First Time with SPD blog

[BrumJim]

Hope this thread might be useful to people thinking about using SPDs for the first time.

Background:

I bought a bit of an indulgence recently - upgraded my cheap 1980s Peugeot racing bike (got free off Freecycle) to a Specialized Allez 16 road bike. I wanted a bit of well-tuned lightweight high speed action. So I wanted to spec it to get as much speed on the road as I could, which meant going beyond flat pedals.

The advice I was given was to pick one-sided pedals, which allowed SPD shoes on one side, but also allowed my regular footgear if I didn't want to change out of my shoes into something different, e.g. for a quick trip down to the shops for a loaf of bread/milk/birthday card, etc. I also chose a pair of mountain-bike style SPD shoes, as they are a lot more sensible to wear from the bike shed to the office.

I was a little bit apprehensive, and wanted to get used to the bike first (SO much different, but MUCH better), so I have to confess that it took me almost 2 months to take the plunge.

Never ridden clipless before. I did have toe-clips on a previous bike, but didn't really get the hang of them. This bike got stolen, IIRC.

More information later.

 

[HJ]

We await your first clipless moment...


Mine are listed in my blog, see sig line

 

[BrumJim]

Day 1:
Took the protection off the sole of the shoes, added the cleats to the bottom, and put the shoes on my feet.

Got my bike into the hall, and tried to clip my shoes into the pedals. Loosened off the clips by as much as I dared. Tried again. Removed shoe from foot, and managed to put shoe into pedals. Went upstairs, borrowed a mirror, and put it on the floor underneath my pedals. Tried again. Mirror wasn't much help, but did give me confidence that the foot WAS in the right position, I just wasn't pressing down quite right.

Looked to my left, and there was our cat, sat half-way up the stairs, not moving, but watching and waiting. Now she couldn't see what my feet were doing, but was still fascinated by me. In retrospect, she was probably too scared to pass me in the hall, so was waiting for me to get out of the way so that she could get to her food. But, there she was, sitting, watching, with what appeared to be a very puzzled look on her face.

Got left foot clipped in. Eventually got the right foot in too. Unclipped both - appears that I can only unclip the left by swinging my heel inwards, and my right, by swinging my heel outwards. Ho hum. Found it was easier to clip in by rotating the foot slightly. And by clipping in at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

Tried to clip in left again. Failed. Unwound the bindings a bit more. Tried again. Eventually succeeded.

About 45 mins later, I had been clipping and unclipping for a while, and felt a lot more confident.

 

[BrumJim]

Day 2:
Short trip out posting letters. Not so much trying to usurp Mr Postie, more a case of saving the cost of stamps, and one being too late to get there on time.

So, set off in the dark. Left foot in before I left the drive. Right foot eventually in position at the end of the road. Minor success.

A couple of deliveries, so had to unclip a couple of times. After the first delivery, I almost had my first fall. Setting off, with the left foot clipped in, I realise that if you get the start slightly wrong and topple to the left, there is no way to stop the bike falling without unclipping. Resolve to make sure that I set off so that if I do fall, it will be to the right.

Clipping in gets easier as the (short) ride goes on. Starting to get confident by the time I got home.

Relatively successful.

 

[BrumJim]

Day 3 - the commute.

Well, today (actually Wednesday) I am ready to tackle the SPD pedal and the commute all in one go.

Start off OK, although struggle a bit with the right foot.

Make life difficult for myself trying to go through the pedestrian gates on the canal whilst unclipping only one foot.

Get to work feeling good. Clipping in the right foot is almost second nature. SPDs give you much more power going uphill, or starting from almost stationary. High speed stuff on the flat is no different, as it is cardio-vascular that is the limit (wheezing, panting, and chest about to explode).

At work, I slightly adjust the left foot to bring the cleat nearer the toe, as I think I preferred the way that the right foot was set up.

Where should the cleat be? I currently like it right on the ball of the foot, as that feels best. Although the shoe appears to have that position near the end of the forward travel, so allows the cleat to be much further back, if required.

Also tighten up the bindings a bit before I go home. Love Ikea furniture - am carrying a couple of spare Allen keys which fit the bindings and the shoe cleats perfectly. Doesn't matter if I loose them, as they are spares, so they are jangling with my loose change and keys in my trouser pockets.

Ride home appears to take quite a bit longer. I did fiddle with the bindings a bit, and I did go more cautiously in the dark than I did in the daylight the week before. Also chain fell off (haven't a clue why) whilst I was trying to negotiate the pedestrian pinch point on the canal without unclipping the left foot. Then struggled to clip in the right on a patch where I am usually flat out and up into top. So no speed there.

On the other hand - on the flat bits close to home I had a lot more speed and energy than previous weeks. I seemed to be able to take my usual route in one gear higher than normal. Although it was very still, and I usually have to face a Sou'westerly all the way back.

Happy? Yes - Legs work harder, speed becomes easier, and feet don't fall off the pedals. I just need a bit more practice and experience, and hopefully I can loose another minute off my commute. And a couple off the one back home again.

 

[swee'pea99]

3 days and no clipless moment? Come on man, get on with it!

 

[BrumJim]

What next?

Well, many more commutes, but a question, and a few points for development.

I am increasing the tension on the pedal bindings little by little, so that clipping in doesn't become too much trouble, and I get used to what I have to do to unclip, even when the brain is working on something else.

But how do you use your clipless pedals? How much upward force do you use, and how? I have been using my ankles hard, straightening them for the power up-stroke, and having them at 90° for the power down-stroke. Out of the saddle, I think I am positioning myself more over the handlebars than before - no fear of falling off the front of the pedals anymore. On just building casual speed, the ankles stay at 90° (or near enough) for most of the rotation. Drifting, I could almost forget that I am clipped in, as only one leg works at a time.

Any advice?

 

[BrumJim]

No clipless moment yet. No comedy falling over, although one near moment.

Only time, though?

 

[HJ]

We await your first clipless moment...


Mine are listed in my blog, see sig line

Oddly enough there has been a sudden rush of hits on my blog, try searching for "clipless"...

 

[darkstar]

Since going clipless i have fallen off once, i was going up a steep hill when the butt from my handlebar fell out randomly, i breaked and managed to get my right foot out but was leaning towards the left, fell into the verge. Had a good look around, nobody about to witness it, so picked up the stupid butt, put it in the bag and made hasty exit!
The second (on the same, first ride) the cleat came away from my shoe and remained stuck in the pedal so i had to travel the remaining 9 miles home with my left foot sliding all of the pedal.
Now, a few months on i'm confident, especially now i'm using them in a city, the constant traffic lights etc force you to unclip more

 

[swee'pea99]

What next?

how do you use your clipless pedals?

Any advice?

Yes. Stop thinking about it, just ride for a fortnight and get the feel for it. Perhaps take an allen key with you and keep adjusting the tension till it feels right for you. Check your cleats every couple of days at first, to make sure they're not coming loose. But mainly, just ride. After two or three weeks, your body will have made all the adjustments you need.

 

[BalkanExpress]

Remember to check that the cleats are done up tight. "I hear" that if one of the bolts comes undone you will not be able to unclip and will have to take the shoe off to get off the bike, possibly in front of lots of people.

 

[swee'pea99]

Remember to check that the cleats are done up tight. "I hear" that if one of the bolts comes undone you will not be able to unclip and will have to take the shoe off to get off the bike, possibly in front of lots of people.

That's if you're lucky! Loose cleats are a classic route to your first clipless moment...

 

[Downward]

[quote name='swee'pea99']That's if you're lucky! Loose cleats are a classic route to your first clipless moment...[/QUOTE]


Yes this is important.
I spent a commute home with a loose cleat and it was hairt to say the least.

 

[gbs]

Clarification please.

Those of us coming from a sailing background would think of cleat as the mechanism on the pedal that holds the shoe; a plate is bolted onto the shoe and that plate engages with cleat (as defined above).

I sometimes think that cyclists use the term cleat to mean the plate that is bolted onto the shoe.

Definitions please.

PS lost a bolt from my plate on last ride - most inconvenient.