General Cycling Discussion - I'm really sore. Fell of my bike tonight.

I was so proud of myself for completing a 12 mile ride after work today when I was already tired. I live in a hilly town so the ride was pretty challenging to me. Anyway, I just got my new Crank Bros Candy SL pedals on and was breaking in my Pearl Izumi mtb shoes. I'm a newbie and have never ever ridden with my feet clipped in. Needless to say, when you're tired and have to deal with new equipment, something's bound to go wrong.

I got my right foot off the pedal but the left just would not get unclipped so down I went. Luckily, it was dark (8PM), I was on my own driveway (steep) and wife and son were home to help me up. Looks like I'll have to go to the hospital tomorrow because I landed pretty hard on my left shoulder and my whole right side accordioned in. I'm really sore but I think my ego hurt way more. Scratched up my brand new bike too. Sucks!

I always recommend new clipless riders first spend about a half hour to an hour bracing themselves against a door frame and then repeatedly click in and out of the pedals. This helps develop some muscle memory. Then I recommend they spend another half-hour to hour practicing on a grassy lawn by attempting various normal and panic stops. This likely won't be the last time you'll fall... many experienced riders still fall in their clipless pedals.

Oddly enough I took to clipless like a duck to water and the one crash I had while learning them was due to me running off the pavement while screwing around and not making the transition back as smoothly as I would have liked. I was sort of deflected by the edge of the pavement and landed in some soft grass laughing

Those are good tips for practicing, leaning against a doorway etc., taking some falls in the grass etc.

You'll soon realise that the reason why clipless aren't actually as dangerous as they seem, is because in a threatening situation the adrenalin kicks in and a small jerk will be strong enough to unclick both pedals.
I've had a few close calls when I started leaning over and falling, and the adrenalin kicked in, and I jerked the cleat out, before falling.

Rarely have I ever found myself stuck in my pedals after a fall. The only time it happens is when I lock my toe up against my wheel on my roadbike (slight overlap) and when that happens, my feet can't free themselves because they're bound to the wheel. Still... my other foot has automagically come free. This only happens at really slow speeds. I've never been in a high-speed accident where my feet did not free themselves from the pedals without me thinking about it.

I went from clipless to flats and I still find myself twisting my feet off the pedal. HAHA! :D

Ouch man. Sorry to hear about it. Maybe you can unloosen those springs a little bit so that you can unclip a bit easier?

Koffee

Ouch man. Sorry to hear about it. Maybe you can unloosen those springs a little bit so that you can unclip a bit easier?

Crank Brother pedals don't have a tension adjustment. They do have a way to choose between two different release angles (15 vs 20 deg) by swapping the cleats left to right. Crank Brothers recommends new users use 15 deg.


Why are the two cleats different?
One cleat has two small dots in the center between the bolt holes, and the other cleat does not. If you put the cleat with two dots on it on your right shoe, then both feet release outwards at a 15 degree angle and if you put the one with the two little dots on your left shoe, then both feet release outwards at about 20 degrees. First-time users should start with the 15 degree release angle.

How can I change the release angle?
For a 15 degree release angle (earlier release) on both feet, place the cleat with the two dots on the right shoe. For a 20 degree release angle (later release) on both feet, place the cleat with the two circles on the left shoe.

Also, the cleats will become smoother/easier to engage and release as they wear in. This is one of the reasons I suggest new users spend time breaking in the pedal by constantly engaging and disengaging while stationary. It takes about a hundred cycles to wear the cleats in.

Ouch man. Sorry to hear about it. Maybe you can unloosen those springs a little bit so that you can unclip a bit easier?

Koffee
There isn't any 'unloosen'ing of springs to do on Egg Beater pedals. *edit* beaten again by khuon! I really gotta learn to type faster... :D

Might pay to check how you have your cleats installed, though. Check to make sure you have them installed for the 15 degree release angle. If you're having trouble getting the cleat to actually release from the pedal, your shoes may be binding - If they're not already, you might need to install the cleat shims.

