Cleat release-which direction do you?

[Zen]

I am putting some cleats on shoes and the instructions it says

"Release from the pedal is achieved by an outward twist of the heel. It is also possible to release by twisting inwards but generally this only takes place accidentally...If you prefer twisting inwards, we recommend you place the cleat with two circles on your left shoe."

For the life of me, I can't visualize how I unclip!
Twisting my heel outward/knee inward seems like an unnatural knee movement.

Still pondering this. the cleats may not get installed tonight :o

[Biciclista]

what kind are they? i move my heels towards the bike and my toes out.
I have SPD's

[VeloVT]

I twist my heel out. It DID seem unnatural to me at first, but now I don't think about it.

[uforgot]

I twist my heels in. I don't think you are suppose to do it that way and spds are the only ones that I can twist and release that way. My toes turn out when I walk and it really hurts my knees to twist my heels out. I can't ski either, you know when you have turn your toes in and put your knees together. Too much ballet I guess.

[woohoo]

I'll usually twist my heel outwards to release my SPDs, but it's possible to release by twisting my heel in too - although I don't know if that's only because I use the multi-release cleats. I tend to only release inwards if, say, I've dismounted the bike to one side and decided to get off completely rather than move away - it's sometimes easier to be able to twist your heel inwards with one leg on the ground and the other over the crossbar. It also helps if you've fallen off, lol :o

[emily_in_nc]

Heel out to release -- been doing it for years and never even give it a thought! Try it, you'll like it! :D

[Zen]

My problem may be too many cleat systems.SPD's on the spin, (formerly) Frogs on the road bike and Crank Bros. on the trail bike :o

I got rid of the Frogs, though.

I think I'll go with the heel out. We'll see.

[OakLeaf]

Heels out. It's not a large movement, and it's quick, and you're turning at the ankle much more than at the knee.

[Kalidurga]

Heels out. It's not a large movement, and it's quick, and you're turning at the ankle much more than at the knee.

Exactly. I've accidentally unclipped a few times with an inward twist when I've been flexing my feet while riding, but it's much more awkward and I've hit my heel on my chainring. Plus, moving your heel out also initiates an outward movement of the leg, prepping you to reach down for a stop.

[Miranda]

I twist heel out. I agree about the knee comment. I have tried some tighter tension cleats/pedals that required more force to get out... it was not knee pain... it was ankle pain (more like ache). But, I don't have really strong joints/ligaments either:rolleyes:.

[Cataboo]

I use frogs & twist my heel out.

[singletrackmind]

spds, heel out, almost always right first.

[HoosierGiant]

Heels out. Ride with multi-release SPD's, so I can release with an inward motion also, but that just feels awkward.

[Bike Chick]

Spds...speedplays.....Heels out........always. Never thought about heels in until I read this thread. Hmmmmmmm:confused:

[tantrumbean]

Heels out (with spd's) for me...

[Tokie]

Heels out - usually when the pedal is at 3 o'clock. but it's much better for your knees (and probably ankles too) if you can force yourself to develop the habit of clipping out when your pedal is at 6 o'clock, the bottom of the pedal stroke. I'm trying to change! Tokie

[OakLeaf]

it's much better for your knees (and probably ankles too) if you can force yourself to develop the habit of clipping out when your pedal is at 6 o'clock, the bottom of the pedal stroke.

Are you sure that's better for your knees? I'm not a PT or anything, but it really seems like the more my leg is extended, the more the movement torques the knee and even the hip... when the knee's at 90 degrees, it's pretty much isolated to the ankle.

[sundial]

Heel out for me cuz I'm a Froggie fan. :)

[aicabsolut]

It's really a gentle movement, quick, and pretty isolated to the ankle.

I move my heel out. I think if I tried moving it inward, I'd just run into my crankarm. I want to move my leg outward anyway to clear the bike and step down.

[ny biker]

For me it's heel in with the right foot, out with the left foot.

Due to scar tissue in my right ankle from surgery on a tendon back in '93, it hurts to go heel out with my right foot.

But the guys at the LBS told me that heel out was the correct way to go.

[Zen]

Maybe I should have just made this a poll.

[ny biker]

Maybe I should have just made this a poll.

Make sure you include a "freak" option for me!

[Zen]

I will :p

How long have you been doing that?
Do you ever forget?

[Aggie_Ama]

Heel out.

And much to my husband's horror I have to unclip with the left or I fall over. He is convinced I am going to wreck one day because I can't unclip right and lean right. I couldn't figure out how to tie my shoe laces until I was almost 7 (even then only the two bunny ear method for a couple more years), didn't ride a bike until I was 9 (not for lack of trying) and still can't swim worth a dang. I really don't think he should push the issue on anything athletic or physical, if I am riding clipless that is enough. I also have to have my Look Keos on the loosest setting possible, for me if I can't just pop out it is too tight. :o

[Cataboo]

I mostly unclip with the left foot - I've had a few near falls when I have to unclip with the right.

