Time to leave the cleats alone ??

[Landsurfer]

Are you sure you fell off because of the spds? Might be that you just fell off your bike and maybe you are now over thinking it and looking for a reason where there is none.
I also wonder why your cycling peers think this was 'an accident waiting to happen'? You say you have decades of spd experience (as do I, being one of @fossyants spd using cycle buddies with spd pedals across my fleet for all trips from urban commuting, hardcore mtb rides and fast roadbike trips) so why do they and you think these pedals are a risk?
IMO my riding is much safer as a result of using spds compared to the alternatives.

Good point, i fell off because i came to a stop at an incline of approx 20 degrees and was unable to steady myself.
I was injured because i did not unclip my right foot in time to steady myself. I unclipped my left foot automatically but it was on the wrong side to steady me as i was already rotating to the right.
My LEJOG and CTC riding buddies (WIMPS) ride with cleatless pedals in the majority and regard having your feet clipped in as a disaster waiting to happen .... ... and keep telling me that ...

 

[Landsurfer]

Maybe it's just me, but u clipping my left foot is a perfectly natural response to going sideways and has been for many a year.
The same can't be said for my right which also happens to be the dominant one, even using flat pedals. It just work that way. My brain fails to engage that leg quickly enough in order to balance or stop me falling off.
Could that be what happened?
As above, clip less pedals keep my feet from bouncing off the pedals resulting in unplanned aeronautics.

Nail on the head i think ...

 

[I like Skol]

Good point, i fell off because i came to a stop at an incline of approx 20 degrees and was unable to steady myself.
I was injured because i did not unclip my right foot in time to steady myself. I unclipped my left foot automatically but it was on the wrong side to steady me as i was already rotating to the right.
My LEJOG and CTC riding buddies (WIMPS) ride with cleatless pedals in the majority and regard having your feet clipped in as a disaster waiting to happen .... ... and keep telling me that ...

So with hindsight you are saying that you fell over because you misjudged the terrain and put the wrong foot down. Sounds like the clipless pedals were neither the cause nor a contributory factor in the accident and you would just as likely fallen over as you stalled regardless of pedal type?
We've all done it

 

[Mo1959]

I'm a natural left foot unclipper too and find it awkward and requiring much more thought if I want to unclip the right. I suppose I should maybe practice a bit more. Most rides if I don't stop anywhere my right foot remains clipped in from start to finish of the ride.

 

[Profpointy]

I once unclipped before going down a rather too rough bouldery gully (Thorn tourer - not quite mountain bike proper) thinking it would be safer. Never again ! Feet bouncing all over the place and only just stayed on the bike.

Fair enough people who prefer flat pedals for whatever reason, but I'd not rule them out if you generally like them and are used to them

 

[mjr]

So with hindsight you are saying that you fell over because you misjudged the terrain and put the wrong foot down. Sounds like the clipless pedals were neither the cause nor a contributory factor in the accident and you would just as likely fallen over as you stalled regardless of pedal type?

Surely the pedals were a contributing factor if @Landsurfer realised the needed foot was still attached and was unable to free it quickly enough? It's much faster to free an unclipped foot, of course.

 

[pawl]

I'm a natural left foot unclipper too and find it awkward and requiring much more thought if I want to unclip the right. I suppose I should maybe practice a bit more. Most rides if I don't stop anywhere my right foot remains clipped in from start to finish of the ride.

So am i Thinking about it when I rode a motorcycle I always put my right foot down

 

[I like Skol]

Surely the pedals were a contributing factor if @Landsurfer realised the needed foot was still attached and was unable to free it quickly enough?

That's not what he said though.

I am maybe filling in some blanks or making some assumptions, but from reading what he has typed above it would seem he became unbalanced and put the wrong foot down, resulting in a tumble

I was injured because i did not unclip my right foot in time to steady myself. I unclipped my left foot automatically but it was on the wrong side to steady me as i was already rotating to the right.

