# can't unclip



## eva13 (28 Feb 2016)

Hello
I'm fairly new to cycling on a road bike and bought clipless SPD/SL pedals last year. I used them a couple of time but stopped because I found it really hard to clip out, especially my right foot which is the side I would preferentially put down first. I double checked that I have them on the lowest tension setting and have practised lots using turbo trainer, but it still takes so much effort to get my right foot out it hurts my knee. I make sure that the pedal is level with the crank before I try to clip out too.

Does anyone have any suggestions how to solve this, any advice really appreciated

thanks


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## SteveBM (28 Feb 2016)

Stupid question, but can you explain your unclipping technique? Specifically, which way are you twisting your ankle?


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## xxDarkRiderxx (28 Feb 2016)

I heard that a little WD40 on the pedal can help.


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## Apollonius (28 Feb 2016)

Are you sure your cleats are really tight in the shoes? I can't see how you can fail to unclip otherwise.


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## RoubaixCube (28 Feb 2016)

Its all about seeing whats ahead of you and clipping out with the foot you use to balance on (or hold yourself up) before you come to a complete stop rather then trying to unclip when at a complete stop or almost complete stop. 

I was terrified when i first started using cleats and of course i did have moments where i failed to unclip in time and ended up falling over - Its inevitable, everyone who switches to cleats has the same teething problems when they first start using them so a tumble or two along the way is to be expected. 

Its much like taking your first step when youre a baby. Sure you fall over and you'll have a whinge about it but you keep persisting at it till it becomes second nature.

If you use SPD cleats then Shimano SH-56's might help a little instead of the regular SH-52 cleats.

Ive had an occasion where I was rolling too slow and went over a big pot hole that i failed to see which causes me to lose my balance but the SH-56's I have saved my bacon from ending up on the tarmac.


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## mjr (28 Feb 2016)

eva13 said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions how to solve this, any advice really appreciated


Flat pedals


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## Tin Pot (28 Feb 2016)

SteveBM said:


> Stupid question, but can you explain your unclipping technique? Specifically, which way are you twisting your ankle?



Indeed. Sounds like you're jiggering too much.

Just push your ankle away from the bike, the unclipping takes virtually no effort.


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## Citius (28 Feb 2016)

xxDarkRiderxx said:


> I heard that a little WD40 on the pedal can help.



I heard that makes absolutely no difference whatsoever....


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## vickster (28 Feb 2016)

Sounds like something might be faulty or loose? Perhaps get your local friendly LBS to check

If not an issue with the hardware, maybe try the Shimano light action SPD-SL pedals?


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## PhilDawson8270 (28 Feb 2016)

Push your heel down while twisting. You may be trying to lift your foot up at the same time. All this will do is lock your cleat into the pedal.


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## Stevec047 (28 Feb 2016)

Not had any issues with my spd pedals in fact on the lowest setting I have unclipped without realising. Could be worth checking the cleats on the shoes making sure they are positioned correctly and tight. 

There could be an issue with the pedal itself speak to your lbs and get them to check them over.


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## MikeW-71 (28 Feb 2016)

Try unclipping at the top or bottom of the stroke.

Otherwise, the only time I've had issues unclipping is when the cleat was damaged.


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## winjim (28 Feb 2016)

Don't know about SPD-SLs but my experience with SPDs is: Take them off the lowest setting, that just makes the unclipping action spongy and inconsistent. Make them a few turns tighter, this will give a more positive unclipping action.


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## Citius (28 Feb 2016)

There must be something else going on here, because there are 8 year-olds routinely unclipping from Look and SPD-SL pedals almost every day, without issue...


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## HLaB (28 Feb 2016)

Have you loosened the retention screw?


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## ayceejay (28 Feb 2016)

It is a learned technique. If you think about it the objective is to keep your feet (shoes) firmly affixed so the release is going to be the difficult bit that requires practice.


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## Tojo (29 Feb 2016)

just kick your heel away from the bike and you'll be oot......end.....


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## steveindenmark (29 Feb 2016)

You are fairly new to cycling and you bought SPDs. Just out of curiosity, why did you buy them?