Sorry but I must ask. If you unloosen them won't you just make them tighter? Ü

I fell, standing up like that doing a track stand I think it's called?? I've got that down to a fine art now, but haha...I didn't previously

Oh schnap! Sorry. I didn't read your post closely enough. I assumed they were SPD's

My bad.

Koffee

Ouch :(

Sorry but I must ask. If you unloosen them won't you just make them tighter? Ü


my thoughts exactly....... :) unloosen?

Crank Brother pedals don't have a tension adjustment. They do have a way to choose between two different release angles (15 vs 20 deg) by swapping the cleats left to right. Crank Brothers recommends new users use 15 deg.



Also, the cleats will become smoother/easier to engage and release as they wear in. This is one of the reasons I suggest new users spend time breaking in the pedal by constantly engaging and disengaging while stationary. It takes about a hundred cycles to wear the cleats in.
I followed the instructions and put the cleat with two dots under the right shoe but I don't understand how it affects the left cleat? Update - no black and blue but just really sore chest and back. Took off work today, no hospital and just slept.

I followed the instructions and put the cleat with two dots under the right shoe but I don't understand how it affects the left cleat? Update - no black and blue but just really sore chest and back. Took off work today, no hospital and just slept.
the two sides of the cleat are machined with different angles. Once you get the hang of it switch it and you will feel some extra play in your feet. Amusingly I run one set of shoes at 20 and another at 15. I prefer the 20. Whenever I get a chance I'll probably change the pair with the 15 degree release.

I followed the instructions and put the cleat with two dots under the right shoe but I don't understand how it affects the left cleat? Update - no black and blue but just really sore chest and back. Took off work today, no hospital and just slept.

The cleats are paired. Thus they are shaped in such a way with the one that has two dots on the right shoe, the left cleat will also be matched in such a way that both will release at 15 degs. If you swap them and put the cleat with the two dots on the left shoe then the orientation of the cleat shapes with respect to the pedal bindings are such that both will release at 20 degs. Never mix and match pairs of cleat. In other words, never install cleats so that both sides have dots or both sides are devoid of cleats with dots. This will cause mismatched released angle thresholds between your two feet. Then again, if that's your intent then by all means do that.

If you want it broken down individually then just use this chart:



Shoe Side Cleat Release Angle
---------------------------------------------

Right dots 15
Right no-dots 20

Left no-dots 15
Left dots 20

Got hit by a car once, went airborne, was still half clipped in when I came to a stop leaning on a guard rail.
Think I got my pedals set a little tight?
I have pulled out of them climbing hills with loaded panniers, so I guess I set them tighter than most.
I lost a bolt on my left shoe will riding, didn't know it until I stopped and went to unclip, shoe rotated, SPD cleat did not, I fell over, had to unlace the shoe to get up. I loctited it on after that, but still check them when I remember.

Thank you Khuon
http://www.ymsrtc.apscc.k12.az.us/Clapping%20Hands.gif

Some pedal systems such as SPD couple the concepts of float, release angles and tension. They use tension to determine engagement. Other pedals such as Time ATACs, Speedplays and Crank Brothers decouple these concepts and treat them seperately. On my Time ATACs, I select release angle by positioning of the cleat much like the Crank Brothers system (actually Crank Bros. borrowed this idea from Time) and I have free float of +/- 5 deg angular and +/- 3mm lateral (side-to-side) before I start hitting spring tension. The tension is effective at that point until I hit the release angle. The tension in my pedals is not adjustable although the springs can be changed to change the feel. The newer Time ATACs work in the same manner but have an adjustable spring setting that allows the user to determine how much threshold tension there is beyond the allocated float range. The release angle and float are still independent of the tension. My roadbike pedals (Speedplay Zeros) allows me to independently adjust inboard and outboard the float range as well. This also does not effect release angle or spring tension. A decoupled system like this is generally regarded as superior because it doesn't force you into a compromising disengagement thresholds for leg positioning and ride comfort or vice versa. This is especially important in say mountain biking where you may want to have the ability to move the bike around you without accidently disengaging. This is also important for people who have knee problems and require free-float.