- Location
- London
ah guy, your pic explains a lot - I have the imporessin that toe straps are meant to be used with pretty narrow pretty smooth (as in leather) cycling shoes, not the otherwise fine Polaris touring kinda boots I was wearing.
Cycling shoes.
- Thread starter johnnyb47
- Start date
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Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Roadhump said;
"One thing a few people have said is to make sure you lean against a wall and practice clipping in and out before you start using them, so that you can be some way used to them and reduce the chance of falling off your bike when you stop at lights or somewhere. But, as most people here say, it seems that at some point the chances are that you WILL fall off."
You've got the right idea, lean against a wall and practice till you are confident. But the reason people have "Clipless moments" is all down to basic operator error in what is a very simple process. Either they forget to unclip (Which seems a stange thing to forget, but then I've been riding while attached to the pedals for half a century), or they try and pull their foot upwards as they twist sideways to unclip. The pedal and cleat are designed to resist any pulling motion - that is the whole point of them - so keep practicing using ONLY a sideways twist of the foot till it becomes second nature. Any upward pull will keep your foot locked in, sideways only and it's as easy as.......well, as easy as falling off a bike.
"One thing a few people have said is to make sure you lean against a wall and practice clipping in and out before you start using them, so that you can be some way used to them and reduce the chance of falling off your bike when you stop at lights or somewhere. But, as most people here say, it seems that at some point the chances are that you WILL fall off."
You've got the right idea, lean against a wall and practice till you are confident. But the reason people have "Clipless moments" is all down to basic operator error in what is a very simple process. Either they forget to unclip (Which seems a stange thing to forget, but then I've been riding while attached to the pedals for half a century), or they try and pull their foot upwards as they twist sideways to unclip. The pedal and cleat are designed to resist any pulling motion - that is the whole point of them - so keep practicing using ONLY a sideways twist of the foot till it becomes second nature. Any upward pull will keep your foot locked in, sideways only and it's as easy as.......well, as easy as falling off a bike.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
It may be the youthful years I spent riding with toeclips but I never had a problems with clipless. I spent half an hour in the park riding slowly around on the grass (in case I fell) repeatedly clipping and unclipping, and that was that.
But, to anyone who doesn't fancy them or doesn't like them, no problems. Its just personal preference.
But, to anyone who doesn't fancy them or doesn't like them, no problems. Its just personal preference.
Why?
I have never had a 'moment' as people like to call it and know plenty of people on here and in the real world who haven't either.
Jody
Stubborn git
You can't say that intil you have given up cycling. I have been using them for best part of 25 year and managed 4 moments during one ride a couple of years ago due to sand in worn cleats.
Never say never!
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Never had any problem with clip in pedals*. Of course I might in future. I might also ride straight off the edge of a cliff in future. Neither of these is high on my list of things to worry about.
* I lost a cleat bolt once and my right shoe became un-detachable. This caused a bit of a problem when it came to stopping for a wee, but I was never in danger of falling off.
* I lost a cleat bolt once and my right shoe became un-detachable. This caused a bit of a problem when it came to stopping for a wee, but I was never in danger of falling off.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Guy, how about an image of the pair of shoes you've kept from bitd, just in case you want to remind yourself of how great those cleats were on long rides? The shoe in that image does not appear to have done many miles.
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
I've used clips and straps with steel toe capped boots, trainers and SPD shoes, without cleats, without problems, though with the boots I had to straighten the toeclips then rebend them round the boots to make them fit.
GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
Sadly, my old black leather cycling shoes have long gone, they had a large aluminium slotted cleat and it was just about manageable to get to the pub bar after a few pints of leg relaxant.
Edit: I wouldn't go back to the old cycling shoes, I like clipless, but I do enjoy a bit of nostalgia...............
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
Yes, during the 1980's, I wore those slotted type too, I did some very long rides in them, without any problems........
View attachment 340496
Yes I remember shoes like that, I used to leave one strap not totally tight so I could just wriggle a foot out without loosening a strap first. I also remember clipless pedals coming in, I think I was the only rider in the club who didn't like them, tried them and went back to clips and straps, tried them again a few years later still didn't like them and went back to clips and straps. In the last few months I've found some clipless pedals I do like, the shimano click R, and I'm happy on clipless now.
Aravis
Putrid Donut
- Location
- Gloucester
This thread inspired me to dig out my old slotted shoes, which I used from 1985 to 1988 or thereabouts:
Plenty of evidence of use, and most definitely l'Eroica compliant for anyone who's interested in that sort of thing. They're absolutely no use to me as my feet have evidently expanded - does that happen? Maybe I've turned into an ugly sister.
Anyone who thinks they might have a use for them, feel free to take them off my.....feet. They're a rather ungenerous size 8.
Something else I did have was a pair of touring shoes, made by Diadora, which had stiffened plastic soles with a series of parallel grooves across the balls of the feet. With toestraps pulled tight you had most of the benefits of clipped in feet, and in the evening you could walk around in them comfortably without the risk of scratching someone's floor. I thought they were perfect, but I see nothing like them available nowadays.
Plenty of evidence of use, and most definitely l'Eroica compliant for anyone who's interested in that sort of thing. They're absolutely no use to me as my feet have evidently expanded - does that happen? Maybe I've turned into an ugly sister.
Anyone who thinks they might have a use for them, feel free to take them off my.....feet. They're a rather ungenerous size 8.
Something else I did have was a pair of touring shoes, made by Diadora, which had stiffened plastic soles with a series of parallel grooves across the balls of the feet. With toestraps pulled tight you had most of the benefits of clipped in feet, and in the evening you could walk around in them comfortably without the risk of scratching someone's floor. I thought they were perfect, but I see nothing like them available nowadays.
