Fifty Plus (50+) - #@%$ DAD GUM Clipless pedals!

I've had my clip-less Speed Play pedals for two weeks now...and fallen twice. :mad: Now, if my math skills are any good at all I figure that's once a week...and twice more than I care to. :mad: The first time was in my drive-way last week and I didn't hit the ground, my "cat-like" reflexes took over and I saved it. :D But today I did hit the ground. Oh sure I was almost stopped when it happened, but that doesn't take away the complete embarrassment of a 50 year old man in Lycra pants laying in the dirt. :cry:

So, what's the "average" learning curve with these death pedals? Do you vets still have "senior moments" with the pedals? I'm to the point of being uncomfortable, that is, lack of confidence, so that when I'm riding I'm thinking about what it would be like skidding across the road with a bike attached to my feet! Which foot do you unclip first? I'm doing the left, thinking that I dismount on the left. Any other tips?

Welcome to Club Tombay sir. You can clip out but you can never leave.............








Most of the Rifraf has left by this point and you are well up the learning curve. There are secret society teachings that will be sent to you. (one of which is "the foot that is still clipped in should have been first")

I am keeping my toeclips and straps, thank you. :)

Platform pedals with the the little studs. Sneakers, rubberboots, sandals, whatever.
You can even spin a little. Works for me ! Summer and winter.

Multi release clips to go on your shoes would help a bunch. I just changed pedals to PD-M 424 and with this combination and It's pretty easy for me anyway.

You'll get used to them in a couple hundred miles.

I've been using speedplays for 12 years now. Never - and I mean never had them trap me. I took to them right away. I must admit I am very conservative - if I am going slow I am out of them. I love them, but I have never tried any others.

I've been using speedplays for 12 years now. Never - and I mean never had them trap me. I took to them right away. I must admit I am very conservative - if I am going slow I am out of them. I love them, but I have never tried any others.

These didn't trap me...I failed to get out in time. They un-clip easy enough, I just need to think a little more...perhaps like you, get out sooner when I'm going slow.

Thanks

just takes time to get used to a new habit. i use both speedplays and eggbeaters. love 'em both. i tend to "kick out" as my foot is coming to the top of the stroke, and i tend to kick out left foot first because i lean to the left when i stop.... but that is just me.... hang in there. you will get it figured out. i also have my cleats set up such that it only takes about 12 to 15 degrees of twist to get out.

be,

and be well,

jim

Like cyclinfool, I get a foot out if I think I may have to stop or slow way down. I find it much easier to get clipped back in rather than have to get out in a hurry. Clipless pedals, on the road, are the only way to go, IMO.

Yeah, takes a while to learn them, though I've never managed to fall. The closest I've come was when I went back to a bike with toe clips and straps - couldn't understand why my foot wouldn't go out sideways :D

I ride with SPD pedals and multi release cleats set on a fairly loose setting, and that probably has a lot to do with it because I've proven I can wrench my foot out if I have to (but haven't had an accidental release while riding).

Richard

I rode for years without them then got my first recumbent.
First day got to the top of the "Big Hill" puffing and panting then stopped and fell over not even thinking about my feet. Lucky it was 6am and noone saw this old fool laying on his side with his feet clipped in.
Next day in the middle of town with two dozen people watching I did it again, just forgot I was clipped in.
In the next 7 years I've never fallen again and I don't even think about them anymore. I use them on all my bike now and hate riding with out been cliped in.
So think you've had your falls and you'll be right from now on.

Clipless falls can happen at any time- Thankfully- the ones that can be blamed on the pedals are always at slow speed. Cushions on the hips work but make for a wide(r) profile.

After having my first Fall- I then thought about the pedals everytime I slowed down and unclipped one foot for about 3 months. Then it became natural. Then the next problem arose of unclipping left foot and bike going right. Then I learnt to track stand. No more Falls.

