Clipless pedals - brilliant

[Moby Jones]

I took my bike into Evans to get its free safety check and when it was in i asked them to stick some SPD pedals on the bike. I bought a pair of Shimano shoes, paid a bit more than what i was planning to but what the hell.
http://www.wiggle.co...m161-mtb-shoes/

I also got them to fit some race blades to my bike as the weather here has been nothing but rain for as long as i can remember. I have been wanting to go clipless for ages.

Done my first commute since i got the bike back this morning and what a differnece. I feel so much more secure ont he pedals now and pedalling is so much smoother. I loosened the tension off on the padals just to get me started and i think this was a smart move. I am able to clip in and out no problem. Just need to remind myself to do this. Now my bike is much more fun to ride, no more slipping and sliding on the pedals.....

 

[NormanD]

Welcome to the dark side young Padawan

Everything will soon become second nature

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Nice one. Clipless is ace! Or should I say slip-less?!

 

[BSRU]

I went SPD years ago mainly to ensure I always have my feet in the right position on the pedals and no worries about slipping off when it gets wet.

 

[Moby Jones]

The pedals i had on my bike were terrible. I just didn't feel safe on them and my feet kept moving position on them. I had to wait until i got paid to go clipless, i will be recommending them to all my friends

 

[Sonofpear]

I'm going pedal and shoe shopping this weekend. Think I'm ready to go clipless now.

 

[Glover Fan]

Couldn't go back to non-clipless now.

 

[jayonabike]

Yes, it took a while to get used to it ( and a couple of tumbles

) but I wouldn't go back now

 

[Bicycle]

Aren't they a wonderful thing!

I just don't see a downside (apart from initial outlay).

I started on Look-style, but went qickly over to SPD on both road and MTB.

I now use eggbeaters and love them to pieces.

A surprising benefit is that they allowed my middle kid (for whom dispraxia made cycling hard at times) to get his feet in the right place and keep them there.

He doesn't need that side benefit any more, but it was priceless when he was younger. Now 15 and taller than me, he just whips along on a road bike and really isn't comfortable without his cleats.

Cycling and dispraxia (in its many forms) could be the topic of a PhD.... But I'm not the academic type.

But back to the point. Congrats on going to SPD. It's one of life's win-win options.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Couldn't go back to non-clipless now.

I rode my other bike, which has non-clipless pedals on, briefly a couple of weeks ago just to make sure it was running OK. It was a very weird experience; even just cruising at low speed I was constantly lifting my feet off the pedals trying to pull the pedal upwards (which is something I normally only consciously do on my eggbeaters when I'm attacking a steep hill) and was having to shuffle my feet around to get them back in the right spot, before pulling them off again... I felt like a puppet learning to ride a bike.

 

[HLaB]

I've done the odd trip to the shops, etc with normal shoes, it just feels weird when stopped in traffic.

 

[pip ryder]

I've done the odd trip to the shops, etc with normal shoes, it just feels weird when stopped in traffic.

Why? Because you don't topple over? Seriously, how does it feel different other than having to unclip before stopping? I wouldn't know, I've never ridden them.

I'm off to get some SPD pedals and shoes as soon as I can because I've been on flats for far too long and I understand virtually everyone loves clipless. It'll be interesting to see how different it is because I never really notice any slipping on the pedals. I'm sure it's probably something that happens and I dont realise. I generally feel quite comfortable on flats. I can definitely appreciate the advantage of being able to pull up on the medals though.

 

[gaz]

Why? Because you don't topple over? Seriously, how does it feel different other than having to unclip before stopping? I wouldn't know, I've never ridden them.

How do you correctly position the pedal you push off with in the right place once you have stopped?
Put your foot under the pedal and pull it up?
With a clip-less system you just pull your foot up as it's still attached to the pedal. simples!

 

[pip ryder]

With a clip-less system you just pull your foot up as it's still attached to the pedal. simples!

Ah, I see! I assumed you unclipped both feet before coming to a stop, but I guess it's only necessary to unclip one.

 

[slowmotion]

Ah, I see! I assumed you unclipped both feet before coming to a stop, but I guess it's only necessary to unclip one.

I only went over to "The Dark Side" about five weeks ago. When you start out, unclip at all possible opportunities, and really early, with both feet. When new to this lark, it is quite easy to unclip with one shoe....and then fall over on the other side. I went down twice in the first ten days. I think I would be lucky not to do that again.

Good luck, and best wishes.