can't unclip

[ayceejay]

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.

 

[Tojo]

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

 

[steveindenmark]

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.

 

[hobbitonabike]

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.

 

[vickster]

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 - ?

 

[Fab Foodie]

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.

 

[Fab Foodie]

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.

 

[eva13]

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!

 

[roadrash]

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.

 

[Milkfloat]

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.

 

[mjr]

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.

 

[Citius]

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' ??

 

[Dogtrousers]

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)

 

[PhilDawson8270]

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.

 

[eva13]

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