accountantpete
OAP
Similar to Adscrim in years using them - still fell off last week in the middle of town when the chain decided to ride past the big sprocket and stopped the bike dead!
Clipless adventure
- Thread starter Shorinjidude
- Start date
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marxist_fixie
Proper tea is theft [with apologies to Prodhom]
- Location
- Near Cambridge
I am in similar situation...failed with Look pedals....so now with SPD-SL...easier but still not perfect...i have to have quick look.....two approaches...[1] let the cranks spin a bit then the pedal presents itself and click or [2]Have clipped in foot at the top of the revolution...then quickly get foot in pedal making sure to keep the foot behind the pedal.....but most importantly is practice....both in quiet roads and in 'real' traffic and don't worry about holding someone else up.....pain can be a good tutor!....keep the tension loose on your shoes and soon you will be clipping in and out like a pro....and if all fails switch to Eggbeater pedals....welcome!
I'm getting a new, more expensive bike soon, and I'm a bit worried because it's clipless and I haven't used them before, (don't think I'll be trying Hyde Park Corner for a while though). My question is: Would I be better off fixing some clipless pedals to my current bike to get used to them before getting my new bike?
Wally said:
Yes.
It will save you scratching the buggery out of the new bike when you have your first clipless moment (not that there need be one). Trying clipless for the first time on a bike you know is one thing. Trying it on a new unfamiliar bike will make it all the more difficult I would have thought.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
In a word; yes. As your current bike is basically a hack bike now this is what I'd do (especially if you're keeping this bike). You're gonna be pi**ed if you put a dent in your new bike because you came off our bike when taking your foot off the peddle.
An annoying habit of a few car drivers recently is to take up position very close on your inside, blocking both lanes of traffic, when you're both turning right in an attempt to undertake you on the corner. Usually they park up just where I was going to put my left foot. If this happens, what ever you do DO NOT try and take your right foot out of the peddle, 9 times out of 10 you'll end up on the floor.
An annoying habit of a few car drivers recently is to take up position very close on your inside, blocking both lanes of traffic, when you're both turning right in an attempt to undertake you on the corner. Usually they park up just where I was going to put my left foot. If this happens, what ever you do DO NOT try and take your right foot out of the peddle, 9 times out of 10 you'll end up on the floor.
Shorinjidude
Über Member
You saying I've got girls legs/hips? I was wonderingh about getting the pedals that are double sided though.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
No I mean you coming to a stop, try to release your foot, can't panic & with your feet still attached to the peddles fall over, invariably finding a fairly large stone to inflict a nice big dent on your new bike with. Same sort of thing for the car taking your foot space, your reaction is to change the balance & release your foot from the right hand peddle. Invariably by the time you've released the peddle you're beyond the point of no return & getting your foot far enough out to stop you falling over isn't happening.
gregster
New Member
- Location
- Nr Rochester, Kent
I came back to cycling after a few years. Before clipless were fairly new and very expensive. Now use clipless, one embarrassing moment in a village when a car stopped more quickly than I thought and two pensioners looked at me like a fool!! (well I looked like it!!)
Embarassing moment for an unknown person at the start of a recent sportive, not even got to the start gate and he just went sideways onto a nice stone chip surface. Poor bugger, must have been a hundred there!
Keep practising and it'll come, like most on here it still gives us problems from time to time!
Embarassing moment for an unknown person at the start of a recent sportive, not even got to the start gate and he just went sideways onto a nice stone chip surface. Poor bugger, must have been a hundred there!
Keep practising and it'll come, like most on here it still gives us problems from time to time!
Shorinjidude
Über Member
Here's a thing: I have lumber spine problems, usually sorted a couple of time a year by my friendly chiropracter. An observation of my walk reciently was that I walk with my feel slightly pointing outward, or as my wife said "Like a duck" 
The first week of cycling clipless had my back aching after a ride for several hours, the same ache I get after a chiropractic treatment (you'll know what I mean if you have this done) - a kind of a wow! I'm standing up straight ache. Now after a couple of weeks clipless the back pain has gone I 'feel' straighter walk a litle taller. Coincidence? Possibly, but maybe being forced into a straight foot position has done me some good!
The first week of cycling clipless had my back aching after a ride for several hours, the same ache I get after a chiropractic treatment (you'll know what I mean if you have this done) - a kind of a wow! I'm standing up straight ache. Now after a couple of weeks clipless the back pain has gone I 'feel' straighter walk a litle taller. Coincidence? Possibly, but maybe being forced into a straight foot position has done me some good!