Clipless and Curious

[zaid]

Hi everyone, I've just changed to clipless pedals and shoes (spd-sl) but having previously only ever used trainers with normal pedals and staps, I was curious as to if anyone else raised their seat height in order to compensate for the added leg reach that cleats and shoes give. With trainers and bog standard pedals I was very close to the pedal shaft but with these new shoes/cleats/pedals I am a few centimeters taller.
Did anyone else find this to be the case when they converted?
Ps I've been practicing to clip in and out and home but will try them out properly on the road tommorrow, I'm sure I'll give someone a good laugh when I fall over at every junction.

 

[Steve Austin]

I can't remember what i did when i started using Clipless, but your saddle needs be adjusted if thats any help

 

[paul]

You may need to adjust your seat height. As with SPDs you find your feet will be in a slightly different position to what you were used to when wearing trainers, with or without toe clips.

Try also cycling at first tomorrow with one foot clipped in on one pedal and the other foot nearly in on the other pedal, until you are used to the feel, then clip the other shoe in and the opposite shoe out. After a while you become used to leg/feet movements and you will be able to do it without looking down and just know the position.

Good luck. We all started somewhere.

 

[zaid]

Cheers guys. I had a really good 11 mile ride this morning without any major mishaps, and although 11 miles isn't much it was over 1200ft of climbs and by-heck (yorkshire saying) these new pedals made a massive difference (or I just felt stronger), but they felt better than toe straps when your really pushing.
The hardest part wasn't uncliping as I thought it would be, instead it was pushing off from a standing start on a gradient. My right foot, already clipped in, set me off but I struggled on occasion to get my standing foot clipped in quickly enough. I guess that will come with practice.

 

[Scoosh]

The hardest part wasn't uncliping as I thought it would be, instead it was pushing off from a standing start on a gradient. My right foot, already clipped in, set me off but I struggled on occasion to get my standing foot clipped in quickly enough. I guess that will come with practice.

Yup - practice not needing to do a standing start on a hill !

 

[Lone Rider]

After starting with SPDs last month I felt that something was wrong. The same as you, I realised that I had grown about an inch! After moving my saddle up I felt much better.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

On a steep hill, I generally clip in whilst moving across or even down hill slightly, providing it is safe to do so.