That does not say he could not unclip or was delayed in putting a foot down because he had to unclip. It states that he unclipped and attempted to balance himself with the wrong foot.
@mjr I get that you don't use clipless pedals, but that doesn't mean you have to wrongly attempt to foster and perpetuate the misconception that the clipless system is a fool's death trap. There are many, many cyclists for which the clipless system works brilliantly and Landsurfer seems to be one of them. Sure, the clipless system is not to everyone's taste or a universal panacea, so people can use whatever they want, but I suspect it is just the experience of what sounds like a nasty tumble, together with the constant prejudiced nagging of people like mjr and the cycling buddies that has sown a seed of doubt in the mind of Landsurfer rather than any real issues with the spd system?

 

[screenman]

I like many other I guess do not even think about unclipping it just happens, much like once you have been driving a while you do not think about the clutch pedal.

 

[Landsurfer]

That's not what he said though.

I am maybe filling in some blanks or making some assumptions, but from reading what he has typed above it would seem he became unbalanced and put the wrong foot down, resulting in a tumble

That does not say he could not unclip or was delayed in putting a foot down because he had to unclip. It states that he unclipped and attempted to balance himself with the wrong foot.
@mjr I get that you don't use clipless pedals, but that doesn't mean you have to wrongly attempt to foster and perpetuate the misconception that the clipless system is a fool's death trap. There are many, many cyclists for which the clipless system works brilliantly and Landsurfer seems to be one of them. Sure, the clipless system is not to everyone's taste or a universal panacea, so people can use whatever they want, but I suspect it is just the experience of what sounds like a nasty tumble, together with the constant prejudiced nagging of people like mjr and the cycling buddies that has sown a seed of doubt in the mind of Landsurfer rather than any real issues with the spd system?

You need to drink less Skol and get out more .....

Anywayup ... having received the expected cheerful abuse from my brother and sister WIMPS i'm going to stay with my cleats and Shimano 540 pedals for now ... It seems to me that it was a classic 6 "P" moment ... thanks for all the positive support and advice folks ...

 

[I like Skol]

You need to drink less Skol and get out more .....

Yeah, sorry about that. Just felt it necessary to challenge mjr's comments as he is always trying to portray his view on cycling as being the one right way, and everyone else is either plain wrong or has apparently been suckered in by the capitalist cycle manufacturing corporations....
Glad you have made up your own decision that suits you

 

[simongt]

I've been using Shimano M515s for years now and have never had an issue with unclipping in a hurry, even when I was wacked off my bike from behind and ended up in casualty. Set the grip to the loosest as I've done with alll mine and there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[mjr]

That's not what he said though.

I am maybe filling in some blanks or making some assumptions, but from reading what he has typed above it would seem he became unbalanced and put the wrong foot down, resulting in a tumble

Exactly. Your previous post was written as an absolute when we simply don't have enough information to conclude. Assumption is the mother...

@mjr I get that you don't use clipless pedals, but that doesn't mean you have to wrongly attempt to foster and perpetuate the misconception that the clipless system is a fool's death trap.

Just felt it necessary to challenge mjr's comments as he is always trying to portray his view on cycling as being the one right way, and everyone else is either plain wrong or has apparently been suckered in by the capitalist cycle manufacturing corporations....

@I like Skol I get that you like 1960/70s weak Scottish Scandi-imitation lager, but that doesn't mean you have to wrongly attempt to form and perpetuate lies about me. I've never called clipless "a fool's death trap" or said "everyone else is either plain wrong or [...] suckered" and it's just plain insulting to call me crazy. Maybe you're projecting your own fears about clipless or capitalism onto me.

 

[clid61]

When SPD's slowly started drifiting into BMX racing , they'd help on the "snap" , but Ultra smooth riders who stayed on flats were the best. Read Dylan Clayton

 

[Eziemnaik]

Does anybody find it more comfortable to do long, consecutive days of touring in flats? If no do you carry a spare pair or sneakers/shoes/flip flops ?