MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
Clipless Pedals FAQ
- Thread starter Kestevan
- Start date
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HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
For most rides I wear stiffer soled mtb shoes (BG Mtb Sports) and SPD Touring SPD (A520's) they look good on a road bike IMO and you get the benefits of walkability :-)
I have SPD-SL on my summer bike though and they unclip just the same :-)
It doesn't really matter but the cleat attached to the bottom of the shoe goes into that lip and the shoe does indeed sit over it and the rear of the cleat clips into the back of the pedal. Most clipless systems I've tried work along a similar principle, the cleat toes in and the rear is clipped.
You may pedal with SPD-SL unclipped at stops (In fact I do) but its hard due to the smoothness of a road shoe a mtb shoe is better for that. I tend to just use the unclipped foot slightly unweighted, put any weight on it is liable to slip. My preference these days (now my balance is better) is to unclip the rear but not disengage the toe of the cleat and track stand so I can quickly clip in again.
IHTH :-)
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Thanks Cubist.
I went out for my first clipless ride tonight, only 10 miles or so I just wanted to get a feel for them and practice clipping in and out. I tried the neutral position suggested and this was fine on my left foot but didn't feel quite so comfortable on my right. Trouble is it is difficult to put my finger on what exactly is the problem i.e. whether it's the forward/backward positioning or angle. The positioning of the cleat looks to be the same between shoes so is it okay to adjust the position independently between shoes or should they always be the same?
More importantly however, at no point did I end up in a heap on the ground tonight and I can already feel the performance and extra comfort of having proper shoes. (The flexible trainers and toe-clips I used previously had started to give me achilles pain). Very happy overall
Thanks.
Do you mean is it OK to have the left different from the right yes, your feet might not be identical. I found this guide quite useful when I was setting up my cleats.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
You mean Q-rings? Yeah, never really got on with them even after several 1000 miles so sold them & I'm so glad I bought them second hand!have you tried the funny shaped chainrings?
Andrew_P
In between here and there
thats great thanks, to really embarass myself, I watched a you tube video and realised in the shop I had been matching the shoe to pedal back to front!!
Still in a bit of quandry the YT video the SL's looked fairly easy, and on a test run most lights I could easily just roll up to them and keep moving while waiting for the change. The only one I always get caught on is half way up a fairly steep climb.
The main motivation really is the the plastic toe clips on my Specialized let me over hang my toes to far, I never tighten the straps so the only benefit of them is to stop foot slipping off the pedal, they are no good for using on the up stroke.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
SPD SL 105's bought and fitted, cheapest Specialized BG Sports shoes bought, cleats fitted.
Tested getting and in and out and seemed really easy, even looking straight ahead.
Won't test ride as just stuffed my face, so will give it a ago round the block a few times Sunday.
What should I be looking out for regarding cleat position, also there is some play in them when clicked in, is this "float"?
Tested getting and in and out and seemed really easy, even looking straight ahead.
Won't test ride as just stuffed my face, so will give it a ago round the block a few times Sunday.
What should I be looking out for regarding cleat position, also there is some play in them when clicked in, is this "float"?
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
That is the float.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
Going from well fitting clips to clipless to be honest not a great deal of noticeable difference.
I will probably live to regret saying this but done an hour in and around Purley & Croydon and found it very easy unclipping and fairly easy 80-90% clipping in first time. I assume people who struggle come from no restraints to clipless?
In fact I would probably say its easier clipping than flipping the the old toe straps over, also the road pedals wouldn't bother me in high traffic lot of stops. Shoess eemed okay wouldn't want to walk mile but okay bought back memories of walking back from the park with my football boots on!
This is after one hour might change my mind after 20 hours this week!!
Gaz do you run yellow or red cleats? I think red are no float?
I will probably live to regret saying this but done an hour in and around Purley & Croydon and found it very easy unclipping and fairly easy 80-90% clipping in first time. I assume people who struggle come from no restraints to clipless?
In fact I would probably say its easier clipping than flipping the the old toe straps over, also the road pedals wouldn't bother me in high traffic lot of stops. Shoess eemed okay wouldn't want to walk mile but okay bought back memories of walking back from the park with my football boots on!
This is after one hour might change my mind after 20 hours this week!!
Gaz do you run yellow or red cleats? I think red are no float?
Andrew_P
In between here and there
Missed the part on page one about seat position, my left knee let me know on Tuesday morning. Raised the seat a little and seems better.
To date getting out has not posed any problems the only close one was an unexpected stop when a bus looked me in the eye and pulled out, but couldn't pass on the other side so just blocked myside, I was so busy trying to get the drivers attention to tell him about his parentage that I clean forgot about the shoes. In my mad panic to get a foot out I used such upward and sideways force that I smacked my knee. As I composed myself and looked up at my eye level was loads of School kids, could have been worse I suppose.
Getting in to the clips seems to go through phases, mostly okay but get a few bad ones in traffic and confidence seems to drop.
Anyone reading this who wants a little advice is get it into your head to use the same foot to unclip, and pulling off get a few really good up and down strokes with the clipped in foot before clipping in the other. Gives you a bit of speed for stability and time to get clipped in whilst coasting.
Regarding the float, left to right seems ok, and no float would mean some work on ensuring the cleat is positioned properly, the only bit of the float I am not keen on is the up and down float. If I tighten the the adjuster does this go away?
To date getting out has not posed any problems the only close one was an unexpected stop when a bus looked me in the eye and pulled out, but couldn't pass on the other side so just blocked myside, I was so busy trying to get the drivers attention to tell him about his parentage that I clean forgot about the shoes. In my mad panic to get a foot out I used such upward and sideways force that I smacked my knee. As I composed myself and looked up at my eye level was loads of School kids, could have been worse I suppose.
