Is there a drill to practice getting out of cleats.

[ColinJ]

Nothing is truly sudden or unexpected.

I was out on my bike once when a deer suddenly jumped over my head, and that was totally unexpected!

There are some deer in this area but they are so shy that I have only seen them 4 or 5 times in the 30 years that I have lived here. One of those occasions was when I was doing a fast descent on a narrow lane with dry stone walls either side. Suddenly a deer jumped over the wall on my nearside and cleared my head by a couple of inches!

(The hillside sloped steeply up to my left so the deer only had to jump a foot or so to clear the wall and the road was 4 or 5 feet lower.)

It landed safely on my right and promptly jumped over the other wall and disappeared into the woods.

 

[Johnno260]

Set the pedal tension low and try and think ahead, I release a foot before junction and not at the last minute.

if you have a flat lawn maybe practise on that a little.

 

[dodss]

Thank you for all the replies; practice it seems.
Doing dim things is my downfall. The last one was when I about to be caught in heavy rain shower so was stopping quickly to get off the road a little to get under a bush for some shelter; so I had a few things in my head, one of whIch was not unclipping. Another time a year or so back was at a junction when I was facing an oncoming car and figuring out what it was going to do and should I stay or should I go, rather that un clipping. My bikes are better now geared now; early on in a hilly Yorkshire Dales Triathlon I tried to keep going in the lowest gear when I should have got off and walked a spell.

 

[neil_merseyside]

You can't even begin to guess WHEN, so just ride with a buddy who randomly says "NOW" and do it. Muscle memory will work after a little bit of being tested. Oh and twisting out is from the ankle and not the knee. I now never unclip approaching anything (I'm lazy after all) and as it is very rarely needed - if you anticipate properly, and no I don't believe I'm being smug. But don't worry about getting out of the clips, my wife has recently had her bike right UNDER the front wheels of a car, it took her out from behind (and for good measure her friend from the front "as HE thought he could make it") she didn't have a bike attached when the cavalry arrived...

 

[RoubaixCube]

Not sure if its been mentioned yet but taking your bike to a park and riding on the grass a little to practice clipping in and out at various speeds.

The benefit of this is that if you should fall, the grass is soft and you wont damage yourself or the bike.

practicing slowing down and speeding up with and without clipping in on the grass can also help with bike handling skills. Ive gotten to a point where im almost not moving at all but retain good balance. I can retain my balance for around 5 seconds if i feather the brakes for a complete stop. Like a track stand but done incorrectly as i dont angle the front wheel at all. Its all based on timing, luck and experience. read the traffic ahead of you, slow down as much as you can and you can avoid clipping out as well as retaining some forward momentum to make picking up speed easier.

 

[nickyboy]

Just try to unclip a few seconds before you want to stop. I do that and then let my unclipped foot dangle down as I freewheel to a stop

The issue is unexpected rapid stops. Going up a really steep hill can be a big problem. Get a back wheel spin or maybe just an insane gradient and hit a pothole you've got to unclip really fast. I suppose it does help to motivate you to keep going

 

[Julia9054]

The only issue I ever have is when circumstances mean that I am leaning to the wrong side and suddenly have to unclip with the wrong foot. My reptilian brain can't cope!

 

[nickyboy]

The only issue I ever have is when circumstances mean that I am leaning to the wrong side and suddenly have to unclip with the wrong foot. My reptilian brain can't cope!

I've got pretty good at coasting up to traffic lights, clipped in and just stopping and holding the pedestrian railing to stop me falling over. One of these days it's going to go horribly wrong. All it needs is for me to miss the handrail and down I'll go

 

[RoubaixCube]

All it needs is for me to miss the handrail and down I'll go

This has happened to me. Smacked my left rib against the railing. Spent the rest of the day in so much pain I thought I broke something

 

[neil_merseyside]

I've got pretty good at coasting up to traffic lights, clipped in and just stopping and holding the pedestrian railing to stop me falling over. One of these days it's going to go horribly wrong. All it needs is for me to miss the handrail and down I'll go

Not a good idea if you do that after an LGV has stopped (as you are in the blind spot) so when the light goes green the trailer cuts the corner and you get 'cheese grated' on the railing you so liked for support. Obviously if you are there first then an LGV shouldn't pass you and forget your existence and cheese grate you. It's so much better to take the lane at the front and unclip if you can't track stand for longer than light sequence, that'd be me falling sideways...

 

[Mike_P]

Using SPDs I have a normal on one shoe and a quick release on the other. Had a couple of instances even so through mistakenly clipping back in just as otherwise I would have put my foot on the floor and it was time to practice a track stand.

 

[Chislenko]

If I can give you one tip.

At some junctions / traffic lights now they have arrow direction bollards.

The cunning devils have now made them out of plastic with a flexible support.

So first time I came across one unsuspecting me stays clipped in, rests my hand on the bollard for support and whoops the bollard goes and me and the bike follow.

Lesson learned!

 

[cougie uk]

I've got pretty good at coasting up to traffic lights, clipped in and just stopping and holding the pedestrian railing to stop me falling over. One of these days it's going to go horribly wrong. All it needs is for me to miss the handrail and down I'll go

Just unclip as well. I'll keep the front of the shoe in the clip and then it's just pressing down as you pedal off. It's so easy.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Thank you for all the replies; practice it seems.
Doing dim things is my downfall. The last one was when I about to be caught in heavy rain shower so was stopping quickly to get off the road a little to get under a bush for some shelter; so I had a few things in my head, one of whIch was not unclipping. Another time a year or so back was at a junction when I was facing an oncoming car and figuring out what it was going to do and should I stay or should I go, rather that un clipping. My bikes are better now geared now; early on in a hilly Yorkshire Dales Triathlon I tried to keep going in the lowest gear when I should have got off and walked a spell.

Actually you used the right word in your opening post = drill. Follow a simple drill to make sure it becomes muscle memory like learning how to type with 10 fingers. At night when traffic is low, do rounds in the Town Centre as they have more stops to practice. Remember to keep the heel on the pedal for a smooth stop as a dangling leg after unclipping reduces stability.

Use only one leg repetitiously to unclip and to build muscle memory. Do not attempt to be ambidextrous. That introduces additional variables which extends the learning significantly. You will eventually have to learn to use the other leg as well for safety reasons mentioned by others.

You will be an ace in a week. Unclipping will be automatic.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Is it time for longer shorts now?