Pedals?

[Young Un]

Maybe have one shoe clipped in and one not, just in case.

i did this to start with - put one clipless pedal on and left another normal pedal on the other side. i found it felt good just having the reassurance that i could always put an unclipped for down. only did it for a little ride round my house but i found it helped

 

[Deleted member 1258]

had clipless on my best bike for six months last summer couldn't get on with them, glad to go back to the toeclips. I know most people ride them and most people love them but I didn't for some reason, perhaps to long on toeclips, twenty years plus, might try again sometime

 

[Irishrebel]

Perry,

I see from your avatar that you have a bass. Looks like a nice Fender. Or maybe that isn't you at all, and you just like the false persona!

I've just dusted off my Goodfellow fretless after 7 years in the corner, but my Trace Elliott amp just wouldn't work. Gremlins must have ate away at a capacitor over time - fixed now. Hoping to get back to playing regularly. I was worried about performing again but it's like falling off a bike, if you'll excuse the pun. NO! That should be like RIDING a bike.

Then again, some places I've played WERE painful!

Nice to find fellow bassmen.

 

[Oddjob62]

Perry,

I see from your avatar that you have a bass. Looks like a nice Fender. Or maybe that isn't you at all, and you just like the false persona!

Looks more like a Musicman Stingray to me. Used to dream of being a bassist, but realised i have no tallent in that area

 

[bonj2]

if you're seriously going to put flat pedals on a 8kg road bike then you should really be thinking about going to a bike shop or some sort of bike amnesty and handing it in.

But i would recommend speedplay zero pedals, only ones i've found to be secure/weight evenly spread AND easy to clip into.

 

[Oddjob62]

Finally got a pair of SPD shoes today.... omg i'm such a malco... almost broke the living room table (as well as my head) practicing unclipping. Hehe... this is going to be "fun".

 

[Oddjob62]

Oh wow!!!. After one day i don't think i can go back to regular pedals, and it wasn't even wet today, in the rain my old pedals were a nightmare, in the bin they go.

 

[4F]

Oh wow!!!. After one day i don't think i can go back to regular pedals, and it wasn't even wet today, in the rain my old pedals were a nightmare, in the bin they go.

Nice , welcome to the dark side

 

[grhm]

had clipless on my best bike for six months last summer couldn't get on with them, glad to go back to the toeclips. I know most people ride them and most people love them but I didn't for some reason, perhaps to long on toeclips, twenty years plus, might try again sometime

That the first time I've ever heard of someone trying clipless and going back. I suspose there already has to be an exception to the rule

(But you've gone back to toeclips not plain flats, so you still prefer the idea of some reliable contact with the pedals)

If you're happy without clipless then so be it - as long as you're happy riding I don't think it matters.

 

[punkypossum]

That the first time I've ever heard of someone trying clipless and going back. I suspose there already has to be an exception to the rule

To be quite honest, I'm not completely convinced by clipless so far either...made the switch about a month ago. Still fiddling with the set up to get rid of the odd knee twinge, but also I haven't really noticed any major benefits (apart from it being slightly easier on hills and those "half-pedal strokes" to get across fords without wet feet seem to be easier than on flats). I know everybody says they stop your feet slipping off the pedals, but on my old V8s they never slipped anyway...

Also, I find I'm more nervy going round tight/narrow bits now, thinking I won't be able to clip out on time if I need to, which in turn makes me wobble more, which then leads to getting off when I was perfectly fine cycling those bits on the old flats...

Last but not least, I have fallen over twice since going clipless compared to never before (I know clipless moments are to be expected, but still...), so overall, I can't say I'm totally convinced by the clipless experience so far...

Will give it a bit longer and see how it goes, but the jury is still out...

 

[swee'pea99]

One thing I always mention when this comes up - do keep fiddling with the tension in the early days. Over-tighten, then over-loosen, get a feel for both. Then zero in on just the right tension for you - easy to clip in; easy to clip out. Once you've found it, you can leave it for good.

 

[punkypossum]

The tension is fine I think, can get in and out easily at traffic lights, etc. It's the unexpected emergency stops where it appears to go a bit wrong.... especially when I have to unclip with my right leg, as I don't usually do that when it's a planned stop - always take the left out, so on the right one it's not an automatic reflex to unclip first....

 

[Oddjob62]

Oh wow!!!. After one day i don't think i can go back to regular pedals, and it wasn't even wet today, in the rain my old pedals were a nightmare, in the bin they go.

Day 2: first clipless moment, was quite amusing though as it was on a quiet street and so nobody saw My fault really... should have unclipped but decided to risk it, ahh well..

 

[Deleted member 1258]

GRHM like punkyposssem I found that I could not seem to get any advantage from swapping to clipless. My top speed was about the same, 20-22mph, my average speed was about the same, about 15mph, the hills weren't any easier nor was riding in general any easier. the only thing I noticed was I could get the bike over a further in the corners. If I could have seen an advantage to using them I would not have taken them of, despite not liking them. I was using spds on a Dawes Giro 300. perhaps I have been using toeclips to long, over twenty years. Perhaps if I had used a different type I might have got on with them better. I am aiming to get a new bike next year, http://www.velomax.co.uk/displaydetail.php?product_id=714, I may try clipless again when I buy it and go for a different make and see how I get on.

 

[Scoosh]

Also, I find I'm more nervy going round tight/narrow bits now, thinking I won't be able to clip out on time if I need to, which in turn makes me wobble more, which then leads to getting off when I was perfectly fine cycling those bits on the old flats...

Last but not least, I have fallen over twice since going clipless compared to never before (I know clipless moments are to be expected, but still...), so overall, I can't say I'm totally convinced by the clipless experience so far...

Will give it a bit longer and see how it goes, but the jury is still out...

I find that relating clipless to a clutch in a car helped me. When you are learning to drive, you stall the engine sometimes, because you forget to depress the clutch pedal as you slow down.
So too with clipless - you need to remember to 'drop the clutch' (unclip) as you slow down. Otherwise you stallfall [off] the bike .

Emergency stop in a car ? Same deal - clutch down as you stop.
'Emergency' stop on a bike - guess what - unclip (quickly )

Once I got over the "what if I don't get unclipped in time" thought, I was able to relax and just get it right. Much like getting the clutch right when driving.




Whew ! I'm kinda glad I'm confined to a trainer just now - otherwise I'd be SURE to have a clipless moment next ride

HTH