided SPD are fine in traffic.

alihisgreat

markhewitt1978 wrote:

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

I've never had a crash as a result of using clipless pedals.. and fail to see how so many people manage to have accidents?!

Just dial back the release tension and engage your brain! Then after a few months of use you develop the muscle memory and you'll never even think about it again.

This. However different people have different skill sets, witness how many people have difficulty with the simple concepts involved in driving a car to pass their test. It can be difficult, having to put a thought process in that wasn't there before, "am I going to stop", "I need to clip out". Similar issues when going from a hybrid to a road bike; e.g. on a hybrid the brakes are always just right there, on a road bike you spend considerable periods of time away from the brakes, so you have to think "Am I going to need to brake here", if you are slogging up a 15% incline, probably not

Good point! I passed my driving test 1st time with no faults

slowbike

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

I've never had a crash as a result of using clipless pedals.. and fail to see how so many people manage to have accidents?!

You have to realise that the number of ppl who report crashes whilst clipped in is a far larger proportion to those who don't report not crashing whilst clipped in ...

Whilst I've had my "moments" - thinking "oh sh1t - I'm still clipped in" ... I've only "fallen" once - and that was a "graceful" (in my mind anyway) lay down onto a grass verge - which doesn't really count.
There must be 000's of others in a similar position - but they just don't post about it...

keef66

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

I've never had a crash as a result of using clipless pedals.. and fail to see how so many people manage to have accidents?!

Last time I wrote that on this forum I went @rse over tit into a field gateway the following day

I went 20 years riding with SPDs without ever coming to grief, now I've fallen off while clipped in twice in the past year. Based on a sample size of 2 I can say it hurts more on tarmac. On both occasions I unclipped my left foot but an unexpected change in camber caused the bike to go right instead. Might be old age I suppose...

djm501

It's been alluded to so far but not spelt out explicitly.

Look Keo cleats and pedals (in particular - but this applies to other types also) are based on the design for clipping boots into skis - it's where they came from. They are designed to break free in the event of a crash. You shouldn't remain clipped in if you crash with no warning.

DavidJB

I can confirm you come unclipped every time you crash

racingcondor

I'm going with SPD's being safer than flats because I really wouldn't want to go through some of the potholes around here without being attached. You can't miss all of them.