pedals/clips/clipless 101?

[wildeny]

Hello, today I first road-tested it inside the campus. No fall.

I use MTB pedals (Exustar E-PM811) on the road bike. Already read many tips on the Internet (here & the road bike forum). I set the tension to the lowest and rode slowly to learn how to clip the other foot in after taking off. It's not really difficult at all.

The only problem I noticed is when I tried to practice in releasing my right foot first and stop, because I'm not used to leaning to the right for stopping and I am afraid of doing so. I ended up jumpping from the seat and standing on both feet. Well, I will have to practice to use my right foot for balance on my commute bike first. Just in case I need to do so.

[pinkbikes]

It's OK wildeny - you just have to move to Oz! I have a total mental blank about clipping out my right foot too!

This would be because I am a short person who cruises up to the kerb at the traffic lights, unclips my left foot (since we drive on the left hand side of the road) and plonks it unceremoniously upon the kerb until the light changes. Right foot remains resolutely clipped in.

It has never really caused me any trouble through the twenty-something years I have had clipless pedals because they don't look like they are changing the side of the road we drive on anytime soon!!

However, I have had to get my act together and educate my right foot since I started mountain biking. The convenient rock or high side of the track is not always nicely coordinated and sitting there on my left!

Well done on managing a first ride clipless without a gumby stack though! My DH says that if I look up the word "gumby" in the dictionary there are pictures of my two stacks in the MTB race the other week! He was behind me for both. Should I be suspicious?

[txred9876]

It's OK wildeny - you just have to move to Oz! I have a total mental blank about clipping out my right foot too!

Its my left foot! I have just started using them and already fallen a few times. I just get back up like nothings wrong and move on...LOL

tina

[tctrek]

The only problem I noticed is when I tried to practice in releasing my right foot first and stop, because I'm not used to leaning to the right for stopping and I am afraid of doing so. I ended up jumpping from the seat and standing on both feet. Well, I will have to practice to use my right foot for balance on my commute bike first. Just in case I need to do so.

wildeny, I have found that unclipping left foot first works best for me. You can unclip it in advance of the stop. Try to unclip and just let your left leg hang down a little in front of the pedal, you are braking/coasting to the spot where you want to stop. Right foot is still clipped in and most likely in the down pedal position. When you are ready to stop, fully engage the brake and just put your left foot down to complete stop. Obviously, you have to leave the saddle to get your left foot all the way down on the road. Leave your right foot clipped if you are just stopping for a stop sign or some obstacle. Make sure to keep your brake engaged so you don't roll off with your right foot clipped... you are a one legged girl on a skateboard at that point! Bike is leaning a little to the left.

When you're ready to go, just lift your right foot to about 2 o'clock position, push off on your right and hoist yourself back into the saddle. Now you're rolling and can clip in your left foot again. I have found that I sometimes have to make one or two pedal strokes to get my darn left foot re-clipped. That's ok, cause your right foot can make slow revolutions while you get the left foot clipped again.

If you repeat this over an over an always do it exactly the same, eventually it becomes a habit and clipping in/out is natural.

You can do this fast as well, if you don't know in advance that you have to stop, you can quickly unclip left, apply full brake, hop down from saddle and plant your left foot leaving right foot clipped in.

I have seen people unclipping on the right and even unclipping both feet at once and hopping down and it looks incredibly difficult to me... maybe because I am now brainwashed to unclip on the left. Also, on the trainer or spinning bike, it's opposite for me, unclip on the right.. but I'm used to that as well.

[wildeny]

Make sure to keep your brake engaged so you don't roll off with your right foot clipped... you are a one legged girl on a skateboard at that point! Bike is leaning a little to the left.

This point is really important. I had a clumsy stop because I didn't apply brake firmly enough.

Michi1244, what's your problem with clips? Everyone has his/her way of learning clipless pedals.

I didn't install my SPD pedals right after I bought them. I am a new roadie so I take some time to get use to a road bike first. I was also afraid of falling. But then I remember someone's saying, "it will all be mental." As long as one know how to cruse on bike. Just remember to clip out before roll into a stop.

I used the approach tctrek described, and test rode in a parking lot. After I took off, I looked ahead and tried to feel the side of my left pedal (mine is SPD on one side and regular on the other) while pedaling slowly. Sometimes it took few pedals to clip in my left feet, but that's all right. Just don't look down (you can have a quick glimpse though). And think you won't fall.

[tctrek]

This point is really important. I had a clumsy stop because I didn't apply brake firmly enough.

My most awful, embarrassing and painful experience was my first day with clipless pedals. I had been starting/stopping for about 25 miles without any trouble. Stopped at a beautiful creek to get a drink (I still can't get my bottle out and drink while riding). For some stupid reason I did not unclip my right foot. Grabbed my bottle and while drinking let go of the brake. I must have been leaning to the right a little and took off like a one-legged girl on a skateboard into the creek, bike and all. I slid down some rocks and ground my legs into hamburger meat on the way down. About 5-6 cyclists all standing there watched me fall in!!! I had water up to my knees, shoes full of creek mud, bleeding and still clipped in. They somehow hauled me out of the creek and offered me help with cleaning up my wounds. At that point I was still 10 miles from my car and had no choice but to get back on and ride.

That was a year ago and I haven't fallen since. Don't give up and brake, brake, brake!

[hipmama]

I'm clipped in!
Finally picked up my shoes, got the MTB shoes. So far just a couple of miles around my neighborhood- getting the feel before heading out into the high traffic road I need to use to get anywhere, but I think I did alright!
Clipping out seems easier on my right, which sucks because I need to keep clipped in there and slip in and out of left, but I loosened them up far as I could and will be practicing a lot!
Tomorrow night I'm meeting the guy I bought the bike from so he can show me how to replace part of the headset that is worn down. My goal is to ride to his house. It's only about 8-9 miles but I do need to navigate about 2 miles of city riding in that. hmmm.