View Poll Results: Left Foot or Right Foot?
Left Foot
60
55.56%
Right Foot
42
38.89%
Track Stand
6
5.56%
Voters: 108. You may not vote on this poll
Left Foot or Right Foot?
12-25-20, 02:44 PM
#52
Senior Member
Ridiculous! Watch carefully next time you’re in a group coming to a stop. People who unclip on the drive side lean their bike to the right side or lean it against their right leg. If you’re right foot stays clipped in it stays the same distance, more or less, to the drive chain, hard to get it closer. I tried it today on my Christmas ride. Or you could be like this woman I met once who had the chain ring imprint tattooed on her right calf so it’s permanently there and doesn’t matter if you get more chain oil on your leg. She was a MTBer though...
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12-25-20, 02:54 PM
#53
Senior Member
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I have a similar issue where it is very difficult to clip out with my left foot while riding so I almost always unclip my right foot. If I have to clip out my left foot while moving I twist in also. But when stopped I find it easier to clip out. Too many ankle injuries over the years.
12-25-20, 02:58 PM
#54
left and I can only do a u turn well on our tandem to the left.
12-25-20, 03:39 PM
#55
Gone Biking!
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Indiana
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Right foot, not sure why, but I have been doing for over 40 years. No cute rationalizations, that is just the way I do it.
12-25-20, 04:06 PM
#56
Senior Member
I'm with one4smoke- why would you fall to the side that you already have your foot down?
The last time that happened to me, it was at the opening of the bike lane across a bridge, & thousands of cyclists showed up.
I pulled up to the small group, unclipped on the right, & a guy pulled up on my left, bumping into me. I fell to the side that was still clipped in, knocking him over as well.
He apologized.
Generally I go with left side/crown of road, and you know that there will be pavement there, but either is OK.
I can also pull the water bottle to drink with left or right hand!
The last time that happened to me, it was at the opening of the bike lane across a bridge, & thousands of cyclists showed up.
I pulled up to the small group, unclipped on the right, & a guy pulled up on my left, bumping into me. I fell to the side that was still clipped in, knocking him over as well.
He apologized.
Generally I go with left side/crown of road, and you know that there will be pavement there, but either is OK.
I can also pull the water bottle to drink with left or right hand!
12-25-20, 04:25 PM
#57
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
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But I usually trackstand. Most of the streets downtown have enough slope to the gutter that it makes it pretty easy even with a freewheel.
12-25-20, 04:30 PM
#58
I'm with one4smoke- why would you fall to the side that you already have your foot down?
The last time that happened to me, it was at the opening of the bike lane across a bridge, & thousands of cyclists showed up.
I pulled up to the small group, unclipped on the right, & a guy pulled up on my left, bumping into me. I fell to the side that was still clipped in, knocking him over as well.
He apologized.
Generally I go with left side/crown of road, and you know that there will be pavement there, but either is OK.
I can also pull the water bottle to drink with left or right hand!
The last time that happened to me, it was at the opening of the bike lane across a bridge, & thousands of cyclists showed up.
I pulled up to the small group, unclipped on the right, & a guy pulled up on my left, bumping into me. I fell to the side that was still clipped in, knocking him over as well.
He apologized.
Generally I go with left side/crown of road, and you know that there will be pavement there, but either is OK.
I can also pull the water bottle to drink with left or right hand!
12-25-20, 05:29 PM
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston, TX
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Bikes: 2017 Co-op ADV 1.1; ~1991 Novara Arriba; 1990 Fuji Palisade; mid-90's Moots Tandem; 1985 Performance Superbe
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My habit was left, but I’m trying to change habit to right foot down for left turns and left for right hand turns.
I use toe clips on my utility bikes and I don’t get the pedal flipped immediately. This results in the clip dragging on the pavement in the turn and wears it out. I’m trying to avoid that by staying with my toe in the direction of the turn.
It is a work in progress.
I use toe clips on my utility bikes and I don’t get the pedal flipped immediately. This results in the clip dragging on the pavement in the turn and wears it out. I’m trying to avoid that by staying with my toe in the direction of the turn.
It is a work in progress.
12-25-20, 10:56 PM
#62
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
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If you fail to unclip successfully you tend to fall towards the side you are tying to unclip on. You don’t have your foot out but, generally, you are leaning towards the side you are trying to unclip. To be honest, it hasn’t happened to me in a very long time as I can and do trackstand most of the time and I can come to a complete stop even while clipped in and still get out. But, if I’m going to topple over because of a mistake, I want to fall away from the line of traffic.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
12-25-20, 11:06 PM
#63
Occam's Rotor
Time for a PSA:
If you strongly favor one side, practice using the other side, so you can use it if golden retriever puppies decide to take out your favorite ankle.
