dellwilson

I've been using clipless pedals since the early 90s. I bought a pair of Ritchey SPD-style pedals for my MTB back then and have loved them ever since. Since returning to biking last year, I've been using them on my road bike, but clipping into them with road shoes is tough. I couple of months ago, I went down at an intersection because I stood up to accelerate before my foot was completely clipped in and there's nothing on those hard-soled road shoes to grip the pedals. (In the spirit of seeing the silver lining, I got a cool scar from that one when my chainring bit into my leg.)

So, I've recently acquired some Look-style pedals, but I'm not doing that well clipping into them either. When not in use, they point their nose straight up. So, there's two operations that are required: 1) Get the pedal horizontal. 2) Get the cleat in the toe of the pedal before it rotates to vertical again.

Can anyone offer me a good strategy for clipping in?

Flatballer

it's really just one operation, you flip it and clip at the same time.

You dig the front end of your cleat into the front of the pedal. While you do this it starts to rotate forward and then you push down to clip in.

Imagine kind of putting the smooth front of your toe on top of the front of the pedal, then slide the shoe forward until the cleat catches the pedal. As the cleat catches the pedal the pedal will rotate forward and become flat so you can push down.

It sounds more complicated than it is. It'll become second nature.

You can also pedal if you're close but not clicked in, just don't stand.

BarracksSi

Also, leave one foot clipped in while stopped.

Yellowbeard

I started using Looks at the end of last year and it took me at least a couple hundred kms to get the hang of it, so don't worry, just stick with it until it gets easy. One thing I found made it easier was to twist my foot back and forth a bit as I step in, if the front of the cleat isn't in quite engaged at first it will be after that. I also avoid pushing off in low gears to keep the pedal from spinning.

Carbon Unit

Look style pedals didn't work for me either. Maybe because I was new to clippless. I sold them on Ebay and bought Speedplay pedals. I have never had a problem clipping in or out since.

RoboCheme

I gave up on Looks and went with Speedplays, too. With Looks I spent too much time looking down at the pedals while going through the intersections. Not a safe situation.

Solorouleur

I think I used my Looks twice or three times on the road before I switched to Speedplays...they were just not for me.

mathwheels

only ever had look and were first clipless. It took a bit of practice to nail it. one suggestion: remember that the front part of shoe clip that grabs pedal clip is under the ball of foot so use that as you starting point when feeling where you are clipping in. I was using toe as guide and took a lot more manipulation to get in. hope this helps.

Carbon Unit

I always thought that Look pedals were properly named because you have to LOOK before you can clip in. I guess Speedplay should be called NO LOOK pedals because you don't need to look down to clip in.

skol

I find them much easier to clip into than SPD mnt pedals which is more of a mash foot straight down - with the Look its like a fluid motion (when done correctly) just like a pedal stroke - it will engage easier as your cleats wear in also...candle wax helps on cleat

Gege-Bubu

LOL! I do not have a problem to clip IN, it's only when I have to cross the road and be slow, or I just pedal with one foot until back on trail
However, sometimes I cannot clip OUT quickly which I believe is a bigger problem

Val23708

I've always felt like im hooking the cleat into the pedal then locking it in with one motion. not a problem here.

dellwilson

Thanks for the advice. I was looking for a strategy and I'll concentrate on that over the next few weeks. I rode about 50mi with the club today and it really wasn't a big deal. There weren't that many intersections and nobody was really sprinting off of them. It's more of a big deal when I'm on a short, quick ride near my home and I've got 10 stop lights in about as many miles. Thanks again.

Yellowbeard

On the bright side, if you do stick with them, all those lights will get you used to it in no time.

davida

HI

I flick the pedal with my toe to get it up the right way and then clip in. Only took about 5000km to get it right without looking.

davida

WhyFi

+ 1 - I ride to work just about every day, and I need to come to a stop 6-10 times a ride. Even if I continued to practice with the SPD-SL pedals, I'd still be fumble****ing with the pedals a couple times per ride - that's simply too much, given the traffic that I need to negotiate. The first ride on the Speedplays was smoother than the 12th ride on the SPD-SLs.

roadiejorge 

As others have suggested, it's just a matter of flipping the pedal up with the front part of your shoe then sliding until you feel the cleat catching the pedal then just apply the pressure forward until you hear the click. I use Look pedals and really like them even when I use them to commute to and from work which requires unclipping often; it's just a matter of getting used to the clipping in.