First time using SPD commuting today, fell twice.

[nz6666]

But still like it.

I got a pair of Shimano A530 clipless couple of days ago. Briefly tried on, set the tension to lowest. I felt it's not very easy to get out but went on commuting anyway.

Morning was fine. On my way home first fall was when I was following a cyclist ahead closely without much looking further because very strong head wind. Suddenly the bike in front of me stopped and I saw a zebra crossing ahead and a pesestrian was about to cross. I braked very hard to a stop but still clipped in so I fell. OK my own fault. Luckily I was fine without even a stratch so went on immediately.
Second fall was when I was turning left to a main road while following a car and the car turned left so I went on but saw a cyclist coming from right but not very close or fast so I was hesitating to go or wait and finally decided to wait but unfortunately I was fully clipped in and the speed was down to zero so I fell again.

No big deal and I understood if I observed and planned better I would not fall both times.

The spd does improve the efficiency so I like it. Just wondering what's the experience
of other people?

BTW what's the easiest clipless pedals to clip out? I feel A530 is bit of tight even I have set the tension to lowest.

 

[vickster]

The pedals should loosen up a bit with time. Get used to unclipping really early and watching the road closely in front. Touch wood I've not had a clipless moment. M520 are easy to clip in and out of because you gave the clips on both sizes. I find the single sided ones a pain in the proverbial however good the pedal is

 

[buggi]

Stick with it. It's not the unclipping that takes time, it's the delay between when your brain computes your clipped in and telling your foot to unclip that takes time. Once your brain accepts this as the norm, you won't have to think or plan, it just happens. When I go back to flat pedals I find it takes longer to take my foot off a wide pedal than it does to unclip my SPuD.

 

[slowmotion]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Another vote for M520s. I've commuted on them for four years and I've never felt any need at all to set the tension above the very minimum. Yes, I've keeled over a few times, nearly always when I was reacting to a sudden crisis like a pedestrian stepping out in front of me from the pavement. Now, I try and anticipate the faintest hint of potential trouble well in advance and unclip just to be on the safe side.
I'm not infallible. I'll fall over again sometime. It isn't the end of the world.

 

[Stinboy]

They will ease up it's true but more importantly you'll just get used to them. Within a couple of days it'll be natural.

As slowmotion says unclipping 'just in case' is important - I'm mostly always unclipped on one side if filtering.

 

[MichaelW2]

How long have you been riding a bike for?

 

[nz6666]

Thanks for the replies. I may try m520 since its double sided and really cheap. What I found with A530 is it tends to flip when I twisted hard. if I don't twist hard it won't let go.

BTW Not cycling today because the weather forecast but now it's so sunny...

 

[nz6666]

I have been commuting daily (almost ) for 7 months. And cycled in youth and childhood of course. Never had a fall before. I tend to jump at last moment. For the two falls I was actually trying to stand on the ground because that's what I would do on platforms. I thought if I had intentionally told my self to hold there for a second and unclip I would be fine. But unfortunately my brain just told me to stand.

 

[busman]

I fell when I first had my SPD peddles. Stick with them. You will get use to it and it will become second nature.

 

[Butty1972]

I have the A530 (single sided?) and I like them very much. Not had a moment as yet, mostly because people on here scared me into practising with them quite a bit...
The key, as with everything, is to look ahead..... well ahead.... I end up coasting to lights with my left foot out...

 

[confusedcyclist]

Well done for persevering, can't face cycling without them now, feels so inefficient.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Yes, it's been so long I had forgotten about that! Slipping hurts!!!

 

[Dommo]

Yeah, stick with it and after a couple of weeks it'll just become muscle memory. As you're coasting in to lights etc you'll unclip without thinking about it. The one thing I would say is try to get into the habit of unclipping both sides. I got into the habit of only ever unclipping my left which then led to a clipless moment after using them for two years. I was waiting for the mechanised gate to open at work and the opposite side to normal opened. It put me totally off balance and my right foot did not disengage in time because I wasn't used to it. Splat. Bent derailleur hanger...

In terms of which pedals I guess it's personal choice but for me it's Crank Bros Eggbeaters. The fact that they're symmetrical in any direction means you barely ever "miss." The engage time is massively rapid so I go through loads of false starts behind people failing to get into spuds quickly. Pretty much just aim your foot at the pedal and ride. The clip engages without you even thinking about it. I even have them on my road bike - yes, dirty MTB things on there, I know!

 

[jnrmczip]

I've also fallen off twice found it helpful to be watching what's going on closer. Clip out before stopping as it's still easy enough to peddle or clip back in if needed

 

[cyberknight]

Has anyone mentioned multi release cleats ?