Offroad- I often fall. Believe it or not- You have more control of the bike, even at slow speeds over rocks and tree roots, if clipped in. Onroad is where the track stand skills come in. Had a few moments of course but In 16 months of roading- Have yet to find the hard Black stuff (Or Tarmac as we call it over here)

Just started offering gifts to the Gods to save the Inevitable after saying that.

I'm glad to see that it's not just me. Thanks for the encouragement! :D

I think it took about a month for me to get fully trained. The critical day was the first day of a week long ride. Every time I came to a new town and had to stop, I slowed to a stop and fell right over. After 3 times, one of my riding buddies assigned himself the task to remind me at every stoop that I needed to click out. Halfway through the second day, he stopped warning me and I had no more incidents.
Hang in there. It's not the pedals. You can teach an old dog new tricks, but sometimes it takes a little longer than you think it should. :)

You're not a real Metric Man until you take a pedal fall. Just slow down, and fall over - just like that. After you try it a few times, you'll get used to it. The falling part, not the pedals.

My cycling days go so far back that I had my "zero mph" falls in the days of cleated shoes that went with clips and toe straps. You'd buy a pair of shoes (anyone remember brands like Detto Pietro?), ride them for 50 miles to see where to mount the cleat, nail the cleats in to the sole where the impression from the pedal was and bend the ends of the nails so they didn't poke into your feet. The cleats engaged the edge of the pedal and if you tightened the toe straps, it was not possible to pull your foot out. I learned to quickly reach down to loosen the toe straps. You started from a stop and pulled the straps tight so you got full benefit from being strapped in. Going from there to clipless was a breeze - you didn't even have to reach down! What a concept!

-soma5

Notice the commonalities of the replies here? Falling happens at slow speeds or stops. Solution: Go fast and don't stop.
Hang in there MM, you'll get used to them and not fall (as much) and they really do enhance your ride.

My cycling days go so far back that I had my "zero mph" falls in the days of cleated shoes that went with clips and toe straps. You'd buy a pair of shoes (anyone remember brands like Detto Pietro?), ride them for 50 miles to see where to mount the cleat, nail the cleats in to the sole where the impression from the pedal was and bend the ends of the nails so they didn't poke into your feet. The cleats engaged the edge of the pedal and if you tightened the toe straps, it was not possible to pull your foot out. I learned to quickly reach down to loosen the toe straps. You started from a stop and pulled the straps tight so you got full benefit from being strapped in. Going from there to clipless was a breeze - you didn't even have to reach down! What a concept!

-soma5

This is exactly my experience, right down to the Dettos and nails, including a "whoops, didn't loosen the straps enough"
I remember getting 1st generation Mavic (look type pedals) and being in love! The only thing better was when they came out with the floating cleat.

That's about how many times I fell during my first couple of weeks going clipless and with speedplays too. First time was in my living room (right after I has mostly incorrectly installed them on my brandy new shoes). Second time was a mistake on my part - I started in a gear combo that said "no forward movement for you!" and over I went. Third time was a week or so later after I was more experienced - me and a patch of deep gravel had a misunderstanding and over I went again.

Now, some 6 months later, clipping out is so natural I barely think about it. Most times when I clip in after a stop I can get it on the first rotation of the crank, something I just couldn't imagine when I first started. I am in the clipless camp now, not saying that going with platforms is out of the question though. I am seriously contemplating changing my pedals once winter gets here and I need to commute in the rain or on wet roads. Wet feet suck! I have a pair of power grips that I may put on my commuter bike but I will stay with clipless (Speedplays) on my new bike.

I've only fallen once, and it was years after I switched to clipless. Just lucky, I guess.

All I can recommend is always unclip the same foot, do it as soon as you realize you are going to stop -- not as you are actually coming to a stop -- and lean the bike over to the unclipped side as you slow, so a gust of wind or a pothole is much less likely to throw you over to the still-clipped-in side, causing you to crash.

As with most things, practice makes perfect. Some of us are not very coordinated, which doesn't help the process.