[Zen]

I mostly unclip with the left foot - I've had a few near falls when I have to unclip with the right.

Are you left handed?

[Crankin]

Aggie, I think you are my twin sister. Didn't learn to tie my shoes until I was 6. Used the bunny ears for at least 2 years after that. I also learned to ride when I was 9, almost 10. And, I always unclip left. I know when I started with clipless, i did it right and now I don't remember why I switched. But, on my mountain bike, unless I'm in a very scary situation, I can use both feet.
One time, I decided to experiment and try to unclip right when I was coming down my driveway, to the part right in front of my house. I unclipped my foot, but I felt like I could not lean right and put my foot down! I quickly clipped back in and unclipped my left foot and stopped. My whole body felt wrong when trying to lean right; I just couldn't do it. I also cannot get on my bike from the right side... yea, I know my laterality is messed up.
After almost 9 years, I think it would be hard to retrain myself. I've had the same comment from a few people about how this will lead to killing myself, but so far I've been able to stop in some pretty tough situations.
And I clip out by twisting out (Speedplays). I know I have clipped out by turning my ankle in with spds, but not in a long time.

[Cataboo]

Are you left handed?

Yep.

[ny biker]

I will :p

How long have you been doing that?
Do you ever forget?

I have always been a freak. ;)

[Aggie_Ama]

Crankin- I am glad I am not alone! I have known I was always a slow learner at mechanical things. I am okay with it. DH makes it look so effortless I want to slap him though. We roll up to a light with a curb on the right, unclip right. We are turning left and there is a median, unclip left. Doesn't even look like he has to think about it which is probably why he thinks I shouldn't have to only unclip left to stay upright. :rolleyes:

And I am very much right handed but somehow can only unclip left. Not even sure how it started. I can hardly butter bread left handed.

[Kalidurga]

I have always been a freak. ;)

Oh, now I can't wait for our next TE-DC brunch ;)

[ny biker]

DH makes it look so effortless I want to slap him though. We roll up to a light with a curb on the right, unclip right. We are turning left and there is a median, unclip left. Doesn't even look like he has to think about it which is probably why he thinks I shouldn't have to only unclip left to stay upright.

I must unclip right and put my right foot down first. If I ever try to unclip first with my left foot, I will fall over to the right.

[OakLeaf]

Didn't we have a poll last year about which side we unclip? I thought left was the majority.

I'm a rightie. Which is kind of odd since you always put your left foot down first on a motorcycle. But then, I rode bicis for years before I got a moto, and I guess when I picked it back up that was still in my muscle memory.

[emily_in_nc]

I must unclip right and put my right foot down first. If I ever try to unclip first with my left foot, I will fall over to the right.

Me too!

[Crankin]

I think for me, it is muscle memory. I could retrain myself, but like Aggie, anything that smacks of mechanical or a combination of mechanical and eye-hand is really hard for me. That's why I have always done well in "individual" sports, as team sports seem to require coordination I don't have.
I am right handed, but, I am definitely stronger on my left side. I always hold my coffee cup in my left hand, kick with my left foot. In yoga, I am always the one who wants to start the pose on my left side... so I pay close attention, to make sure I am in synch with the rest of the class.
As I have said before, if my former gym teachers could see me now, they would not believe it. Getting certified to teach aerobics was probably the biggest confidence builder in my life... more than any "professional" achievement, getting my master's degree. Same thing for leading bike rides. I might not be the fastest, but I have skills that I can teach others. OK, totally getting off topic here.
Actually, I had very little trouble learning to use clipless pedals.

[Cataboo]

Hrm. I might have to check which foot I actually disconnect with, because me disconnecting with my left sounds odd 'cause that's the ankle I always sprain and I usually make my other foot do everything for fear of spraining it.

Shoe tying was probably around 6 or 7, as well, I think. Telling left & right... I always wore bracelets on my left hand to make myself remember which way was left. I still will grab my left wrist to try to figure it out. I can generally tell left from right, but I always have to think about it. So if someone says turn left, there's usually a good probability I'll go right until I think about it.

Muscle memory - I am much better at doing something and getting it naturally. Someone that tries to break down what I'm doing into little steps or tells me to concentrate on one thing will usually end up "breaking" my ability to do something until I somehow manage to make it happen naturally.

I might be somewhat retarded.

[tantrumbean]

I unclip left, because even before going clipless I was told to always put my left foot down first as that means I'm leaning away from traffic, so it became a habit. Before that, my right foot always went down first. However, now leaning to the right to unclip right when necessary always instills panic in me. The clipping out is easy, but leaning to the right has become really difficult!!!

[Zen]

Didn't we have a poll last year about which side we unclip? I thought left was the majority.
.

Well...the original question was about heel direction.
The thread took a turn. As usual.

[VeloVT]

I unclip left, because even before going clipless I was told to always put my left foot down first as that means I'm leaning away from traffic, so it became a habit. Before that, my right foot always went down first. However, now leaning to the right to unclip right when necessary always instills panic in me. The clipping out is easy, but leaning to the right has become really difficult!!!