You could always ride flats, a lot of us do.

After lots of trial and error, I went back to flats from SPDs as I could never get rid of the knee ache regardless of the adjustments I made.


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## hobbitonabike (29 Feb 2016)

Definately make sure you keep your heel down. I changed from the yellow shimano cleats(more float) to the blue(less float) as I found having more float on the cleat put more twist pressure on my knee when I tried to clip out. I find the blues much easier to clip out of. Keep clipping out when you don't need to and clip back in to help the muscle memory stick.


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## vickster (29 Feb 2016)

steveindenmark said:


> You are fairly new to cycling and you bought SPDs. Just out of curiosity, why did you buy them?
> 
> You could always ride flats, a lot of us do.
> 
> After lots of trial and error, I went back to flats from SPDs as I could never get rid of the knee ache regardless of the adjustments I made.


She says she is new to road cycling, not necessarily any cycling
SPD-SLs which I think are harder to get used to than SPDs. The single sided clip in puts me off, double sided SPDs for me. I've only ever had one issue unclipping, that was because the cleat was loose and indeed a bolt was AWOL! I use the normal SH51s, don't get on with the multi release, probably down to what I'm used to

If the OP is having such issues, I think the pedal is faulty, the cleat is loose or the tensioner has been turned to + rather than - ?


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## Fab Foodie (29 Feb 2016)

Citius said:


> There must be something else going on here, because there are 8 year-olds routinely unclipping from Look and SPD-SL pedals almost every day, without issue...


I've used Look Delta and SPD regulars for years without issue, but find SPD SL to be horrible to use in comparison. The Looks were far more positive and clean clipping in and out, the SL very vague and imprecise in comparison.


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## Fab Foodie (29 Feb 2016)

winjim said:


> Don't know about SPD-SLs but my experience with SPDs is: Take them off the lowest setting, that just makes the unclipping action spongy and inconsistent. Make them a few turns tighter, this will give a more positive unclipping action.


In light of my last post I may have to try this.


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## eva13 (29 Feb 2016)

thanks for all those replies, my technique is turning my knee and toes out away from bike, keeping my foot parallel with floor, I've tried turning toe in towards bike, but can't get out. The cleats on the shoes seem to be tight, they don't move.


I will try WD40 and fiddling with the tension settings to see if that helps, failing that will see what bike shop says. Is the retention screw the same as the +/- tension thing? 

Citius, I hadn't thought of seeing if my 8 year old could do it, to see if its me or a pedal problem, although I'd be really gutted if he can do it!

I switched from flats as started doing triathlons so bought a road bike, using cleats seemed the sensible thing and it is more efficient, but wanted to be able to use running shoes if needed, especially if cycling with kids and they stop right in front of you suddenly!


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## roadrash (29 Feb 2016)

I think you will find that turning your knee and toes INTO the bike, and your heel AWAY from the bike will be a lot easier , try it let us know how you get on.


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## Milkfloat (29 Feb 2016)

eva13 said:


> my technique is turning my knee and toes out away from bike, keeping my foot parallel with floor, I've tried turning toe in towards bike, but can't get out.



That is your problem - you should just rotate your heal out away from the bike. Nothing more complicated that that unless your hardware is not setup correctly.


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## mjr (29 Feb 2016)

eva13 said:


> I switched from flats as started doing triathlons so bought a road bike, using cleats seemed the sensible thing and it is more efficient, ...


They're not: tests find they can be marginally more EFFECTIVE but slightly less EFFICIENT if you do so. Lots of people get that wrong, though, so it's an understandable confusion.


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## Citius (29 Feb 2016)

mjray said:


> They're not: tests find they can be marginally more EFFECTIVE but slightly less EFFICIENT if you do so. Lots of people get that wrong, though, so it's an understandable confusion.



How are you defining 'efficiency' and 'effectiveness' ??


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## Dogtrousers (29 Feb 2016)

For tris an alternative strategy is to ride in running shoes and use toe clips. A friend of mine who does duathlons does this, after careful consideration of time gained in transition vs potential losses on the bike. I don't do tri or duathlon myself so have no opinion either way, but my friend is quite a successful competitor.

