Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Stupid Pedals

Tonight was my first night riding with clipless pedals and shoes. Just got the pedals installed today and went for a nice ride to get used to them. Well there are two stoplights on my way our of town, and at both of them I bit the dust. Damn they are hard to get used to.
Anyone else have problems when they started out clipless??

there are two riders, those who have fallen with clipless and those who will eventually. Best thing is just practice clipping out, make sure the tension is set some what loose until you get used to them. I just held my self up against a wall and practiced, then practiced around the yard...grass is alot softer than pavement.

Yep, if you have a trainer, put the bike on the trainer and spin then pop your feet out, this is what I did and I am currently in the "those that will eventually fall" category. If you don't have a trainer, figure a way, door frame maybe to allow you to sit on the bike and just practice pulling your foot. You might also release some of the tension on the pedal to make it easier.

Lean the bike against a wall at home and practice getting in/out while watching TV for an hour. Remember: swing your HEEL out to release. The pedal tension is also adjustable. Also, you can begin trying to get out before you are going too slow.

and remember, when you think you're going to fall to the left, you'll fall to the right and vice versa..... the only thing that will be true is that you're going to fall.....:-)

+1 on the practice, i just got my new shoes and pedals, and the problem i had was getting in not out... my friend who owns the lbs (ex-Belgian champion and clydesdale!!!) refitted me on the bike and cleats on my shoes, now it's much easier, the foot feels aligned with the pedal and they seem to go in and out effortlesly...

I fell with clips (back in the mid 90s) but managed to go clipless and didn't fall because of them for like 12 years... granted I did take about 6 or 7 years off... it finally did happen but I blame it on the group ride... I was slowing down and tried to hold onto a tree... missed the tree and didn't unclip... doh... didn't feel bad as it was my friends 1st ride with clipless and he went over about 4x that day (and to think I was teasing him before i went over haha)

set the tension very low, get the cleat adjusted as close as you an figure at the house, pay attention to how your foot sits on the pedal... I like to rotate my cleat so I have JUST enough room to twist my ankle IN and still get out... puts it just riht (SPD type pedals)...

you'll eventualy get to where it's 2nd nature to get out (takes a bit longer to get in smoothly... at least on the trail)... the other day I supprised even myself when going around a fast sandly loose corner, rear wheel washed out and I got my leg out I dabbed/pushed with my foot 5 times (one of those slow motion moments that I recounted after I was riding along again) had to do the push dab to keep me from doing the splits... somehow I saved it and got the bike back upright and riding along... prob not nearly as kewl as it was in my mind but hey :)

so recap... lower tension so it's very easy to get out... and practice getting in and out.. :) with time it'll be just like flats... but with a lot more control and power

Anyone else have problems when they started out clipless??

Pfft... starting out. :rolleyes:

I've got probably over 100,000 miles in my legs over the years. Race competitively with national champions, former olympians, etc... At a race couple months ago, before my event, I keeled over trying to make a turn while my friend walked beside. Forgot my foot was still engaged and couldn't pull out. Nothing hurt 'cept ego.

When I started clipless, the traffic lights & stop signs were easy becuse I could plan ahead. It was the unexpected things - bus in front of me pull away from bus stop then after going 6' suddenly stopped, and a pedestrian suddenly stepped off the curb in front of me. On both these occasins I had the benefit of lots of spectators. Now the release is part of taking the feet off the pedals. Similar to the good old toe clips - you develop the habit of lifting your foot up and back to take your foot off the pedal.

Tonight was my first night riding with clipless pedals and shoes. Just got the pedals installed today and went for a nice ride to get used to them. Well there are two stoplights on my way our of town, and at both of them I bit the dust. Damn they are hard to get used to.
Anyone else have problems when they started out clipless??

The best advice I got when starting out with clipless is to clip and unclip several times on both feet at the beginning of each ride. It helps build muscle memory. As you pull up to a stop, or have to make a quick unplanned stop, the motion of unclipping has to be subconcious. The practice on every ride helps build the memory.

I haven't fallen on any ride that I go through the clip in, unclip, clip back in drill.

