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Poll - Unclipping

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway
View Poll Results: How do you unclip?
Heel out always
89.47%
Heel in always
4.61%
Ambidextrous, do it both ways
5.92%
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Poll - Unclipping

Old 09-18-15, 08:31 AM
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Poll - Unclipping

Inspired by another recent thread, I am curious to see how much of a minority I am.

I have always unclipped inwards since my first set of Look pedals circa 1986.

Please vote, assuming I set up the poll properly.
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Old 09-18-15, 08:46 AM
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One of these kids is not like the others...
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Old 09-18-15, 08:47 AM
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I unclip clockwise. I don't see an option for that.
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Old 09-18-15, 08:55 AM
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I clip out the same way you loosen pedals, CCW on the DS and CW on the NDS.
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Old 09-18-15, 08:56 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas

I have always unclipped inwards since my first set of Look pedals circa 1986.
How can you unclip inwards... doesn't your heel hit the... well... bike?
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Old 09-18-15, 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by corrado33
How can you unclip inwards... doesn't your heel hit the... well... bike?
Nope. I unclip at the top (or bottom, but less often) of the pedal stroke so not an issue.
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Old 09-18-15, 09:09 AM
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BTW I think the reason why I like to unclip inwards is because the muscles that rotate the heel inwards are stronger than those that rotate the foot outwards, at least if you are talking rotation at the hip. At least for me they are.
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Old 09-18-15, 09:13 AM
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Some pedal/cleat combinations allow the rider to simply pull up, or pull at an angle.

Shimano SPD with "multi-release" SH56 cleats come to mind.
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Old 09-18-15, 09:22 AM
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Most of the time I unclip outwards. When I have to do it quickly though I go inwards, because I can do that easier/faster.
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Old 09-18-15, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas
BTW I think the reason why I like to unclip inwards is because the muscles that rotate the heel inwards are stronger than those that rotate the foot outwards, at least if you are talking rotation at the hip. At least for me they are.
You are not alone. I am in a constant struggle to unclip heel outwards. I really prefer inwards. That's why I said in the other thread to find the part of the crank circle where you have the strength you need to do it outwards. It does vary.
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Old 09-18-15, 09:32 AM
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Heel out seems the most reliable (the crank can't ever be in the way).
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Old 09-18-15, 09:40 AM
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Datlas, there are some sympathizers in this thread trying to not treat you as strange and different, but I think they're doing you more harm than good. You really need to stop doing this. Think of your kids. This is unnatural and wrong.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:06 AM
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I can think of a couple of muscles that some of you guys need to seriously work on if you can't unclip outwards.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:12 AM
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It's hard to answer, without getting political.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:17 AM
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I can do it both directions, but almost always unclip heel out.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:20 AM
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Nobody cares which direction other people unclip.

Just don't keel over and embarrass us as you roll to a stop, that's all.

Last edited by TimothyH; 09-18-15 at 10:56 AM.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:22 AM
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
Nobody cares which direction other people unclip.
Speak for yourself. I have strong feelings about this topic.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by RPK79
Datlas, there are some sympathizers in this thread trying to not treat you as strange and different, but I think they're doing you more harm than good. You really need to stop doing this. Think of your kids. This is unnatural and wrong.
^^listen to this man, he has your best interests at heart.
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Old 09-18-15, 10:47 AM
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Turning IN to unclip?! I actually read the Shimano instructions when I first went SPD, which of course say heel out or whatever-no comprende heel in. Re-train those muscles, and your brain, to do it normal style. Do this today ;-). Have you considered lighter tension on the left side?
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Old 09-18-15, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by RPK79
Datlas, there are some sympathizers in this thread trying to not treat you as strange and different, but I think they're doing you more harm than good. You really need to stop doing this. Think of your kids. This is unnatural and wrong.
More unnatural than calling dual-action brake/shift levers "brifters??" because I am sure there are plenty who do that too.
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Old 09-18-15, 11:12 AM
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Used to unclip heel in since it felt more natural, until one day I kicked my foot into my rear spokes and nearly crashed. Never again.

Last edited by Xherion; 09-18-15 at 11:19 AM.
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Old 09-18-15, 11:15 AM
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"More unnatural than calling dual-action brake/shift levers "brifters??"
You can call that unnatural, however I think you are just throwing up a smokescreen to cover the fact that you clip out by turning your footie towards the danger zone.
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Old 09-18-15, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas
More unnatural than calling dual-action brake/shift levers "brifters??" because I am sure there are plenty who do that too.
Don't try to change the subject.
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Old 09-18-15, 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
Some pedal/cleat combinations allow the rider to simply pull up, or pull at an angle.

Shimano SPD with "multi-release" SH56 cleats come to mind.
Yeah, those are stupid, and frankly, dangerous. The whole point is to be able to pull up. I bought those by mistake once, pulled out twice in a 20 minute ride, and immediately tossed them in the garbage.

Twist out. Only.
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Old 09-18-15, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by RPK79
Don't try to change the subject.
He's practicing running for public office.
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