roccobike

It's time for me to take another step forward with my cycling. I've avoided using clipless because I like to be able to grab the ground when I ride trails. But I'm increasing my speed (from super slow up to sorta slow) and with that, I've had instances where a foot has slipt off the pedal at inopportune times. My neophyte road cycling has reached a point where I think clipless would improve my speed and distance. So I purchased Shimano SPD shoes to go with the SPD pedals I have. My plan is to learn on my old, Ross 290S road bike. If I fall with that bike I won't feel so bad about any scratches. My question is, what advice would you all share with me about learning to ride with clipless. Should I start with one pedal only? Should I ride on dirt instead of asphalt? Should I wear my son's soccer goalie knee pads? (no, really) Is falling over mandatory or optional ?
Weather permitting, I will make my first tries tomorrow. Any advice from the experienced is greatly appreciated.

Litespeed

You will find lots of answers here. If you can find a park with grass or a flat area that isn't asphast but isn't deep sand that would probably be best. If you can borrow a trainer from someone to put your bike in, that would be even better. My first suggestion would be stand over the bike; put the foot you will keep on the pedal in first and learn to clip and unclip many times with that foot first until you know the feel of just how much effort it will take to unclip. Do this before you ever attempt to actually ride. If you can, do the same thing with the other foot, while you are standing there. I know when I first started with clipless pedals, I didn't realize the amount of effort it would take to unclip and I felt "trapped". After practicing for quite a while then you can actually try riding and clipping in and out. You will probably find that clipping in is actually harder because you will have to find the "sweet spot" on the pedal where it actually engages with the cleat. This will take quite a bit of practice too. Most people who have clipless pedals will forget to unclip usually early in their practice and fall over, it's just par for the course. Good luck and let us know how you do.

NOS88

Whew! Great question. I can't say that I actually know anyone who has been riding clipped for any length of time that hasn't had a minor fall because they forgot to clip out. Don't, however, let it stop you. The advantages of being clipped in are just too great to give them up. I'd encourage you to get used to them anyway that makes you feel secure. Wear the pads, clip in with just one shoe until you get used to it, ride on the grass. You'll likely be surprised at how quickly to get used to them. The learning curve isn't that steep. Good luck tomorrow!

BluesDawg

Just hop on the bike and ride with them. It's not that big a deal. The first few times you ride with them, it might be good to have a friend ride behind you and each time you approach a stop, he can remind you to clip out before you stop. After you stop and start falling, it is too late.

Grampy™

Bus stop flops are a rite of passage so to speak....... just bite the bullet and ride.

Do get in the habbit of cliping in and out with the same foot sequence. Some people like to unclip first with the left foot so as not to get a chain ring mark on the right calf. Opinions vary.... what ever you do, do it the same every time. Pretty soon it will become natural, you won't even think about unclipping.

GrannyGear

Many (but certainly not all) here use clipless and agree that they are more efficient. Some good riders here will protest they seem unsafe, uncomfortable, or simply not worth it. I like them, found the "learning" curve to be short, perhaps because I had ridden clips n straps for years and they required a bend over to flip the buckle loose. I would feel insecure on a bike if my feet weren't attached at least with toe clips and straps. One of my worst crashes happened years ago when I hit a bump and my foot flew off the platform pedal causing extreme nard trauma and back of my ankle contusion.

Anyway, being connected to the bike will seem natural, secure, and not confining after a short time; your pedaling style may improve, and unclipping and clipping in usually becomes automatic. Certainly worth the investment and a try. I would just go out in the street if not busy or a parking lot and practice clipping in and clipping out lotsa times to get it down. Then incorporate coming off the saddle to stop with a foot down and getting going again. Just to make it as natural and patterned as possible. It really isn't a big deal unless we make it so. Enjoy. You are one step closer to that shining ideal....an Elite Cyclist

Coyote!

Like the sneaker ad says, "Just DO it!".

Stevie47

Plan ahead. Plan ahead. Plan ahead.

When you see a stop coming, think about unclipping (with the foot you are gonna use) and do so while you still have some speed. That way if you fumble a bit you are still rolling. After a while it becomes second nature: I'm going to stop up here, Im starting to use brakes, I'm unclipping.

