Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - How do you guys get into your toe clips?

Before I start let me just say that I'm a relatively inexperienced bike rider (the last time I was on a fixie was when I was about 10) and I've only ridden with platform pedals. However, I recently attached toe clips on to my pista but have been having difficulty getting into them when I ride.

i.e. when attempting to ride away at traffic stops, I look like a complete fool trying to get both feet into the toe clips. I was wondering, do other ppl have the same problem? Does it become easier as you keep riding? Are there some sort of methods I should be following?

I recently have tried just putting one foot in, riding away, and then later putting the other foot in (after several attempts)

Suggestions are appreciated and I apologize if this has already been discussed.

Yes it gets easier. You definitely want one foot in when you push off. You'll get to the point where you can get the other foot in on the first or second rotation.

always put one foot in first and then take off and get in the other. as for technique its kind of a drag back and flick forward type motion. its one of those practice makes prefect type things. but if you want to spend the time learning to trackstand that will help immensely at lights, etc. not only will you stay clipped in but you will have a better time accelerating.

newb

This was me like 3 years ago. Good news is it gets easier and it doesn't take long to figure it out either.

It is best to start from a stop with one foot in the cage and slide your other in as the pedal rotates into the ideal spot.

To be more specific i guess there is a tab on the bottom side of the pedal that you are supposed to use your feet and drag it across it so it flips the pedal, and once you got it down you know the spot that will flip the pedal and have your toes land just right in the opening of the clip making for an easy slide in

Go out on a quiet street and practice practice practice. Take your foot out and put it back in over and over.

For me, it helped to have a picture of it in my head: I try to flip the pedal with the tab when it's at around 6 o'clock. By the time the pedal is horizontal with the ground, I'm just about ready to push my foot into the clip and start the downstroke. Some pedals are easier than others. The MKS GR-9 pedals have a ginormous tab that makes it really easy to flip and get into the cages.

And yeah, leave one foot in -- the foot that you prefer to lead with (your "chocolate" foot).

And yeah, leave one foot in -- the foot that you prefer to lead with (your "chocolate" foot).

"chocolate" foot?

I've seen this term used on several sites as a term for one's dominant foot.

Anyhow, I just wriggle into my clip with my right foot (my dominant foot), start to go, flip over the left pedal with my left put, slide into the left clip, and continue to ride.

If you aren't good at this you will get good if you ride your bike.

thanks all, damn devilshaircut you're all over this forum. not saying it's a bad thing

I am ... I get really ADD at work ... write a line of code, check email, write a line of code, check Bike Forums, write a line of code, respond to AIM, write a line of code, text a friend, write a line of code ... etc.

Helps me from getting too entrenched in coding, which leads to me burning out and getting nothing done.

Also, I don't have internet at home (weird coz my profession is web-technology-related) so this is the only time I get to do internet things. When it turns 6 o'clock I turn into a pumpkin! No more internets. Bike time!

I am ... I get really ADD at work ... write a line of code, check email, write a line of code, check Bike Forums, write a line of code, respond to AIM, write a line of code, text a friend, write a line of code ... etc.

i hear ya... here's my whole day:

cvs diff | wc
119 555 4656

that's right: 119 lines in 7 hours.

but they are quality lines!

i hear ya... here's my whole day:

cvs diff | wc
119 555 4656

that's right: 119 lines in 7 hours.

but they are quality lines!

Hah, I think I am behind you in numbers of lines committed today. I've been working on our Support Wiki, so it's not very labor intensive ...

I recently have tried just putting one foot in, riding away, and then later putting the other foot in (after several attempts)


That's the correct way to do it. Sometimes i get my second foot right away, sometimes it takes several attempts, no big deal.But never unclip from both pedals when you stop, leave one inside.

Here's a random parallel of mine: it's like learning to drive a manual car. The first day is truly frustrating and you think you'll never get it, but after a few days it really becomes almost second nature. Keep at it.

Also, try not to look when you do it, try to 'feel' it out. Your feet will learn the best technique that works for you. I personally tend to catch the pedals at the bottom of the stroke as they're coming back up.

Yeah, when I first started to ride with toe clips, it was extremely annoying. But it only gets easier.

When I'm at a light, I usually ride across the street before I start fumbling with my toe clips.

1: Push off with my left foot in the clips
2: Sit on saddle with my right foot at 6 o'clock position
3: The right pedal/clips should come back to the 6 o'clock position and slips right into my waiting right foot.

I am surprised more people here aren't suggesting techniques that involve tightening the straps. Was a time not to long ago on this forum where suggestion people rode in clips and straps without tightening them down every time was sacrilege.

I don't really think about toe clips to much. I start both feet on the back of the pedals from a dead stop but am in both clips before the first full pedal stroke. No need to look down, just a quick scrape and the toe clip is around your foot.

lrn2tarckstand.

but seriously, just keep practicing and it becomes very easy. (being confident at trackstanding is very helpful though.)

Now that I think about it you'll just need to be direct and quick about it, like you're rolling back and toeing up a soccer ball--you slap down and back on the tab then kick into the cage.

