Those New Clipless Contraptions

[Octet]

I'm back, in one piece!

I've just given my new clipless (Shimano E-PDM520L) a try, and I have to say they are an experience.
Walking was an experience all on its own, the way you can't bend your foot just feels odd... plus when dismounting you tend to get some odd looks.

Un-clip, walk *click* walk *clack* walk *clop*.... all eyes are on you at that point, when walking through a busy pedestrian area.

In terms of the ride, I didn't fall off! WOOT, admittedly the pedals have been loosened so that my feet can just slip out, but so far so good. I think the fear of falling also helped, I found myself un-clipping a foot a good ten or so metres from a set of traffic lights or a junction. Hopefully with practice I shall build some confidence, and it shall become second nature.

The biggest difficulty I found was re-inserting < Enter Childish Joke >, my foot into the pedal. I found the base to aim for really small and many a time I ended up wedging my foot so that I could at least start moving, before I managed to clip back in. I had to make some modification on a grass verge to the cleat positions, thankfully I had my handy multi-tool.

Anyway, everything seems fine, but then DISASTER!

I forgot my normal shoes!

Thankfully it was only a couple of miles away... but I had to go back so that I could at least walk around when I got to my location.



Well... that's about it for my random dose of posting. Any tips on improving my clipless technique?

 

[numbnuts]

Well done, you will get use to them, but it does take time, once you have learnt you will never want to go back, just keep at it, it will become second nature to you.

 

[fossyant]

Are these MTB spd or road SPD SL. If mtb you can walk about fine in them. Road versions, nope.

 

[Octet]

Are these MTB spd or road SPD SL. If mtb you can walk about fine in them. Road versions, nope.

They are Mountain Bike SPD Pedals, mainly because I thought it would be best to use something double sided for my first pair.
The shoes themselves, accept both SPD and SPD-SL, but are primarily road shoes and so have no flex on the foot, and the cleat extrudes.

 

[fossyant]

Ah.

 

[ianrauk]

They are Mountain Bike SPD Pedals, mainly because I thought it would be best to use something double sided for my first pair.
The shoes themselves, accept both SPD and SPD-SL, but are primarily road shoes and so have no flex on the foot, and the cleat extrudes.

Decent MTB SPD shoes have no or very little flex.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Quite acceptable on road bikes as well.

Only tip is take the tension on both sides of each pedal all the way back to zero ten onto the first click until you get used to them.

Also, try nt to look as you clip in, you need to "feel" the clip in.

If you ever go SPD-SL, you can walk in tem if you buy a pair of rubber cleatskins - worth every penny

 

[Octet]

Quite acceptable on road bikes as well.

Only tip is take the tension on both sides of each pedal all the way back to zero ten onto the first click until you get used to them.

Also, try nt to look as you clip in, you need to "feel" the clip in.

If you ever go SPD-SL, you can walk in tem if you buy a pair of rubber cleatskins - worth every penny

Thanks for the suggestions, I've already dropped the tension to the lowest it shall go, which has helped a lot.
Those rubber skins sound interesting, if I decide to upgrade in the future, they might be something worth looking at.

 

[gaz]

Are these MTB spd or road SPD SL. If mtb you can walk about fine in them. Road versions, nope.

Oh come on, I would expect better from you. Walking in SPD-SL style cleats is easy. I even do it on marble floors everyday with no issues.

 

[Hip Priest]

Oh come on, I would expect better from you. Walking in SPD-SL style cleats is easy. I even do it on marble floors everyday with no issues.

I find it very difficult.

I've never had one of these clipless falls that everyone goes on about but I have done the splits in a cafe with a tiled floor.

 

[Octet]

Back from my second time on clipless, again, no major falls.

I'm getting better at clipping in on flats and down hill but going up is a completely different story. On several hills that either have traffic lights or junctions on them, I've had to stop and walk along the pavement to the next available flat piece of land. When ever I try and push off on a hill, I can't get my other foot in... end up kicking the air in front of me and coming to a stop as my other foot reaches the end of the stroke.

Practice, practice, practice.... hopefully I can find a nice quiet road, but one with hills which I can use.

 

[fossyant]

Oh come on, I would expect better from you. Walking in SPD-SL style cleats is easy. I even do it on marble floors everyday with no issues.

I was thinking of the OP.

I try not to walk far in my road shoes, mainly as the grit and crap will scuff up my carbon soles.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

I've had a few embarrassing occasions where I've tilted over, other than that I love them. Going back to flats feels weird and slow although they obviously work better in certain conditions.

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

...except for the part where I keep losing cleat bolts. I think that is more my fault.

 

[Octet]

...except for the part where I keep losing cleat bolts. I think that is more my fault.

I almost lost some whilst making some road side modifications to the shoes. I was sitting in the opening to a field, on a quiet country lane. I was changing the position of the cleat but as I removed the bolt I dropped it in the long grass... I spent the next ten minutes trying to find it!