LA_Rider

Hi, I’m a clipless newbie myself, but I wanted to pass along a few things I’ve figured out so far.

LA traffic and foreign tourists learning how to rollerblade are pretty scary things to deal with while attached to a bike, but these few tips have helped get me though it all so far.

1) Always clip and unclip with the same foot - It avoids confusion. aka: Brainfarts

2) When starting up at an intersection, just start pedaling. Keep your eyes on the traffic, not your pedals. Once your muscle memory develops, you’ll automatically clip right in most of the time. If not, wait till you’re out of traffic before looking down.

3) If you’re approaching a questionable situation, just unclip and keep pedaling, once past danger, press down and re-clip. If you feel you might need to put a foot down, it’s better to have that foot already available - I’ve avoided a few potential falls this way.

FYI: I use Speedplay Zeros.

PS: Feel free to add your suggestions.

- Happy Riding

merlinextraligh

I have to quibble with 1). You need to learn to get in and out with both feet. there will be times you need to do so.

minder357

My suggestion would be to clip/unclip with your weaker side until that becomes a strength, and then switch to the other (originally better at un/clipping) side.

UmneyDurak

Like when? Haven't encountered that cituation yet.

roadfix

As a newbie, that's fine. But also practice clicking out of the other foot as well. Believe me, you will encounter situations where you might lean your bike the other way where you're forced to click out of the 'other' foot. With practice, clicking out ot either foot becomes second nature. Besides, clicking out of either foot in equal frequency will wear your shoes, cleats, and pedals evenly and will last longer.
Note: We're not talking about clicking both feet out at the same time...!

Yukky

I just got my first set of clipless (Stock SPD) and when getting started it's MUCH easier to find and manage unclipping when my leg is closer to full extension.

Inverted

Before you come to a stop (sign, end of ride, break, anything) shift down into an easier gear, especially if you are going to re-start on an uphill incline. It is MUCH easier to pedal with one foot while clipping in- or trying to clip in- the other foot if your bike is in a lower gear.

Sounds pretty simple, but I had to learn the hard way (no pun intended).

merlinextraligh

1) when you come to a stop and inadvertantly lean to the side that you weren't planning to clip out on, 2) when you want to clip out to lean to one side away from traffic,3) when you can't put your foot down on one side because the bike next to you is too close, 4) when your leg is going to be smashed by the car bumper if you don't unclip it and raise it above the level of the bumper, 5) when the bike slides out on gravel or sand, and you need to put a foot down.....

LA_Rider

I will work on that 4 sure - thanks.

rickkko

I had an ugly situation today trying to clip in. I was at a stop light on a fairly steep uphill (1/2 way up) overpass. To my right was the right turn onto the freeway. Everyone (cages) behind me were in that lane to turn right. I wanted to proceed straight ahead when light turned green. (I've got Speedplay X/1's).

Light turns green. I'm in a good low gear to get right up to speed but problem was, after one 1/2 turn of the crank I didn't get up enough speed to have time to get my other foot clipped in! The steepness stops me! Oops!

Now I'm in the 1st quarter of where cars want to turn right, I'm clipped in with one foot and trying to walk the bike forward with the other, uphill! Damn, not good. Too slow....

So I try again. Again, the gear was too low. I did a 1/2 turn on the crank and the bike nearly comes to an immediate stop again. Bummer....

There I am delaying all the turning traffic looking like a fool who can't turn one complete revolution.

No one honked and I eventually got out of the way but the problem was, it was fairly steep uphill which didn't allow me to get a good few spins going.

I know now what I should've done but didn't think at the time.

1st I gotta say, I alternate riding two bikes; the one today and one where I have platform pedals and a cage. So, today I forgot my shoe/foot was clipped in on the one side and I could've of kept up the spin just by pulling up after the 1/2 crank. It didn't even cross my mind at the time because I switch riding bikes back and forth almost daily.

Next time I'll remember!

You know how it is, you make a mistake once and you never forget after that.


