Fifty Plus (50+) - just curious... ...about being clipped in

Since I was born in the first year of the second half of the last century, I will post here in the 50+...
Been riding casually all my life but never felt I was 'rich enough' or 'bicycle pro enough' to do clipless pedals but am now in the groove and am getting attached to the pedals. The question is: for riding around town or in stop and go, if you know that you will be needing unclip in one block, two blocks, 5 blocks... What is the 'your' limit on how far you will go without clipping in, so that you do not have to clip and unclip.
Just curious to see what others do, in town.

Unclip when you hit the brakes for the stop sign. For the rogue pedestrian, unclip before getting up.

Since I was born in the first year of the second half of the last century, I will post here in the 50+...
Been riding casually all my life but never felt I was 'rich enough' or 'bicycle pro enough' to do clipless pedals but am now in the groove and am getting attached to the pedals. The question is: for riding around town or in stop and go, if you know that you will be needing unclip in one block, two blocks, 5 blocks... What is the 'your' limit on how far you will go without clipping in, so that you do not have to clip and unclip.
Just curious to see what others do, in town.

I clip in and I clip out, no matter the distance, except if it is just a few feet. It now comes so naturally, I don't even think about it. Besides, if I don't clip in, I find I have to pedal on the balls of my feet, and I once fell while turning because my toe caught the front wheel.

It is not a question of "having to clip or unclip." I just do it by habit, I guess.

Good luck.

Sorry Floyd, couldn't resist the one liner. In traffic (peds, slow cars) where I may have to change my mind or dab a toe at any time I unclip and stay that way. This is why I like the psudo road SPD A520 pedals. They have an outer frame that will accomodate the unclipped shoe.

No problem...that is my kind of humor...Y ea. That is what I have.. the two sided pedals with clip on one side... (fox) I am not 'super' used to them yet.

peace

Hi Floyd, I've been using clipless for a short time, but I find them very helpful in putting more power to the pedal, and to make my pedaling easier. I put SH56 clips on my shoes and they make it pretty easy to get in and out of. If you use SPD pedals they will work. They are a multi. release clip and work pretty good. I clip in right away when I start out and when coming up to a stop I unclip from both pedals and rest my feet where they wont clip in by accident.

+1

I just started biking clipless last year, and fell over a few times when stopping as I unclipped one side and for whatever reason leaned the other way. :-). I'd say start out unclipping both pedals early, and as you get more accustomed to the process it'll become second nature to you. Still on a really nice day during a long ride I can still forget I'm clipped in. :-).

I clip in and I clip out, no matter the distance, except if it is just a few feet. It now comes so naturally, I don't even think about it. Besides, if I don't clip in, I find I have to pedal on the balls of my feet, and I once fell while turning because my toe caught the front wheel.

It is not a question of "having to clip or unclip." I just do it by habit, I guess.


Same here, too much hassle trying to ride without clipping in than clipping in/out multiple times.

Floyd,

I will click in for even a short distance. It is too easy to lose contact with the pedal if I am not clicked in. But for really short distances, I will just fake it. The distance might be around 100 yards. Now this is for the Look system. I think if I were riding in an area that required quite a bit of in and out, I would switch to SPD which is probably a bit better at that situation (at least for me).

I always clip in - it never occured to me not to despite having M324 pedals which have a platform on one side and a clip on the other. Really, once you get used to them, clipless aren't an issue ... though I did come to them from toe clips so perhaps I'm biased ... or mad ... or both

Richard

Clipping in and out is not a problem; it is like walking...it becomes second nature. You do not even think about it. And like walking, if you are day dreaming or not paying attention, it is possible to stumble.

If I have to go less than a block or if I'm in a congested area where car doors or pedestrians may impact me almost any second, then I unclip. I have the pedals with the clip on one side and a flat area on the other, so I can easily ride not clipped in.

On a club ride last year going through Greenport, NY about 11am on a busy busy busy summer day (narrow streets, lots of cars -- LOTS of cars, lots of pedestrians) I unclipped. About 2 blocks into town, the proverbial car door opened. I survived, but the three clipped in people behind me all went down.

I survived, but the three clipped in people behind me all went down.

I hope you apologized to them ;)

I also use SH56s with M324 pedals. The "clipless" side is pretty much always on top. If not, I'll flip the pedal around. The beauty of SPDs, for me, is that you foot your foot on the pedal and you are clipped in, almost like magnets. I keep 'em pretty loose, so clicking out is no big deal. In short, if I'm pedalling, I'm clicked in. Sometimes, for my cool down laps, I'll flip to the platform side.

I go about half a turn on the pedals and I am clipped in. The cleat must have a magnet or something in that I put it on the pedal and it is in. As to unclipping- If the lights have just gone red then I will unclip but I also try to trackstand if I can. Now on the trails- you only unclip if you know you are going to stop- or like MadMax- before you get up.

Thanks for all the responses...some good info from a curious thread... ...Yesterday on my ride I was practicing 'unclipping in an emergency' ..although there was no emergency so who knows if I will react the same way. However, they say practice makes perfect. I do think that once I get used to the clip in and out I to will be a natural. I too have my clips loose for my recreational and exercize style riding so should be easy with a little time. The weather is nice today so will go for a ride tonight. .. ... ... ....peace

Suprisingly, I am learning that being unclipped may not be the best thing in all emergency's.

