First time using clipless pedals

Palladium

So last week I got some clipless pedals + E70 Giro shoes for my new bike build, but put them on my old bike to get used to them while I wait for the long delivery from China to happen...

My observations:

• First time sprinting with them felt really weird, coming from MTB pedals, I used to pull really hard on the handlebars and really stomping on the pedals. On my first three 30 sec sprints I pulled so hard that the front wheel became momentarily detatched and my bike started shaking about :oops:. Now that I've changed pedalling technique, all goes smoothly..
• My feet feel 'attached' to the bike, this a really good feel
• I can finally bunny hop! Feels amazing hopping over a curve at 40kph! #Sagan
• Not sure about efficiency but I can also pedal by pulling up vertically, I've done this for a few seconds to let the other muscles relax for a few sec..
• No more slipping on the pedals!
• Traffic lights suck. I tried standing stationary without unclipping, lost my balace, didnt have time to unclip so there I was like a turtle upside down on its shell. Worst part is that when I was on the ground, my foot was still attached to the pedal and I tried to stand up which just made things worse, I hadn't quite practised the unclipping lying down*. Is this the equivalent of stalling on a bike? Appologies to all cars who I squeezed past and then had to wait at another set of red lights whilst I tried to get back on my bike.
• Traffic lights Pt 2. I really suck at clipping in, still takes me a good 10 seconds to clip in, to avoid angry motorists I usually pull over to the side of the road and clip in or try to get gone from the lights unclipped..

I'm really loving clipless pedals on the whole, do you guys just get used to clipping in or is it still a struggle?

*no seriously unclipping whilst on the floor is nearly impossible as you have to twist your foot sideways, but you have a 8kg bike resting on that foot as well.

lettingthedaysgoby

Clipping in - just practice. Find a wall somewhere, steady yourself with it and just repeatedly clip and unclip, looking down at first so you can see where you're aiming your foot, then do it on feel. Eventually it will all fall into place.

After that it's just a case of getting into the habit of unclipping a foot as you approach any potential stop. Not just traffic lights but often when in slow moving traffic too.

bold seagull

Make sure the tension setting on the pedals is at the lowest setting. New pedals can be a bit stiff anyway, so make sure that is set to the lowest.

Palladium

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

Clipping in - just practice. Find a wall somewhere, steady yourself with it and just repeatedly clip and unclip, looking down at first so you can see where you're aiming your foot, then do it on feel. Eventually it will all fall into place.

Actually not a bad idea, thought clipping in would come naturally, but I might need to employ a bit of this practise

After that it's just a case of getting into the habit of unclipping a foot as you approach any potential stop. Not just traffic lights but often when in slow moving traffic too.

good point

bold seagull wrote:

Make sure the tension setting on the pedals is at the lowest setting. New pedals can be a bit stiff anyway, so make sure that is set to the lowest.

Okay I'll see if I can adjust them!

bold seagull

Also, your clipped in foot can do a full rotation of the crank on its own, so don't panic if you don't get your other foot clipped in straight away, you can still bring the crank round again and try again - if you stop pedalling to clip in, then you do lose your momentum and can come to a stop, I find it's better to go round again and your unclipped foot can apply a bit of pressure on the way round even if its not clipped yet (just don't put any real pressure on it).

davesnothere

It becomes second nature after a while.

As above. It pays to unclip early (especially while you are getting used to it) even if you think you may not have to come to a stop. If you just unclip but leave your shoe in position then as soon as you apply pressure you will click back in

mac_man

Rule #1 of clipless pedals: you will forget to unclip at some point. Everybody does.

Happened to me in my 1st week. Managed to just about lean onto a bollard to stop myself hitting the floor. Have come off maybe once or twice since then, but that's only when trying to do something dumb like a trackstand.

When coming up to a junction, or the like, it's second nature to unclip before I have to stop. Always the same foot (left).

As other have suggested, keep the tension slack to make it easier to clip out. The tension is still plenty strong enough that your feet won't disengage while riding.

I run them on my MTB as well and have 2 sets of shoes. I've fallen off more on the MTB, but only when climbing, as I either run out of energy (or ability) and stall the bike without being able to to unclip fast enough.

Would not go back to flats except maybe for seriously techie MTB rides where you may need to dab more often.

Palladium

Thanks all for the replies!

trackstand! that's the word I was looking for, this was how I fell over as described in post #1

lettingthedaysgoby

As ever, GCN have a video that may be of use:

https://youtu.be/RTdHBUDgI_4

Cyclinguphills

I always unclip just before a junction then if it's clear or lights don't change I just clip back in because my foot in the correct place! That way you don't have a last second panic unclip if there's a car coming or the lights suddenly change! That just one foot the left one! Then you can carry on cycling with your left foot resting on the pedal but not clipped in!

bonk_king

The one and only time i've ever come off my bike was when i went clipless many years ago. Came to a standstill at a junction, casually went to put my foot on the floor but it was obviously attached to the pedal. I'm sure i heard a guy in the van behind me shout "TIMBERRRRRR". Embarrassing as hell and boy did i learn not to do it again.

orraloon

Don't push down / pull up but rotate, circular motion, becomes second nature. I had a hire bike a few months ago over in Belgium with flats and kept lifting my feet off.

What's with this fad for left foot unclip while stopping? Right for me always. You'll have the inevitable topple while clipped in, then you will never do it again.

Enjoy.

Palladium

Thanks for the tips all ^

Yep I unclip on the right too, I think supposedly if you unclip with the weaker foot you can push off with your strong foot, but let me master clipping in with the strong foot, then maybe I can try the weaker foot

mac_man

orraloon wrote:

Don't push down / pull up but rotate, circular motion, becomes second nature. I had a hire bike a few months ago over in Belgium with flats and kept lifting my feet off.