... Brad

Several clipless riders tell me it takes 5 or 6 falls before you "remember". I use Speedplay Drillium platforms and they work just fine. bk

I am keeping my toeclips and straps, thank you. :)

Ditto. Some time ago, I went to my LBS during the off-season, and stocked up.

One of the things I love about being a member of the 50-plus set, is that I don't have to care if the "cool crowd" is impressed or not.

I think I bragged about my clipless pedals to soon. Whatever I'm doing wrong, but I just got back from riding and my right knee is hurting again. I don't have any problem with flats, so guess where I'm going.

I think I bragged about my clipless pedals to soon. Whatever I'm doing wrong, but I just got back from riding and my right knee is hurting again. I don't have any problem with flats, so guess where I'm going.

You may not have the right cleat in a good location yet...

Clipless Pedals:

Why:
6 years ago, I went looking for a mountain bike to start riding again. That was about 25 years since the last time. Anyway, I was test riding a bike in a strip mall parking lot. I circled around behind the stores and thought I would get out of the saddle and really put some effort into it. It was going pretty good until my foot slipped off one of the pedals. At almost any speed, the pedal will whip around and whack you behind the leg and just above the ankle. While it did hurt, it didn't stop me from riding. Well, the result was a bruise that more than 2 months for the discoloration to go away and 8 months for the lump to go away. At that point I wasn't sure what to do, but I knew I didn't want a repeat of that episode...

How:
After I had been riding for several months, I found an inexpensive pair of Ritchey ATB clipless pedals and a cheap pair of Sidi shoes. I went through the same learning curve as everyone else. I fell over a couple of times, but it seemed to straighten out after the 3rd or 4th ride. At that point, I went to Taiwan for what would eventually be a 3 years stay. I rode quite a bit over there on a road bike, but the first 2 years was spent on flat pedals as the traffic is often thick and always somewhat unpredictable. The 2 years also spanned the first 6 months on a new bike (as listed below). I started using a pair of Crank Brothers Quattros. The techniques came back to me:

If there is the slightest hint of slowing down or stopping, unclip
Always unclip the left foot

As time went on, I relaxed the first rule a bit. However, I would make sure that I was in a position to unclip if I needed to. I'm consistent with the left foot as my left leg is stronger. I also have to be very deliberate about unclipping as I have to rotate my heels inward. Outward is very difficult for me. The Crank Brothers pedals are great because, with no adjustments, there is nothing to play with. Once you get used to the feel, you're done.

That's what I do, but my wife is completely different. She rode with toe clips for the last 25+ years. She bought a new bike about the time that I switched to the Quattros. She decided to try a pair of Candies on her road bike and was falling at least once a week. This really surprised me owning to her long experience with clips. What I noticed was that she was waiting until the last moment to unclip and often had some indecision about which foot to put down. Her solution was to unclip BOTH feet when coming to a stop. Wouldn't have been my choice, but it seems to work for her!

You may not have the right cleat in a good location yet...

Thanks flatlander, but I've been playing with these things for months and I thought I finally had it, with these new shoes and pedals, very discourageing to say the least. I really love the set up I have and I thought maybe, when I twist my leg to get out of the clips, I'm wrenching my knee.

As most of you know, I flirted with clipless but chickened out. I bought some platforms with pins which really grip pretty well, but then I had problems with my right foot (only) getting numb. Adjustments haven't helped. One day, out of frustration, I put the original el cheapo platform pedal (the kind they use to let you try the bike) back on the right side just to compare with the pin-pedals. It sort of worked. The tingling is gone now. I haven't put the pinned pedal back on yet. It's all too weird.

As most of you know, I flirted with clipless but chickened out. I bought some platforms with pins which really grip pretty well, but then I had problems with my right foot (only) getting numb. Adjustments haven't helped. One day, out of frustration, I put the original el cheapo platform pedal (the kind they use to let you try the bike) back on the right side just to compare with the pin-pedals. It sort of worked. The tingling is gone now. I haven't put the pinned pedal back on yet. It's all too weird.