And to practice you can use the entire sole of your foot to flip/roll up the pedal. Cause once it's right side up you'd just drag your foot back all the way from your heel or arch until you feel room to kick in.

i can't believe no one has asked this yet....... is he riding a fixed or SS?? If it's SS you can just coast and flip... it gets to be more of a finesse thing with a fixed

To be more specific i guess there is a tab on the bottom side of the pedal that you are supposed to use your feet and drag it across it so it flips the pedal, and once you got it down you know the spot that will flip the pedal and have your toes land just right in the opening of the clip making for an easy slide in

Also i found that the triangle tab can be maneuvered on certain shoes better than others. for example my Vans slipons grip on the tab quite easily where as any of my asics just suck at grabbing the little triangle. try a differnt pair of shoes~ hope this helps.

With style ;)

first time i ever rode a friends fixed gear i made it a few blocks before i finally got my 2nd foot in

I just bolted a couple lead plates to the bottom of my platforms to act as counterweights so the clip-side is always up.

I'm riding a fixed gear and i've tried the flip and insert method but my mks pedals are pretty sensitive. Maybe i'm putting too much force on it and looking down is an issue. I guess it's just gonna take some practice.

Thank God it gets easier. I had a hard time with that too.

yes its easier with time like a bunch of people said, you can to a point where youre drunk and can do it one try. apparently i even do it when im black out drunk too

i put my foot into them

I had this same question, but the problem def solved itself after a little bit of riding. I have though about weighting the pedals so that the clips always faced the right way. Do many people do this?

One thing that helped me was learning to rotate the pedal with the toe of my shoe rather than the ball of my foot. Analyzing it one day in a deserted parking lot I found I was hitting the pedal too far down on my foot and rotating the clip up against the bottom of my toe, rather than rotating the toe into the clip.

Also i found that the triangle tab can be maneuvered on certain shoes better than others. for example my Vans slipons grip on the tab quite easily where as any of my asics just suck at grabbing the little triangle. try a differnt pair of shoes~ hope this helps.

i agree. ive got an old pair of vans that after 10 years of abuse on pavement, have no tread at all. basically a paper thin layer of smooth rubber that separates the ground and my insole. this does not provide much purchase when trying to flip my clip with the tabs, but it can be done, but takes a type of foot finesse that is gained from practice and countless times looking like a fool at intersections. however, once the skill is achieved, the elation one feels is akin to learning how to ollie a skateboard for the first time. soon it will become second nature. like riding a bike.

I had this same question, but the problem def solved itself after a little bit of riding. I have though about weighting the pedals so that the clips always faced the right way. Do many people do this?
I was joking, I'm pretty sure no one does this.

Though, honestly, I don't see why it would be that bad of an idea. Yeah it's going to add weight, but half of us are riding around on 25 lbs conversions, what's an extra 500g a pedal gonna hurt?

put foot in cinch strap down then ride
never take feet out of your clips
it takes practice

Practice practice practice... and don't look at your foot while you do it. Eventually it is something you won;t have to even think about.

I always like taking off with one foot in, kicking the free pedal (down) so it starts spinning backwards and being able to smoothly slide my other foot in as the crank comes around.

It's rather elegant and impresses the kids... and it isn't that hard to do.

Having proper shoes will make a world of difference as some shoes just don't work well at all with clips and straps and will hang up.

left foot in clip. pedal at 2-3 O-Clock. begin to pedal. put right foot on bottom of right pedal as you begin to move forward. as the right pedal comes up from 6 O-Clock i flip it with my toe and slide my foot in. practice it and you will get it no problem. do it with out traffic as you will most likely be looking at your feet and you don't want to get hit.

A friend has a terrible time getting his feet in, and I think it's because he overthinks it and gets embarrassed in intersections. The best method I've found is to just forget about it for a second and you will automatically pop your feet in. I also do the lean up method at lights with both feet in the clips and a hand on a sign pole or electric box. But really, trackstanding or even "rocking" at a light and staying clipped in is the best when you're not too tired from a climb or sprint.

I guess I never thought about the years of kickflips and 360 flips and such. Makes it more natural to do tiny foot movements while not looking or really being even aware of them. Maybe go out and learn to do some flip tricks on a skateboard, you'll be sliding your feet in those clips in no time!

track stand

If you stop thinking about it you'll get it! I did anyway, today I was having a ***** of a time, looking down, thinking "how the hell am I supposed to get into these things, I haven't ridden clips in years and the damn cranks won't stop spinning".

Then I stopped thinking and - voila - slid right in.

I flip the clip when the pedal is on it's way up. I find it not as easy on it's way down...if that makes sense.
There's always these too:
http://www.whiteind.com/pedal.html
They look super comfy in any shoe.... and has a huge flipping in tab

Have you fallen over yet? the few time I did *blushing* thankfully no one was there to see

just put one foot in, and stay calm. put a slight amount of pressure with the balls of your foot on the back of your pedal and it will slip up around your foot. If you dont get your foot in, just remember to stay calm and use the foot that is already in the clip to keep the bike moving. Just keep trying... the more you ride the easier it gets. I wear chucks, they have like NO tread on them... which makes it a little easier to slid my food on the top of the pedal.

After riding fixed for a while, I actually find it EASIER to get into clips on a fixed gear than on a freewheel.

With a fixed gear you always know exactly where your pedal is going to be at any particular moment.

Just practice and soon it will be fluid and second-nature.