Mountain Biking - Clipless SPDs..getting in and out.

I've recently switched to clipless SPD Coda pedals (2-sided). I really like them over clips, and I find them safe to release from, but getting engaged into them is starting to drive me crazy, sometimes it can take 2-3minutes after a stoplight to try and engage the cleat. It all seems random.

Is there a way to guide into the pedal? Are the pedals crap? Would 4-sided eggbeaters fix this?

Perhaps they are not adjusted correctly. They may be TOO tight. If you see on the pedals, there is an allen key bolt on the clip (both sides for both clips). You can loosen and tighten the spring with that. Remember though, the more you loosen it, the easier you can get in, but the easier you can get out as well. Find an adjustment you like.

Don't think it's too tight. I can get out very easily. It's just trying to align the cleat to get in. I'm wondering if there is some trick.

i have and had the same problem and my response is practice

So other SPD pedals are all the same problem?

Oh, yea.. in that case, just learn how to use them.. Eventually you'll get a feel and just kick right into them. Took me a good couple weeks. All spds are the same.

"Stop light"? Are you N the right forum Dude? I don't encounter too many of those in the mountains.... Sorry

My wife has this problem with her X3 Comp Ritchey $29 dollar pedals. I think that she is just not "feeling" for the rigft spot. I gave it a try and had similar anoyances. I too tought, "...hum, must have the release setting adjusted way too hard to the +. Adjusted the setting and still pretty iffy. My bike has Ritchey X3 Pro and they work fine. Go figure.

I had the same problem and it took me a good few weeks to get used to getting into the pedals. Now, it's smooth sailing. I put my bike on the trainer inside and practiced clipping in and out before I hit the roads/trails.

Good Luck!

You just have to train your brain as to where the cleats are. It just takes practise. Once you learn where the cleat is, it becomes automatic.

L8R

The best is the 3 times rule -- where you fall off 3 times before you remember to unclip before you stop.

I was in the same boat with my Coda SPDs, I thought it was me until I bought my road bike that came with the Shimano SPDs. I had no trouble at all with them. So I went out and bought another pair of the Shimanos for my MTB bike and the problem was solved. I had the Codas adjusted super light and still was having trouble clipping in.

"Stop light"? Are you N the right forum Dude? I don't encounter too many of those in the mountains.... Sorry

Some of us ride to the trail.

I was in the same boat with my Coda SPDs, I thought it was me until I bought my road bike that came with the Shimano SPDs. I had no trouble at all with them. So I went out and bought another pair of the Shimanos for my MTB bike and the problem was solved. I had the Codas adjusted super light and still was having trouble clipping in.

aha. I thought so...the deck is the same height as the clip mechanism -seems dumb. This is why I though eggbeaters would be better (?? anyone..anyone...Bueller?)

ive had my spd's for about a week now, and i found the easiest thing is to find a spot on the shoe that helps line the cleat up for you get used to it. most shoes have designs on em ( least mine do) and i find it works great. i dont think id ever go back to platforms again.

What I do is place my toe on the pedal, then slide my foot over till the front of my cleat catches...then I put a downward force on that foot. So far that's been the trick for me.

I've recently switched to clipless SPD Coda pedals (2-sided). I really like them over clips, and I find them safe to release from, but getting engaged into them is starting to drive me crazy, sometimes it can take 2-3minutes after a stoplight to try and engage the cleat. It all seems random.

Is there a way to guide into the pedal? Are the pedals crap? Would 4-sided eggbeaters fix this?

I also just started using SPDs and had some of the same problems, but after a while things just sort of started to click (no pun intended). Speaking of clicks, on one side I can definitely hear a sharp click when I get it right, but the other side doesn't click even though I seem to be getting good engagement.

It took me a few good weeks to get used to my SPD pedals when I first got them, the method of putting the toe on the pedal and sliding until I hit resistance worked excellently for me until I got used ot my cleats

However, I too have recently encountered a differance between my pedals, my right clips in prefectly with a nice click, but my left requires much more force to get it in and even then doesn't click, but it seems to be well connected despite a slide bit of heel wobble

Big trouble with my SPD's is in the mud/dirt/packed sand. They really get jammed up, and I have had to stop trailside and clean them out. They have been incredibly durable though.

I also recently made the switch and had the same difficulty. While troubleshooting a foot pain which caused me to move the cleats backwards on the shoe to place my foot more forward on the pedal I discovered that now I clip right in without even thinking about it.

I suggest the problem is/was that my cleats were placing my foot more forward on the pedal than they were accustomed to being with the toe-clips. This caused me to have to fish around for the sweet spot so the cleats would clip in.

I then moved the cleats back such that now when I place my foot in the pedal in the "natural" way (from 30+ years of toe clips) the cleats line up perfect and I pop right in.

Similar experience here. I just made the switch last weekend, and found that I had to rotate the cleats out just a bit, so that when fully engaged with the pedal, my toes could point out away from the bike a bit. Much easier to clip in after doing this, especially for my left foot.

I suspect that I never noticed this peculiarity of my riding style, given the inherent 'slop' in toe clips.

BTW...as noted in another thread, I started with the multi-release cleats, but am returning them today in favor of the single-release cleats. Even starting out with clipless as I am, the multis made it way too easy for my foot to come off the pedal. This happened twice on my maiden voyage with the cleats, on a downhill track with lots of 4-6" bumps. With the bike bouncing around underneath me, my left foot slid right off the pedal. Very scary.

I then moved the cleats back such that now when I place my foot in the pedal in the "natural" way (from 30+ years of toe clips) the cleats line up perfect and I pop right in.


this helped, thanks, but I'm still thinking of Eggbeaters -anyone have them ? easier to get into?

OK. I found the problem. Despite using shimano SPD cleat and Shimano shoes, the cleat was offset out too far and too close to the tread of the shoe. I dremelled (now a verb) out a 2mm space around the cleat, much better.

Heres how I got over the pain of learning to click in. Put your shoes on and click in, get out of the shoes while there still engaged(harder than you think) make a line on the top of your shoe were the cleats and pedals fit together, now when your riding you have a guide line to take a quick glance at and line up your shoes and pedals. Pretty soon I didnt even have to look so much, I could just feel if my foot was in the right place over the pedal. Hope that helps

Nice suggestion, I think I'll try that...although of course, as you imply the ultimate goal is to engage the pedals by feel, without looking.

I just got back from my first trail ride, with my first moutain bike, and the first time using clip-in pedals and shoes. I fell 5 times, but only 2 of those where because I came to a stop and forgot to unclip first, the other times were due to hitting roots that kicked out my back tire or front tire. I was a muddy mess, with cuts and scrapes all over my body. I still don't know how I got them on both of my inner thighs. Of course, I still can't wipe the smile off of my face though, either! :D

I am using Crank Brothers Candy S pedals. These are SPD compatible, with an egg-beater in the middle, surrounded by a small platform. I really like the feel the give me, but have no freaking idea how you guys use them on technical trails!!!!!! Let me re-emphasize the !!!!!! part. What is the secret?!? I know this was only my first ride, but dang, I am ready to chuck them and get some bear-trap style pedals like I used to have when I raced BMX 17 years ago! :rolleyes: