2009 is the year...

[Baggy]

I mentally rehearsed a stopping procedure; start braking, unclip left foot, complete breaking put unclipped foot down.

Hah! I tried that on my first clipless ride and managed it all except the last bit, decided at the last second I wanted to put the other foot down instead.

Got used to them really quickly though.

You'll be fine!

 

[Cathryn]

I'm going clipless in 09 too! next week in fact and im getting those 2 differerent sided peddles and i'm going to manchester Velodrome this month -how spooky is that?

in addition i am going to work harder at training and harder at university, cut back on the booze a lot since i wont have time nor energy for it.

Priscilla, let me know how you get on at Manchester!! I'm so excited.

 

[Will1985]

I shall investigate what type of clips I need for Manchester.

Manchester use Look Delta cleats. Don't worry about clipping in on track bikes either because they get arsey if you do it on the move...hold a rail and do it.

 

[Maz]

i'd recommend look/time etc over spd, they are superior in every way on the bike...

Not doubting it, but in what ways are Look/Time better than SPDs?
Also, do Look/Time have recessed cleats?

 

[ColinJ]

Maz - Look/Time are slightly different systems but they are basically designed for pedalling not for walking! The shoes you use them with typically have very stiff soles and whacking great slippery pieces of plastic bolted onto the bottom of them! SPD cleats are fitted into recesses in SPD shoes so you can walk on the tread of the shoes rather than the cleats (although they can still be slippery offroad if you are clambering over rocks).

Those are Look type.

Those are SPD type.

See what I mean ?

I have Look pedals on my 'best' bike (my Cannondale) and wear a good pair of SIDI shoes when riding that. I wear cheap ALDI SPD shoes for my 'knockabout' bike (my Basso) which has SPD pedals. Ditto my MTB.

I agree that Look are 'better' than SPD in terms of support for the foot. I have more problems with my feet when using SPDs than using Look. Having said that, when I'm slim and fit I have to put about 20% less pressure on the pedals and don't have much trouble with either pedal system.

SPDs are much more convenient off the bike. If you spend 99.xx% of your time on the bike, perhaps you don't need SPD. I do a fair amount of wandering about at audax controls, toilets and cafes so SPDs come in handy. They are much better when doing emergency dismounts on greasy wet 25% pennine hills.

Walking up that in the rain was a right bastard in my SIDI shoes with Look cleats

 

[Maz]

Cheers, ColinJ. I use SPD at the mo. I was hoping Look and/or Time were walkable as I have to do a 10 min walk with bike (school drop-off) before setting off for work.

Nice pic - looks Huddersfieldish.

 

[ColinJ]

Cheers, ColinJ. I use SPD at the mo. I was hoping Look and/or Time were walkable as I have to do a 10 min walk with bike (school drop-off) before setting off for work.

Nice pic - looks Huddersfieldish.

Technically, you can walk on Look/Time cleats if you don't mind (a) looking like a duck ( slipping over regularly (c) spending a fortune on replacing the cleats (they cost £5-10 a pair and wear out quickly if you do much walking on them).

The hill is Mytholm Steeps on the Todmorden-side outskirts of Hebden Bridge, on the way up to Blackshaw Head.