How long to get used to clipless?

[Milzy]

On average you will be a master after 2 falls.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Can't anyone track stand at least for a short time? Seldom unclip unless I am getting off my bike or at a red light. There is always something to lean against or if nothing unclip. There's really no need for this level of analysis just ride.

For me at least, the beauty of clipless is that they are so easy to engage. When I used toeclips I always used to have to hold on to lamp posts/fences etc because, despite years of practice, it always took a couple of goes to catch the pedal. With my double sided SPDs it's stomp, click, away. So unclipping is no longer a problem, and no need to hang on.

And no, I can't trackstand.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I went for Shimano SL50's on the Synapse, MTB cleats and shoes as I need to be able to walk around in them a bit. Expected to be terrible, but got used to them very quickly, they unclip in either direction, but I seem to have picked a movement and stuck with it. I always clip right first and pull away left on the floor, unclip left first. I've commuted in with them, my right foot is clipped for the whole ride, left in and out for some junctions and traffic. It's quickly become 2nd nature although I don't miss them when I go back to the DMR's on the Sirrus.

I've had one close call when the car in front stopped quicker than expected and I spent all my brain power on downshifting and breaking. I realised at the last minute I hadn't unclipped and yanked my foot clear before I toppled over, I may have been saved by the very forgiving nature of my particular cleats. Was a handy adrenalin burst for climbing the hill I was at the bottom of though :-)

I like them least on steep climbs and at the moment my distrust of being able to clip out quickly has meant me stopping on some steep climbs I might have done in one on flats.

 

[mrbikerboy73]

I always unclip one side (my left) ahead of junctions and roundabouts - I also unclip if the traffic ahead is backing up, in case I have to stop.

+1 on that. You soon get used to them, I'd never go back now. Go for it I say!

 

[Markymark]

******** UPDATE ***********
'Mostly' a piece of cake! All installed. Leaned against a wall to get a feel for the action and all good. Couple of dozen up and down the garden seemed good but could only manage 3 rotations before reaching the wall.

Decided ti just go for it and did a couple of miles around the local blocks and was happy. Unclipping was fine and practised both legs. Can come to pretty much a stop before unclipping.

However! Problem cane from clipping back in. Sometimes the pedal was upside diwn and sometimes my foot slipped forward of it. Not often but more than once. Should the pedal always hang the right way or is there an adjustment or is it because it's straight out of the box?

Thanks in advance.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

My experience is that they allegedly hang the right way to clip in but in practice it's a bit of a lottery. In the shop the sales droid was happy to spout on about how the SL50's I bought were 'weighted so they always sit at the perfect angle to clip in to' and then agreed with me when I called BS to that.

My pedals are clips one side, flats the other, you quickly get used to working out which side you're on, I seem to hit clips about 2/3rds of the time, and it's not a big hardship to spin them back to clips if it's wrong (a lot easier than mucking about with cages was). Again, clipping in, you learn foot position quite quickly and that sense of 'lined up, stomp in' will end up taking very little of your thought process. As mentioned up there somewhere, you can happily spin on the pedal even when unclipped for a bit and it's worth doing if you're not in the best place on the road to faff about.

 

[ThaiGuy]

It took me about a week or two to become fully competent and have the confidence to clip and unclip without much issue.

 

[lozcs]

shoes and pedals arrived yesterday, but shoes too tight - larger coming tomorrow...

 

[BAtoo]

You will be fine.
My advice would be:
1. Decide which foot you will commonly use to click out first - I always click out of my Left Shoe first.
2. Decide which foot you will commonly use to click in first - I click my right foot in first

After a few rides, it starts to become second nature.

And believe it or not, if you do have a mishap, and end up stuck in your pedals and on the floor - you will only do it ONCE - I made that mistake just the once. It hurt.

Good luck

That's the way I do it; anticipation is the key; I'm usually unclipped 25yds before a junction or intended stop.

BUT I still have problems un-clipping at times and fall occasionally - four on the 1000-mile ride below....none really hurt but one gave me a bloody cut on my elbow.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

It takes a bit of thought to unclip and I can see how it'd be possible to get in to trouble when tired or fatigued on a ride where other things are vying for your brains attention,

25yds sounds like a long way off, I've not made a study of it by I'm pretty sure I unclip when I get down to 5mph or so and think it possible I'll be stopping. I'll happily ride a car length or two back from a possible unclipping moment while still clipped in but presume that having run the possibility of unclipping through my head if I find I need to I'm ready.

 

[Markymark]

Ok, did my first 25m ride with them and it was a doddle for most of it but I do struggle to clip in sometimes. I think I'm used to powering straight off from the blocks and have to get used to pausing for a second to clip in. It does worry me a little when negotiating busy junctions where I need to move and keep moving as I’m crossing oncoming traffic.

 

[vickster]

You can still turn the pedals when not clipped in, especially on single sided pedals.

The single sided SPD pedals are a pain in my experience, as they are nearly always the wrong way round! while the double sided ones are much easier. I have fairly costly A600 pedals on one bike and cheap m520 on the other and while the a600 look classier, the m520 are easier to use. Keeping on lowest tension helps.

Personally, I wouldn't want to clip in on a London commute, just way too much traffic and too many other bikes to get in the way but it's fine on a daytime ride

 

[HLaB]

Ok, did my first 25m ride with them and it was a doddle for most of it but I do struggle to clip in sometimes. I think I'm used to powering straight off from the blocks and have to get used to pausing for a second to clip in. It does worry me a little when negotiating busy junctions where I need to move and keep moving as I’m crossing oncoming traffic.

As I was saying before don't worry, keep one foot clipped in and if the other misses don't worry about it until you are away from the juction.

 

[Markymark]

Well, first push from right foot kept clipped in is fine. I then tried to clip in left but it takes a second. I also tried to pedal left without clipping it in but it slipped off, probably as I was pushing too hard.

 

[vickster]

You just need to slow down, you'll pick up the 2 seconds lost once clipped in. Don't fret! The difficulties come more when trying to push off on a big hill I'd think