I was riding in traprock this week at about 15 mph (possibly a foolish speed for traprock but it was only about 100 feet or so) when I heard that "pop" that comes when you drive over a small rock or acorn and it is propelled toward the side of the road. This time the rodk did not move and the bottom of the bike was propelled toward the side of the road. At this point I'm about to go down at speed in the trap rock and its looking to get bloody.

I think that if I had been unclipped that I might have thrown out a foot or something. Because I was clipped in, and because I was far to busy trying to live to unclip, I somehow rode out the other side of the incident. Upon reflection, I think I have learned something about being clipped in and bike control. Or I might have just used up anothe batch of luck.!!!.....:eek:

A competent rider can unclip nearly instantaneously if needed. With that being the case, if one needs to pedal more than 10-12 feet, it's better to be clipped-in. It's safer and one has better control of their bicycle when properly affixed to the pedals.

Its not the unclipping instantaneously thats a problem. It more like remembering to unclip while worrying about the color of your spandex that is the issue for this slow brain.

Suprisingly,
I think that if I had been unclipped that I might have thrown out a foot or something. Because I was clipped in, and because I was far to busy trying to live to unclip, I somehow rode out the other side of the incident. Upon reflection, I think I have learned something about being clipped in and bike control. Or I might have just used up anothe batch of luck.!!!.....:eek:

I learnt many years ago that if you are going over- you are going over. Hands on the bars and feet on the pedals till you stop rolling. You are right in that if you had taken a foot off the pedals- you would have unbalanced the bike and then you ARE going over. By staying clipped- you automaticly balance the bike- adjust your weight and you have a better chance of staying upright.

I ride Looks.
I clip in for anything more than 15 feet.

About two weeks ago I rode offroad on platforms and felt very uncomfortable the whole time. I then rode the same trail with my M520s and felt great. It's taken my literally 18 months to feel totally at ease with clipless, but if you endure it can be done and is worth it in my opinion.

One dividend is that, other than Freeranger, no one now will wear platforms around me ("if he can do it, anyone can"). I took my son-in-law riding the first time he took his Candies offroad. That is always lots of fun to see someone's first off-road attempt.

But for the road? Dang, if I can ride clipless, and I mean I'm really lame......

Clipping in and out is not a problem; it is like walking...it becomes second nature. You do not even think about it. And like walking, if you are day dreaming or not paying attention, it is possible to stumble.


Best analogy I have ever read regarding clipless pedals. After a while, you will do what you need to do as a matter of reflex. Don't over-think the process. Falling over is NOT a requirement.

I'm riding platforms-have always used them on my mtn bike, tried clipless on the road bike, but I just could not get used to them. I respect everyone's opinions for using clipless, but for me, platforms will do fine. Of course, I don't race and am just getting into road biking-could possibly change my mind later and try them again, but not for now. But I'm selling my clipless, hope I don't have to buy another pair down the road, but ya never know.

As vital as clipless pedals are for most of the road riding I do, I find them even more important on my mountain bike. If I tried riding singletrack with platforms I'd probably suffer serious bodily harm.

Always clip in. Heck, the pedels I use (look and Simano) have cleats that are so unwalkable I feel safer in than out. What would I do, put a foot down only to slip and fall? No thanks.
I feel safer cliped in.

No problem...that is my kind of humor...Y ea. That is what I have.. the two sided pedals with clip on one side... (fox) I am not 'super' used to them yet.

peace

Mystery solved, I was going to ask how the bike was propelled forward without being clipped in.

If you have an indoor trainer or can borrow one, put the bike in the trainer and pratice clipping & unclipping. It comes natural after awhile.

Well, Since I got my hew bike last week and put 2 rides and 30 miles on it so far I am already a clipless convert. What a difference in speed, pedal stroke, power. I'll never ride platform again and will get clipless for my hybrid too!!!!!!!!!!!!

T Bone

Actually the LBS put my P-38 in a trainer at the shop and I felt comfortable with them then, or I would have questioned buying them. Broke the arch of my right foot in a car accident 26 years ago (inebriated lawyer, head on) and don't have as much 'turn' on that foot so I wanted to feel comfortable that I could clip out. Actually I feel pretty good about the clips and on the P-38 with the high BB makes riding easier. However in town I still use the 'unclip side' of the pedal to feel safe, or better said less of a chance to embarras myself..... :)

Thanks for all the good input on this thread. Lots of styles in the way we ride is what makes this sport fun. .. ... . ... ... ... ..peace

If I am pedaling I am clipped in. If my feet are on the pedals I am clipped in.

I only clip out a split second before I put a foot down. Clipping out is pretty much instantaneous, so I see no need to clip out in anticipation of anything. More likely to slow to a stop and balance for a few seconds before clipping out than to do it ahead of time.

I am way more likely to have a problem getting out of clips and straps. That is why I always go clipless.

Pete

Riding clipless is like learning to drive a stick shift. After a while you don't even think about it...including unclipping when coming to a stop. However, you WILL fall over at least once. :)