Why So Hard to Unclip

Proz

Hello
I have only been cycling again for a year after many many years.
Using SPD pedals since starting again I find it really difficult to unclip at times.
I started using Shimano SPD 540 pedals.
Then I moved onto SPD 540 with Light Action which were fine but they were quite heavy.
On my "good" bike I have just put on Ultegra 6700 Carbon pedals to go along with the 6700 groupset and these are sometimes really hard to unclip from.
I have new Shimano shoes with the yellow cleats.
I believe I have the tension adjusted to the "loosest" setting but at times its still hard to unclip and can feel a jolt through the whole bike when it does unclip. Surely that cant be good for bottom bracket etc.
Trying to unclip sometimes I feel I'm going to rip the bottom or sides out my shoes its that bad.
If I had to unclip in a hurry I don't think I could. Other mates with similar stuff don't seem to have to try as hard as me to unclip and there's don't unclip with a "bang" sending a jolt through the whole bike like mine do.
The Light Action ones were so easy with just a twist of the foot but I suppose that's why they were called Light Action.
Silly question which I'm sure I'll get slaughtered for but ......

Is there a technique that I'm missing or not doing correctly.

smidsy

I too have noticed that the Ultegra do seem to need more effort to unclip than the 540's.

I have put this down to the metal plate v the plastic plate, but perhaps the pedal shape is slightly different causing it?

me-109

Pulling up more than twisting out?

smidsy

Me-109 wrote:

Pulling up more than twisting out?

But if that were the case both of us would struggle with both sets of peddals - comprende!

dee4life2005

My ultegra SPD-SL pedals (non-carbon) were noticeably more difficult to unclip from initially than my SPD's .... after a week or to this settled down a bit, whether this was them bedding in a bit or me just getting used to them I don't know. I did need to concentrate on more of a side flick with my foot rather than a twist/lift type movement.

If it's on it's loosest setting and your still finding it really difficult then it would be worth checking that none of the bolts holding the cleats on the shoes are loose as if they are it will make it difficult (or almost impossible sometimes) to unclip.

markhewitt1978

dee4life2005 wrote:

My ultegra SPD-SL pedals (non-carbon) were noticeably more difficult to unclip from initially than my SPD's .... after a week or to this settled down a bit, whether this was them bedding in a bit or me just getting used to them I don't know. I did need to concentrate on more of a side flick with my foot rather than a twist/lift type movement.

If it's on it's loosest setting and your still finding it really difficult then it would be worth checking that none of the bolts holding the cleats on the shoes are loose as if they are it will make it difficult (or almost impossible sometimes) to unclip.

No idea about SPD-SL but a loose bolt on my SPD caused it to be impossible to unclip, without the aid of a screwdriver that is! Tightened it up, all good.

smidsy

But I am comparing the same people (me) using the same shoes so the only variable is the pedals.

I use both sets regularly (depends which bike I ride) so it is nothing to do with cleats/shoes/technique.

NorthWales

I've had 105 pedals and SPD in the past but changed to Look as I felt they had had less spring tension...or we're just easier for me to uncouple from.

douwekasemier

A bit late but I have to react since I experienced the same problems. Until I found out that the red meter on ultegra pedals is well, worthless .You can easily loosen it up much further. All the way to the point where clipping and unclipping is nearly 'unfeelable'. It does not seem to hurt the pedal in any way (I used some force on the bolt just to find out if the pedal could handle it but you shouldn't need to go that far).

I recommend lowering it until you start to feel pretty strong resistance on both sides and then get one leg right by raising resistance and counting the number of turns on the bolt and adjusting the other side to be the same. The red marker, it's worthless.

ai_1

NorthWales wrote:

I've had 105 pedals and SPD in the past but changed to Look as I felt they had had less spring tension...or we're just easier for me to uncouple from.

If you're looking for an easier unclip without compromising retention Speedplay pedals may be the answer. I started out with Shimano SPD-SL pedals and didn't really have a problem clipping out but I was using relatively low spring tension. I later switched to Speedplay Zeros and spring tension is a non-issue. Easy clip in and out but very solid retention.

The Mechanic

I have the same issue with my Ultegra carbon pedals. they are very stiff to unclip even on the easiest setting. However, my older 6500 SPD-SL pedals are also hard to unclip. I assumed it was an Ultegra thing.

darkhairedlord

put the 540's back on and stop worrying about the 80g of weight savings

Proz

darkhairedlord wrote:

put the 540's back on and stop worrying about the 80g of weight savings

It wasn't really anything to do with weight savings.
The pedals were on offer on some cycle website and I thought they would be better and complement my 6700 groupset better.
I don't have the 540's anymore as they were put on an older bike I've since sold on.

I may try turning the adjust ment screw looser even though its at the "Loosest" setting already.

k-dog

Are your cleats right? They look a long way forward which will reduce the leverage you get with a twist.

darkhairedlord

I had some time pedals that were too tight so I used to grease the cleates!

delete_my_account

Are your cleats right? They look a long way forward which will reduce the leverage you get with a twist

Cleats being a long way forward would increase the leverage. The foot being the lever, and the leg being the thing you're pulling that lever with.

Cleats being further back, closer to the heel would decrease the leverage.

dennisn

Have you heard of this stuff they call lube? :?

ElectronShepherd

I found my SPL Sls hard to unclip, so having moved the adjustment screw as far as it would go and found them still not loose enough, I dismantled the body of the clip part of the pedal, removed the red plastic indictor and put everything back together. With the indicator removed, there's a greater range of adjustment available, and once I wound the adjuster as far as it would now go, I found unclipping much easier.

darkhairedlord

ElectronShepherd wrote:

I found my SPL Sls hard to unclip, so having moved the adjustment screw as far as it would go and found them still not loose enough, I dismantled the body of the clip part of the pedal, removed the red plastic indictor and put everything back together. With the indicator removed, there's a greater range of adjustment available, and once I wound the adjuster as far as it would now go, I found unclipping much easier.

Fantastic, will remember this tip for future reference.