stopping technique

**missliz** · 08-07-2003, 10:29 AM

You pop the cleat out by making a sudden hard twisting movement with the foot, right? Just do both at once. Easier than walking and chewing gum

I'll bet you still ride old style and are rolling out with the cranks at 12 and 6 o'clock and pulling out the lower foot? Very awkward, works with clips but shaky with cleats. You should be trying Mt technique- cranks at 3 and 9 o'clock, which makes you much more stable, especially when blowing out both feet at once in a bad moment. Look at advanced riders, they use this more than you think. Even on the road you have to ride rough stuff, hop potholes, ect. and the level crank crouch is a good habit to form.
As you get used to putting some muscle into the cleat release, you'll have no problem freeing a foot at any point in the spin- some pedals even release more easily if you click out while the legs are still moving. (ATACs!) The biggest problem I've ever had with new pedals in not putting enough force on the foot as I try to release. Be athletic about it.
Experiment. Have fun.

missliz

**hibiscus09** · 08-07-2003, 11:08 AM

Thanks, missliz. I've only been riding 2 months and finally was getting a good level of comfort on my bike in general. LOL Anyway, I am clipping out of the right pedal with the pedal up & the left is easier with it down. I haven't tried doing both at once. Should be interesting.

**Irulan** · 08-07-2003, 11:17 AM

improtant point... when you click out, that foot is the one you need to put down.

Last night, I clicked out on the right side, then promptly tried to put my left foot down. Talk about tipping over...!!! First skinned knee of the season, good for a few laughs at any rate.

Irulan

**hibiscus09** · 08-07-2003, 11:21 AM

I think I'm going to get my sweetie to switch them out to the regular pedals again with straps. I'm not humored by this anymore. Too old to be hitting the ground so much. LOL

Seriously, today was better -- I didn't fall, but I was also to scared to do my regular training ride because I didn't want to get anywhere near traffic of any sort. I'm doing the MS150 on September 20 & 21st & I need to be training. I don't have time to learn clipless right now.

**MightyMitre** · 08-07-2003, 02:03 PM

Interesting tip about clipping both feet out at the same time, MissLiz. I've never tried that but might give it a try for a laugh.

I should also practise unclipping with the other foot first. I always clip the left foot out first - habit I guess, and the fact our pavements our on the left hand side . Trying to do it with the other foot first would feel like trying to fold my arms the other way, but I really should be more ambi (... er... definitly can't spell that

)
able to use both sides equally well.

By the way, Hibiscus, when I'm approaching traffic lights /coming up to a junction/ know when I'm going to have to stop, I quite often half click one foot out and carry on pedalling gently for a few turns as I approach stopping, so I'm ready to put my foot down and don't have to panic.

**missliz** · 08-07-2003, 02:07 PM

Well you should go with what you're comfortable with. There's a lot of fashion pressure to go clipless, but you need to be training. When you're ready, using a trainer to just play with them in the safe padded living room might be good.

You'll know when you're ready for them. Don't let anybody rush you.

missliz

Oh, Irulan- I've done that. Felt really foolish LOL. Hope you weren't on pavement! ouch

**missliz** · 08-07-2003, 02:18 PM

Hey,MM, you posted while I was writing. Pulling both feet out is an "Oh Holy S**t" mountain bike trick- jam on the brakes as you blow the pedals and drop the bike from under you, hopefully landing on your feet. Very emergency stop! On LOOK road pedals it would be really tricky to land on those big cleats, but it's good to have that control over your feet. Also, on a MT bike you need to click in and out thoughtlessly as you need to outrigger a leg or do some other operation, and this stuff is good skills on the road too.

missliz

**hibiscus09** · 08-07-2003, 02:21 PM

missliz -- that's a good idea. I was going to ask for a trainer for my birthday (September) or Christmas. I could then learn in the comfort of my own home. LOL And not have to land on my hiney.

**adkoch** · 08-07-2003, 03:18 PM

Straying a bit.. why is it called clipless, when you are clipped in??? Always wondered about that one...

Angie

**hibiscus09** · 08-07-2003, 03:56 PM

"Originally they were called clipless to explain how they were different from the old fashioned "toe-clips". Hence "clipless" meant "not-toe-clips" but something new and different. The name has stayed with us and only recently are people calling them "clip pedals" now that toe clips aren't seen as much."

That's an answer I found on the internet. LOL I wondered the same thing.

**RoxGirl77** · 08-07-2003, 04:48 PM

Originally posted by hibiscus09
"Originally they were called clipless to explain how they were different from the old fashioned "toe-clips". Hence "clipless" meant "not-toe-clips" but something new and different. The name has stayed with us and only recently are people calling them "clip pedals" now that toe clips aren't seen as much."

That's an answer I found on the internet. LOL I wondered the same thing.

Way to reasearch that one... that one always baffled me too. I never knew if I even knew what I was talking about half the time! LOL
Clipless, Cleated, toe clips, what???

**hibiscus09** · 08-07-2003, 07:06 PM

LOL, I'm good at research. Now, if I can get my shoes out of those #$@! clips. LOL

**missliz** · 08-07-2003, 11:43 PM

God you all are so young!
It's "toe clips and straps", which were the state of the art for racing for years, like a century or so. "Clipless" were introduced by LOOK in 1990. They were based on the idea of ski bindings and revolutionized the sport- they're so much more efficient that speeds went up. There were already super stiff shoes, and a cleat that fit over the pedal spindle and gave better power transfer, but the LOOKs really blew the cycling world away.
Clipless is the pedal, cleated is the shoe. After the cleats have been put on.
And it's still OK to use clips and straps with beartrap pedals and stiff Mt shoes if the clipless make you crazy. I think everybody should learn them, they make clipless easier to transit to. The first really high end bike I bought in 1996 came with clips and straps. They aren't at all obsolete- but shops make more money pushing clipless pedals onto people who may not be ready for them. They're good for injury recovery, you can pull the strap out or set it really loose for rehabing tender bits like knee surgury.
Suspension forks came out in 1990 also- as a safety thing, not for comfort. Good suspension will save you from some ugly experiences. Most people don't realize what a great safety factor it is.

missliz

**hibiscus09** · 08-08-2003, 03:21 AM

Not I, not I. LOL I'll be 42 in September. Maybe that's why I don't like falling.

**Grasshopper** · 08-08-2003, 03:59 AM

Missliz, thanks for the explanation on how and when to pull both out - I was on my way to kill myself in traffic, I'm sure, trying to figure that one out!

One word of caution about learning to use the pedals on a trainer!! I learned (what little I know) on one and didn't realize that I was leaning my body sharply to one side when I pulled my feet out....I was doing great, but as soon as I hit the pavement, well, I HIT the pavement!!

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