bloodhawke83

i tried the foot hole thing pedal and i crashed on my elbow when i couldn't pull my foot out. normally i can catch myself with my feet.

i want to get into the push and pull.

Carbonfiberboy 

Takes practice. Yes, they're great.

dploy

I like clipless and use them on every bike I have. That said, I just crashed at an intersection a week ago. $hlt happens.

Pat

Anytime I think I might have to clip out, I clip out a fair ways before I might have to. If the clip out is a bit slow for any reason, it is easy to get leaning the wrong way and fall. It is also embarrassing even if one is all alone.

Even with this downside, the clipless pedals are a noticeable improvement.

Lawrence08648

Clipless pedals are the only way to go. One of my pedals broke on a bike ride and pedaling by only pressing down on that one pedal and being clipped in with the other, my spee dropped 3+ mph and it was harder.

Some pedals are easier to clip in and out than others.

You never fall in the pedals while you are moving, you fall only when you stop because you have forgotten to unclip, how stupid. Much safer being clipped in, your foot doesn't slip off, and more power when you pedal especially on hills.

RonH

If you're talking about toe clips and straps, keep the straps a little looser.
If you're talking about clipless pedals, set the adjustment screw to its lowest setting.

bloodhawke83

straps, because of the shoes i wear at cause the problems.

kvangundy

If you try clipless, you'll spend the rest of your cycling life feeling like straps/cages/doubles are woefully inadiquate.


To gain any real benefit of straps they MUST be tight. Make sure the slide release is accessible and you can "brush" the release with the back of your hand to release it. Don't tuck the end of the strap over like a belt, the end of the strap is supposed to be "flopping" (they can be trimmed) about.

Road Fan

It's a trade-off, depending on what benefit you need. I like the ability of clips/straps to keep my foot on the pedal and ball of the foot where I want it. I don't care about pulling up (I do pull back "scraping mud" and push forward over the top), so tight straps are not what I use. Result: I can always pull my foot out of the strap as soon as I need to.

Makel

I like my clipless pedals. Before I got them I kept turning my heel in witch allowed the derailer to scrape skin off of my right inner calf. However, it still isn't a bike ride if I don't topple over at least once. I've gotten good at twisting to the left and landing on my back. I wonder how many times I can fall over till I need a new helmet?

How have your's turned out?