I've got Shimano MTB clips on my road bike, and MTB shoes. Someone on this site several months ago suggested putting a little wD40 on the pedals to make sure they are able to release freely, and I also put a couple drops on the cleats (then wiped it off so I wouldn't leave a mess on the floor). Anyway, the little bit of WD40 made a big improvement in my being able to unclip quickly. I'm sure other lubes would work, too. I've only almost fallen--strange acrobatics have kept me from totally reaching the ground--but I know it will happen to me one of these days when I least expect it!

I've got Shimano MTB clips on my road bike, and MTB shoes. Someone on this site several months ago suggested putting a little wD40 on the pedals to make sure they are able to release freely, and I also put a couple drops on the cleats (then wiped it off so I wouldn't leave a mess on the floor). Anyway, the little bit of WD40 made a big improvement in my being able to unclip quickly. I'm sure other lubes would work, too. I've only almost fallen--strange acrobatics have kept me from totally reaching the ground--but I know it will happen to me one of these days when I least expect it!

Like the one everyone has, chain lube.....

a few dabs of chain lube is what I use... I stay away from WD40 for anything on my bike... it's not a great lubricant and like a hose it'll happily remove grease from parts that need it

there are two riders, those who have fallen with clipless and those who will eventually. Best thing is just practice clipping out, make sure the tension is set some what loose until you get used to them. I just held my self up against a wall and practiced, then practiced around the yard...grass is alot softer than pavement.

+1

Addenda: You will normally crash at the most embarrassing moment. When the whole club is watching or you're in front of a line of cars at a stop light.

+1

Addenda: You will normally crash at the most embarrassing moment. When the whole club is watching or you're in front of a line of cars at a stop light.

Or near the beach with all the young bikini clad women watching :eek:

I no longeer hate these pedals. I am finally used to them, although, all of the falling I did scraped up my pretty new shoes and pedals....lol

So far no falls since I started using clipless. I've had some funny moments when my foot didn't release as expected but fortunatly I am pretty good at track standing.

Don't worry about it, everyone goes down...eventually.

I find it easier to unclip on UP STROKE foot. The down stroke foot is NOT as easy / comfortable for me. YES, i have fallen with clipless pedals.

So far no falls since I started using clipless. I've had some funny moments when my foot didn't release as expected but fortunatly I am pretty good at track standing.

Don't worry about it, everyone goes down...eventually.

Remind me to have my camera ready next time we ride together.

Or near the beach with all the young bikini clad women watching :eek:

reminds me of an incident last spring...

The wife and I were riding with a couple of friends near Huntington Beach Pier and there was a group standing in a circle as one used a micro pump to inflate a tire (think about the image here) I was looking at this when someone stepped in front of the wife. She braked and I didn't react quick enough and touched her rear wheel and did a body plant in front of god and all the skinny young things on the beach. :mad:

There are days when you eat the bear, and days the bear eats you...

The whole "there are two categories" thing is something I'm familiar with as a motorcycle rider as well. I've dropped my bike TWICE at dead stops because of my own stupidity, expecting to do a rolling stop and something surprising the crap out of me and not getting my foot down in time. Dangerous and somewhat embarrassing.

GD

i'm rather new to clipless pedals as well. i've got the simple two bolt SPD style, and i like em alot.

quick question: what's the difference between SPD and LOOK? in terms of: feel, in/out, effeciency...

Some advice. ALWAYS start with the same foot when unclipping. It helps to have a rhythm/SOP. Also, when unclipping do it decisively, and don't keep you foot on the pedal afterward, even lightly. You run the risk of either reclipping, or even having you cleat catch on a projection of the pedal. That's worse yet since you may not know the best way to unstick yourself. Lastly give yourself plenty of time. Don't wait until the last second (if possible) to take you foot off of the pedal. This advice has worked for me so far.

i'm rather new to clipless pedals as well. i've got the simple two bolt SPD style, and i like em alot.

quick question: what's the difference between SPD and LOOK? in terms of: feel, in/out, effeciency...

Look pedals give a wider cleat/base to ride on. Less chance of "Hotspots" over distance. SPD's are narrower, more chance of hotspot. but then again they are much better for recreational riding or Mt. biking. They are smaller so many shoes will recess them. That means that you can walk in them with the proper shoes. That'll never happen with look style cleats.