(btw I ride SPDs and have never had a situation where I couldn't get a foot free in an emergency)


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## PhilDawson8270 (29 Feb 2016)

Citius said:


> How are you defining 'efficiency' and 'effectiveness' ??



Maybe he means there's no efficiency improvement with them. But they're more effective at keeping your feet on the pedals, in poor conditions?

After all, that's all I can see they would be more "effective" at.


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## eva13 (29 Feb 2016)

just been on turbo trainer clipped in, tried turning toes inwards and definitely cannot get foot out at all this way, tried taking it out at top of stroke and that did seem easier.

going up hills seems easier when clipped in, thats what I meant by more efficient. 

thanks


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## ColinJ (29 Feb 2016)

eva13 said:


> thanks for all those replies, my technique is turning my knee and toes out away from bike, keeping my foot parallel with floor, I've tried turning toe in towards bike, but can't get out. The cleats on the shoes seem to be tight, they don't move.


As other posts have pointed out, twist your HEEL outwards. That will lever your cleat out of the pedal. Trying to twist out from the toe end is NOT going to work because the cleat stops the shoe twisting!


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## Citius (29 Feb 2016)

eva13 said:


> tried taking it out at top of stroke and that did seem easier.



Generally, it's easier to unclip at the bottom of the pedal stroke - as your range of leg movement/rotation is far better.


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## mjr (29 Feb 2016)

Citius said:


> How are you defining 'efficiency' and 'effectiveness' ??


Roughly, efficiency is what % of your energy is delivered to the drivetrain; effectiveness is the maximum energy you can deliver. Clipless allows one to deliver a higher peak, but that costs some efficiency - for racers, that's probably worth it, but it's less clear for the rest of us IMO.



PhilDawson8270 said:


> But they're more effective at keeping your feet on the pedals, in poor conditions?


Stopping is a poor condition?


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## Crackle (29 Feb 2016)

Have you got the cleats set right for you. We don't all have straight feet. I for instance am a bit pigeon toed so my cleats are angled on the shoe to account for this. They are also pushed forwards more towards the front of the shoe. I'm just thinking if you don't have them set at the angle your feet fall naturally then the twist might be taking you out of your natural range of ankle movement.


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## PhilDawson8270 (29 Feb 2016)

mjray said:


> Clipless allows one to deliver a higher peak, but that costs some efficiency - for racers, that's probably worth it, but it's less clear for the rest of us IMO.



Yet the only test that I've seen done, was by an ex-racer. And the results shown that he produced LESS power with cleats, and MORE power with flats.


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## andrew_s (29 Feb 2016)

As ColinJ said, it's the heel that has to be moved, not the toes.
I find it easiest to move the heel outwards when the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke (the normal way), but easiest to move the heel inwards if the pedal is near the top (subject to the heel not being where it would hit the wheel or frame).


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## mjr (29 Feb 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> Yet the only test that I've seen done, was by an ex-racer. And the results shown that he produced LESS power with cleats, and MORE power with flats.


I'm thinking primarily of https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-2008-1038374 - which test do you mention?


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## User6179 (29 Feb 2016)

PhilDawson8270 said:


> Yet the only test that I've seen done, was by an ex-racer. And the results shown that he produced LESS power with cleats, and MORE power with flats.



Yep, test i saw said more power on the flat without being clipped in and with the foot further forward on the pedal but clipped in produced more power in sprints and uphill .


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## PhilDawson8270 (29 Feb 2016)

mjray said:


> I'm thinking primarily of https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-2008-1038374 - which test do you mention?



"There was no significant difference for pedalling effectiveness, net mechanical efficiency (NE) and muscular activity between PED and CLIP"

I'm not sure what their Pedal Force Feedback is, and I don't have access to the complete journal either to find their definition of that equipment.
" Consequently, shoe-pedal interface (PED vs. CLIP) did not significantly influence cycling technique during submaximal exercise."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNedIJBZpgM


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## Dan Ferris (2 Mar 2016)

I spent a good thirty minutes in my kitchen clipping and unclipping when i first fitted my pedals


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## ColinJ (2 Mar 2016)

Dan Ferris said:


> I spent a good thirty minutes in my kitchen clipping and unclipping when i first fitted my pedals


You must have had them WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too tight - it should only take about one second!