That is one thing that I did notice right away with the clipless pedals DG...no numbness in my feet...which I used to get sometimes. :D Oh sure, I have to keep band-aids with me now for the occasional abrasions, but my feet aren't numb. :rolleyes::D:D

That is one thing that I did notice right away with the clipless pedals DG...no numbness in my feet...which I used to get sometimes. :D Oh sure, I have to keep band-aids with me now for the occasional abrasions, but my feet aren't numb. :rolleyes::D:D

I used to use the Standard M520 Shimano pedal and all my bikes had this type of pedal. When I got the New bike- I ordered the A520 pedals. Same cleat as the M's but a couple of changes in that the pedal is only one sided and the Pedal is longer to give a better base for the foot to rest on. I did not realise that I used to get foot pain- till I did a ride on the old road bike and I had a Dull throb in the foot- That longer Base for the foot does give me a more comfortable foot.

Not that I am going to get them (Yet- and I will need a lot more convincing) but it does seem that the Look Type of pedal and cleat does have some advantages.

I still think that the A520 with matching sport shoe is one of the best kept secrets in cycling. Like a hybred, too Fred for the roadies and too sporty for the MTB crowd.

Release angles (adjustable) in out or up with 56 cleats. Outer platform to support the foot. 4deg of float. Can be ridden on in traffic situations without clipping in. (either move the foot too far forward to clip or ride on the back. (back is slipery though so don't ride hard. Shoes with cleats you can walk in without taking skating lessons.

I finally went out in February to get a light roadie bike for long rides, had the pretty thing out in the parking lot of the LBS with the cagey/trap nasties on, zooming, feeling good, thinking I might actually be getting the hand of things, stopped and couldn't get my feet out of those dratted contraptions ARGH! slow motion topple, seperated AC joint, I bought the bike with speedplay pedals, there wasn't any freaking way I was going to ride in those traps after all they'd already tried to kill me once! And yes I've failed to get out of the speedplays a couple of times now, but even at that I like them enough I'm really thinking of adding them to my cranky old MTB when I work it over this winter.

I finally went out in February to get a light roadie bike for long rides, had the pretty thing out in the parking lot of the LBS with the cagey/trap nasties on, zooming, feeling good, thinking I might actually be getting the hand of things, stopped and couldn't get my feet out of those dratted contraptions ARGH! slow motion topple, seperated AC joint, I bought the bike with speedplay pedals, there wasn't any freaking way I was going to ride in those traps after all they'd already tried to kill me once! And yes I've failed to get out of the speedplays a couple of times now, but even at that I like them enough I'm really thinking of adding them to my cranky old MTB when I work it over this winter.

Unclip, Then Stop...
Unclip, Then Stop...
Unclip, Then Stop...
Unclip, Then Stop...
Unclip, Then Stop...
Unclip, Then Stop...
Unclip, Then Stop...

Its the dratted stop thing I always have the problem with, if I weren't trying to rush that intersection and then realizing that "Oh! S*%t STOP!" then I fall over, but I've gotten much better at the falling over part now. :roflmao::roflmao:

Its the dratted stop thing I always have the problem with, if I weren't trying to rush that intersection and then realizing that "Oh! S*%t STOP!" then I fall over, but I've gotten much better at the falling over part now.

Unclip one foot and pedal with one clipped foot and the other on top of the pedal. I can do that with the Quattros, but I don't know about other brands...

Fell twice in first two weeks 8 years ago, never since - about 20,000 miles on that bike.

I would think that drill would work. Coast along clipping in and out with each foot. Do this every ride for a while and it should be second nature.

Also, practice track stands.

Everything fails. I had a set of "wellgo" clipless modeled on the Look type design, which I'd ridden before. These would lock up and I'd have to lean against something to force my feet out. After this problem failed to respond to anything I took my new bike back to the shop with one of my shoes still stuck in the pedal! Got a discount on some Time pedals that seem quite nice. I like them anyway.

