boggy

I had my left leg broken between knee and ankle about 4 months ago - both tibia and fibula. I have titanium rod running through tibia, and at this point in time I can already pedal somewhat OK. It's getting off Shimano Ultegra PD-6700 pedal that I can not do at all. I adjusted tension to bare minimum, and my leg still can't handle torsional movement required to free the cleat. It hurts like hell, and what's even worse - it hurts for a day or two after even trying. I can free the foot manually using hands, but somehow I think it would be a really bad idea to ride like that.

Short of putting those ugly cages on my beautiful Fuji SST, is there anything you guys can suggest that would not require torsional movement from by battered leg?

Jfitalia

Ok well When I broke my tibia during a soccer match it took me about 6 months. Is it the pain that is preventing you from clipping out? When I ended up changing was the foot I clip out first. I would always clip out using my right foot but after I broke my right leg I now clip out using my left. I have more flex in my left ankle and its easier to clip out. Once I have a foot on the ground I can use my weight to pop out my right. Over the last few years its gotten stronger and I can pop my right out in an emergency.

tagaproject6

You really need to heal. Get the rat traps and forget aesthetics until you are strong enough. Or you could could insist on inflicting more damage and frame your pretty bike so you can admire it while it is hanging on the wall because you can no longer ride. Your choice.

ravenmore

Yeah I'm no doc but if it hurts that much you shouldn't be doing it. I'd do pedals with toe clips.

JustinNY

lol...the 41 has people so brainwashed that they're willing to sacrifice their health to maintain their image

zaqwert6

IDk , if you can't stomach some basic platforms....

Speedplays , at least the X1s I run , take like no force at all to clip out as long as you can rotate at all.

zaqwert6

What good is a healthy bad image?

boggy

I can rotate... Never tried speedplays, so you are saying speedplay does not require much force to get off pedal? Shimano requires 10lbs torsional force or so to get out of, and that hurts my tibia bad...

Hapsmo911

X1's or X2's are super easy to unclip. They are prob the easiest pedals to unclip. You can get zero's and swap the springs with LA cleats. Prob close to the X1 release and you can adjust the unclip point.

ravenmore

Speedplay Light Action (hence the name) have the least amount of force required for a Speedplay pedal. I personally prefer Zero's though.

slowandsteady

I had a severe tibial plateau fracture in 2009. The pain didn't go away for a year. I was on morphine for almost 6 months. My knee is still screwed up. Bone pain from a fracture lasts a long, long time. You may need use traditional clips until it is fully healed. That pain is telling you that the bone hasn't fully knitted up. Better to take it easy and give it time to heal.

pihb

Use flat pedals. sure they suck and they aren't the best. You are still healing and need to make sure you can escape if needed

valygrl

Speedplay Frog mountain bike pedals take no force to get out of. A lot easier than the Light Actions, even. (I've used both.) You do need to use MTB shoes, though, I think.

Good luck with your healing!

milkbaby

Platforms and/or toeclips... Why try to take one step forwards and two step backwards? Work hard on rehab and recovery now so you can enjoy your riding to the max sooner rather than limping around an extended period... Good luck and best wishes!

Paul Barnard

I'd use studded platforms. I have them on my home built commuter/touring bike and honestly lose little at all to the Looks on my Tarmac. Very little.

ddimick

This might be too obvious to mention, but ensure your leg is extended as far as possible at the bottom of the stroke before trying to disengage. It's a hell of a lot easier to do at the crank bottom than it is at the top.

boggy

Tried everything. Straight or not, my bone can't handle the force it takes to spring out of Ultegra PD-6700. Once I start twisting my leg counter-clockwise to spring out of pedal, I get pain at the point where bone broke that grows worse the more force is applied.

I am going to go to LBS this Friday and try Speedplay X1 pedal. From what people are saying it does not require application of force to spring out of pedal.

P.S. Boy am I glad I did not listen to "Get the rat traps and forget aesthetics" advice posted in this thread.