Mountain Biking - Bought the Eggbeaters, now what?

Finally took the plunge and bought a set of Eggbeaters. The package I purchased from Nashbar also included a pair of Answer Impact shoes as well. I took the time to read the instructions so I got everything set up right. Question is what should I be aware of when I go out for my first ride with them. I think I'm gonna play it safe and ride the bike trail off the riverbed near my house. Is falling a fact of life or is there a trick to staying upright? I currently use Odyessy Platforms and the Eggbeaters are easy to get out of but a little harder to get in. Any suggestions appreciated.

its a fact of life that all will fall at first. I have the Candy's which is the same thing except a small platform. Make sure your cleats are set so it takes 15 degrees to get out. It has to do with the one with the two small circles, its in the manual. These things break in eventually, at first i found it difficult to get in/out of but now its a piece of cake. There isn't much else i can think of to say, these things are resistant to the elements and bomb proof. A nice setup indeed, enjoy

Practice clipping in and out tons with one foot on the ground. Also, practice while riding slowly down the street. Practicing unclipping at every position in the pedal rotation. And find a grassy patch of land; ride at a medium speed and then quickly bring yourself to a dead stop; let yourself fall to one direction. Practice unclipping the foot the corresponds to what ever direction your fall. This will help you learn to unclip in panic situations--like you when you stall out on a root during a steep climb.

Ride easier trails for a couple of weeks after you've done a couple of days practicing off the trails.

A riding friend of mine first used clipless during a race. It is NOT as hard as it seems.

I always get nervous that i might stall out during a steep and tumble backwards, has not happened but its this fear i seem to hold onto

Hmmm... so you will stay clipped in even if you are falling, tubleing, ect???

Yea, but you will clip out, it becomes second nature real fast. With clipless you can get out in like a tenth of a second, the trick in to "flick" your foot out real fast, good for dabbing. Also I just switched from SPDs to time, BIG difference, you are blessed with the eggs.

The trickiest part is wheelies when you're clipped in.

Hmmm... so you will stay clipped in even if you are falling, tubleing, ect???
lol thats the fear yep.

Wow thats brutal. Thought they would give way with that kind of force. :eek:

I actually managed to pull up my front wheel and leaned back to far....I fell back and landed flat on my back, pedals stills attached. I fell when I first got them, but now I love em. It's nice knowing when your pedalling that your feet are secure no worries of slipping off.

I can imagine that, my on my back with the bike still in the air, pedaling away. Except the hill im thinking of is really steep, becuase of this fear i will never climb it. Plus if you tumble theres lots of friendly rocks to catch you on the bottom

I can imagine that, my on my back with the bike still in the air, pedaling away. Except the hill im thinking of is really steep, becuase of this fear i will never climb it. Plus if you tumble theres lots of friendly rocks to catch you on the bottomI love rocks! they stop you so quickly!

and provide a nice cushion

I might stick on some armor and all and try and climb that beasty hill

Ya I would be scared on a hill I've been up. It is so steep its increidible. I couldn't even get up it my tires kept slipping. I think I might kill myself trying to go up it in clippless peddles.

If you're going to go up a steep hill and are that worried run on plats and find out if you can get up it

People, people, c'mon! They are not that tough to work with. My body has built in sensors that I automatically clip out when I sense a fall, and has had them since about two weeks after starting to use clipless. Once I start to bog, I start to think about unclipping, and once I stall, I unclip. You will NOT stay clipped in during a fall. You will notice a distinct advantage on rough ground and in mud, that is your feet staying where they need to stay.

Wow thats brutal. Thought they would give way with that kind of force. :eek:

Mine have ALWAYS released me on a fall before I even hit the ground, except for maybe when I first got them. I don't know why everyone has horror stories of falling down hills headfirst with the bike still attached... I've never seen or heard of it happen from anyone I know.

Mine have ALWAYS released me on a fall before I even hit the ground, except for maybe when I first got them. I don't know why everyone has horror stories of falling down hills headfirst with the bike still attached... I've never seen or heard of it happen from anyone I know.I fell back...not over the handlebars, when I went over my handlebars my feet unclipped.

Mine have ALWAYS released me on a fall before I even hit the ground, except for maybe when I first got them. I don't know why everyone has horror stories of falling down hills headfirst with the bike still attached... I've never seen or heard of it happen from anyone I know.
a guy i know was messing around trying to impress a few ladies back in about 90/91 i think and he was using spd's, anyway, he did actually manage to do a barrel roll and broke both his collar bones and messed up his legs and had to give up riding for about a year and a half.
this is what he tells me, perhaps its true, but as everyone else has said, i have never remained clipped in during a crash/fall and i've had some pretty stupid ones :D

I have mine set loose enough now that if I jump up while hopping a curb I can unclip sometimes.

Mine have ALWAYS released me on a fall before I even hit the ground, except for maybe when I first got them. I don't know why everyone has horror stories of falling down hills headfirst with the bike still attached... I've never seen or heard of it happen from anyone I know.
actually when i first got into these pedals i fell plenty of times with my bike still attatched to my feet.

The trickiest part is wheelies when you're clipped in.

you wouldnt be able to count the number of times i would fall on my back if i had clipless...

Lean foward more.