Clipless Pedals FAQ

[T4tomo]

you can, quite badly, with a risk* of you trainers slipping off the pedals and hurting yourself.

*a varying level thereof, depending on the exact type of pedals.

 

[IcySwan1]

Thanks, T4tomo. I kinda thought that.

Mike

 

[Sharky]

I just bought a hybrid with flat pedals and don't have any clip shoes. If I borrowed a bike with clip pedals, would I be able to ride it with non-clip shoes?

I've ridden a 10 mile TT wearing sandels, having left my cycling shoes at home.

 

[icowden]

I just bought a hybrid with flat pedals and don't have any clip shoes. If I borrowed a bike with clip pedals, would I be able to ride it with non-clip shoes?

Depends on the pedals. I have reversible ones - "clipless" on one side and flat on the other :-)

If they are pure "clipless" then they are really just a rod.

 

[semakof]

I have been using the flat pedal for long until I bought and installed a clipless pedal. It is great, and makes me pedal faster. There were days when my shoe will slip off the flat pedal but the clipless pedal solves that problem. Most importantly, one needs to be conscious of using a clipless pedal as you can easily fall.

 

[Roadrat77]

Got them, used them but because of the sheer volume of traffic/islands/traffic lights etc and the on offs every two minutes plus two very near misses and the fact I felt they were ruining my riding I switched back to Toeclips.

 

[Nomadski]

I’ve always used the mountain bike style SPD rather than SPD SL even though I’m a roadie as I prefer not to have cleats sticking out of my shoe when I do a coffee stop, plus being able to clip in either side of the pedal is a plus.

Never felt the inclination to try SLs.

I also find the Shimano mountain bike SPD specific shoes seem to be far easier to clip in than the Shimano SPD shoes, dunno why.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Depends on the pedals. I have reversible ones - "clipless" on one side and flat on the other :-)

If they are pure "clipless" then they are really just a rod.

Unless you have clipless with a surrounding cage. The latter can be ridden with normal footwear.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've ridden a 10 mile TT wearing sandels, having left my cycling shoes at home.

The fastest tourist in the west....

 

[Sharky]

The fastest tourist in the west....

Alas no, on another night, an ex-pro, now well into his 70's did exactly the same (ride wearing sandals) and did a very fast ride. Can't remember the exact time, but it was probably a 24 or 25 minute ride for the 10 miles!

 

[harlechjoe]

Thanks for the great explanation for clipless pedals and shoes. Over the past few years I moved back to flat pedals and wanted to share the story to those wishing to make an informed decision about their choice of pedals. Some 5 years ago I cycled along the tow-path of the grand union of canals between the great City of Birmingham and the Capital City of London and wrote my story here: www.harlechjoe.wordpress.com ( archived date May 2017).
Prior to that adventure I always used clip-less pedals with compatible cycling shoes. They worked well, assisted my pedal technique and were very comfortable.
Recognising a risk of falling into the canal and being clipped into pedals would be drowning I fitted double-sided pedals, using the flat side for tow-path cycling and the clip-in side for road work. By the end of the ride I had rediscovered to Joy of cycling on the flat platform and when my clip-in shoes wore out, instead of replacing the shoes I replaced the pedals- photo attached. These grip me just as firmly as clip-less and as all mountain bike users know they are great for powering up steep hills. I also follow adviced given on this forum and upgraded my cycling boots to keep warm and dry in cold wet winter weather.
So in summary, the pedal of choice has to be a personal choice.

 

[david.rolls]

Very helpful! Taught me a lot

 

[alrzaln]

As there seems to be a fairly steady stream of questions on clipless pedals I thought I'd put something together as a beginner friendly introduction to the world of Clipless Pedals and Shoes.

Perhaps this could be Stickied in either the General Cycling or Kit and Clothing sections?


What are Clipless Pedals?

Despite the name, clipless pedals are pedals which you clip into…. the pedal has a mechanism which binds to a specially designed shoe and "locks" your feet in place. The "Clipless" bit actually means you don’t need to use the traditional toe-cage and leather strap arrangement to hold your feet in place.

The clipless mechanism works much like ski boot bindings. To release the clip, you twist your heel outwards, and the bind releases. This ensures that in the case of an accident the shoes release automatically, and means you can
(with a little practice) unclip easily rather than having to bend down and release a buckle (as on the traditional toe-clip).

Should I Go Clipless?

It's a personal decision. There are Pro's and Cons on both sides of the issue.

Clipless pedals offer a more connected feeling to the bike, the shoes are generally stiffer soled than normal shoes, and this can help with efficiency and comfort on longer rides. Arguably clipless offer some power advantages over flats/clips and most, but certainly not all people who try a clipless pedal never go back to toe-clips or flats.

The drawbacks include the expense of the shoes/pedals and in most cases the loss of flexibility. The fact you're limited to a particular pair of shoes may not help. The pedals also need to be set up correctly, incorrect positioning can cause knee and/or ankle pain, some people seem to be more susceptible to this and never get on with clipless systems.

What Are the Different Types of Pedals/Shoes?

There are two "families" of shoes/pedals. Various different manufactures produce pedals/shoes but they almost all fall into one of two types, Road pedals (such as SPD-SL, Time, Keo) or Mountain Bike style (SPD, Crank Bros). The two styles both use a metal or plastic cleat fastened to the sole of the shoe. Most shoes will be designed to accept only 1 of the two types of cleat although there are a limited number of shoes which will take either.

Mountain Bike (Mtb) pedals and shoes - usually referred to as SPD shoes use a 2 bolt system to fasten the cleat to the shoe. The cleat itself is a small triangular metal wedge. The cleat is generally recessed into the sole and the shoes often have a treaded sole suitable for walking in.

Road Bike (SPD-SL/Look) pedals and shoes use 3 bolts to hold the cleat on the shoe. The cleats themselves are much larger than SPD cleats, and made of plastic. They stand proud of the sole and are very difficult to walk in. The shoes are usually light weight, with completely rigid, smooth soles.

Which Pedal system is Best?

Each type has pros and cons. There is no "best" system - simply one which works best for you.

SPD systems are traditionally thought of as the mountain bike solution, although many riders choose to use these on road bikes. The cleats are designed to be recessed into the shoe. This enables the shoes to shed mud better, and also to allow you to walk almost normally.

The pedals come in many designs. Many are double sided, meaning you can clip the shoe into either side of the pedal with minimal fuss. Some have a clip on one side and a traditional flat pedal on the other allowing normal shoes to be used if required.

The shoes themselves also run the full range from SPD compatible sandals through to incredibly stiff "race style" shoes. In most cases however the shoes will be stiffer than normal walking shoes (although not as stiff as a full road shoe).

SPD's tend to be easier to clip into than Look pedals, especially the double sided designs. The smaller cleat and pedal can give less support to the sole of the foot, and some riders complain of "hot foot", an unpleasant burning sensation on longer rides.

Look/SPD-SL (road pedals) are single sided, and have a large flat pedal surface and an equally large protruding cleat design. The pedals can be rather hard to clip into, but offer a very firm connection and substantial support. The shoes are almost always lightweight race style shoes with reinforced nylon or carbon fibre soles with no flexibility at all. Walking in these shoes is difficult at best, and also causes significant wear to the cleats, so is not recommended.

As a general rule, SPD shoes are more likely to suit if

(a) You need to unclip regularly - i.e. a commute with multiple lights/junctions.
(b) Want to walk about off the bike to any degree
(c) Want to wear "normal" looking shoes or have the option of a flat pedal in addition to the clips.


LOOK/SPD-SL will probably suit you if

(a) You're doing long distance rides with few stops.
(b) Want the the lightest/stiffest shoes and pedals available
(c) Suffer from hot foot with SPD shoes.
(d) Really don’t want to put MTB pedals on a road bike.

Adjustment/Float and Positioning.

Both types of pedals offer some form of adjustments, usually to the force required to clip in/out of the pedal itself. This is usually a screw/Allen key adjustment that tightens the spring force on each pedal. If you're just starting out down the clipless route it's suggested that you start with the loosest setting that will hold your foot on the pedal. As you perfect the art of clipping in/out the tension can be increased to grip the foot firmer if required.

Both SPD and LOOK/SPD-SL cleats are unclipped by twisting the heel outwards in a flat plane, SPD pedals have an optional cleat design that also allows the user to twist out in any direction (other than straight up). These multi-directional cleats make unclipping easier, but can pull free of the pedal if the tension is not fairly high.

Each pedal will allow a certain degree of "float" i.e. how much lateral foot movement is allowed. SPD types typically allow the most float. SPD-SL float is controlled by using different cleat designs. Cleats are available with anything from 0 degrees (no movement) to 9 degrees of float. The amount of float required is a personal choice, but I'd suggest that anyone new to clipless shoes should probably start with at least some float, until a suitable position can be found.

The position of the cleat on the sole of the shoe will control the riding position. Each cleat system has a limited amount of movement on the sole, and it’s important to get this correct. Trial and error is probably the best procedure, but a decent starting position can be obtained by sitting on the bike and allowing your feet to hang free. Note the angle at which they point in relation to the pedal and try and ensure that this angle is maintained when the shoe is clipped into the pedal. Also bear in mind that the new stack height of the pedal may affect the required seat height.


Clipless Moments.

The majority of people who switch to clipless pedals will probably have experienced the dreaded "Clipless Moment". Approaching the lights or a junction you coast to a halt, forgetting that your feet are now locked to the pedals. As you stop, you frantically try to pull your feet free as you slowly topple sideways to the floor. It's almost guaranteed that this will happen at the most embarrassing time possible, probably when there is a particularly attractive member of the opposite sex waiting to cross the road.

After a while, unclipping will become natural (trust me - it will). But at least initially I'd strongly suggest practicing starting and stopping several times on a nice soft grassy surface; and quite possible repeating the unclip….unclip…unclip mantra as you approach a stop sign for the first few days.

I used traditional the-cage and leather strap for a long time. I recently decided to use Clipless Pedals. On the first day, I was practicing on the highway in the city, and I fell down twice. I was very lucky that a car did not pass behind me, otherwise I would not be alive now. But the next time I rode, I was very careful and luckily I didn't fall again. I have to practice a lot so that my mind is completely ready to release the shoe from the pedal as soon as I stop.

 

[ianrauk]

I used traditional the-cage and leather strap for a long time. I recently decided to use Clipless Pedals. On the first day, I was practicing on the highway in the city, and I fell down twice. I was very lucky that a car did not pass behind me, otherwise I would not be alive now. But the next time I rode, I was very careful and luckily I didn't fall again. I have to practice a lot so that my mind is completely ready to release the shoe from the pedal as soon as I stop.

Anticipation is the key. It won't take you long to master it and it soon becomes second nature.

 

[DCLane]

@alrzaln - I'd echo @ianrauk 's comment above.

My method for a while was an out loud reminder to unclip before stopping.. That worked.

You will have a point where you forget, which is a useful reminder. Happens to us all. Unfortunately for me it was on a Saturday morning in the middle of Holmfirth's main road junction.