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Update: I survived.
No clipless moments (few close calls!)
Knees felt stiff after 10 minutes. Adjusted cleats but didn’t change much. Stupidly adjusted saddle cos it was the same feeling that I get if my saddle is too low. Then my back started to hurt. Readjusted saddle and cleat angle and that seemed to help. I desperately need a professional fit, but that’s another story.
Anyways, once they were sorted (ish) I was floating. Hills that I used to dread or feel dead at the end of it didn’t feel as bad. In fact, there were some points where I realised “oh wow that was a hill!”. Didn’t notice it.
There were times when I crested a hill and went to shift to the big ring, but realised I was already in it. I spent much more time in the big ring than I normally do, and that was totally subconsciously. I just didn’t feel the need to naturally shift down like normal.
My calves feel more tired than usual - not used to pulling as well as pushing I guess.
And get this; I’ve not been out on a 10+ mile ride since Feb because my bike needed badly serviced and we couldn’t afford it until now. 6 months of no riding, and on my first clipless 26 mile ride I got 4 PBs on Strava. Each one of those was a hill that I used to struggle with.
So yeah, biggest difference was on hills, and what a difference. I’m a believer. Completely converted.
Edit: just looked at Strava details. 2 minutes faster on the hills than my previous best. Wow.
No clipless moments (few close calls!)
Knees felt stiff after 10 minutes. Adjusted cleats but didn’t change much. Stupidly adjusted saddle cos it was the same feeling that I get if my saddle is too low. Then my back started to hurt. Readjusted saddle and cleat angle and that seemed to help. I desperately need a professional fit, but that’s another story.
Anyways, once they were sorted (ish) I was floating. Hills that I used to dread or feel dead at the end of it didn’t feel as bad. In fact, there were some points where I realised “oh wow that was a hill!”. Didn’t notice it.
There were times when I crested a hill and went to shift to the big ring, but realised I was already in it. I spent much more time in the big ring than I normally do, and that was totally subconsciously. I just didn’t feel the need to naturally shift down like normal.
My calves feel more tired than usual - not used to pulling as well as pushing I guess.
And get this; I’ve not been out on a 10+ mile ride since Feb because my bike needed badly serviced and we couldn’t afford it until now. 6 months of no riding, and on my first clipless 26 mile ride I got 4 PBs on Strava. Each one of those was a hill that I used to struggle with.
So yeah, biggest difference was on hills, and what a difference. I’m a believer. Completely converted.
Edit: just looked at Strava details. 2 minutes faster on the hills than my previous best. Wow.
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numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
Stop the pulling, let the down stroke do the work, your legs will thank you.
JtB
Prepare a way for the Lord
- Location
- North Hampshire
Congratulations, but make sure you don’t let Strava addiction get in the way of having fun on the bike.
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My tip, for what its worth :- unclip before you need to. If i think I'm going to have to stop I unclip one foot. That way, there's one less thing to think about if things happen suddenly.
A 2nd tip, if you have a heavy pannier bag on one side, unclip the foot on the side of the pannier.
Saves that feeling that the bike's going to topple towards the side that's still clipped in.
Ask me how i found that out
luckily, by outstretching my free leg I saved collapsing into the traffic while stopped at a pedestrian crossing. It was a very, very close call though.
A 2nd tip, if you have a heavy pannier bag on one side, unclip the foot on the side of the pannier.
Saves that feeling that the bike's going to topple towards the side that's still clipped in.
Ask me how i found that out
luckily, by outstretching my free leg I saved collapsing into the traffic while stopped at a pedestrian crossing. It was a very, very close call though.
I've always kept my pedals; Shimano M515s, on a loose setting. I've come off unintentionally three times over the years, including last year when I was rear ended and ended up with a broken femur, but every time the pedals have released without any concious input from me. Choice of clipless models is probably a personal thing, but for my ££, the M515s are just the ticket. 
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
My advice would be to unclip the left foot first.
For uk and countries driving on the left.
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
I'm right handed and right footed, so just seems natural to me to throw my right leg over the saddle and using my right foot to power the first pedal stroke. My left leg stays on the kerbside until I start moving away and the stopping is just the reverse.
But what do left handers do in the UK and right handers do in the US/Europe? Do they just adapt and get used to mounting/stopping on the kerbside regardless of natural tendencies?
My other sport is table tennis and as a righthanded player, always hold the bat with the right hand. So when somebody throws a ball to me, I always catch with my left hand. This now feels natural to me and often use my left hand to catch things, even when my right hand is free.
Just curious..
bikingdad90
Guru
I’m right handed but put my right foot down when stoping and push away with my left leg on the pedal when clipped in, is more natural and when falling, if you fall into the traffic your right leg is free to save you and B save the rear derailleur from getting bent.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
I think there is GNC about pulling and pushing the pedals. I think the conclusion is thay there is very little benefit in pulling the pedals. I think that is why your knees hurt.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Alas, that means when you stop you're leaning into the traffic flow, ie, towards danger. Should you fall, that's the direction you'll go, and the consequences of that are potentially quite grizzly.
Oapil
Member
- Location
- Staffordshire
Everyone I’ve spoken to have fallen off. It is almost like rite of passage. My most embarrassing fall was when I developed cramp on my right calf and not being able to unclip. It wouldn’t have been too bad, except it happened during a schedule feeding stop. Obviously lots of people helped me back unto my feet.
