First clipless moment

[G3CWI]

Day 1 for me with a proper clipless ride. Having avoided clipless pedals I bought a new bike and thought it would look daft with flat pedals.

Anyway it went pretty well on the whole. I didnt fall off - even when I came round the corner to find an oncoming tractor. My biggest problem is clipping back in. This led to an embarrassing moment on a roundabout. Not a fall but I ground to a halt halfway round - woops.

Why do they make the shoes so slippery? I nearly had my first accident before even getting the bike out when I tried to walk across the kitchen floor.

Look Keo system.

 

[lesley_x]

Are your pedals set to the lowest tension?

 

[G3CWI]

Are your pedals set to the lowest tension?

They are the Keo Easy version. They don't have a tension adjustment as far as I can see. They are very easy to unclip.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Don't try to get your clips straight in, pedal for a while on the wrong side & then flip it over once you have a little speed, you'll soon get the hang of it.

 

[Doyleyburger]

Iv been really proud of myself for not having a clipless moment in a years worth of cycling. This however came to an embarrassing hault two weekends ago when I got home from a quick spin. Normally I pull up outside my house and clip out as I have a gravel driveway.......but for whatever reason I thought I could cycle up the drive that day and went straight over on my right side as the bike slid on the gravel beneath me. Typically the next door neighbour was washing her car and saw everything

 

[raleighnut]

Iv been really proud of myself for not having a clipless moment in a years worth of cycling. This however came to an embarrassing hault two weekends ago when I got home from a quick spin. Normally I pull up outside my house and clip out as I have a gravel driveway.......but for whatever reason I thought I could cycle up the drive that day and went straight over on my right side as the bike slid on the gravel beneath me. Typically the next door neighbour was washing her car and saw everything

 

[Accy cyclist]

"Why do they make the shoes so slippery? I nearly had my first accident before even getting the bike out when I tried to walk across the kitchen floor."

You've must've bought road shoes. Mountain bike shoes have cleats which give you some grip. Road shoes are ok for pros who don't have to walk apart from back to the team car.

 

[Angry Blonde]

Haha ive had loads of moments, fell over at least 5 times in the last six months, I done the coast to coast, dipped my wheel in the water for a photo, came up the bank, first road I bounced up a kerb wrong and fell back onto the road down the side of a clio, gouged a geet big chunk out of her car from the petrol filler to the wheel, she looked through the side window and asked if was ok, I nodded and let her go, she would have killed me when she got home and realised

 

[vickster]

So you damaged someone's car through your fault and didn't tell them? Nice

 

[raleighnut]

So you damaged someone's car through your fault and didn't tell them? Nice

TBH the owner was there at the time.

 

[vickster]

That doesn't make it any more acceptable

 

[youngoldbloke]

Why do they make the shoes so slippery? I nearly had my first accident before even getting the bike out when I tried to walk across the kitchen floor.

Look Keo system.

Are you using Look Keo GRIP cleats? The standard ones are lethal, The Grip ones much safer.

 

[Road_Runner]

You will have your moment one day with falling off. It's inevitable. I had my first proper fall off at a roundabout today, when i clipped out on the opposite side to which i fell before i realised which side i was leaning over on. My first fall off was at the end of my road (50m) when i tested out my clipless pedals for the first time. I made a sharp U turn. On flat pedals i would put a foot down on turns like i did. This time i did exactly the same, clipped out on the opposite side. lol.


My tip is don't push off too aggressively. That way your pedal won't swing around and you should be able to glide your foot in to position. Secondly, if the cleat doesn't locate properly, pull you foot back and then push forwards and down again - as you might have put your foot too far forwards on the first attempt. Thirdly, if you feel rushed because of traffic behind you, pedal a little on either side of the pedal and when you're in a more suitable place, try it then. You're more likely to locate it quicker if you don't feel rushed. I find it easier to locate somewhere on the downwards stroke and it then to clip in towards the bottom of the stroke. Locating at the very top or bottom is hard in my opinion because the position your leg ends up being in.


How do people clip in on steep hills? Obviously going up. Do people pedal a while to get up to a good speed and then try? I occasional have a route where there is a set of traffic lights half way up a steep hill (5-10%). When setting off I try to pedal to a flatter section or when at a decent speed but my road shoe just slips off the pedal. :/

 

[slowmotion]

How do people clip in on steep hills? Obviously going up. Do people pedal a while to get up to a good speed and then try? :/

I do. It's always a good idea, hill or flat, to get a bit of momentum going before clipping in. It doesn't have to be any great speed, just confidence that you don't feel the need to put your foot down again after "the off". Clipping-in quickly isn't some kind of a race. Just take your time.

 

[Road_Runner]

I like how you cut my post down but kept the emoticon at the end

True, but don't you feel pro* when you clip in practically immediately? I personally don't rush to get clipped in.

*by pro i mean the feeling of 'oooohhhh yyyeeaahhh.......who's the cycling master'

I've found that i only need a half a pedal stroke in a relatively easy gear on the majority of starts to get clipped in other than steep hills - which maybe the fear of falling on my backside is too overwhelming. I'll try harder next time to pedal myself away before trying to clip in on the steep hills.