What's with this fad for left foot unclip while stopping? Right for me always. You'll have the inevitable topple while clipped in, then you will never do it again.

Enjoy.

I always unclip with my left. Just seems more natural to me. Plus, then, my right foot is ready to push off straight away. I always push off with my right. And I'm right handed as well.

cld531c

I unclip with my left as in the UK with pavement on the left there is more chance of someone driving over my right foot if unclipped than the left!
Unlikely but better safe than sorry :-)

TonyJams

Ideally you need to train your brain to know how to get out of the pedals in 'panic mode' rather than regular thinking/riding.
Best way we ever found to do this was to ride around your local park on the grass practicing track stands every few yards. The idea is to get that "Help Im Falling" fear but to only land on something soft (protip: don't put your arm out when you fall sideways, just roll gently sideways.
Everyone has a few moments where they fall sideways when they first go clipless - better to make sure it's somewhere soft rather than on the tarmac in front of traffic!

svetty

bold seagull wrote:

Make sure the tension setting on the pedals is at the lowest setting. New pedals can be a bit stiff anyway, so make sure that is set to the lowest.

Runs the risk that at some point you'll pull out of the pedal - usually whlst honking out of the saddle - with painful consequences....

wongataa

Svetty wrote:

bold seagull wrote:

Make sure the tension setting on the pedals is at the lowest setting. New pedals can be a bit stiff anyway, so make sure that is set to the lowest.

Runs the risk that at some point you'll pull out of the pedal - usually whlst honking out of the saddle - with painful consequences....

I've never done that. I must not generate enough power.

svetty

wongataa wrote:

Svetty wrote:

bold seagull wrote:

Make sure the tension setting on the pedals is at the lowest setting. New pedals can be a bit stiff anyway, so make sure that is set to the lowest.

Runs the risk that at some point you'll pull out of the pedal - usually whlst honking out of the saddle - with painful consequences....

I've never done that. I must not generate enough power.

Shhhhh, you're tempting fate

dannbodge

TBF I've been riding with clipless for a few years now and even I struggle to clip in sometimes.

meursault

My most memorable clip incident was when approaching a junction, unclipped right foot, fell left. Car pulled up and asked through his laughing, if I was OK. As others said, you soon get used to it.

giorgiogu

Hi

This is a very interesting post for me as I'm quite new to riding and very new to clipless shoes.

I have started to use clipless about one week ago, and after the few days of struggles, I'm a bit more confident now to clip in and out.

I have noticed that my feet are attached to the pedal more at the front compared to when I ride using trainers, so, since I started to use only clipless, it's like I'm using different muscles (or more muscles) and my legs get tired slightly earlier compared to when I was riding with trainers.

So I guess, I just need to keep riding and adjust my legs and the way I pedal

Mad_Malx

giorgiogu wrote:

Hi

This is a very interesting post for me as I'm quite new to riding and very new to clipless shoes.

I have started to use clipless about one week ago, and after the few days of struggles, I'm a bit more confident now to clip in and out.

I have noticed that my feet are attached to the pedal more at the front compared to when I ride using trainers, so, since I started to use only clipless, it's like I'm using different muscles (or more muscles) and my legs get tired slightly earlier compared to when I was riding with trainers.

So I guess, I just need to keep riding and adjust my legs and the way I pedal

Welcome to the forum giorgiogu!
You probably are using slightly different muscles - your feet will now be held in more efficient place to transfer the force from your legs. If you are getting tired earlier, you may be going faster too.

Keep at it - after a few days you will feel odd if you ride without.
I love the 'connected' feeling with the bike, and actually feel much more secure. I had more than one grazed ankle from feet slipping off before I started using them.

giorgiogu

Mad_Malx wrote:

giorgiogu wrote:

Hi

This is a very interesting post for me as I'm quite new to riding and very new to clipless shoes.

I have started to use clipless about one week ago, and after the few days of struggles, I'm a bit more confident now to clip in and out.

I have noticed that my feet are attached to the pedal more at the front compared to when I ride using trainers, so, since I started to use only clipless, it's like I'm using different muscles (or more muscles) and my legs get tired slightly earlier compared to when I was riding with trainers.

So I guess, I just need to keep riding and adjust my legs and the way I pedal

Welcome to the forum giorgiogu!
You probably are using slightly different muscles - your feet will now be held in more efficient place to transfer the force from your legs. If you are getting tired earlier, you may be going faster too.

Keep at it - after a few days you will feel odd if you ride without.
I love the 'connected' feeling with the bike, and actually feel much more secure. I had more than one grazed ankle from feet slipping off before I started using them.

Thanks for your reply

Yes, I feel more comfortable locking my feet to the pedal, and I can see my legs are adjusting ride by ride

ProjectObject

We have all done the comedy dismount. I did it in the car park of a popular cyclist cafe. Unclipped left foot as normal ready to stop. Hit a pot hole which shifted all my weight to the right. Over i went, couldnt unclip right foot quick enough. Pretended it didnt hurt. My shoulder hurt like hell. I can laugh about it now. Not as much as my mates laughed at the time.

giorgiogu

So it happened, Last Sunday I was riding in a park when I got to a sudden unexpected stop, and I hadn't the time to unclip. Luckily I landed on the grass, so apart few minutes of embarrassment, no damage to me or the bike

Well, let's say that the image of me on the grass it is imprinted in my brain now, so I'm taking much more attentions to all the situations that could bring me to a stop, and in doubt, I always unclip my left foot.

I'm also quite happy with my legs to feel better now, looks like they are adjusting to the new way to pedal