clip in fun!

[simongt]

I've been using Shimano SPDs for some years and get on well with them for commuting and riding out. The best thing about them is that you hardly notice you have them on whilst walking. And yes, even now, I still have the occasional distracted 'oops - thud' moment - !

 

[RMurphy195]

When I got my first SPD's the bike shop gave me a bit of advice - while learning to use the pedals, slacken off the pedal to it's minimum clip-in tension, then tighten it up if needed a bit at a time. I've spent the last 20 years with the pedals on their minimum setting!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I've just put my spd pedals back on the ute bike as part of keeping my knee straight. I am surprised at how much positive difference I felt again after having not bothered with them for a couple of years.

I am a gear better off (alfine 8 so quite a few better on a derailleur) up the hills without really trying.

 

[simongt]

When I got my first SPD's the bike shop gave me a bit of advice - while learning to use the pedals, slacken off the pedal to it's minimum clip-in tension, then tighten it up if needed a bit at a time. I've spent the last 20 years with the pedals on their minimum setting!

Likewise, although I've only had my SPDs for about twelve years; but it works for me - !

 

[Vesalius73]

If you want hills, try Scotland

Despite the fact I live in Lancashire!

If it's any consolation I continue to forget my pedals and have come off twice in the last fortnight. The second was on a charity bike ride where I was literally surrounded by cyclists.

Some laughed (I did too) but loads just patted my back and sympathised. The best I heard was "glad it was you, it's usually me"

 

[Buck]

Glad you enjoyed beautiful Yorkshire. I feel very lucky to have been born and raised in this beautiful part of the country.

I might have had a fall or two in my SPDs. It's just a case of practice and (as in my recent one) not forgetting you're clipped in

On a hill start, get in a low(re) gear and push off pedalling with your clipped in foot. If you don't clip you're other one in straight away, keep calm and carry on pedalling and get it clipped on the next revolution. Try it on the flat first and purposely don't clip in straight away.

 

[sanddancer]

It's the unexpected times which have caught me out more. The vast majority of times I unclip left foot first, but sometimes I do right foot first and have to conciously remember my left foot is still attached, otherise a falling tree impression follows.

I nearly had my first fall today like that.

I rode along the path on a notorious stretch of lane. Its the only path on the oncoming traffic side. The path started getting narrower With overgrowth then,

round a right hand bend and suddenly fully overgrown. Harsh braking and left foot unclipped as usual but sub concious made me lean right due to oncoming fast traffic.

Just got my foot uunclipped and out in time like a karate ninja

Just as well as II'd of been nettled to death and a laughing stock

 

[bozmandb9]

I had a clipless moment yesterday! Ran into some deep dust/ grit, and started to lean over to the right, panicked, I always unclip from the left, so did a falling tree impression! Annoying!

 

[steveindenmark]

I always slacken mine off to the minimum tension. It works for me and my feet don't unclip unless I want them to.

 

[Drago]

After experimentation I run about a third up from minimum.

 

[Bryony]

I've been using clipless for just over a year. I've not hit the deck yet I've had a few wobbles while been stationary and forgetting that my right foot was still clipped in!! I did have a very close call a few weeks ago, I got to the finish of a charity ride, was riding through the car park which was gravelly and my bike went a bit twitchy I lost my balance and my foot would not unclip! I thought that's it I'm a gonner and waited for the bump! But luckily and also embarrassingly a guy was walking by and caught me! He pushed me up right and went on his way!!

 

[Buck]

I'...But luckily and also embarrassingly a guy was walking by and caught me! He pushed me up right and went on his way!!

Lady Luck was with you that day! Far better this than falling over any day

 

[chr15b]

I too have kept my R540's on their slackest tension, I was advised that the only reason to adjust them would be if my foot was unclipping unintentionally but that hasn't happened as yet.

 

[cj73]

To invert the thread I hadn't ridden for a few years but all of the previous 10 or so years had been clipless.

Got a new hybrid with MTB flats at the weekend and immediately went out a ride...all ok till I turned a corner on a country B road, saw a steep hill, stood up and pulled up with my right leg as I pushed down with left....ended up in a hedge

 

[MissyR]

Clipless falls are a bugger I'm still nursing this bad boy a week on!

before


after a week