I've found that the MTB clipless are far more forgiving than the other type. Very easy to unclip in an emergency forget situation.
Clipless Pedals FAQ
- Thread starter Kestevan
- Start date
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I've found that the MTB clipless are far more forgiving than the other type. Very easy to unclip in an emergency forget situation.
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
Second this. That’s what I use. I set them on the lowest tension and also use the multi release cleats.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
To those that are out there yet to try clipless or are embarking on the clipless journey.
As much as I admire @DCLane for his cycling prowess, he is wrong on this one. Plenty of people get on with clipless from the start and have no incidents. Not saying they won't ever, but.. it doesn't happen to us all.
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
No, not just you. It's happened to lots of people, but not everyone. I'm another to have escaped this fate (so far)
As I mentioned in another thread I had a bit of a scare when I tried riding fixed gear with clipless. For some reason related to my mental and neural programming I found that I couldn't unclip my left foot while pedalling and obviously you're pedalling all the time on fixed. Fortunately my right foot was OK. That's a learning work in progress.
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It certainly happened to my BiL when he first moved to clipless - but he is one of those people that fits into racing shoes and racing gear, so went straight for proper road clips.
I'm a little more sedate and on the cuddly side, plus I have feet like a penguin, so I went down the MTB route and have never had an issue, because if I panic it's really easy to unclip. The flip side of that is a that you have to focus a bit more on keeping your feet straight.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I use MTB-style 2 bolt SPDs too. Maybe that's significant?
scotsbikester
Well-Known Member
I did a quick search of this (very long) thread, and couldn't find a reference to MagPeds:
https://www.magped.com/en/
These are like clipless pedals, but use a very strong magnet and a different type of cleat to hold your shoe to the pedal. Here's one review (from a mountain biker): https://freehub.com/reviews/magped-enduro
Here are some more reviews:
Reddit discussion - there are other Reddit discussions, just search. This was from a MTB subreddit, so the review is from the that POV.
https://granfondo-cycling.com/magped-road2-review/ Which contains this - "To release your foot from the pedal, you must simply twist it away from the bike. Doing so requires little force and makes the panicked effort of getting a foot on the ground before you tip over a thing of the past. This removes the fear that beginners often associate with the use of clipless pedals, and prevents embarrassing situations and bruises."
Confession: I bought a pair of MagPeds a couple of years ago and they are still on the shelf waiting to be fitted. At the moment I use Shimano T8000s, which are flat one side, SPD the other. Generally I find the T8000s excellent - I'm clipped in most of the time, but use the flat side in very busy stop/start traffic, any time I think I would otherwise have to unclip in a hurry.
I bought the Magpeds in order to get off the pedals in a panic moment. I've only had one actual clipless fall, and that was very early on. I didn't actually forget I was clipped in, as such. It was a moment when both I and a driver sort of dithered, I ended up side on to the kerb and went over. The drivers who witnessed it were all actually very concerned, and not one of them laughed (at least not till later maybe).
I think other manufacturers have now gone into the "magnetic clipless" market.
But every so often I have a "only just unclipping in time" moment. Particularly if it's the right foot. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm so used to unclipping the left foot, it's not a problem. But sometimes, at very low speed, or making an awkward manoeuvre, I need to get my right foot out, and I/we just aren't used to doing that. I should practice it, really. I have the clip on the lowest strength setting, and my pedal has never released unintentionally.
And although I'm a fan of dual sided, as in SPD/flat, pedals, I do have to be aware whether I'm clipped in or on the flats. The flat side pins on T8000 are fairly "grippy", so a twist might not actually get your foot off the pedal. I do actually say to myself - "unclipped", a few times, just so I know. And one thing I never do is go half and half. Both feet are either clipped in, or on the flats.
If/when I ever fit my magpeds, I'll leave a review in this thread.
https://www.magped.com/en/
These are like clipless pedals, but use a very strong magnet and a different type of cleat to hold your shoe to the pedal. Here's one review (from a mountain biker): https://freehub.com/reviews/magped-enduro
Here are some more reviews:
Reddit discussion - there are other Reddit discussions, just search. This was from a MTB subreddit, so the review is from the that POV.
https://granfondo-cycling.com/magped-road2-review/ Which contains this - "To release your foot from the pedal, you must simply twist it away from the bike. Doing so requires little force and makes the panicked effort of getting a foot on the ground before you tip over a thing of the past. This removes the fear that beginners often associate with the use of clipless pedals, and prevents embarrassing situations and bruises."
Confession: I bought a pair of MagPeds a couple of years ago and they are still on the shelf waiting to be fitted. At the moment I use Shimano T8000s, which are flat one side, SPD the other. Generally I find the T8000s excellent - I'm clipped in most of the time, but use the flat side in very busy stop/start traffic, any time I think I would otherwise have to unclip in a hurry.
I bought the Magpeds in order to get off the pedals in a panic moment. I've only had one actual clipless fall, and that was very early on. I didn't actually forget I was clipped in, as such. It was a moment when both I and a driver sort of dithered, I ended up side on to the kerb and went over. The drivers who witnessed it were all actually very concerned, and not one of them laughed (at least not till later maybe).
I think other manufacturers have now gone into the "magnetic clipless" market.
But every so often I have a "only just unclipping in time" moment. Particularly if it's the right foot. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm so used to unclipping the left foot, it's not a problem. But sometimes, at very low speed, or making an awkward manoeuvre, I need to get my right foot out, and I/we just aren't used to doing that. I should practice it, really. I have the clip on the lowest strength setting, and my pedal has never released unintentionally.
And although I'm a fan of dual sided, as in SPD/flat, pedals, I do have to be aware whether I'm clipped in or on the flats. The flat side pins on T8000 are fairly "grippy", so a twist might not actually get your foot off the pedal. I do actually say to myself - "unclipped", a few times, just so I know. And one thing I never do is go half and half. Both feet are either clipped in, or on the flats.
If/when I ever fit my magpeds, I'll leave a review in this thread.
Big John
Legendary Member
I reckon I've been on Look clipless pedals for about 30 years, first with deltas and now with keos. At first I had what I called 'clipless moments' and did indeed fall off a few times, sometimes in front of club mates 🥴. I'm glad I did it when I could still bounce. I'm 68 now and definitely don't bounce so well. Likewise, when I began riding fixed gear I had a few 'fixed moments' too. And having a 'fixed AND clipless moment' doesn't bear thinking about. I'd still rather ride clipless than ordinary flats but I think I've got the hang of them now lol.
+1
My route has been pretty similar to above.
Clipless much easier and safer than the old system.
My route has been pretty similar to above.
But in the years before clipless, I sometimes rode fixed with cages and the old cleats and these were very much more of a problem. Having to tighten or undo the straps as the pedals spun round
Clipless much easier and safer than the old system.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
It's about statistics - although there's no way of knowing what proportion of clipless-pedal-using cyclists have ever had a 'clipless moment'. I would guess it's >50%.
I've been using SPDs for 17 years - I am so comfortable with them that the clipping in and out is now second nature and done without planning or thought. Even when I need to take a quick 'dab' I easily do it. I have SPDs on 4 of my bikes. That said, last year I suffered a fall as I overbalanced the wrong way at a stop and the angles left me unable to unclip before hitting the ground. That was the first such moment I can recall for several years, but it's always there as a possibility.