Perhaps I have more comfort on my bike. I don't fall over at stops. Think the last time was in 1993 - I snagged something so my foot was slow, then I hit leaves and slipped! I used to end up track standing and unclipping when I would ride with two straps on each clip - would forget about those second straps! Not sure I can track stand well enough to do that anymore. That was indeed in the days of Dettos and nailed on cleats!

Really, the drill should do it. Get that reflex wired in pretty strongly. I don't even think about it anymore. I can ride at least SPD, Time, and Look types without thinking about it. Haven't tried Speedplay or anything else. I suspect they work really well, too! Anything is better than clips & cleats! Although I'd ride clips and touring shoes to commute, if I had a commuter bike.

You use of "Dad Gum" marks you as an older guy, like me. Clipping in just isn't within our grasp. It doesn't work for us and it won't change to match our sensibilities. Get platforms. bk

I've never understood how clipless are any different from toestraps. I mean, if you think you might be coming to a stop, you unclip a little in advance.

Maybe it's because people are encouraged to start out "slow." That's probably the worst advice. When you're actually going slow, you should have one foot unclipped.

I don't get it. I didn't fall on my first day with clipless, and I've never fallen because of being clipped in.

I don't get it. Clipped-in falls are like driving 75 mph up to a yellow light and wondering why you couldn't stop when it turned red.

Also, practice track stands.


I'm sorry, but I think that's about the dumbest advice I've ever heard someone give to someone who's falling because they don't unclip in time. It is absolutely counter-intuitive and against any common sense.

What is this ... a parade of the Golden Oldies by bkaapcke? He's revived three of them so far.

You use of "Dad Gum" marks you as an older guy, like me. Clipping in just isn't within our grasp. It doesn't work for us and it won't change to match our sensibilities. Get platforms. bk

You know, you could be wrong...

(said the 59 year old guy who's been riding clipless for 3 years)

I am keeping my toeclips and straps, thank you. :)

To each his own. I've come very close, but never fallen using clipless, but I have made a public spectacle of myself with toe straps. Pulled up to a stoplight in a long line of stopped cars (two lanes each way) with toe straps and waffle bottom running shoes. I got my right foot out easily, but the bike tipped to the left. Just plopped over on my side in the middle of traffic.

I ride with SPDs at max loose setting. Haven't fallen over due to the clipless in over a year. I've fallen due to plenty of other reasons, but not because of the clipless.

Like a couple of you, I started with Detto Pete's, nailing on the cleats, using Binda Extra straps (remember those?) and Campagnolo Record or Super Record pedals. That was back in '68.

I saw the "first" clipless pedals, by Cinelli, sometime in the 70's but didn't buy them. Got a pair of Aero-Lite pedals free in '85 (for being one of the top UMCA riders that year), and practiced getting in and out of them on my trainer before moving to the road. Those were my first "clipless" pedals.

Had some problems with Simpson pedals in the early 90's, and they're the only ones I fallen with.

Now have bikes with Shimano SPD, SPD-R and SPD-L, plus Look and absolutely no problem getting in or out. Modern clipless pedals work very well, and the learning curve is really not that sharp! Stick with it Metric Man; you can do it!

Rick / OCRR

I think I saw a couple of "finally got the hang of clipless pedals" threads in the 100+ group ... so you have that to look forward to .... which is nice.

The usual learning fall with clipless, I haven't mastered the toe straps, probably never will. I just use them on the trainer bike. Seems like a waste of a pair of Dura Ace pedals, but what can I do?

Perhaps you meant to unclip and it didn't unclip? then, you can fall easily. If that is the case, maybe your cleat tension is set too tight. A mechanical problem, not yours.

Someone else mentioned it too, maybe you can set the tension at the lightest setting. I have mine set to very light, yet, if your pedaling properly and the feet doesn't twist side to side, it won't become unclipped by itself.

knotty

I would add (I haven't seen it mentioned yet) that while you may have a preferred side, you should learn to clip out on the other side too. If something goes wrong, like the cleat loosens and you can't get out, this will be invaluable.

Just unclip early and concentrate on leaning on the same side. Should take care of it.