1st time clipless, first time off

[chugsy]

First time using my new spd shoes and pedals this morning and ended on my back at the first roundabout :|

Amazingly both feet disengaged as me and the bike went our seperate ways! Later on I had a classic clipless moment though as I wobbled left and right at a stop trying to get a foot out, finally/ungracefully getting them both out whilst shouting sh*t alot .

One of my cleats was loose on inspection - is it normal to have to tighten them up on a regular basis?

 

[SquareDaff]

Ermmm. No. Have never had to tighten mine.

 

[Keith Oates]

For getting them in and out a slightly loose cleat is better than one that's too tight. If you were fighting to get both of them unclipped it suggests they may need easing little. Normally when you are coming to a stop, remove the one foot you normally stand on when waiting for lights etc. to change but try to get the foot free well before the bike stops moving ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[guitarpete247]

I had a similar problem my second trip out clipless. I now use thread-lock on cleat bolts and regularly check them.

I was lucky as I was down a country lane and just rolled, gently, onto a grass bank .

 

[fossyant]

Mr Oats, OP is talking about shoe/cleat not cleat/pedal tension.

Cleat's shouldn't come loose - tighten them up. At first make sure the pedal tension isn't too high until you get used to clipping in and out.

 

[Keith Oates]

Mr Oats, OP is talking about shoe/cleat not cleat/pedal tension.

Cleat's shouldn't come loose - tighten them up. At first make sure the pedal tension isn't too high until you get used to clipping in and out.

You're correct, I'll just go back to sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Your cleats should be tight as possible to the bottom of your shoes. I've had spd cleats in for years and never had to retighten. What sort of pedals do you have? Can you loosen the clamping mechanism on the spd pedal so it's easier to disengage. What sort of shoes are you using? The threads might be crap in the base of the shoe, as already said put some loctite on em.

 

[NormanD]

Welcome to the dark side young padawan dignity? what's that? .. make sure your cleats are tight and that the tension adjuster on the pedals is set to low, until you get used to them (doesn't take long) .. I set mine to the lowest it'll go (on each side) then added three clicks of tension and I've yet to adjust them since.

 

[Klausmeister]

At least you got clip less off out of the way. I've still waiting for mine. Love riding with clip less peddles makes it much easier to get the power down. Would find it hard to go back now I think.

 

[ushills]

My recommendation to learn how to use SPD's properly woudl be buy some toe-clip pedals and racing shoes with slots. Go for ride and tighten straps when you set off, when stopping remember to reach down and loosen strap, repeat after every stop.

This will make your brain learn that you need to unclip your pedals before stopping.

Having used staps properly in the past I find clipless second nature and easier than the old-technology of straps, you just need to get into the habit and falling off with help that process.

 

[chugsy]

Thanks for all the responses - I've been using toe cups for years but not straps. Guess I'm used to sliding my foot backwards and not to the side. For the most part this morning's commute was fine - just need to readjust my way of thinking regards what to do with my feet. I just reread my OP and forgot to write that the real cause of sliding out was most likely morning frost and my hard slippery Marathon Pluses... as I was going down I just had time to think I wasn't going to be able to detach from the bike but for whatever reason I did allowing me to scrabble out of the way of the cars behind.

The shoes are Shimano MT42 and the pedals Shimano M520s... left on the default setting which I beleive is low tension. I'll get crazy with the allen keys now.
Cheers All,

Chugs

 

[guitarpete247]

My recommendation to learn how to use SPD's properly woudl be buy some toe-clip pedals and racing shoes with slots. Go for ride and tighten straps when you set off, when stopping remember to reach down and loosen strap, repeat after every stop.

This will make your brain learn that you need to unclip your pedals before stopping.

Having used staps properly in the past I find clipless second nature and easier than the old-technology of straps, you just need to get into the habit and falling off with help that process.

+1. I used clips and straps for nigh on 30 years before going clipless .

 

[nilling]

I backed off the tension on the left pedal as that's the foot you should be putting down when stopping. It'll soon become second nature

 

[cyberknight]

Don`t worry you will have a few more ...................

 

[chugsy]

Made it home in one piece despite my shoulder being buggered up from this morning - only wobble being when I pulled into my driveway, unclipped on left and leant to the rightluckily I could reach the side of the house to brace myself! As cyberknight says no doubt they'll be more - I reckon it's a rite of passage to have at least one incident with clipless pedals - it'll teach me not to do it again!

Welcome to the club I say!