Had my first ride with clipless pedals today and happy to report all went well. However, occasionally my left knee would brush against the crossbar of my bike and on fewer occasions my right heel would brush against the rear frame. This never happened when I was using flat pedals. Would this be down to poor technique, lack of core strength, do my cleats need to be adjusted or could there be another reason this happes?
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Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Adjust your cleats so your heel moves away from the bike.
Apollonius
Veteran
- Location
- South Staffordshire
If you are using SPD, of either sort, then you need to be pretty exact in your lining-up of the cleats on the shoes. Also make sure that your cleat bolts are very tight. You might need to fiddle with the settings as a little change makes a big difference. If you are using SLs, then one usually starts with the yellow. Maybe a change to some with less float will help.
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
You didn't do it right, most good cyclists fall off the first time.
Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
al3xsh
Über Member
- Location
- Peak district
If your heel is clipping the chainstay, I'd look at either moving the cleat towards the inside or backwards.
However, my experience is that it only takes minor adjustments to cleat position to cause me knee pain so make tiny changes! Generally fitting a new set of cleats (for me) requires at least one ride with frequent stops and an allen key to hand! (Best done in summer!).
Also, I have serious duck feet, so that doesn't help! :-)
However, my experience is that it only takes minor adjustments to cleat position to cause me knee pain so make tiny changes! Generally fitting a new set of cleats (for me) requires at least one ride with frequent stops and an allen key to hand! (Best done in summer!).
Also, I have serious duck feet, so that doesn't help! :-)
Racing roadkill
Guru
You get a degree of ‘float’ ( lateral movement before you disengage from the pedal) with SPD-SL cleats, 6 degrees with yellow, 2 degrees with blue, and nothing with red. I’d advise sticking to higher float cleats, until you’re used to them, then give the lower float cleats a go. You probably want to swerve the fixed ( red ) cleats, unless you’re very sure the bike is fitted / set up correctly though.
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
The OP may not be using SL, could be just SPD therefore no choice in degree off float.
Racing roadkill
Guru
I know, I was putting it out there in case.
mgs315
Senior Member
Agreed
You haven't lived the SPD life, until you've done a "Dell Boy"
Did that last week on the club ride (well sort of, had stopped and foot down on the left, went to lean onto the right foot in order to get off on the right and forgot I was clipped in!) Face full of someone else’s top tube and down tube for my trouble haha.
It’s SPD for me.
Threevok
Growing old disgracefully
- Location
- South Wales
Ouch
I have a mate who probably had one of the most embarrassing "Dell Boys" I have heard to date
He stopped at a junction in busy traffic, to turn right - and (rather than unclip) decided to lean on the bollard beside him.
Unfortunately for my red-faced friend, it was one of those collapsible ones
NickNick
Well-Known Member
Very good advice re making sure they are bolted on tight. I made the mistake of buying my first lot of cleats of ebay as I'd baulked at paying close to £20, that was a mistake! The plastic was really brittle so I bolted them on fairly loosely and they still disintegrated within a couple of rides. I then switch to the real Shimano ones but kept the same level of tension on the bolts. I ended up loosing 2 bolts off my right hand cleat whilst cycling along busy central London cycling path. Had a minor panic and then had the idea of nicking one of the bolts from the left hand side which at least got me home, but I've since bolted them on rock solid and not had any more problems (although I do carry a couple of spare cleat bolts in saddle bag just in case).
