flangehead

I put down the foot on the opposite side of my turn. The toe clips on my commuter will drag on the pavement in a turn if I haven’t yet flipped them up.

I drop the right foot if going straight.

genejockey 

Unclip on the right. That's where the curbs are. Plus, just as I'm right handed, and my left hand is a barely usable club with fingers, so I am right footed.

macattack71

Left foot first. If I am on just one leg for any period of time coasting slowly to a light, it had better be my good leg. The left knee is questionable at best and can't start off the line worth a darn.

cyclezen

at first, thought this was a silly question, then thinking about it, things go on 'auto' for me, and always dependz....
if there's a curb available, I look for a clean area and unclip right
if no curb, most roads/streets have a crown dropping towards gutter, so unclip left, just easier.closer reach.
If at a stop sign or I expect the light to turn green in a few secs, track stand
if unexpected and sudden stop, and have possible wheel overlap, unclip same side as rider in front of me.
Ride On
Yuri

padeg

I think I release the left foot. The right is ready to restart

wheelreason

Left (non dominant).

Calsun

I kick a ball with my left food and I am more stable standing on the right foot than standing on the left foot in terms of balance.

Fredo76

From the toe-strap days, loosen the RH strap, because you braking with the left hand. My left side is stronger these days, so I still un-clip the right foot, and start off with the left.

Carbonfiberboy 

I always unclip the foot away from traffic. Sometimes there's a curb on that side, and I don't want my traffic-side foot run over by a driver who comes too close. I know a woman that happened to.

downtube42

Voted left, because that's what I do, not because I have a reason. I assume dominance. Others have mentioned curbs, which I do occasionally utilize to remain in the saddle (!) while at a light. In that case, right given I'm in North America.

On my 'bent, if I'm going to dismount, I'll unclip both simultaneously. I'm told it's a rather dramatic look from behind, as both feet fly out. Otherwise left.

rsbob 

What’s a curb?

flangehead

It’s like a curve except entirely different.

rsbob 

Hillarious!

rsbob 

Somewhat related. Took off from a light with another guy (no curbs involved) and we both had clipless clipin pedals. The poor guy was really struggling to clip when we crossed the intersection where a 7% climb started. He was still trying as I was able to head up. No matter how many times I clip, there just are times where the automatic clipping isn’t that automatic.

Can’t imagine the disadvantage if that happened at a crit start.

urbanknight

I have noticed that my accuracy clipping in just isn't what it used to be. Trying to convince myself it's because the SPD-SL pedals are lighter and more spin happy than the Look Delta ones, but it's probably just age. Not a big deal since I also don't race anymore, but a month ago my foot slipped and made the peal spin back and hit my shin.

raceboy

I mostly go left foot wearing clipless and right foot using regular pedals. I’m weird.

Bald Paul

I switched from SPD-SL to Wahoo Speedplays. Clipping in is almost automatic. Some have said they can't unclip easily. Usually because they haven't lubricated the retention springs in the cleat. I just use a shot of Lemon Pledge now and then. Keeps the springs from sticking, and my feet smell lemon fresh!

mtnbud

I believe it's a leg strength issue. I think my legs are stronger in that direction.

joesch

RE: I later switched to my left for racing because I wanted to start with my dominant leg.
This is my main reason for doing the same.

Sierra_rider

It depends...I can count the number of times I go through a stoplight, every year, on one hand. So most of the time, I don't even unclip at stop signs. If I do unclip, it's typically with the left, as I like to start out with my right leg. However, some of our intersections are on side hills, so I'll unclip with whatever foot is on the uphill side.

The final situation is stopping at gates on gravel and mtb rides. I like lifting the bike up and over the gate with the drive side away from me...so I'll unclip the right and step off from the left while still moving/turning to be parallel with the gate.

msu2001la

Generally I unclip my left foot due to the crown of the road. I am fully ambidextrous on this topic though and will sometimes unclip my right foot if there's a curb or the road is really flat. This assumes I'm not getting off the bike, and am leaving the other foot clipped in.

If we want to talk about dismounting or remounting, swinging a leg over the saddle, for me it's non-drive-side only. I find it very difficult to get on a bike from the drive side. I have no order or preference on clipping in, but swinging my left leg over the saddle seems nearly impossible. I blame years of cyclocross and practicing dismounts/remounts on one side only.

rsbob 

Big ouch. Shin hits are o-so-painful.

cyclezen

Modern 'Clipless' is a cake walk compared to clipping into toe clips at the start of a Crit.
Some guys just started on the 'back' side of the pedal.
I made some alu 'extenders/tabs' which I screwed to the outside of rear plate of the pedal - allowed me to quickly 'toe' the pedal around and slide in; then took a few revolutions and tightened the strap when settled... The extender tab needed to be offset downward on back plate just enough to allow the shoe cleat to catch properly on the rear plate.
I still would practice a quick 'IN' to get it down, solid. Still, there were a few times when I fumbled... LOL!
Most of my bikes have eggbeaters variants now - about as auto as can be imagined. I do use SPD-SL on my top roadie, still quite nice entry...
Ride On
Yuri

spclark 

Same here, as much for road crown/slope as because when I start back using my clipped right foot I tend to lean left & the bike wants to turn right just a bit until I gain some momentum. Once I've got left pedal high it's easier to clip back in the proceed.

But if I have to put right down for some reason I'll do it. Good to be practiced doing both maneuvers, rather than habituate to one over the other.

rsbob 

Oh you are so showing your age. I started with flats and then graduated to “rat traps” aka toe clips with straps. Feels like a million years ago I used those. Moved on to Deltas and then Shimano’s version of the Deltas. Your solution was ingenious.