If you strongly favor one side, practice using the other side, so you can use it if golden retriever puppies decide to take out your favorite ankle.
12-26-20, 12:16 AM
#64
Senior Member
Fascinating read.
In so many other threads when someone posts about trying out clipless for the first time just about everybody jumps in and tells them how great it is and how easy it is to pick up.
Apparently these same people have A LOT of experience falling over which comes to light when it pertains to giving advice on how to stop lol.
Funny you never hear about anyone needing to dissect a simple stop based upon potentially falling into traffic when using toe clips
In so many other threads when someone posts about trying out clipless for the first time just about everybody jumps in and tells them how great it is and how easy it is to pick up.
Apparently these same people have A LOT of experience falling over which comes to light when it pertains to giving advice on how to stop lol.
Funny you never hear about anyone needing to dissect a simple stop based upon potentially falling into traffic when using toe clips
12-26-20, 12:54 AM
#65
Occam's Rotor
That's because no one uses toe clips anymore.
Besides, you have to loosen them.
A much better case for easy emergency dismounts could be made if you were advocating flat pedals.
Besides, you have to loosen them.
A much better case for easy emergency dismounts could be made if you were advocating flat pedals.
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12-26-20, 09:19 AM
#66
Mad bike riding scientist
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Fascinating read.
In so many other threads when someone posts about trying out clipless for the first time just about everybody jumps in and tells them how great it is and how easy it is to pick up.
Apparently these same people have A LOT of experience falling over which comes to light when it pertains to giving advice on how to stop lol.
Funny you never hear about anyone needing to dissect a simple stop based upon potentially falling into traffic when using toe clips
In so many other threads when someone posts about trying out clipless for the first time just about everybody jumps in and tells them how great it is and how easy it is to pick up.
Apparently these same people have A LOT of experience falling over which comes to light when it pertains to giving advice on how to stop lol.
Funny you never hear about anyone needing to dissect a simple stop based upon potentially falling into traffic when using toe clips
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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12-26-20, 09:32 AM
#68
Mad bike riding scientist
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Ridiculous! Watch carefully next time you’re in a group coming to a stop. People who unclip on the drive side lean their bike to the right side or lean it against their right leg. If you’re right foot stays clipped in it stays the same distance, more or less, to the drive chain, hard to get it closer. I tried it today on my Christmas ride. Or you could be like this woman I met once who had the chain ring imprint tattooed on her right calf so it’s permanently there and doesn’t matter if you get more chain oil on your leg. She was a MTBer though...
People who unclip on the left increase the angle on the left side but not on the right. The right is closer to the leg and more likely to touch on take off.
On the other hand, if you don’t want chain grease on your leg, don’t use chain grease.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
12-26-20, 10:18 AM
#69
Expired Member
Thread Starter
Chain tattoos would be yet another fascinating thread topic!
12-26-20, 11:09 AM
#70
Advocatus Diaboli
Join Date: Feb 2015
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That’s your opinion. My wife unclips to the left and she has far more chainring marks then I do. We were discussing this yesterday and, without prompting, she said that the bike leans against her leg more. People who unclip on the right lean move their right leg away from the drivetrain. The bike leans towards the “right unclipper’s” left leg or, more properly, the angle between the frame and the foot increases and your right leg is further away from the drivetrain.
People who unclip on the left increase the angle on the left side but not on the right. The right is closer to the leg and more likely to touch on take off.
On the other hand, if you don’t want chain grease on your leg, don’t use chain grease.
People who unclip on the left increase the angle on the left side but not on the right. The right is closer to the leg and more likely to touch on take off.
On the other hand, if you don’t want chain grease on your leg, don’t use chain grease.
12-26-20, 12:28 PM
#71
Senior Member
This sounds really odd, next time I'm on the bike I'll have play around with this. But I think the hard thing to imagine is how the right foot, clipped into the pedal, also has one's calf concurrently hitting the chainring. Outwardly that sounds dangerous. Also, I would think typically the clipped in foot is up near the 12 o'clock position (ready to start up again), above the chainring obviously.
12-26-20, 01:10 PM
#72
Banned
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12-26-20, 01:56 PM
#73
Senior Member
12-26-20, 03:33 PM
#75
Senior Member
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My right leg is about 1/2" inch longer than my left leg. I just always felt more comfortable in most instances clipping out with my right leg but I do make a conscious effort to use my left leg, or clip-out of both on a long light and I want to stretch.