Getting in to the clips seems to go through phases, mostly okay but get a few bad ones in traffic and confidence seems to drop.
Anyone reading this who wants a little advice is get it into your head to use the same foot to unclip, and pulling off get a few really good up and down strokes with the clipped in foot before clipping in the other. Gives you a bit of speed for stability and time to get clipped in whilst coasting.
Regarding the float, left to right seems ok, and no float would mean some work on ensuring the cleat is positioned properly, the only bit of the float I am not keen on is the up and down float. If I tighten the the adjuster does this go away?
billy1561
BB wrecker
- Location
- North west England
Hi all.
My LBS recommended some shoes and peddle for my new road bike, these are shimano m520 peddles and shimano mo87 spd shoes. I tried the shoes on and they felt comfortable enough but when i looked them up in google it says they are mtb shoes. Have i been given the correct footwear for a road bike?
Thanks
My LBS recommended some shoes and peddle for my new road bike, these are shimano m520 peddles and shimano mo87 spd shoes. I tried the shoes on and they felt comfortable enough but when i looked them up in google it says they are mtb shoes. Have i been given the correct footwear for a road bike?
Thanks
Andrew_P
In between here and there
There are two main types of pedal SPD smaller and apparently easy to get in and out of refferred to as MTB. Shoes are more trainer like.
SPD-SL which are termed road bike more football boot style shoes and exposed cleats.
They are not mutually excluisive in fact SPD MTB are seen on a lot of road bikes, and are the most popular, I went for SPD SL for cosmetic and bigger platform reasons.
I have not used SPD MTB so cannot comment, if I was doing alot of traffic lights and filtering, I would now (a week in to using them) hesitate a little using SPD-SL pedals. I get clipped 85-90% withing a few seconds, but in heavy traffic I seem to sometimes struggle. Having said that it is less than a full weeks use.
I also didn't feel any real increase in performance, improvement in comfort coming from really stiff soles of the shoes.
SPD-SL which are termed road bike more football boot style shoes and exposed cleats.
They are not mutually excluisive in fact SPD MTB are seen on a lot of road bikes, and are the most popular, I went for SPD SL for cosmetic and bigger platform reasons.
I have not used SPD MTB so cannot comment, if I was doing alot of traffic lights and filtering, I would now (a week in to using them) hesitate a little using SPD-SL pedals. I get clipped 85-90% withing a few seconds, but in heavy traffic I seem to sometimes struggle. Having said that it is less than a full weeks use.
I also didn't feel any real increase in performance, improvement in comfort coming from really stiff soles of the shoes.
billy1561
BB wrecker
- Location
- North west England
Interesting that you feel negligable increase in performance. Maybe you are at a good level already.
Pleased to hear i have got the 'easier' option of clipping in for traffic as i really wasn't sure. They do look like trainers actually.
Pleased to hear i have got the 'easier' option of clipping in for traffic as i really wasn't sure. They do look like trainers actually.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
The performance thing could well be that last week was my third week of full time to and from work, and my legs felt pretty much dead meat most of last week! Although friday the speedo crossed 440 miles in last 21 days.
Seriously I fouund it easy to remember unclipping when stopping at juctions and Traffic lights, its unexpected stops and when getting in and out of stacked traffic were I have nearly got caught out.
Seriously I fouund it easy to remember unclipping when stopping at juctions and Traffic lights, its unexpected stops and when getting in and out of stacked traffic were I have nearly got caught out.
Cosmicned
Active Member
- Location
- Swindon, Wiltshire
Just got my first clipless pedals installed & new shoes ... now I've been cycling since the 1960's 
so I was very skeptical about their safety & additional expense... but I very much appreciate the advice & guidance from Swindon Cycles my LBS - they were very patient despite my gormless questions 
been for my first quick spin & what a difference! Much more power & acceleration - no probs un-clipping - very easy - I actually found clipping in harder- but I'll practice... not had a clipless moment yet... but no doubt it'll happen i guess!!! But if you're an old stick in the mud like me & have avoided them - all I can say its MUCH easier than you think...
so I was very skeptical about their safety & additional expense... but I very much appreciate the advice & guidance from Swindon Cycles my LBS - they were very patient despite my gormless questions been for my first quick spin & what a difference! Much more power & acceleration - no probs un-clipping - very easy - I actually found clipping in harder- but I'll practice... not had a clipless moment yet... but no doubt it'll happen i guess!!! But if you're an old stick in the mud like me & have avoided them - all I can say its MUCH easier than you think...
Just had my first ride clipless 
Just a quick 30min ride to see how I go (and to see if they need any adjustments).
I have previously been using cages and found the SPD-M520's to be much easier. Just as LOCO says, these pedals are double sided so you dont have to flip over the cage each time. Still, clipping in is harder (for me) than unclipping. I will just have to remember to do it. Read ahead and unclip at least one foot if in any doubt.
The road shoes are actually the biggest change for me. They are hard soled and nicely vented so my feet stay nice and cool. Much easier to pull up on the pedals (compared to trainers in cages).
No "moments" yet
Just a quick 30min ride to see how I go (and to see if they need any adjustments).I have previously been using cages and found the SPD-M520's to be much easier. Just as LOCO says, these pedals are double sided so you dont have to flip over the cage each time. Still, clipping in is harder (for me) than unclipping. I will just have to remember to do it. Read ahead and unclip at least one foot if in any doubt.
The road shoes are actually the biggest change for me. They are hard soled and nicely vented so my feet stay nice and cool. Much easier to pull up on the pedals (compared to trainers in cages).
No "moments" yet
