What MTB pedal is easier to unclip then the Shimano?
 

My wife has tried both the M520 and A530 Shimano style pedal and has problems unclipping them. She wants something that unclips very easily. They were both set on the easiest tension. Is there a brand that is easier? Frog? Crankbrothers? Any others? Let me know your experiences.

I have found the Crank Bros. line to be the easiest to disengage in a hurry, but imho, any of the systems will work fine if you take the time to learn how to use them. You just have to practice enough so that the correct motions become second nature.

I don't know what problems she is having but I use the "Time Atac" pedals. They have worked for me from day one.

I think my eggbeaters are the easiest to disengage from what I have tried. Cheap to boot.

Could try changing the cleats to SH-56.

The cleats are SH-56.

The beauty of all Crank Brothers pedals is that they are not adjustable. Therefore, they work consistently and without concern for having them "adjusted properly"...

The Crank Bros cleats are asymmetrical. With one on the left and the other on the right they release at 20°. With the cleats 'reversed' (on the opposite shoes) the release angle is 15°.

Another vote for Crank. Bros. Egg Beaters esp. if she's riding fixed gear. However, like Bluesdawg said, all it takes is a little practice no matter what the brand / model of pedals.

Rick / OCRR

+ how ever many for Crank Bros. Eggbeaters. I don't have any problem getting out of SPD's but the Eggbeaters are markedly easier.

Speedplay Frog are very easy to clip in but also too easy to clip out (I used them but my feet kept slipping out). I am now settled in on Time Atacs which work alot like egg beaters but have a platform which I need for hot spots. There are easy to get out of, much easier then SPDs. I am assuming this is for a mountain bike or MTB shoes? Otherwise Speedplay X2/3's are probably the easy to use.

You know the more I think about this, is her problem just understanding or experience with pedals? Most pedals aren't difficult to unclip especially if you have any experience using them, even SPDs. And in most instances, you don't really want a pedal that you can unclip out of too easily; it may disengage at the wrong time. What you might try is a pedal with a small to medium platform so she can ride on top of the cleat (not engaged) when she is feeling uncomfortable. Again not certain if this is for road or MTB but for MTB I might suggest the Time ZControl. It has a nice large platform. When I am little uncertain if terrain (and need to bail quickly) I ride using the platform and not engaged in the cleat. If this isn't the issue at all, nevermind! :o

One additional note about Crank Bros. pedals. While I find them very easy to get out of quickly when I want to, I almost never come out of them when I don't want to.

Another vote for Crank Bros. My wife and I use Candys on all our bikes. They are like an Eggbeater with a small platform.

I have used only one brand of clipless pedals for 20 years-SPD.....
My then bike guru suggested them for road and mtn bikes because they worked even when muddy and having snow in em, etc. I have found this to be true over the years. They work first time every time And IIRC, they were the first pedal/cleat system that could have a sort of recessed cleat on the bottom of the shoe so walking around town was easier say, then the time cleat shoe system. I have not found them hard to get out of but to each his/her own with one exception: When the cleats get old and worn down then I notice it is harder to get out of. Example: I had a pair of shoes that were about 5 years old (full time 15 mi RT commuting year round). It was no longer effortless to disenge from the pedal this spring. Looked at the bottom of my shoes-not only were the cleats worn down but the soles were cracked! Bought a new pair from my LBS and voila - no more problems. So, are the cleats/shoes/pedals brand new or used? Finally, in my three crashes I disengaged without even thinking but don't disengage with normal pedalling.

Sounds like the egg beater system works well, though and I have no experiences with them

YMMV

HTH,
Uber

SPD pedals are really easy to clip out of, she really just need to get used to them. If she still doesn't like them on the loosest setting, anything even more loose will just lose the benefit of having clipless pedals.

Are you sure she really wants/needs clipless pedals?

Is the difference in sequence (then) and alternative (than) really that damned hard to learn?

I still mix up the use of then and than, sorry about that.

They are MTB shoes and yes, she really wants to use clipless. After trying them she likes them over the cages but is still a little hesitant. On our trainer I watch her using them. 60 per cent of the time they pop right out. 40 per cent of the time they don't. So she knows how to do it. Maybe it's the location of the pedal stroke that makes it harder?

I have the CB Quattro which I like. I haven't tried to switch them over to her bike yet for her to try. From what I've read so far, the Frog's sound like they are extremely easy to unclip, maybe too easy.

Thanks for the input.

Homonymously speaking (well almost), it is not.

There, there, they're trying to get their grammar correct...........

Is your affect getting your desired effect?

Some other troubleshooting ideas (please note I am not a Shimano rep or have any vested interest in SPD pedals other than they are what I have used exclusively)....... Seems if she can only pop out right only 60% of the time in the trainer (taking out the "oh my god there is a car directly in front of me gotta stop and rmember how to get my foot out" concerns), THEN it might be cleat pedal interface issues. Are the cleats properly tightened? If they are too loose, then that might make it harder to release. Also, maybe anatomically it is hard for her to move her heel laterally to disengage? Can you go to an LBS and have her try releasing on a trainer there with someone who might see what is happening? Maybe the alignment is off? Maybe the seat is too high? Just trying to help...........

Eggbeaters. They work.

Feel better now?:rolleyes:

Me old da' used to say: " ... solecisms there will always be, but far worse the bad form correcting other people's (peoples' ??:D) grammar or pronunciation in public ... "

Just sayin'

Well, she's about 60% there at least. I'm guessing she's not really using quite the right motion, but their being so easy to use, she's coming close enough to get them disengaged most of the time. I bet if she really concentrated on using the heel out motion in the plane of the pedal, repeating it over and over, that percentage would start to climb up close to 100%.

if this is the 50+ forum, I'd second the Speedplay Frogs.
I was advised, since my knees were gimpy, that Frogs are ideal for knees like mine. Lots of play. They seem odd at first, but it didn't take long to adjust. I've bailed on them at stops (when I forgot I was clipped in) many times, in a matter of a nano second. My wife still used SPD's and I've watched her forget and tip over a few times cause she couldn't extract.

the idea of 'accidentally unclipping' seems odd. You'd have to be waggling your feet pretty wildly... but I suppose it could happen.

Since she's using the 56 cleats, is she aware that they can be easily released by just pulling up on the pedal with the toes down slightly? Also, a combination of toe-down, pulling slightly up and a light twist of the foot really makes them release quickly especially with the spring tension low.

I keep the tension fairly high, but a combination move makes them very easy to release. I doubt that there are any easier than the spd with a 56 cleat.

Al