Have fun, they are great!

stercomm

Agree with all that has been said. When I first got clipless, spent some time in the neighborhood practicing getting in and out. I just changed to Speedplays on one of my bikes and had to get use to those as they are a bit different than SPD's. Even with all the years of using clipless I still got caught last year in traffic with a quick stop and I couldn't get my food out and went down, embrassing but otherwise painless. I also strongly agree with always clipping out of the same foot all the time as it becomes second nature

SlowSpinner

You can always praticing clipping and unclipping in an open doorway using your arms to keep you upright. This is a good way to find the tension setting on the pedal for clipping in and out. Then hit the road and do it. Just keep reminding youself to unclip before stopping. I bonked once and was so out of it that I did not remember to unclip.

roccobike

Thanks for the great responses. I've taken notes from each one. I just placed the SPDs on the Ross. I've got a park in mind where I plan to take my first rides after practicing at my house. I have to agree with all the comments about what a pain it is when my foot slips off the flat pedal. I've been very fortunate and have not been injured. I just don't want to keep pushing my luck so I think clipless is the way to go. Thanks again and I'll let you all know how it turned out tommorrow.

gear

When you think about it; when you first rode a bike you had to learn to take your foot off a pedal and move it to the side BEFORE placing it down on the ground. You can't just push THROUGH a pedal to get your foot on the ground. With clipless its the same thing except you lead with your heel.
I'm really not gifted in any coordination sense, but I've never once had a problem unclipping, even in emergency stops and crashes, I manage to unclip. Its a non issue. Now clipping IN, that can sometimes (with certain types of shoes and cleats) be a problem.

roccobike

WOW! Clipless is great! I tried the SPDs out using my Ross 290S as the trial bike. I don't know why I thought this was going to be a big deal. You were all correct. This isn't difficult. But, my motions are still not smooth. I want to be better at this before I take it to the mountain bike trails. On the street, I will be in clipless from here on out. Thanks everyone for the advice.

Kragg

I was scared to death too, but it becomes second nature. Just follow everyone's advice and practice in & out first before riding. Also choose your dominant foot, the one you will leave in most of the time. For me it's the right. And remember, if you panic or miss the pedal crossing an intersection, you can always pedal with one foot, make sure you hold your handlebar tightly though. It's feels really weird but will get you out of a jam. ENJOY !!!

Carusoswi

I've been reading these threads about clipless pedals. I'm thinking I might try them. I fit my C'dale Cyclocross with large flat platforms (can't remember the brand, but they were expensive - sealed bearings - smooth). Now, I'm thinking about moving to clipless - but have a dread of the slow fall I've read about. What do you all do when you come upon a traffic light that turns red. Presently, I can bring the bike to a near stop without putting my foot down - I stay back from the intersection, watch for the light to change, then usually get off to a slow start during the opposing yellow timing my entrance so that I'm moving into the intersection just after the green for me arrives and all traffic perpendicular to me has safely cleared the intersection. It is rare that I have to put a foot down - but it happens once in a while.

I am not certain this practice would be safe for me using clipless pedals. What do you clipless users do in this situation?

Caruso

Digital Gee

I don't get it.

Digital Gee

Uh huh.

roccobike

Sorry Carusoswi, I 'm way too new at clipless to answer your question. All I can say is, having tried it yesterday, I'm looking forward to my first full ride (hopefully today) with clipless. Yesterday I clipped in and out over a dozen times with no problems. But, I had plenty of time to anticipate stopping. I need more practice before I'll feel confident that I can handle a quick, unforseen stop like those on an MTB trail. But my freinds do it all the time.

lhbernhardt

Went clipless in the mid-80's when the first white Look pedals came out. Fell over twice at stoplights in the first couple of weeks (and I had already been riding > 10 years). Going from toe clips to clipless is a bigger hurdle than going from nothing (platform pedals) to clipless because you don't have to unlearn moving the foot backward in order to learn rotating the foot.

