Clipless Pedals Query
11-01-09, 03:12 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Manassas, Virginia (NoVa)
Posts: 537
Bikes: 2009 GMC DENALI (walmart bike)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Clipless Pedals Query
Like My Uber Font,
as for my query, I have yet to ride with clipless pedals, but I will transfer as soon as I buy a new bike. I was thinking about something, I see alot of people here fall from their pedals. This had me thinking, for those that use clipless, cant you just unclip both feet, your left first then your right, than no matter what side you lean when you are at 0mph/kph you will land on your feet? or do you have to keep one foot clipped at all time? And how exactly do you unclip, approx. how much time does it take to unclip one foot.
as for my query, I have yet to ride with clipless pedals, but I will transfer as soon as I buy a new bike. I was thinking about something, I see alot of people here fall from their pedals. This had me thinking, for those that use clipless, cant you just unclip both feet, your left first then your right, than no matter what side you lean when you are at 0mph/kph you will land on your feet? or do you have to keep one foot clipped at all time? And how exactly do you unclip, approx. how much time does it take to unclip one foot.
11-01-09, 03:16 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Beautiful Long Beach California
Posts: 3,589
Bikes: Eddy Merckx San Remo 76, Eddy Merckx San Remo 76 - Black Silver and Red, Eddy Merckx Sallanches 64 (2); Eddy Merckx MXL;
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 143 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
If your seat is adjusted correctly, most people can't put both feet on the ground while still sitting on the seat so you have to clip out one foot, and then get off the seat. At least that's the way I do it.
11-01-09, 03:20 PM
#3
Flying Under the Radar
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Northeast PA
Posts: 4,116
Bikes: 10' SuperiorLite SL Club | 06' Giant FCR3 | 2010 GT Avalanche 3.0 Disc
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
You can do whatever you want. The issue when you fall at 0 is normally that a situation occurs which gives you no time to unclip, or you simply forget your attached. Your bike really does become part of you when you switch to clipless.
On the road bike i just bought, it came with some generic clipless SPD pedals. But for my first time using them, on my hybrid, I actually bought hybrid pedals as well. Clipin on one side and a platform on the other. If you don't wear your shoes, you can still pedal. Plus for me, it was a good learning experience as I didn't HAVE to clip in everytime. If I was in traffic spots or weird situations I would keep one foot clipped and one on the platform side.
On the road bike i just bought, it came with some generic clipless SPD pedals. But for my first time using them, on my hybrid, I actually bought hybrid pedals as well. Clipin on one side and a platform on the other. If you don't wear your shoes, you can still pedal. Plus for me, it was a good learning experience as I didn't HAVE to clip in everytime. If I was in traffic spots or weird situations I would keep one foot clipped and one on the platform side.
11-01-09, 03:33 PM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 28,387
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
If you read most people's stories it's not that it's hard to unclip or that it takes a long time, it's that people usually forget that they are clipped in and don't even try. When they start to fall over they try to just lift their foot off which doesn't work. I think that for some pedals (such as speedplay), the unclipping motion is more natural and you are more likely to be able to unclip in a "panic" situation.