..rickko..

TheDTrain

Thanks for the info, keep this thread up, it's helpful, I'm getting some clipless soon.

Yukky

What brand are you getting Dtrain?

TheDTrain

Looks off of performance most likely
A 5.1, they're older model, but they looks good.

bluecd

make sure when accelerating from a stop your unclipped foot is actually clipped in before you crank on the pedal.

me, sitting at a stop sign on my local bike trail waiting for cars to clear. car on left stops to let me go, car on right stops to let me go. push off the ground with right foot & crank with left foot. try to clip right foot in and give it a hard crank to accelerate quickly through intersection. pull up on right handle bar & push down on left as im really trying to generate power and go fast. right foot isnt clipped in & slips off. pull bike out from underneath me with the handle bars and go head over heels as my bike flys through the air right in the middle of the intersection. how embarrassing. get up brush myself off, wave to the cars & meekly get on & ride away.

make sure your clipped in before applying the power.

spunky

When stopping.....make sure you're unclipped before setting your foot down! The other day I was pulling up to a store after riding really hard and my brain was a bit spaced out. I unclipped the right foot and then the left. Only the left cleat didn't fully disengage eventhough I thought it had. Tried to put my foot down only to find it still locked in. Because I was barely rolling and really tired, before I realized what had happened, I found myself tipping over.....D'oh.

trayer350

You mean you bring along extra feet?

rosem

My tip would to NOT keep peddling after unclipping. Sometimes you'll click back in and not know it and you'll end up on your ass.

scottatl

Hey all,

I do not have clipless peddles yet, still very hesitant to get them, but I know I eventually will.

Question #1, when you are not clipped in and starting from a stop, can you apply any power to the pedal or do you slip right off? When on a hill I sometimes have trouble even getting in the pedal cage so I just ride on the top of the pedal until I can get in.


Question #2, why do they call them clipless pedals when the premise is you clip into them, hmmmm communist conspiracy perhaps????

octaneTom

You can apply power just fine (well, I can with SPDs and Sidi Mountain shoes..don't know if you can easily pedal w/ other systems).

Usually, I unclip right foot at stoplights and leave left foot clipped in, leaning on right foot. When the light changes, I pedal through the intersection with my right foot in general clip area...usually it snaps right into place either during the intersection or right after, but sometimes it doesn't. In those cases, I just keep pedaling until I'm free of cars/congestion and look down at the pedal to make the connection easier. This took a few weeks of practice—I just got my first road bike and clipless pedals about a month ago, and at first I'd have to go really slow after getting through the intersection and focus to make the connection, but now it's coming like second nature.

And yeah, everyone falls the first week. It's embarassing but you get over it quickly.

Lucky07

If you're riding 10-15+ miles a day, I'd say go for clipless. If you're commuting short distances the old clips are fine. I really only get a benefit from clipless when I'm on my longer rides. I have clips on my beater (and mtn shoes) and find they're better in heavy traffic/short rides.

Also, it's a very good idea to practice clipping and unclipping with both feet. As people have said, you never know when you'll have to go with the left or right foot.

And don't hesitate to unclip because you *think* you might not stop at a light or in traffic. Better to unclip and have a free foot, than to hestiate, be clipped in at a stop, and fall over like a drunken steer. (Like I have...)

scottatl

Can you get power with the little speedplay pedals prior to actually making the clip connection?

LA_Rider

Yes. Wherever your shoe happens to land, you can still pedal well enough to get out of an intersection - as long as you’re in a easy gear. A hard gear may cause your foot to slide off.

PS: I took my bike into the shop last week - had to park my car several blocks away. I rode from my car to the shop in flip-flops - on my Speedplays.

roadfix

Do I have a choice...?

TexasGuy

I usually unclip my right foot because this allows me to lean against the curb at intersections. I have been forcing myself to unclip my left foot occasionally but for the most part this is pointless aside from practice.

roadfix

Wrong!.....read earlier postings on this thread.....