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## eva13 (3 Mar 2016)

thanks for all your advice, I have switched to SH56 cleats and get my foot out so easily now whichever way I twist, no more twisting my knee. Perhaps I don't have straight feet and the force was to great with my old cleats. Either way all sorted. 

thanks


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## vickster (4 Mar 2016)

If you have switched to SH56, you must have SPD pedals or switched to those too? 

Enjoy pedalling


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## Dogtrousers (4 Mar 2016)

eva13 said:


> thanks for all your advice, I have switched to SH56 cleats and get my foot out so easily now whichever way I twist, no more twisting my knee. Perhaps I don't have straight feet and the force was to great with my old cleats. Either way all sorted.
> 
> thanks


I'm glad you posted this, because each time I see this thread title I imagine someone trapped on their bike, desperately seeking help on ways to escape.


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## DRM (4 Mar 2016)

spray some GT85 on the mechanism where the tension is adjusted, it can make it easier to unclip.


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## Kip67 (26 Mar 2016)

Seen a poor soul get caught in the wrong gear and grind to a halt on a short incline. Didn't manage to unclip and down he went. Thankfully it was a cycle path and not a busy road.


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## screenman (26 Mar 2016)

Kip67 said:


> Seen a poor soul get caught in the wrong gear and grind to a halt on a short incline. Didn't manage to unclip and down he went. Thankfully it was a cycle path and not a busy road.



I have heard stories of such things, never seen it happen in all my years of cycling though. Maybe everyone I cycle with know how to move their foot slightly.


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## GuyBoden (26 Mar 2016)

Kip67 said:


> Seen a poor soul get caught in the wrong gear and grind to a halt on a short incline. Didn't manage to unclip and down he went. Thankfully it was a cycle path and not a busy road.



I've done similar things with over tightened clips and straps in the old days, when I was a teenage road racer.


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## screenman (26 Mar 2016)

Thinking about it I have seen more people falling off of bikes when not clipped in than when clipped in.


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## Kip67 (26 Mar 2016)

screenman said:


> Thinking about it I have seen more people falling off of bikes when not clipped in than when clipped in.


I've managed both and neither was much fun


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## Karlt (30 Mar 2016)

Heh. I found my right foot firmly attached to the pedal the other day when one of the cleat bolts had come out. Had to unscrew the shoe from the pedal as the cleat was spinning freely on the sole on the one bolt left.


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## leedsmick (30 Mar 2016)

Kip67 said:


> Seen a poor soul get caught in the wrong gear and grind to a halt on a short incline. Didn't manage to unclip and down he went. Thankfully it was a cycle path and not a busy road.



I did that the first time i went clipless ! It was a steep climb but one id done many times before. New bike got some lovely scratches


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## 2IT (11 Apr 2016)

eva13 said:


> Hello
> I'm fairly new to cycling on a road bike and bought clipless SPD/SL pedals last year. I used them a couple of time but stopped because I found it really hard to clip out, especially my right foot which is the side I would preferentially put down first. I double checked that I have them on the lowest tension setting and have practised lots using turbo trainer, but it still takes so much effort to get my right foot out it hurts my knee. I make sure that the pedal is level with the crank before I try to clip out too.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions how to solve this, any advice really appreciated
> ...



You are not the only one. On my new Shimano SPD SL Ultegras they were not as fast as I was used to unclipping. Mine too were set on loose which I think is the factory default. Over time and wear they could be too loose for us and then we might want to tighten them.

A few mentioned WD40 and the like which works. Armour All also works well and that is what I use. Wax them up and make the slippery.

Even with that I need to remind myself to get the foot out before I really need it. Sometimes I'm tired and forget that it would have been better to unclip about five seconds ago.

It's not just you. Unclipping can be an inopportune event.


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