[LiamJ]

Hey guys!

New to the forum, so looking to be using this more often!

Ive just bought a Raleigh Pursuit 2012 racing bike (1st bike) got all my clothing etc.

But the bike came with normal pedals (and toe clips)

I bought cleats and shimanuo racing pedals

My question is; How can I get use to taking my foot in and out of the pedal, as I'm little worried coming upto a set of traffic lights and such more and not getting out fast enough


Thanks for your replys

 

[Jay Strongbow]

Just to ride around an empty parking lot.

 

[wim]

I'm little worried coming upto a set of traffic lights and such more and not getting out fast enough

People rarely fall because the actual clipping-out process (heel rotation) takes too long. They almost always fall because they didn't give themselves enough time between clipping out and stopping. So the trick is simply to clip out well before you have to stop (or even just think you may have to stop). If you don't have to stop, you can always clip back in, even while you're coasting.

What also helps is to learn to ride very slow. The slower you can ride, the more time you have for clipping out. In my experience, people who can't ride at walking speed or slower get very nervous when they first ride with clipless pedals. They know instinctively that rushing up to a possible stop at higher speeds gives them very little time to unclip, so they get frantic and often stop before they've unclipped.

All this assumes that you know the mechanics of unclipping. But a few minutes of unclipping practice on a stationary bike should take care of that.

 

[mpre53]

Get a 2.5 mm Allen wrench, insert it into the tension adjustment, and turn it as far as you can towards the minus (-) arrow. Or just turn the wrench to the right.

That will be your lowest release tension.

It becomes second nature. You may still fall every now and then. We all do. Practice panic stops before you have to.

Another way you might fall, at first, is if you're stopped waiting for traffic, or a light to change, and lean too far towards the foot that you have still clipped in.

 

[kjc63]

Not to steal your thread Liam, But I am also new and have similar concerns. When I practice in the driveway I have very little trouble, but when I am out there for real it seems a different beast. I have my pedals at the lowest setting and therefore have little trouble clipping out. My concern like yours, is when taking off at an intersection, I panic and have trouble clipping back in. Any tips on clipping in under pressure for Liam and me?

 

[tednugent]

Not to steal your thread Liam, But I am also new and have similar concerns. When I practice in the driveway I have very little trouble, but when I am out there for real it seems a different beast. I have my pedals at the lowest setting and therefore have little trouble clipping out. My concern like yours, is when taking off at an intersection, I panic and have trouble clipping back in. Any tips on clipping in under pressure for Liam and me?

Tips?

Nothing substitutes practice. In order to get better at it, you have to do it over and over again.

 

[kjc63]

I shall keep practicing Ted, thanks! Any type or brand of pedals seem to be easier to clip into without looking down?

 

[wim]

My concern like yours, is when taking off at an intersection, I panic and have trouble clipping back in. Any tips on clipping in under pressure for Liam and me?

If you're not successful right away, you can reduce the pressure considerably by giving yourself more time to clip in: with the already-clipped in foot, either do one or two one-legged crank revolutions or ratchet the crank up and down a few times. As everyone says, practice will enable you to clip in quickly. But until you can, knowing how to keep the bike rolling with only one foot clipped in will eliminate the panic.

 

[Schneiderguy]

don't unclip the right foot and lean bike to the left at a stop. for real excitement try getting started with clipless peddles on fixed gear bike. Ask me how I know. Video would have made a great Saturday Night Live skit.

 

[gte105u]

Key to clipping back in sans panic is to get rising again without being clipped in. This is easier with MTB shoes than road, but can be done with either. Make sure you are in the right gear to get rolling as well. If you are cruising down a hill shift so you don't need to really mash to get rolling. As for unclipping practice is key. As was said unclip early and your cleat in place. Then to clip in just push down to clip in.

 

[kjc63]

I think I am kinda doing this already, I basically pedal the best I can with just the right clipped in until I get through the intersection, then worry about getting the other clipped in. I just feel like I am cheating and not learning how to clip in properly, but I hope it will come with time. Thanks, for all the advice, from Liam and Myself!

 

[raudi]

Bought my first clipless setup today and it was easier than I thought. Like everyone said, just practice and dont panic.

 

[dnice]

right gear from takeoff helps, which means you have to remember to shift down when approaching a traffic light. the other tip someone taught me is to NOT look down at the pedals when rushing to clip in (as in traffic). sounds couintertuitive, but it works. lastly, falling twice-once while forgetting to clip out at a stop light in front of everyone, and also turning at low speed, have actually been helpful training accidents, if you will. it made me practice low speed riding techniques while clipped in and i'm better at that now.

 

[Randy99CL]

20 years ago my first set of clipless pedals were road pedals with look-type cleats. I fell over a couple of times before I got used to them.

I recommend that anyone getting their first clipless pedals buy double-sided mtn pedals and shoes.
Obviously, you don't have to flip the pedal to clip in and most have a platform so that you don't have to clip in immediately if you don't want to.

Around town, I often take off with the unclipped shoe centered over the pedal so that it can't lock in. I'm watching traffic and don't need the distraction of what my foot is doing. Once I'm through the intersection I'll clip in.
Mountain shoes often aren't as slick-soled as road shoes and are less likely to slide off the platform when unclipped.

And I just rode slowly around the yard to practice clipping. Better than on a trainer or pavement.

 

[regnaD kciN]

If you're worried about not being able to unclip, get Shimano Click'R pedals. Best clipless system (for road bikes) I've ever used.

 

[tednugent]

I shall keep practicing Ted, thanks! Any type or brand of pedals seem to be easier to clip into without looking down?

I think speedplay is easier

 

[skinewmexico]

I think speedplay is easier

They weren't to me, but YMMV. Gave them about 3 months, went back to Ultegra. Oops, posted my opinion.........guess that will get me some more negative reps.

 

[Mike T.]

Read my webpage on pedals.

 

[Jay Strongbow]

My concern like yours, is when taking off at an intersection, I panic and have trouble clipping back in. Any tips on clipping in under pressure for Liam and me?

Yeah, don't clip in under pressure. If you're in a panic situation like being in the middle of an intersection, pedal your way out of it one foot in/one foot out then worry about getting the second foot in once you're out of the intersection.
Once you've mastered it you'll no longer consider it a 'under pressure' situation so it's n/a. But the priority should always be getting out a bad situation not clipping in first then getting out. Even the best need to do this from time to time....like for example if you pick up some sand in your cleats it doesn't matter how good you are you'll fumble. Get out of the line of fire than worry about it not visa versa.

 

[JCavilia]

don't unclip the right foot and lean bike to the left at a stop. for real excitement try getting started with clipless peddles on fixed gear bike. Ask me how I know. Video would have made a great Saturday Night Live skit.

One upside of learning to ride FG with clipless pedals is that clipping and un- on a coasty bike becomes so trivially easy.

The other upside, of course, is that it really helps to be well attached to the pedals if you want to ride a FG safely and effectively, and it's a hell of a lot easier to lock in to a clipless pedal than to get your toe into a toeclip on a moving pedal.