Thoughts on first ever clipless ride today

[lazybloke]

Not common but as Vickster writes, it can happen occasionally. Just go to cafés with carpet!

Skiers suffer the same problem especially at lunch time carrying loaded trays around on wet polished stone floors in mountain restaurants. Every skier has suffered or witnessed a clattering crash. It's one reason why I prefer ski-touring boots as they have rubber soles for walking.

Must admit, the slips I've had in cycling shoes are probably all from hurrying on hard surfaces, usually the concrete stairs at work.
But I do tend to dash about. If I just slowed down a bit would probably be fine.


Ski boot slips: You say "wet polished stone floors". My excuse was usually: too much gluhwein/bombardino.

 

[Globalti]

Must admit, the slips I've had in cycling shoes are probably all from hurrying on hard surfaces, usually the concrete stairs at work.
But I do tend to dash about. If I just slowed down a bit would probably be fine.


Ski boot slips: You say "wet polished stone floors". My excuse was usually: too much gluhwein/bombardino.

On your first point, perhaps you should change your forum name to "busybloke"?

On your second it's often younger folk who crash painfully as they haven't learned to mistrust plastic ski boots on hard floors.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

After riding with SPD's for many years I still don't find spinning second nature.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Been using clipped in since about 1989, bought a set in a Saturday and did a cross race on the next day, never given much thought to clipping in or out it just happens. If you drive a car when was the last time you had to think what your feet were doing?

Same here, and I started using them when they first came out.

One important point to remember when getting used to clipless - ALL so called "Clipless moments" happen for one reason only - in a panic to unclip quickly the rider will pull upwards on the pedal as the try to twist their foot sideways. This upward motion is exactly what the clipless system is designed to prevent. Just twist, DON'T pull, if anything very lightly push down on the pedal as you twist and while the bike is at home and static keep practicing that till it becomes second nature.

And when you are approaching a junction and your stomach tightens because you know you have to unclip and you worry that you won't be able to, relax your grip on the bars and repeat to yourself, "Slow is smooth, smooth is quick". No panic needed, just a clear head.

 

[Mr Celine]

If you are using 2 bolt cleats (eg SPDs) remember to regularly check the tightness of the cleat bolts. If one bolt is slack the cleat can rotate on the shoe leading to an inevitable clipless moment.

DAMHIKT

 

[RoubaixCube]

If you are using 2 bolt cleats (eg SPDs) remember to regularly check the tightness of the cleat bolts. If one bolt is slack the cleat can rotate on the shoe leading to an inevitable clipless moment.

DAMHIKT

Might be a helpful to use a small dab of medium strength thread locker.

 

[Globalti]

No don't do that. The bolts and cleats are hard steel and there's a lot of elasticity in the setup so it's possible to do the bolts up feckoff tight (olde English engineering term) then with the small SPD cleats the bolts usually rust solid so it's a better idea to put some Copaslip on the threads. When removing the bolts take care to dig all the muck out of the hex holes otherwise your hex key won't go in far enough and will round out the hole. The bolts being hard steel they are difficult to drill out.

Always do the bolts up extremely tight; GtiJunior didn't and one fine day he found he couldn't unclip and ended up circling a car park in Malham calling out in distress for me to catch him. He had lost 2 of the 3 bolts on both sides so the cleats were just rotating. I had a hell of a job removing his shoes from his pedals then had to cannibalize my own cleats for a spare bolt for each side.

 

[ianrauk]

I think I've been lucky. I've never retightened clear bolts after attaching them and never had one come lose. Though I do always carry a spare cleat bolt in my mini bike toolkit.
I think it was @GetFatty who lost a cleat bolt on one of our rides that prompted me to carry the spare bolt.

 

[lazybloke]

I've heard the horror stories before and am well aware that cleat bolts should be kept tightly done up.
However, my left shoe has had only a single bolt in the cleat for approximately a month now; so far so good!

What did I say in another thread about procrastinating? Damn, time to place an order!!!!!

 

[HLaB]

I've ridden with folk who have had bolts come loose or heard people say they have bolts that are too tight and won't come out. But touch wood I've never had a problem but it probably helps the absolute maximum I can put through a pair of cleats is 800w and it normally doesn't go much above 500w 😂

 

[kingrollo]

As complete novice, I'm thinking with clipless peddles you just have to plan ahead your actions before taking them. I time and experience comes hopefully they will become second nature..If i was riding through stop start built up areas with complexed junctions, in sure this clipping in and out thing would be a big issue for me

A good tip is to go and just practice clipping/unclipping.

On a 20 mile ride for example you might unclip 5 or 6 times. Not much practice.

Just go along to a quiet street , and do nothing but start / stop unclipping/clipping

 

[Dogtrousers]

I lost a cleat bolt once and managed to complete my ride with one shoe firmly stuck to the pedal. Ride ended at a railway station so I just had to remove my foot from the shoe for the journey home. Since then I check them regularly and carry a spare bolt.

 

[swee'pea99]

The resemblance is quite uncanny...

 

[Globalti]

Sheesh.... I think you've had your money's worth out of those cleats!

 

[vickster]

A good tip is to go and just practice clipping/unclipping.

On a 20 mile ride for example you might unclip 5 or 6 times. Not much practice.

Just go along to a quiet street , and do nothing but start / stop unclipping/clipping

(when I was able to ride clipless) - I probably would unclip my left foot far more times in 20 miles in normal times around here just as a precaution - almost every junction, roundabout, traffic light, every time the traffic slows ahead, when filtering, pedestrian looking like they might step out etc etc etc....I used to like clipless but all of this makes flats acceptable!