Interesting pedal question

[CR400]

Ok I have a question that none of you may not be able to anwser but here goes. All you ladies that ride clipless is there a point that your feet will atomatically be released from the pedals? I mean like when you and the bike are upside down?

I am wondering becuse I have been in two accidents where bike and I have gone airborne and at some point were upside down. I know because I saw water bottles falling from my cages. Both times my pedals released or I unclipped not realizing it and the bike landed a few feet away. Speedplay X if it matters.

[AuntieK]

I'm not sure I want to find out the answer to this question!

But as long as you're the one doing the research, could you try it a few more times and let us know?

Seriously, take care of yourself! No more accidents where water bottles fall from above!

[DebW]

I have also been in an accident where my Speedplay X pedals automatically released. Because I hit my head, I don't remember any of the flying upside down part, but the bike and I were a several feet apart when I found myself on the ground with a broken clavicle. I doubt that the pedals release just because you are upside down, since the mechanics are very simple. Maybe they release at a high enough force or impact. Look and SPD pedals have an adjustable tension setting (too light and you might come out while pedaling hard, too tight and you might not get out when you stop).

[Eden]

They are designed to be like ski bindings - to not pop out for normal movements, but to release if you have an accident. Speedplays have a tension adjustment don't they? My Crank Bro's pedals don't, but they still will pop out if your foot is wrenched the wrong way!

Do beware of worn cleats and tension adjustments that are too loose (or bad pedals). My husband had a pair of spd compatibles (not Shimano, but a 3rd party) that were sooooooo bad. He popped both feet out by pulling up hard and took a nasty spill right in the middle of an intersection - the pedals went into the garbage.

[DebW]

They are designed to be like ski bindings - to not pop out for normal movements, but to release if you have an accident. Speedplays have a tension adjustment don't they? My Crank Bro's pedals don't, but they still will pop out if your foot is wrenched the wrong way!

Speedplays have no tension adjustment. It's supposed to be impossible to have your shoe release in normal riding. So I always wondered what would happen in an accident. I found out.

[bike4ever]

Last year when I crashed my road bike, I somehow came unclipped from my Speedplay Frogs. I know this because my bike slid further away from me.

One thing I always liked about Speedplays is the ease at clipping out. One thing I don't like is that I was pulling out of them at important points mountain biking. I am now trying some Crank Brothers pedals. I have gone down and still been clipped in to them. They are more difficult clipping in/out; however, I have not pulled out of them when I needed them.

[Nokomis]

And in slow motion falls, they might not unclip.
Rolling.. tipping - tipping - tipping - oops!

On my back, bike and legs in the air - all the boys trying really hard not to laugh. I think this was my 2 or 3rd ride with SPD.

[KnottedYet]

My Speedplay Frogs tend to unclip before I even know I'm gonna fall, and I catch myself.

The one time they didn't (so far) I *knew* I was gonna fall and I'd already decided to take the bike with me.

[emily_in_nc]

I came unclipped automatically from Speedplay X-2s during my serious accident in 2005 but never came unclipped during normal riding.

When I first started using Speedplay Frogs this year on my mtb, I noticed that I occasionally came unclipped during normal riding. I was used to Eggbeaters Candies, which I found too difficult to clip into on rooty singletrack, which is why the change in pedals. Once I ironed out my pedaling style, it got much less sloppy, and I no longer clip out accidentally from my Frogs. But as easy as they are to get out of, I am sure I'd clip out automatically in a fall (haven't fallen with them yet - knock wood). My mtb buddy has taken a couple really minor slow-speed tumbles this summer and has ended up still clipped in to her Eggbeaters.

Just a bit of data....

Emily

[lph]

I was wondering about the same thing. When I went airborne from my mtb a few weeks ago I was definitely unclipped from my spds, but have no recollection of doing so on purpose. I may have just done it automatically, maybe they released by themselves.

But I keep my spds (Shimano, forget the model) on pretty light tension, and have never been able to accidentally unclip just by pulling hard on them (which I do, quite often), so I always figured I had to do the sideways twist to get my foot out. I've had another, worn pair that unclipped while using them though - very scary!

[Andrea]

I have a fun clipless story from my weekend cyclocross adventure-

I watched a CX race on Saturday and decided it looked like fun, so I bought some MTB shoes, put some clipless spd pedals on my mountain bike (it previously wore toe clips), and spent about and hour learning how to dismount & remount. It was difficult- since the pedals were brand new (and I was used to speedplay road pedals), they were very difficult to clip in & out of.
The next day, while warming up, I was approaching a barrier at speeds much greater than what I'd practiced the day before, and, as I tried to dismount, my left foot didn't unclip, and I went somersaulting into the mud in front of the barrier! Somewhere during my gymnastics, my left foot did unclip, however, I'm not sure at which point during the rotation it did so.
I made it a point to exaggerate the unclipping motion during all other dismounts, and didn't have any more problems

[7rider]

Ok I have a question that none of you may not be able to anwser but here goes. All you ladies that ride clipless is there a point that your feet will atomatically be released from the pedals? I mean like when you and the bike are upside down?

Ouch.
Yeah...please...no more upside down tricks on the bike! To borrow a phrase from (I think) car racing: Keep the stick side down...the shiny side up!
I suppose with enough force, they'll all release. Like others here, I have my own "Crash and release" story - only my crash was at a shallow angle into a tree and the foot released in a way not necessarily intended by the pedal design (they were Ritchey's, I think). I ended up with a torn lateral collateral ligament and medial meniscus. Ouch.

[mimitabby]

hey Andrea, loosen your SPD's!! it's easy to do!!

[Tuckervill]

I just got Speedplay Frogs this year for my road bike. I read the directions. They say that the pedals are NOT designed to unclip automatically in a spill. I remember that kind of thing when I read it.

I fell over in the grass at the Big Dam Bridge ride--I was trying to take off, but my front wheel went into a little dent in the grass, and I was in too high a gear. I did that slow-mo fall to my right side. I unclipped left to try and save myself (I had time to say, "I'm going to FA---(boom)LL!", but the right didn't unclip until I hit the dirt.

It didn't hurt. I looked around to see if anyone noticed and NO ONE except my son did, even though we were both laughing pretty hard.

Karen

[crazycanuck]

i think my left foot would have unclipped when i hit the ground when i crashed. I have no clue how my right foot got off my bike..i think kim may have had to pull a few times to get my foot out. i have no memory of this part.

i use crank bros and normally they pop out easily..when i'm in control that is.

c