:confused:

I'm assuming you're in the US -- maybe that's a bad assumption.

But... if you are... unclipping left means you are leaning into traffic, not away from it, right?

(That said, I unclip left 99% of the time because I"m right-footed and like to start with my dominant foot clipped in, although I can unclip right-first if I need to).

[Kuota Rider]

I have seen people do it both ways. I think it depends on which is more comfortable for you. I know some riders that find it difficult to twist their ankle to the outside far enough to unclip so they unclip to the inside. Personally, I go to the outside. I don't seem to have enough room to the inside to get unclipped. Maybe it has something to do with the size of my foot as they are not petite.:rolleyes:

[Kuota Rider]

:confused:

I'm assuming you're in the US -- maybe that's a bad assumption.

But... if you are... unclipping left means you are leaning into traffic, not away from it, right?

(That said, I unclip left 99% of the time because I"m right-footed and like to start with my dominant foot clipped in, although I can unclip right-first if I need to).

I did this, but only once....I unclipped right, but somehow I was leaning left...yeah it was ugly. I ended up on my back with my feet in the air with my bike still attached to one cleat. I took one on the knee and the shoulder. Anything to not scratch the bike...:)

[sgtiger]

I've always unclipped heal out. I'm naturally a bit duck footed and if I got lazy about how my toes were pointed on a previous cleat system, I'd accidentally pop my foot out. My frogs don't let me do that.

[Cataboo]

BF was saying that it's safer to unclip heel out - because if you unclip heel in with your pedal towards the back, you're putting your foot into your chain stays or chain, if you have the pedal towards the front, you're unclipping by putting your heel into the frame.... and depending how the bike is in motion during something like that, it could end up bad... Of course, he's a guy and has bigger feet.

[Zen]

I'm assuming you're in the US -- maybe that's a bad assumption.
You are correct, it's a bad assumption. Click on the link for her charity ride :)
(I wondered too)

[Crankin]

There's another Kuota rider here???
I have never met anyone else who has a Kuota, except people who have tri bikes.

[Aggie_Ama]

As I am sitting here pondering "why only the left foot", I think I have discovered why. I started bowling when I was 6 years old and did so competitively, very competively until I was 22. Probably 5 days a week, I paid for a chunk of my college by bowling. I bowled a lot, I even made it to the hall of honor or something like that they call it. Right handers in bowling slide with the left foot. I think maybe it is the muscle memory of putting the left foot bend into a slide, I did this thousands of times. You are balanced in a left lunge, so maybe that is why the left is so natural for me. But it could just be that I am a freak.

Oh and to keep on the original question. To get the right foot out, I still turn heel out. So both heels out, left must be first or I hit the deck.

I told DH about this thread and his mind couldn't even process heels in to unclip. He was truly baffled trying to even picture it. So put him down as out. :p

[tantrumbean]

:confused:

I'm assuming you're in the US -- maybe that's a bad assumption.

But... if you are... unclipping left means you are leaning into traffic, not away from it, right?

(That said, I unclip left 99% of the time because I"m right-footed and like to start with my dominant foot clipped in, although I can unclip right-first if I need to).


I'm not, sorry, should have made that clear...I actually live in the UK, so I'm leaning away!

[Zen]

I told DH about this thread and his mind couldn't even process heels in to unclip. He was truly baffled trying to even picture it.

Exactly!
I couldn't picture it either!

[ny biker]

I told DH about this thread and his mind couldn't even process heels in to unclip. He was truly baffled trying to even picture it. So put him down as out. :p


Tell him to imagine pain in his ankle every time he turns his heel outward. Suddenly, heel in makes sense.

[uforgot]

I think it just has to do with how you are built, but out is definitely uncomfortable, and I used to try to do it when I first started. One day I accidentally unclipped by turning my foot in and that was it for me. I couldn't believe how easy it was compared to out.

[Zen]

I'm so confused :o

[uforgot]

You know, I've taught ballet classes since I was in my early teens. Some people cannot turn their toes out very far no matter what. Others, can get 180 degrees with no problem in first position, and I could from my first lesson. 5th position is even worse. I have girls bending their knees trying to get their toes turned out more and they just aren't built like that. I think eventually my turnout got even wider, but the knock kneed position of skiing and yes, turning my heel out is really uncomfortable.

I don't force their feet into an unnatural position, and I don't think that's healthy in any sport, therefore my conclusion is that there is no "correct" way to uncleat, not based on any cycling knowledge, but from a lifetime of dance.

[Cataboo]

I had a friend who took ballet for many years - she could take her feet, put her heels together with her toes out, and then proceed to bring her heels all the way to the front (sort of inverting her knees), put them on the ground, and then swivel her toes forward, and repeat... walking across the room.

It seemed to be a combination of being fairly double jointed and then having regularly injuring joints in ballet.

[cyclechick2008]

I always turn my heel out. I am pigeon-toed so it feels natural.

Kim