Clipped in commuting catastrophe!

[gaz]

I use spd-sl through London. My clipping in and out has always been near perfect but I had to master it when using on a fixed wheel through London rush hour, no time for mistakes

 

[peppyuk]

I'm using SPD-SLs. The more I think about clipping in the more I seem to miss and kick the floor. If I don't think about it it just clips straight in the moment my foot touches the pedal.

 

[HLaB]

I love being clipped in for my weekend rides, but I did my first commute in them and it scared the hell out of me.

The city I commute in is renowned for its roundabouts inbetween stretches of dual carriageway. I felt like a sitting duck whilst I was fannying around trying to get my other foot in as well as trying to propel myself out of the way of the oncoming hgv's!

It's not put me off my spd's and i'm sure practice makes perfect, but I don't think rush hour is the ideal training ground.

Anyone found similar, or am I just being a wuss?

I use a pedal with a cage (M424) for commuting, as if I miss the clip I can still pedal away comfortably and clip in at a later date when I'm away from a junction. I actually feel more secure with clipless now, I can always pull my main foot up to 1-3 O'clock ready to push off quick, I feel more secure in the wet, more in tune with the bike and LOL it stops that reflect reaction of kicking out at a cr@p pass.

 

[boydj]

Double-sided mtb /touring pedals make life easier for commuting - though you still have to be able to get in a couple of revolutions unclipped sometimes if you don't get connected first time round. I use Speedplay Frogs which don't use springs for cleat retention and so are easy to unclip in traffic. Mtb pedals have the advantage of shoes that you can walk in, which I find useful going up the stairs to the office.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

SPD-SL's here through Maidstone in rush hour traffic.

I have mastered to pedal whilst unclipped on either side of the pedal, you never know when you'll miss the clip.

If the pedal is the correct side up then I often find the cleat will slip in when pedalling, or if you'd rather it didn't clip in, keep the foot at an angle in stop start traffic with no room to filter, if you're in a sh!t hole like Maidstone that has drivers who make every effort to a block cyclist that is.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I still have the same awkwardness from time to time, but I'm faster getting more and more used to clipping back in after moving off. If I'm particulary worried, I just pedal with my instep for a few metres as suggested by someone else.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Single sided pedals (SPD-SL etc) will usually sit in the same postion as the weight isn't balanced, with this knowledge you shouldn't need to worry about getting double sided instead - pansies

 

[I like Skol]

Keep using them and practising. I now find it almost impossible NOT to clip in. As soon as my foot hits the pedal it is clipped in but I have been using SPD's since the mid 90's (feeling old now!)

 

[Morf]

I use SPD-SL's on my commute moved over from SPD's some months ago, can normally clip in first time pulling away. Though on Wednesday I missed my clip in (while slightly turning) which caused my foot to slip and shoot into the wheel (can you see where this is going?!) hit a spoke and send me over the handle bars! (Nothing broken thankfully, just sore and swollen)

I much prefer to be clipped in though, feels weird if I ever peddle without, and it does become second nature.