I went for it... and it hurt.

[Deleted member 20519]

So today, I bought some clipless pedals. They were the Shimano SPD-SL 540's to be exact. Along with them, I bought a pair of Muddyfox road shoes which were down from £90 to £25 (you can't really go wrong at that price).

I brought them home, fitted the pedals but for some reason, the cleats wouldn't screw in. I took them down to my LBS, no joy. He tells me that the screws aren't long enough. I go down to Halfords, the guy at the customer service was really helpful, he gave me some longer screws, fitted them, adjusted the cleats for me and we had a chat about clipping in and out. Great, I thought.

I got outside, put the shoes on and pulled up at a set of lights. ****, I thought. How the hell do I unclip? I pulled and a pushed and I fell 90 degrees to my side with at least eight witnesses. Pretty embarrassing, I'm not proud to say that I had my first clipless moment. Hit my knee, scuffed my hour-old shoes and scratched the Shimano logo on my left pedal. Boy, did it hurt.

I've figured out how to unclip, there's no problems now but it's clipping in that's an issue. The pedals spin away, as you all know, the SL's are only clipless on one side so the other side is flat and I keep getting the flat side so I have to look down, flip the pedals and then clip in, making me pull away from lights/stopping really slowly.

 

[Maylian]

Yeah most people will say to practice in a quiet area when you first get clip in pedals. As for clipping in when pulling away I still can't do it 100% of the time without looking but I find that if you at least get up to a decent rolling speed it makes it easier. Car's behind you have less problems anticipating wobble as do you.
You'll soon get the hang of it though, sorry it hurt! Still haven't had my clipless moment (touch wood)

 

[potsy]

I don't think you've made it easy for yourself jazloc!!
SPD-sl's and 1 sided pedals, personally would have gone for mtb style spd's for a first attempt at clipless, also the double sided pedals so there's no faffing about flipping them to the correct side.

Good luck though

 

[The Brewer]

You only get a few clipless moments before the grey matter cottons on

Muddyfox shoes are usually around the £25 mark and I love my mesh ones to keep my feet cool at this time of the year

 

[Night Train]

I worked it out on a trainer, safely indoors.

It gave me the chance to set them in the right place and the right tightness so that I could unclip easily and on demand. When I was confident I set out on the road and fell over because I unclipped the wrong foot!

 

[Night Train]

I had MTB double sided pedals so it was an easier learning curve.

I do have single sided ones on Granville but I will move those to the Ratrike.

 

[Melonfish]

hah i've stopped at lights and unclipped my left leaning too far to the right and thus falling over. everyone does it at least once.
get it out the way and don't look back!

 

[Deleted member 20519]

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

I wouldn't worry about the shoes and pedals. In a year the shoes will be scuffed to hell and the pedals will look like a DeLorean's bonnet.

If you still have trouble unclipping, try unclipping by moving the heel into the frame. That's how I've done it, for 20 years now. Works for me.

 

[Maylian]

I wouldn't worry about the shoes and pedals. In a year the shoes will be scuffed to hell and the pedals will look like a DeLorean's bonnet.

If you still have trouble unclipping, try unclipping by moving the heel into the frame. That's how I've done it, for 20 years now. Works for me.

This is how I do my left foot however I have noticed that the heel of the shoe catches my tyre and after only 2 months it has worn away at the shoe. Need to learn to unclip the normal way but can't do it with my left foot, feels foreign for my foot to twist that way.

 

[Deleted member 20519]

I am having a bit of an issue where the end of the velcro strap it hitting against the crank and it loosens it (the strap, not the crank )

 

[MrJamie]

Do you have any before and after rides to tell if its made any difference to your speed? I considered them but decided to stick with flats until i get a 2nd bike, interested if it makes any real difference to speed though.

 

[Deleted member 20519]

Do you have any before and after rides to tell if its made any difference to your speed? I considered them but decided to stick with flats until i get a 2nd bike, interested if it makes any real difference to speed though.

Don't have a speedometer installed, I can't say I feel any different though. Didn't give me any more power as it isn't actually forcing me to pull up on the upstroke, so no, not much of a difference.

 

[MrJamie]

Don't have a speedometer installed, I can't say I feel any different though. Didn't give me any more power as it isn't actually forcing me to pull up on the upstroke, so no, not much of a difference.

Thanks I think a lot of people say its more about being linked to the bike.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Thanks I think a lot of people say its more about being linked to the bike.

I find if I focus on pedalling correctly, then clipless pedals really help on hills - for the same effort I seem to fly up. Ditto if putting the hammer diwn on flats/downhills. However, if I'm not trying there's not a lot of difference.

On the MTB though, clipless all the way, with the tension very loose - it stops your feet bouncing off the pedals