You'll also find that 5 o'clock is the optimum position to unclip (viewed from the right of the bike), and that 9 o'clock is the worst position to try to unclip. Unless you unclip like a trackie, where you roll slowly, wait until your pedal is at 2 o'clock, and bang the heel of your shoe inward with your hand. This rotates the foot inward, releasing your foot. Great for when you put extra tension on your pedals so your foot doesn't accidentally come out, critical on the track.

Incidentally, most clipless pedal systems become easier to release as the cleat wears. The excemption is SPD, where cleat wear often makes it harder to release. Which is one reason I prefer the original SPD road pedals for the track. I've seen one guy do a complete somersault at over 50 kmh when he had a cleat release on the backstretch in the middle of a sprint. That's the last time he used Keywin pedals!

- L.

slbarnes

In my opinion, clipless pedals are much safer than no attachment whatsoever, or toe clips where you cinch the strap down tight (and it is hard to get the foot out). Without being attached to the pedals, you risk having your foot slip off and crashing. My advice is to start out with the spring adjustment rather loose so that it is very easy to flick out your heel and dislodge from the pedal. This adjustment is easy (look at you owner's manual). Once you feel comfortable with the adjustment loose, you can gradually tighten it over the course of several rides. You really do not want it too loose, though, because your foot might dislodge involuntarily on hard pedaling or difficult maneuvers. If you do stop or fall and cannot get you foot out, keep your hands on the handlebar rather than sticking out your arm and risk breaking a bone. Just roll onto the ground and let the outside of the handlebar take the hit (plus you hips will contact the ground as well). Remember, when you begin to fall, or are stopping, the natural thing to try and do is to just move your foot away from the pedal. With clipless pedals, at least the ones I have used, you must get used to shifting your heel out first to disconnect. It disconnects easily this way, but you have to get used to it...and don't panic.

In closing, I have a funny story to tell you. My sister in Seattle and her boyfriend at the time just got clipless pedals for their road bikes several years' back. They were riding around the city when a man cut them off with his car. My sister's boyfriend, being the gallant one, was going to chase this guy down and give him a piece of his mind. Well he caught the guy at a stoplight. As the boyfriend rode up fast to the man's car window to scold him, he stopped, could not disconnect from his clipless pedal, and fell over like Arte Johnson (?) on the old "Laugh-In" show!

jppe

Rocco-good hear you've made the plunge. One thing that will help with your pedaling stroke is to ride some with just one foot clipped in a pedaling. The best way is to do this either on a trainer or on flat sections of road or paths. You get the feel of the full pedal stroke-both the pushing down at the front and the pulling through and up at the bottom and back. Alternate legs and "train" yourself to use more of the pedal stroke with both legs. You will experience an increase in power, speed and overall ease of pedaling.

Another poster said it but I'll reinforce it-train yourself to unclip on the same foot all the time. Also, find the pedal position with that foot where you're most comfortable unclipping. Anticipate the need to unclip as you come to intersections or where you need to stop.

Even as you get very proficient something will happen where you will "fall". It's always when you're stopped so it's just "falling over". I've done it too many times to remember but it will happen. Don't fret it!!

glazierwood

Of what benefit are "mini clips" (strapless)? Any pros? any cons? I'm just getting started on recreational riding and dont want to buy dedicated shoes and pedals, but would like to get a little help from my upstroke.
Chris

mollusk

Being attached to the pedals is really important as the OP has found out. Since I am a bit of a retrogrouch I prefer toeclips and cleated shoes. The connection to the bike is much more secure with toe clips and the straps cinched down. I know that I'll hear from some that say that cinching the strap down cuts off circulation, but to get the same level of connectio to the bike I need to cinch the shoe straps down tight so I don't pull my foot out of the show. On the other hand clipless is WAY easier to get in and out and doesn't take much effort to learn. Now I'm going to tempt fate and say that I have NEVER fallen over with clipless. I've also never fallen over with toeclips, if that matters.

stonecrd

I agree with Litespeed the harder part of clipless is getting clipped in, not getting out or falling over which will happen and be embarassing but does little damage. When clipping in I'm trying to get through a light just turned green, keeping an eye on traffic and sometimes have 20 riders behind me on my tail. Most times its automatic but some days I just seem to struggle. .

gear

I am in agreess.