confused wot colour cleat

[pudds]

Hi everyone this is my first post so hopefully not a stupid question to start. Am a newbie to road cycling have invested in look keo peddles and currently have the red cleats fitted.But am having great diffulculty in unclipping so much so that am scared to now go out on my bike.It is probably me not knowing how to do it properly but could it be that i have the wrong colour cleat.Wot is the difference between Red,Grey or black is one easier than the other.
Please advise

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Hi Pudds, welcome to the forum!
I'm afraid I can't be much help here (as an SPD user). I think the cleats are the same, regardless of colour. Unclipping is a knack and will be difficult at first, keep practising and it'll soon be second nature.
On the other hand, it's entirely possible that the next poster will tell you that red cleats are for pro cyclists only, or something.

 

[yello]

Different cleat colour indicates the amount of 'float'. It ranges from no float (black cleats) to up to 15 degrees on the red cleats, but it does vary according to the cleat manufacturer.

I believe the Look red cleats have 9 degress of float, grey ones have 4.5 and the black ones have no float.

What is float? Float is your foot's sideways movement on the pedal. A greater float would make it easier to disengage your foot from the cleat, though that's not really what the float is there for! Float is really about preventing knee damage, many riders knees move either in or out during the pedal stroke.

So float is not the only factor that effects the ease of clipping in or out. Your pedals probably have spring tension adjusters on them. These are the things you want to play with. Back it right off to begin with. But beware - not so much that it comes apart! because, on some pedals, it cannot be put back together!! From there, just ride and tension it up as you get more comfortable with clipping in and out. Rhythm Thief is right, practice will make it easier.

For what it's worth, on the bike I road in and around town, I have the cleats backed right off because I just feel way safer being able to unclip at the drop of a hat.

 

[robjs]

Having switched from SPD to LOOK (Keo), this week, I found that clipping in to the LOOK is a bit harder (single sided pedals being the main difference for me). Clipping out is fine though.

My advice is to make sure that the pedal tension is turned right down, I always start with new pedals having the lowest tension set - if your foot pops out, you can always tighten it when you've got used to clipping out.

If you have a trainer, then I'd sit there just practicing clipping in and out. If not, find an empty bit of road (perhaps an industrial estate or somewhere of that ilk, at the weekend), and ride around just clipping in and out.

Practice will make you more confident and familiar with the action that's required.

 

[gbb]

Hi pudds..
THE simplest and most important thing to remember when unclipping...(it took me a while to realise this) is DONT try to lift the foot as you unclip, but DO twist your ankle outwards.
Its unlikely new pedals will come with too much tension, but loosening them further isnt a bad thing to do....its more about technique than tension.
Dont lift the foot... twist it.

 

[giant man]

Having had look pedals and cleats for the last 7 years i can echo gbb's comments above. Twist the your ankle to come out, practice practice practice this until it's second nature and then you won't even think about it.

Like the Delta cleats before the Keo came out, the reds have the most float.

 

[fossyant]

Pudds - quick question - Male or Female, as females have more difficulty unclipping - just a fact that's all.

It's also practice - you'll be glad these things don't unclip too easily when sprinting like a looney - can't do that on normal pedals...

Just twist the foot sideways, don't try and pull etc, just rotate..... second nature after a while..... 16 or so years for me......

Also make sure your cleat is set up so correctly...difficult to explain, but make sure that your foot angle can comfortably rotate.

For good practice, at home, get on the bike near a wall, and unclip and reclip your feet. Most cyclists unclip the left foot, so if you forget or get out at last minute, you don't fall/lean into on coming traffic.

I just love the noise of my carbon soled shoes clipping and unclipping from my Record Carbon pedals (old looks by todays standard) - very noisy CLICK CLICK - the family know I'm home. My main issues with clipless were when coming home and trying to negotiate the garden path clicked in - don't you'll fall off - I've done it loads. Unclick on the road in-front of the house and walk like a penguin the rest.....

 

[fossyant]

If you ever think you'll pull them out when sprinting, you won't - the only time you'll do that is when you think about it.... then you're foot will twist and out you'll come.... fantastic inventions...love them....

 

[Tynan]

deedy, mine feel too lose all the time, thy come out ever so easy but once they're in they're in

although they were out early this week when I thought they were in and my manly heave on the pedal to get me started up a steep hill from the light resulted in a very painful kiss of the pedal to the lower inner calf, nasty scrape and a nastier and large bruise/lump, not all bad though becasue the solid contact between sharp pedal and soft calf saved me from mashing the jewels into the seat more than I did

 

[Frazer]

Most cyclists unclip the left foot, so if you forget or get out at last minute, you don't fall/lean into on coming traffic.

Didnt know that...i've always unclipped the right foot first, unclipping left seems quite difficult to do for some reason, may have to practice it though, that is a very good point.

 

[yello]

I really do recommend you are comfortable uncliping with either foot!

 

[pudds]

Many Thanks

Thank you all for the advice. I shall pluck up the courage to get back on the bike. And in answer to your question fossyant I am female.
I think I am making the mistake of attempting to lift the foot as i try to twist and when it does not release I panic eventually I cannot even move my foot at all,then as if by magic the foot unclips.
I am determined to master it and will let you know how i get on

 

[fossyant]

I worked with a female colleague who was a regular MTBer and she didn't use clipless as she found it hard to twist out, just couldn't unclip. Practice and practice will make it easy. As a test, clip your foot into the pedal, then take your foot out of the shoe, then try unclipping the shoe with your hands......you'll now feel how strong these clip systems are....