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Disengaging from SPD-SL pedals

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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

Disengaging from SPD-SL pedals

Old 01-07-21, 10:26 AM
  #26  
Litespud
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Originally Posted by SapInMyBlood
There are many countries in this world, and many of them do things differently than each other

-Australia
thanks for the geography lesson there Oz 🙄 but blacknbluebikes is in the US, where they drive - and presumably ride - on the right

-Many Countries
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Old 01-07-21, 01:39 PM
  #27  
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Just get used to it.
I prefer the more solidly clipped in feeling of a road SPD pedal.
If you don't like it or have some physical issue with applying the required rotational force go back to your old pedals.
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Old 01-07-21, 01:41 PM
  #28  
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Even in the US, there are plenty of one-way, multi-lane streets where it's legal and safe to ride on the left. Many downtown/midtown streets in Sacramento even have bikelanes on both sides.
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Old 01-07-21, 02:17 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Litespud
thanks for the geography lesson there Oz 🙄 but blacknbluebikes is in the US, where they drive - and presumably ride - on the right

-Many Countries

Given the circumstances, there is only one plausible answer :

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Old 01-07-21, 03:39 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by caloso
Even in the US, there are plenty of one-way, multi-lane streets where it's legal and safe to ride on the left. Many downtown/midtown streets in Sacramento even have bikelanes on both sides.
No doubt, but blacknbluebikes stated "almost always left foot first, so I can rest it on the curb at stops" - that's an awful lot of one-way streets
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Old 01-09-21, 10:00 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by eduskator
Increase tension? The whole thread is about hard disengaging.
Replace cleats? Chances are they're brand new if he bought pedals.
True enough. Increasing tension is the least of my issues. And yes, the cleats and shoes are both new since the pedals are new and my old shoes wouldn’t take a 3-bolt cleat.
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Old 01-09-21, 10:23 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by cafzali
Since making the switch, I’ve noticed they seem much harder to disengage from than SPDs. Even after loosening the pedal tension as much as possible, they still don’t seem nearly as responsive. It’s interesting to me that they’ve become so popular given this issue, but I realize it could just be the adjustment and that some people may find it more challenging than others.
For a number of valid reasons (sprinters make insane power, roadies don't have to routinely foot dab awkwardly around failed technical sections, road power tends to be more full circle, etc, etc) road cleats are harder to disengage. You basically just get used to it eventually.

One thing that helped me transition was to intentionally "lead with the heel" whenever I was thinking about it (ala coming up to a stop). This gets the heel out in front of the foot, causing the twist you need without having to think about twisting as a separate motion, and it also engages the downward motion of the calf instead of just the anlkle making the twist more... I dunno... powerful? Or something. Just try it and see if it helps. "Lead with the heel, lead with the heel, lead with the heel"

Eventually that just became a habit and I seldom have an issue now.
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Old 01-09-21, 04:40 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by cafzali
Even though I’ve been road cycling since 2008, I only recently made the switch from SPDs to SPD-SL pedals. I wanted a wider pedal platform and needed to replace my existing shoes anyway, so I figured now was the time.

Since making the switch, I’ve noticed they seem much harder to disengage from than SPDs. Even after loosening the pedal tension as much as possible, they still don’t seem nearly as responsive. It’s interesting to me that they’ve become so popular given this issue, but I realize it could just be the adjustment and that some people may find it more challenging than others.

Interested in hearing other’s experiences.

TIA.
I need to recall my previous response - I have the bike on an indoor fluid trainer and just double checked the dismount - now I have to agree with you , it's much more difficult to disengage the SPD-SL cleats ( in my case Blue Shimano SPD-SL cleats ) from the pedal , i.e. DuraAce SPD-SL , as compared to my old red SPD Look cleats with Look SPD pedals - I'm in the market for new shoes , my test was done with old shoes but new SPD-SL cleats , but first I'll try setting the pedal tension to the smallest amount and if it's still harder to dismount I'll probably opt for new DuraAce SPD pedals with regular Shimano SPD cleats - will hopefully find a buyer for the DuraAce SPD-SL pedals , Ughhhhh !!!!

Last edited by blinky; 01-09-21 at 04:48 PM. Reason: punctuation and grammer
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Old 01-09-21, 07:31 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by blinky
I need to recall my previous response - I have the bike on an indoor fluid trainer and just double checked the dismount - now I have to agree with you , it's much more difficult to disengage the SPD-SL cleats ( in my case Blue Shimano SPD-SL cleats ) from the pedal , i.e. DuraAce SPD-SL , as compared to my old red SPD Look cleats with Look SPD pedals - I'm in the market for new shoes , my test was done with old shoes but new SPD-SL cleats , but first I'll try setting the pedal tension to the smallest amount and if it's still harder to dismount I'll probably opt for new DuraAce SPD pedals with regular Shimano SPD cleats - will hopefully find a buyer for the DuraAce SPD-SL pedals , Ughhhhh !!!!
this is thoroughly confusing - you seem to be using “SPD” and “SPD-SL” interchangeably
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Old 01-10-21, 07:12 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Litespud
this is thoroughly confusing - you seem to be using “SPD” and “SPD-SL” interchangeably
I agree , I'll be more concise : OP , I recant my first reply , I double checked and dismounting with my SPD-SL cleats is tougher than how I remember with my Look cleats - Litespud , my bike was originally Chorus 10 but two years ago I switched out to the Shimano components , drive train and brakes and just recently replaced the Look pedals with Shimano Dura Ace SPD-SL pedals - had a Hybrid with SPD cleats and dismounting with the SPD-SL cleats is much much harder .

Last edited by blinky; 03-15-21 at 03:53 PM.
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Old 01-10-21, 06:47 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by smashndash
I've used 105 (5800) and ultegra (R8000) pedals and both seem similar. My crappy old R540 pedals were probably a bit lighter, but also a bit "stickier" if that makes sense. What pedals are you using?
They’re R540s. Maybe that was part of my mistake. Perhaps I should have bought either the 5800 or R8000 model.
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Old 01-11-21, 09:03 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by cafzali
They’re R540s. Maybe that was part of my mistake. Perhaps I should have bought either the 5800 or R8000 model.
Yep. Cheaper pedals tend to have a ''cheaper'' feeling! I have the R8000 and they're just fine.
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Old 01-14-21, 04:55 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by cafzali
They’re R540s. Maybe that was part of my mistake. Perhaps I should have bought either the 5800 or R8000 model.
I think the more expensive pedals feel more consistent but I don't think you're going to feel less resistance. Look at Shimano's light action pedals. They might be a better fit for you. However, I believe shimano only makes a 540 LA.

"These pedals are designed for on-road recreation. These pedals can be engaged with and released from the cleats more easily than other SPD-SL pedals. These pedals are designed for non competition and non aggressive uses. If you use these pedals for such usage, the cleats may become accidentally released from the pedals and you may fall off the bicycle."

If you seriously cannot adapt to the lowest resistance of 540 pedals, either your definition of "hard" is very different from ours (unlikely), you're not setting the tension right (most likely), or the pedals are defective (also unlikely).

How about a video clip? I'll post a clip of how easily I can get in and out of my pedals. Just give me a few.
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Old 01-14-21, 05:25 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by smashndash
How about a video clip? I'll post a clip of how easily I can get in and out of my pedals. Just give me a few.
Here:
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