What can I expect from riding clipped in ...?

[2IT]

Evening all ...

Well had my 1st road bike ( Giant Defy Advanced 2 ) for just coming up to 6 weeks now , my Strava dashboard is showing 650 miles to date I'm averaging 17-19 mph on most of my rides that range from midweek rides 20-25 miles & more at the weekends 45-65 miles .

I'm still cycling with flat pedals one side , cleats the other , I have touring cycling shoes but not fitted the cleats in yet .

The bikes going back to the Giant store on Saturday for its first service & when I purchased it we agreed that we'd fit me up with the cleats & I'd have a go on the trainer clipped in , make sure that I'm comfortable with feet attached to the pedals & go from there .

What can I expect from riding clipped in as apposed to how I'm riding now ? Any advice for a newbie riding clipped in for the first few times , I'm a little apprehensive about it but feel it's a step that I want to take to get a bit more out of me / bike , any advice really appreciated .

Wow your mph is quite good already. Reminds me of the GCN video that says being clipped had no power advantage.

Being clipped in would tend to prevent the foot from coming off the pedal yet Peter Sagans foot came off while in the straight away during his WC win.

Much of the clipped in benefit usually comes from the shoe upgrade at the same time.

I did enjoy the change going from the MTB SPD to the Look keo / Shimano SPD platform. More platform and more socially acceptable with my friends.

Always give yourself time to get out of them.

 

[wheresthetorch]

Bear in mind that, if you clip out on the approach to a junction but keep your foot resting on the pedal and straight, it can clip back in when you go over a bump.

DAMHIKT

 

[Stevec047]

I went clipless just after Christmas after starting cycling in the October. At first it felt odd and unnatural but now it's second nature and if anything makes cycling even easier now.

Like others have said just preempt junctions or situations where there will be a need to stop and unclip well before hand. Of course there will always be those sudden oh **** moments but if the tension is at the lowest setting even a fumbled panic wiggle of one or both feet should get you unclipped in time.

Most falls tend to be at low speed so ad much as it will hurt your pride and give you a few nasty bruises you should be able to get back up and off you go again.

Go for it you won't regret it and in all honesty I thought you would be using clips with the amount of mlies you have been packing in on Strava wow.

 

[Cuchilo]

So get grippy rubber pedals, then.

I don't really understand why any non-racer would clip in these days. The roads are so busy now that it adds too much risk of getting run over to the risks of injury and bike damage.

Do you have a book of silly comments or do you just make them up as you go along ?

 

[alicat]

Run for it lads !

 

[*Dusty*]

I recently went clipless, I would say it's good but it's not a life changing event in any way. I wouldn't do it on my mountain bike but the road bike for extended runs it definitely feels that bit more efficient.

If you're planning to ride around town centre then I wouldn't bother if there's lots of stopping and starting, get a decent pair of grippy flats. If you've to g more than 5 miles without stopping, then yes you'll probably feel the advantages of it.

As for the process itsself, you will find it easier than you think it's going to be. I listened to the advice of loosening the tension and within a day was getting them tightened up again. Yes, I had a clipless moment, unclipped the left foot easily enough, was just a tad slow and toppled to the right before I could unclip that side....... ah well.

 

[mjr]

Do you have a book of silly comments or do you just make them up as you go along ?

Your influence must be rubbing off on me - but what I wrote is still more sensible than suggesting studs and clips are the only alternatives.

 

[Okeydokey]

Great thread for me, I ordered my first shoes and pedals this morning. Going to play on the turbo trainer for a little before taking the cleat of faith.

 

[leedsmick]

I went clipless 2 months ago. Right decision and mine are only £20 basic shimano ones. No idea if I'm faster as a result as I've not tried normal pedals on this bike but it feels smoother and in my head there seems more power. Fell off 3 times in the 1st week in my drive at the end of the ride but fine since and out on the road

 

[jefmcg]

I'm toying with that idea I must admit , have my first ever " timed " cycle event early on Sunday morning but not sure wether to or not , might be asking for trouble with other cyclists around me & road junctions on the route , will see might have a practise with them Saturday afternoon & if I feel comfortable with them .

Just realised what you are saying here. I wouldn't try a massed start if you are new to clipless. If you have them on Sunday, wait a moment at the back for the bulk of cyclists to get moving, then set off without the crowd. It will only at 30 seconds or so to your time, and could prevent an embarrassing pile up.

 

[Guyincognito76]

For the first few days you'll find that you will be unclipping "just in case" in advance of lights, juctions, etc where you may need to stop and you'll be thinking about it each time.

Soon it will be such second nature that you won't realise you're doing it and you will unclip only when necessary. It may also come to the point that as some pillock in a car pulls out on you from a side junction you'll hit the brakes and unclip automatically at the same time.

I went clipless three years ago. I rode clipless for about a year, with little drama, until, whilst changing gear on a hill, my chain jammed: 5km an hour (I had just finished adjusting my clothing *cough*), first attempt to unclip was unsuccessful, then blind panic, then timber! The result was a broken arm and a summer off my bike.

My chain came off on a downhill dip, a couple of months ago and I couldn't manage to flick it back on before the bottom; this meant starting at the bottom of the uphill after fixing the chain. Result? I pedalled one revolution with one foot attached, and as soon as I clipped in the other the chain came off again, and over I went again -no serious injury this time.

I still unclip at junctions 'just in case'.

 

[screenman]

I went clipless three years ago. I rode clipless for about a year, with little drama, until, whilst changing gear on a hill, my chain jammed: 5km an hour (I had just finished adjusting my clothing *cough*), first attempt to unclip was unsuccessful, then blind panic, then timber! The result was a broken arm and a summer off my bike.

My chain came off on a downhill dip, a couple of months ago and I couldn't manage to flick it back on before the bottom; this meant starting at the bottom of the uphill after fixing the chain. Result? I pedalled one revolution with one foot attached, and as soon as I clipped in the other the chain came off again, and over I went again -no serious injury this time.

I still unclip at junctions 'just in case'.

Seems like that could be more chain related than pedals

 

[Guyincognito76]

Seems like that could be more chain related than pedals

Ha! Yeah. Second time was. First was just bad luck, or more accurately poor shifting on my part.

 

[screenman]

What you can expect from going clipless is for somebody to come on and say your doomed.

 

[Tiny01]

I went clipless just after Christmas after starting cycling in the October. At first it felt odd and unnatural but now it's second nature and if anything makes cycling even easier now.

Like others have said just preempt junctions or situations where there will be a need to stop and unclip well before hand. Of course there will always be those sudden oh **** moments but if the tension is at the lowest setting even a fumbled panic wiggle of one or both feet should get you unclipped in time.

Most falls tend to be at low speed so ad much as it will hurt your pride and give you a few nasty bruises you should be able to get back up and off you go again.

Go for it you won't regret it and in all honesty I thought you would be using clips with the amount of mlies you have been packing in on Strava wow.

Cool sounds good Steve , always said I'd give it 6 weeks until id try it , the fella in the giant shop said using clips may alter how I feel on the bike & we could change a few things if to uncomfortable so thought I'd leave it until I go back in on Saturday , plus I've no idea on the tension settings of the clips so I'll let him explain it all to me & have a few go's on the trainer in the shop & take it from there , sure I'll be fine though